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On Wednesday ESPN put together an expert panel to determine which team will is poised to dominate in 2015. That is three years and four seasons from now.

Here is how things shaped up in the AFC East:

No 2: New England Patriots

Thoughts: Earlier Wednesday I wrote a column that New England will struggle when Tom Brady retires. Our panel thinks Brady will still be around in 2015 and gave New England a "nine" rating at quarterback. That's debatable. Brady will be 38 years old in 2015. Is Brady still playing football? And if so, is Brady still elite pushing 40? The article also ignores tight end Aaron Hernandez's contract situation. He's a free agent in two years, along with teammate Rob Gronkowski. Hernandez is probably not on New England's roster in 2015 unless the Patriots find a way to make "Gronk" and Hernandez two of the highest-paid players at the same position. That's not likely.

No. 16: New York Jets

Thoughts: The Jets are an interesting team. Like the Patriots, they are built to win now. It’s hard to say where New York will be in four seasons. ESPN's Trent Dilfer says he still loves the talent and potential of quarterback Mark Sanchez, but I disagree. Entering his fourth season, I think Sanchez pretty much is what he is. Of course, Sanchez can play better over the next few years and reduce turnovers. But he’s not a future perennial Pro Bowler in waiting. Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis will be 30 in 2015. Maybe he’s still the best cornerback in football at that time. Maybe not. New York’s drafts also can be hit or miss.

No. 22: Buffalo Bills

Thoughts: Things are looking up for Buffalo this season, but I think the Bills were a victim of circumstance in this case. The Bills haven’t made the postseason in 13 years. Therefore, I would assume it was very hard for our expert panel to put any stock in Buffalo’s future several years down the line. But there are some good, young players on the roster. Running back C.J. Spiller has potential. So does defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and rookie corner Stephon Gilmore. No. 1 receiver Steve Johnson also is still just 25. I still have questions about the long-term potential of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. But the Bills have potential to build something.

No. 28: Miami Dolphins

Thoughts: ESPN’s panel sees too many questions about the direction of Dolphins. Is rookie Ryan Tannehill the long-term solution quarterback? Is Joe Philbin a viable head coach? Is Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long staying in Miami beyond 2012? There are a lot of questions in Miami. The Dolphins aren’t ready to compete now, and they have to make a lot of the right moves in order to compete in the future. Only the Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns had lower rankings than the Dolphins in these future Power Rankings.

The New England Patriots have played in five Super Bowls -- winning three -- since they drafted quarterback Tom Brady in the sixth round in 2000. They also have eight division titles in that span, and Brady and coach Bill Belichick recently became the winningest quarterback-coach combo in NFL history.

But all of that comes to an end when Brady retires.

Brady, who turns 35 in August, says he wants to play in New England until he's 40. That is great news for the Patriots, because they will struggle the second the future Hall of Famer hangs it up.

Things that have become foreign to New England the past dozen years will become routine again. New England will have down years and miss the playoffs -- just like everybody else. The Patriots won't survive various injuries -- just like everybody else. The Patriots also will run through a few quarterbacks -- just like everybody else.

On Wednesday, ESPN.com examined potentially dominant teams in 2015 . At that point, I think New England's easy run over the AFC East will be a thing of the past.

Here are four reasons New England will struggle in the post-Brady era:

No. 1: Patriots won't immediately find Brady's replacement.

Brady's story is once in a generation. He's a former sixth-round pick who slipped through the cracks to become one of the top five quarterbacks of all time. Brady had the drive and “it" factor to become the greatest player in franchise history. Brady often is compared to Joe Montana, because they share a similar story about 20 years apart.

The chances of New England finding another Brady anytime soon are slim.

Patriots fans will scream that Ryan Mallett is a future franchise quarterback. But how does anyone really know, considering the 2011 third-round pick hasn't thrown an NFL pass?

What about Brian Hoyer? The undrafted quarterback has shown small flashes but certainly not enough to warrant Pro Bowl status. The drop-off going from Brady to 99 percent of other quarterbacks will be steep.

Even if Mallett or Hoyer turns out to be a viable starting quarterback, neither will be nearly as good as Brady. Is Mallett or Hoyer a future Hall of Famer? Probably not. Will either quarterback perennially make the Pro Bowl? Not likely.

New England has been able to overcome poor defense, injuries and at times average receivers to still be competitive. Brady was great enough to carry the Patriots through various weaknesses. That no longer will be a luxury in New England. It will be much harder to get everything right with other areas of the team, especially if the quarterback position is in flux.

No. 2: The offense is old.

Brady is turning 35 in August. No. 1 receiver Wes Welker is 31. Starting receiver Brandon Lloyd is 30. Longtime left tackle Matt Light just retired this offseason. Guard Brian Waters might follow, if not this year, then soon after.

When Brady is gone, it's likely all these important offensive pieces will be gone as well. A Patriots offense without Brady, Welker, Lloyd, Light, Waters, etc., means New England is virtually starting over in a few years.

The Patriots still have a couple of young stars in tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. But consider this: One tight end probably will bolt in free agency. Both Gronkowski and Hernandez -- two of the top five players at their position -- have rookie contracts set to expire in two years. Both will be looking for huge paydays, and New England can't do that with two players at the same position.

New England most likely will throw the money truck at Gronkowski, perhaps making him the highest-paid tight end, and let Hernandez walk. Brady also will be 37 and possibly retired or on his last legs by the time both tight ends will look for extensions. Returning to New England's offense long term won't be as attractive two years from now for a pending free agent such as Hernandez.

No. 3: Sun is setting on Belichick.

Belichick just turned 60 years old. How much longer will he coach the Patriots?

He has coached in the NFL in some capacity for 37 years. He is approaching his fourth decade in the league.

Even head coaches have a shelf life. Belichick currently is the NFL's fourth-oldest head coach behind Tom Coughlin (65) of the New York Giants, Romeo Crennel (64) of the Kansas City Chiefs and, by a few months, Chan Gailey (60) of the Buffalo Bills. Perhaps we are also witnessing the last few years of Belichick roaming the sidelines.

A good debate topic in New England would be who contributed more to the Patriots' dynasty the past dozen years: Brady or Belichick? Both are Hall of Famers. But in my opinion, Brady's development and dominance at quarterback are stronger factors in New England's success. Belichick would not have won all those games, division titles and championships in New England with shoddy quarterback play. Brady remained dominant and kept the team afloat, even when Belichick struggled coaching the defense, which is Belichick's specialty.

No. 4: The rest of the AFC East will catch up.

I often call the AFC East the "Brady and Belichick division." They're the great equalizers who keep the Patriots on top.

But without Brady in a few years, and perhaps Belichick, all four teams are back to an even playing field. Who will be the top quarterback in the AFC East when Brady retires? Ryan Tannehill? Mark Sanchez? Tim Tebow? Someone else?

Maybe all four teams will have average quarterback play. That means the Patriots, New York Jets, Bills and Miami Dolphins must rely on other areas to be successful and win the division.

Can the Patriots rely on their defense to lead the way? Not right now. Not even close. New England is in no position to overcome poor quarterback play, and that probably won't change overnight.

I expect Brady to play at least two more years (2012 and 2013) at an elite level. He might opt to play beyond that. But after age 37, there's no guarantee Brady can continue to take the physical pounding and play at the high level to which we have become accustomed. We've already seen nagging injuries bother Brady more than ever over the past couple of seasons.

Brady is a special talent the organization probably will never see again. So enjoy the success now, Patriots fans. New England will come back to earth and be an ordinary team again in three to five years.

» NFC pressure points: West | North | South | East
» AFC pressure points: West | North | South | East

Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Bills and why.

Things are looking up for the Buffalo Bills. A team that finished 6-10 and in last place in the AFC East in 2011 had arguably the league's best offseason. The Bills acquired defensive ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson in free agency, drafted first-round cornerback Stephon Gilmore, and gave contract extensions to in-house stars Fred Jackson and Steve Johnson.

But each move adds more pressure to third-year Bills coach Chan Gailey, who is 10-22 in his first two seasons in Buffalo.

Is Gailey a good NFL head coach? It's hard to say. He was 18-14 in two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys before he was abruptly fired. Gailey still carries that sting after being relieved of his position without ever posting a losing season in Dallas. He has struggled in Buffalo, but hasn't had nearly the same talent that he had with the Cowboys.

Talent is no longer a question this year in Buffalo. The Bills spent to the cap to nab top free agents, and many in-house players are coming into their own. Buffalo now has enough talent to make a playoff push. The question is, can Gailey and his staff put it all together?

This is a no-excuses year for Gailey. It's time to finally show what he can do in Buffalo with a bevy of talent at his disposal.

Anything can happen in the NFL. There are surprises, injuries, etc. that can change the annual landscape.

However, let's be honest: Only the biggest AFC East homers would pick against the reigning AFC champion New England Patriots winning the division next year. The Patriots have by far the best quarterback, the best head coach, the easiest schedule in the NFL and were within a drive of winning the Super Bowl. Plus, New England was the only AFC East team with a winning record in 2011. The gap is just too wide.

With that said, that brings us to our latest poll question: Who should be the preseason favorite to finish in second place in the division?

Is it last year's second-place team: the New York Jets? They were 8-8 in 2011, which was a disappointment for this talented group. The Jets are a team built to win now and expect a bounce-back year. Is second place in their future?

What about the upstart Buffalo Bills? They had a great offseason that included additions like defensive ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson and first-round cornerback Stephon Gilmore. The Bills are trying to make it a big year in Buffalo. Can they make the jump?

Finally, will the Miami Dolphins finish in second place? The Dolphins will try to be competitive under first-year head coach Joe Philbin and starting quarterback Matt Moore or David Garrard.

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on which AFC East team most likely will finish in second place. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Leave it to Rex Ryan, Mike Tannenbaum and the New York Jets to roll the dice. After the first two days, it's obvious the Jets are going all or nothing in the 2012 NFL draft.

New York's first two picks -- enigmatic defensive end Quinton Coples and inconsistent wide receiver Stephen Hill -- make a statement. It says the Jets are targeting raw talent over consistency and production.

That's always a risky move, particularly coming off a year when the Jets underachieved and imploded down the stretch.

The Jets have locker room issues. They may have a contract issue with Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis. And there's a potential quarterback controversy hovering over the team.

The least New York could do was make safe draft picks. But that clearly wasn't the case.

The Jets are swinging for the fences with Coples and Hill. They may hit two home runs or they could strike out on both. The difference is the Jets are not the rival New England Patriots or crosstown New York Giants. The Jets cannot afford to whiff on top draft picks.

The Jets traded up four spots to take Hill. He was taken with the No. 43 overall pick, which is a solid value if he pans out.

Hill is a physical marvel with a rare combination of size and speed for the position. He averaged 29.3 yards per catch last season but had only 28 receptions. If Hill can put it all together, he could be a steal and a good deep threat in New York's "ground-and-pound" offense.

Coples is a top-10 talent whose stock fell dramatically because of questions about his motivation. There is speculation that he (at worst) quit on the Tar Heels last season and (at best) was on cruise control.

The production from Coples' junior year to senior year certainly shows something happened. Now, the Jets have to handle the fallout.

"I think that's a fair question," Ryan said of Coples' motor. "The guy did have seven sacks as an interior lineman, that’s pretty good numbers-wise. But I think expectations going into the season, he might’ve been behind Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III; he’s probably the highest-rated player going into the season based on the previous season, with the 10 sacks. You don’t see that from an interior lineman, a guy that's 6-6 and 285 pounds. So, I think maybe [he] did not meet those [expectations] as a player."

The rookie did not want to address his motivation issues in college with the media and just wants to look forward.

"I've been working hard, to be the best I can be and be the best Jet I can," Coples said. "What happened last year is what happened last year. I’m looking forward to being one of the best pass-rushers."

What matters most is what Coples and Hill do in the pros. The past can be an indication of things to come or a learning experience, depending on the person.

New York did make a seemingly safe pick in the third round with linebacker Demario Davis. But it's going to take good coaching and leadership in New York to get the best out of Coples and Hill. Ryan is a good defensive coach, so no worries there. Leadership with the Jets is a much bigger issue.

Last year proved that someone needs to step up and take hold of the team. Earlier this offseason, I wrote that top players in New York such as Revis, quarterback Mark Sanchez and Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold have to do a better job of keeping everyone in line.

Like their top draft picks this year, the Jets are a boom or bust team in 2012.

DAVIE, Fla. -- There is no bigger boom-or-bust prospect in the 2012 draft than former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Is he the next prolific NFL quarterback, or simply a product of pre-draft hype that led to becoming a top-10 pick?

Opinions vary. But the Miami Dolphins believe they have the answers to the Tannehill question. Miami has more inside knowledge on Tannehill than any other team and drafted its quarterback of the future with the No. 8 overall pick Thursday night.

Tannehill will rejoin Dolphins offensive coordinator and former Aggies coach Mike Sherman, who says Tannehill is a star in the making. There are many critics who believe Tannehill is fool's gold, but the Dolphins are very confident they made the right choice.

"This was an all-in decision," Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland said firmly. "From the football side, our scouts, our coaches ... we all felt very, very good about it."

Ireland hit the nail on the head. The Dolphins are betting the foreseeable future of the franchise on Tannehill -- for better or for worse.

If Tannehill develops into an upper-echelon quarterback, the Dolphins finally have the biggest piece to change their misfortunes. If Tannehill is a bust, it will set Miami back another three or four years.

"We're excited and thrilled," Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said of their first-round pick. "I've always said you need to be strong at the quarterback position, and now that's one of the strengths of this team. So I couldn't be happier."

The pick doesn't come without pressure. It's been 29 years since the Dolphins drafted a quarterback in the first round: Dan Marino in 1983. Those are some big shoes to fill.

It's also no coincidence Miami hasn't had a legitimate, franchise quarterback since Marino retired in 2000. The list of mediocre starting quarterbacks since included Cleo Lemon, Joey Harrington, Trent Green, Jay Fiedler, A.J. Feeley, John Beck and most recently Chad Henne. Tannehill will try to avoid being the next name on this infamous list.

Tannehill had only 19 career starts in college. There is a learning curve with Tannehill that isn't as steep for other top quarterback prospects like Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, who went No. 1 and No. 2 to the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Redskins, respectively.

The good news is Tannehill is not expected to play in 2012. Barring unexpected injuries to Miami veteran quarterbacks Matt Moore and David Garrard, Tannehill probably will hold a clipboard next season. This will provide Tannehill ample time to learn the NFL game.

Dolphins rookie head coach and former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin kept Aaron Rodgers on the bench for several years before he became a starter and it worked out fine. But that wasn’t what Tannehill wanted to hear on draft day.

"I want to compete, that's just the competitor in me," Tannehill said in a conference call with the South Florida media. "Obviously with competition comes learning. It doesn't have to be a hostile competition. It's just competing."

Ireland said he’s going to leave Tannehill's playing time next season up to the coaching staff. But chances are, we won't know much about Tannehill until 2013. The boom-or-bust talk will have to wait for at least a year.

But Tannehill's ceiling is high if things go right in Miami. It also doesn't hurt that the quarterback competition in the AFC East is not very stout. It's pretty much Tom Brady, and then there's everyone else.

Tannehill has the physical ability to potentially rise above the struggling quarterback pile in the division that includes Mark Sanchez, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tim Tebow. If Tannehill becomes the second-best quarterback in the AFC East over the next two or three years, that's a huge advantage for the rebuilding Dolphins.

Remember this day, Dolphins fans. Tannehill is the draft pick that will either change Miami's misfortunes or extend the team's misery for several more years. The Tannehill mystery won't be solved overnight, but Miami feels it found the piece to eventually build this struggling franchise into a winner.

"I don't know if this energizes the fan base. What energizes the fan base is winning," Ross said. "I'm looking to field a winning team, because energizing a fan base only lasts a very short period of time.

"We're talking about winning in the long haul."

Before I took vacation last week, I wrote one of the more popular (or infamous) columns in the AFC East blog. I outlined reasons why the last-place Buffalo Bills are my sleeper team in 2012.

However, one major concern I had before making this bold prediction was Buffalo's struggles within the division. Buffalo is just 2-10 against the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots the past two seasons. The Bills cannot get swept by the Dolphins and Jets again next season if they want to take the next step.

Click on the video for more.

With the stench of last year's late-season implosion still fresh, the New York Jets got together as a team for the first time in 2012 for the start of the offseason workout program.

The workouts Monday were voluntary and not open to the media. But three members of the Jets were available for a conference call. The key theme was last year, and this is the start of something new.

"We made some mistakes in 2011, but we are focused on 2012," Jets head coach Rex Ryan said of the team's fresh start. "We are excited. ... When you don't meet expectations it kills you."

Ryan went on to address the chemistry issues and eventual implosion that took place during the final month of last season. The Jets were 8-5 and on the cusp of another playoff bid before losing three straight games.

At the center of the internal issues were Jets No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes and quarterback Mark Sanchez. The pair were not on the same page on or off the field, and things blew up in the season finale. The pair have since talked things over and recently worked out together in Florida to make amends.

Holmes also praised Sanchez on Monday for coming out to Florida and helping get key members of the offense together.

"[Sanchez] is portraying those leadership qualities," Holmes said on the conference call. "We are both looking forward to bigger and better days."

Holmes, in his first public comments since the end of last season, didn't care to address all that went wrong down the stretch.

"That was too long ago," Holmes said, while also repeating the team-wide sentiment that last season was last season.

With a talented and veteran team, it's hard to know which way the arrow is pointing for the Jets. Was last season simply a one-year misstep or the beginning of a downward spiral? The Jets are not far removed from back-to-back AFC title games in 2009 and 2010. But last year New York looked like an aging team that lost its edge.

Jets Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold says the "future is bright" for New York. The Jets will have a lot of detractors this season that think otherwise, especially if this group cannot stay together in the locker room. The important team-building process for New York starts now.

Did you miss me?

My buddy, "ESPN.com staff," said you all were solid while I was on vacation. So I won't flood the AFC East blog with two Tim Tebow posts per day this week. But that's always subject to change in seven days (wink, wink).

Anyway, a lot happened in the AFC East when I was away. So we are going to skip Monday's "Morning take" in order to catch up on recent issues within the division.

Story No. 1: Dolphins OLB Cameron Wake holds out.

Issue: Wake, who is scheduled to make $615,000 next season, is holding out for more money. He skipped the beginning of the team's offseason workout program last week and reportedly plans to miss more time if a resolution isn't reached.

Walker's take: This is another big blow to a horrific offseason for the Dolphins. I agree that Wake outperformed his contract and is due for a raise. I also doubt the Dolphins disagree with that. The question is, can Miami create enough cap room to fit in another big contract? This will be a tricky situation that probably won't be resolved for a while. This could go well into the spring or summer.

Story No. 2: Should Dolphins trade for the No. 3 pick?

Issue: Former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill's stock continues to rise leading up to the draft. Reports are now surfacing that Miami may have to trade up to the No. 3 overall pick to guarantee a shot at Tannehill. The Cleveland Browns hold the No. 4 pick and also may consider Tannehill.

Walker’s take: Don't do it, Miami. Sure, the Dolphins need a quarterback. But giving away the farm (a first-, second- and third-rounder?) to move up five spots isn't wise. Miami simply has too many holes to fill on its roster. Tannehill is not Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III. Tannehill has potential but he is far from a sure thing. Miami should stand pat at No. 8 and see what happens. Even if the Dolphins drafted Tannehill, he would not start in Miami next year anyway. Tannehill would hold a clipboard in 2012 behind Matt Moore and David Garrard.

Story No. 3: Dan Koppen re-signs with the New England Patriots.

Issue: Former longtime starting center Koppen re-signed with the reigning AFC champs. This is somewhat a surprise considering New England chose to first re-sign center Dan Connolly, who replaced Koppen after an injury and performed well.

Walker’s take: This move happened late in free agency. So that tells me Koppen examined his options, didn’t like them and decided it was best to return to New England at a discounted rate. This is good news for the Patriots. They gained depth at center by being patient. But New England also may have a competition brewing in training camp. Koppen is a favorite of Patriots starting quarterback Tom Brady, so you can’t rule him out.

Story No. 4: Patriots Rob Gronkowski out of "Madden" tourney.

Issue: Pro Bowl tight end Gronkowski was knocked out of the “Madden NFL 13” tourney by Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson. The final four will be Johnson, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis.

Walker’s take: This is great news for Gronkowski, even if he doesn’t realize it. He made a strong push for the “Madden” cover with a series of videos, but fortunately for him and fortunately for the Patriots, Johnson prevailed. Regardless of whether you think the curse is legit, players who get on the cover usually have bad seasons. The playoffs proved last season how much the Patriots need a healthy Gronkwoski.

Story No. 5: Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and receiver Santonio Holmes together in Florida

Issue: Sanchez and Holmes are working out together in Florida. This follows their high-profile falling out at the end of last season.

Walker’s take: This is another good step in the right direction for the duo. The pair need each other for the offense to work. They may never be best friends, but that doesn’t mean they can’t work together on the field. Sanchez and Holmes can repair their relationship, but ultimately it will come down to how they perform next season.

Now that we are all caught up, we have plenty of blogs in store for you this week. Enjoy the ride.

The scene at the AFC coaches' breakfast in Palm Beach, Fla., was fitting.

To my far left was New York Jets coach Rex Ryan. He was surrounded by a large group of media who wanted to know how the Jets would handle Tim Tebow-mania and whether they could bounce back from a disappointing 2011.

To my immediate left was new Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin. A throng of reporters wondered what the rookie head coach had in store for his first season.

On my right was future Hall of Fame coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots. He continually gave non-answers about his team as reporters tried to dig up something -- anything -- about the reigning AFC champions.

In the middle of this madness was Buffalo Bills coach Chan Gailey. His table was relatively empty for most of the hourlong breakfast, with the exception of a few passers-by and this AFC East blogger. Few in the national media cared to know what Gailey and the Bills were up to. They're a small-market team that finished 6-10 last season and hasn't been to the playoffs in 13 years.

But by this time next year, people will be talking about Buffalo. The Bills are my sleeper pick in 2012. Here are five reasons why Buffalo will get over the hump and finish with a winning record:

Reason No. 1: Bills made right moves in free agency

Analysis: I will give myself a pat on the back. I was one of the first to note Buffalo's interest in two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Mario Williams. Despite my prediction, I did not think Buffalo would be able to land the top defensive free agent on the market. But the Bills put on the full-court press and gave Williams 100 million reasons to join them. Buffalo gained an elite pass-rusher and its first game-changer on defense.

The Bills didn't stop there. They continued to improve their anemic pass-rush by signing former Patriots defensive end Mark Anderson, who recorded 10 sacks last season. Williams, Anderson and defensive tackles Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus make up one of the top defensive lines in the NFL. It's a group who can stop the run and get push up the middle while attacking the edges and pressuring the quarterback. Buffalo's talented front four will be a problem for a lot of teams next season.

The Bills also retained their own key free agents. Buffalo re-signed No. 1 receiver Steve Johnson at an affordable rate and starting tight end Scott Chandler.

There are still a few more holes Buffalo would like to fill, but the team is one of the biggest winners in free agency.

Reason No. 2: Double trouble at running back

Analysis: When they are healthy, there may not be a more dynamic running back duo in the NFL than Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. These two will be headaches for opposing defenses once Buffalo figures out how to blend both into the offense simultaneously. Jackson and Spiller could complement each other well.

Buffalo's coaching staff admittedly did a poor job of balancing the two tailbacks last season. Jackson received a bulk of the carries when healthy, and Spiller finally showed what he could do at the end of the season once Jackson was injured. Now, both are hungry and want the football. Gailey called it "a great problem to have."

Jackson is 31 and coming off a season-ending leg injury. That should open the door for Spiller to get more carries. Will it be a 50-50 split? Probably not. But the Buffalo offense will be dangerous if it can use Spiller and Jackson enough to keep each fresh and productive the entire season.

Reason No. 3: AFC East is weakening

Analysis: A case can be made that the AFC East became a weaker division this offseason. The division wasn't strong to begin with; only the Patriots finished with a winning record in 2011. But the 6-10 Dolphins gutted their roster, getting rid of top players such as Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall and leading tackler and starting safety Yeremiah Bell. Miami also failed to land a franchise quarterback and settled on 34-year-old David Garrard as the potential starter next season. It's early, but it's hard to imagine Miami's finishing with a better record than last season.

Meanwhile, the Jets are an aging team with chemistry issues. New York gave embattled quarterback Mark Sanchez a three-year contract extension and then traded for popular backup Tebow, setting up a potentially explosive situation. The Jets will be on a year-long implosion watch, and their arrow could be trending downward after last season's mediocre 8-8 finish.

The Jets, Dolphins and Bills are all chasing the Patriots, who are clearly the favorites in the division. But the Bills, who split with New England last season, did a solid job to make up some ground.

Reason No. 4: Players are getting healthy

Analysis: I usually try to avoid the injury excuse, because every team has them, but it legitimately applies to the Bills. Buffalo suffered key injures last season at running back (Jackson), defensive tackle (Kyle Williams), linebacker (Shawne Merriman), offensive line (Eric Wood), receiver (Donald Jones) and kicker (Rian Lindell), just to name a few. Bills starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick played much of the season with a painful rib injury. By the second half of the season, the Bills didn't have anywhere near the same depth they had during their 4-1 start.

Most of these players are expected to be back and healthy in 2012. Merriman is perhaps the biggest question mark after his second season-ending Achilles injury. But chances are slim that Buffalo will be hit this hard with injuries again. Health will be key for Buffalo to maintain a successful run over 16 games.

Reason No. 5: Bills have a top-10 pick

Analysis: The Bills have had a productive offseason, but they aren't done yet. They still have a top-10 pick in this month's NFL draft. This is a great opportunity for Buffalo to plug more holes on the roster. The Bills could use a starting-caliber left tackle, another threat at receiver, a cover corner and depth at linebacker.

The Bills also have more than $9 million in cap room to spend. Don't rule out late signings in free agency. After years of not spending to the cap, Buffalo tabbed 2012 as the year to make a push.

All of these reasons make the Bills my ideal sleeper pick for next season. Don't forget that you heard it here first.

New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow -- that still sounds a little odd to write -- got plenty of action against the AFC East last season as starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos. But Tebow didn't experience much success against his new division rivals.

Tebow had a combined record of 1-3 against the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. His only victory came against the Dolphins, 18-15 in Week 7. Tebow lost to the Bills (40-14) in Week 16 and the Patriots in both Week 15 of the regular season (41-23) and the postseason (45-10). All three losses were blowouts.

It remains to be seen if Tebow's lack of success against the AFC East translates this season and beyond. First off, Tebow will not be the Jets' starting quarterback, so his snaps will be limited. Secondly, there's a lot more film on Tebow now. Teams will be more accustomed to what he brings to the table, especially in the AFC East, where every team saw him at least once last season.

Tebow actually beat the Jets in Week 11, which is one of the reasons New York went after Tebow. But now it's the Patriots, Bills and Dolphins who have to worry about defending him.

The New York Jets are one of four teams reportedly interested in Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.

Is this is a good idea or bad idea for the Jets? Here are some thoughts:

• You naturally link Tebow to Jets offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, who ran the Wildcat in Miami. Tebow would be great at it. This gimmick offense would suit his skills well. The Jets want to run the ball -- a lot. With Tebow, Denver was one of the top running teams in the NFL. The Jets don't have a blue-chip running back on the roster. Tebow can add a few hundred yards to the pile and a good yards-per-carry average to New York's ground-and-pound offense. From an X's and O's standpoint, it makes sense.
• Here is the rub: Would starting quarterback Mark Sanchez be OK with adding Tebow? I'm sure there would be mixed feelings. On one hand, Sanchez has the security with the Jets after getting a five-year extension. He will be New York's quarterback for at least the next two years. That could be enough for Sanchez to be fine with adding Tebow as his backup. However, the fans don't care about finances, particularly in the win-now culture of New York. If Sanchez has a bad stretch of two or three games, fans will be clamoring for the wildly popular Tebow, especially after Tebow propelled Denver last season and won a playoff game. Sanchez would have to play well and consistent throughout the season or there will be plenty of fan pressure. That is something the Jets have to consider.
• Finally, keep in mind Tebow beat the Jets last year. I think that game earned Tebow a lot of respect in New York's locker room, coaching staff and front office. Regardless of how you feel about Tebow as a quarterback, he has a lot of good football traits. He's tough, can run, is hard-nosed and works very hard. Tebow's biggest issue is he can't throw the football accurately. But if the Jets can add him as a backup quarterback to run gimmick plays several times a game, it can work. I like the idea of Tebow to New York as long as Sanchez can handle it and the Jets don't give up any high draft picks.

The Tom Brady-Peyton Manning quarterback rivalry is one of the best ever. After a one-year hiatus, it is set to return in 2012.

Brady and the reigning AFC champion New England Patriots will host Manning and the new-look Broncos next season. Manning picked the Broncos on Monday from his list of finalists and will resume his Hall of Fame career in Denver.

Expect the Patriots-Broncos game at Gillette Stadium to be a prime-time showdown. The television networks should be gawking over this one, as Manning and Brady haven't played since the 2010 season. If the game is scheduled late in the year, it likely will involve playoff implications.

Including the playoffs, Brady holds an 8-5 career record against Manning.

It feels like a long time ago, but it really wasn't.

Just 14 months ago, the New York Jets went into Indianapolis and ended Peyton Manning's historic, Hall of Fame run with the Colts. The Jets and quarterback Mark Sanchez upset Indianapolis in the playoffs, 17-16, on Jan. 8, 2011 during New York's second straight run to the AFC title game.

No one knew it at the time, but this was Manning’s last game as a Colt. Manning later had multiple neck surgeries and missed the entire 2011 season. The Colts will announce his release later Wednesday.

The irony of this story is New York might be one of the teams interested in acquiring Manning. Sanchez struggled last season and wasn’t the same after that solid playoff run where he upset Manning and Tom Brady in back-to-back weeks.

One of the favorites to land Manning is the Miami Dolphins, which would present the scenario of Sanchez facing Manning and Brady at least four times a year.

The AFC East blog continues its series this week on ranking team needs in the division.

On Wednesday, we take a look at the reigning AFC East champion New England Patriots, who finished 13-3 last season.

No. 1 need: Cornerback

Analysis: If you watched the Patriots all season, this shouldn't come as a surprise. New England's 31st-ranked pass defense was horrific last year. Even casual observers who only watched the Patriots in the Super Bowl saw New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning carve up New England and earn MVP honors. New England starting cornerback Devin McCourty took a big step back last season. Kyle Arrington had a lot of interceptions but also gave up plenty of big plays. McCourty is young and can still improve, but I don't think his ceiling is high enough to become a Darrelle Revis-type corner, who can shut down one side of the field. If New England feels it can get that caliber of corner free agency or the draft, the team should jump on it.

No. 2 need: Safety

Analysis: Many would argue safety is New England's biggest need, and it's certainly a valid debate. However, the reason I put cornerback over safety is because corner is more valuable in today's NFL. In my opinion, cornerback is the second-hardest position to play behind quarterback. You take the corner over the elite safety every time. But there's no avoiding New England's need at safety. Patrick Chung is a good, young player who needs someone next to him to take the pressure off on the back end. This is a great year for safeties in free agency. Therefore, New England could have this need filled before the draft.

No. 3 need: Pass-rusher

Analysis: This need could be helped if New England retains free-agent defensive end Mark Anderson, Andre Carter, or both. The Patriots' two best pass-rushers are set to hit the open market. Anderson most likely will generate more interest due to Carter’s season-ending quad injury. He had a great year with the Patriots and registered 10 sacks. But even if New England keeps Anderson, the team needs another threat on defense to get to the quarterback.

That is our list for the Patriots. Using our SportsNation poll, let us know if you agree or disagree on team needs for New England.