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Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Buffalo Bills in 2012.

Dream scenario (11-5): It would be a dream for Bills fans to see their team back in the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. The last time we saw Buffalo make the postseason, the Bills were the victim of the “Music City Miracle” in 1999. It has been a long line of disappointments and underachieving since that historic play. (Many Bills fans still contend that was a forward pass, by the way.) This year’s team looks poised to break the streak. This is the best team, on paper, that Buffalo has had in a long time. The offense will be dangerous if quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick improves his consistency in the passing game and Fred Jackson, C.J. Spiller and the running game stay consistent. Buffalo also made improvements to the defense, including drafting corner Stephon Gilmore in the first round and adding stud defensive ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson. Chances are, everything won’t fall into place for Buffalo. But this is a sleeper team that does have a chance to make a jump and contend for the playoffs.

Nightmare scenario (5-11): Despite all the additions, there is no guarantee the Bills and their coaching staff can bring it all together in one year. What if Fitzpatrick continues to play like the second half of 2011 and is not the long-term solution? What if the defense struggles to make the transition to a 4-3 scheme under new defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt? What if big injuries again decimate this team? A lot can go wrong for the Bills, especially in a division where the reigning AFC champion New England Patriots are expected to dominate. The Bills are trying to catch up and cannot afford to make many mistakes in the AFC East. They were 1-5 against division foes last year. Bills head coach Chan Gailey is only 10-22 in his first two years in Buffalo. He has more talent than he has ever had with the Bills. There are no excuses for Gailey this year. It’s still somewhat of a mystery whether Gailey can coach. But we will find out in 2012.

Here are the most interesting stories Thursday morning in the AFC East:

• Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is off and running with quarterbacks coach David Lee.

Morning take: Mechanics have been the offseason focus. Fitzpatrick threw a lot of interceptions last year, and some of that was attributed to rushing and bad fundamentals.

• Miami Dolphins left tackle Jake Long checked in at No. 59 in the NFL top 100.

Morning take: Long is the first Dolphin to make the list. I can't imagine another Miami player ranked ahead of Long, because he is clearly the best player on the team.

• The New England Patriots brought in a trio of offensive linemen for tryouts.

Morning take: New England has seen some changes on the offensive line with left tackle Matt Light retiring. The Patriots are turning over every rock to add depth to the group.

• The New York Jets signed free-agent fullback Fui Vakapuna.

Morning take: The Jets have a good fullback in Jon Conner. Vakapuna is a long shot unless the Jets decide to keep two fullbacks, which most likely won't be the case.

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.

Buffalo Bills

Bills general manager Buddy Nix assured Ryan Fitzpatrick that he would be the team's starter ahead of the signing of Vince Young, the quarterback told SiriusXM NFL Radio on Wednesday.

Fourth-round draft selection Nigel Bradham relishes his role on special teams.

Miami Dolphins

Ovie Mughelli, a two-time Pro Bowl fullback who was a salary-cap casualty in Atlanta this offseason, is in South Florida for a Thursday workout with the Dolphins. It might be a signal, Brian Biggane writes, that the team is worried about Jerome Messam, who underwent his second knee surgery in five months this week.

Former Dolphins running back Ricky Williams shared his views on concussions with ESPN's Dan Le Batard.

New England Patriots

The Patriots signed receiver Jeremy Ebert, their seventh-round draft pick from Northwestern.

According to a Forbes report, Bill Belichick is the highest-paid coach in sports.

New York Jets

Darrelle Revis led a chorus of Jets praising new addition Tim Tebow, the New York Daily News reports. "He's a born leader," Revis said. "... It's the passion within ... of him wanting to be a leader, wanting to win. You see it in him all the time... eating lunch. Walking down the hallway you see it. He's just one of those guys."

Offensive tackle Wayne Hunter, coming off a tough 2011, received praise from new offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo. "This guy is the starting right tackle," DeGuglielmo told ESPNNewYork.com. "Until they tell me otherwise, until they ship him out of this building or until they shoot me dead in my office, that sonofagun is going to be the starting right tackle."

We have another interesting poll this weekend in the AFC East blog. The Buffalo Bills made an interesting quarterback addition Friday by singing former first-round pick Vince Young. It adds depth to Buffalo’s duo of Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tyler Thigpen.

With that said, who has the second-best quarterback situation in the AFC East? Tom Brady and the New England Patriots obviously lead the way, so we are (again) taking the reigning AFC champs out of the equation.

Do you like the Bills’ trio of Fitzpatrick, Thigpen and now Young? Fitzpatrick is the unquestioned starter, and Thigpen and Young will battle for the No. 2 role. Both can move well in the pocket and have starting experience.

What about the New York Jets? They have starter Mark Sanchez and popular backup Tim Tebow. Both have won in the playoffs. Greg McElroy is the developmental No. 3 quarterback.

Finally, the Miami Dolphins have an interesting trio of Matt Moore, David Garrard and Ryan Tannehill. Moore and Garrard are expected to battle for the starting job this year, while Tannehill, a first-round pick, is the quarterback of the future. Is this the most talented trio?

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on the second-best quarterback group in the division. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.

The Buffalo Bills signed quarterback Vince Young to a one-year contract on Friday. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports the deal is worth $2 million with an extra $1 million in incentives.

The natural inclination is to assume Young, a former first-round pick, could pose a threat to the job security of Bills starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, a former seventh-round pick. But that is not the case.

Fitzpatrick has no reason to worry. Buffalo is his team. The Bills signed him to a $59 million extension last year, and in many ways Buffalo's offense has been geared specifically to Fitzpatrick's strengths. Young is insurance in the event of injury.

A bigger question, is how much does Young have left in the tank? Last season, Young looked like a quarterback who no longer had much to offer. He started three games in relief last season with the Philadelphia Eagles and threw for 866 yards, four touchdowns and nine interceptions. He had a career-low 60.8 passer rating.

Young is only 28. He's still one of the most athletic quarterbacks out there. Maybe he can help Buffalo's Wildcat package in ways Brad Smith couldn't. Maybe Young can run trick plays. Maybe Young will start a couple of games if Fitzpatrick gets hurt.

Either way, it's clear Buffalo is doing all it can to strengthen its weaknesses. The Bills couldn't rush the passer last season, so they signed defensive ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson. The Bills needed a cornerback and left tackle, and drafted Stephon Gilmore and Cordy Glenn, respectively, in the first two rounds. Young adds depth at quarterback.

Buffalo's front office is covering all its bases. As long as Young doesn't make a "Dream Team" reference in Buffalo this season, the Bills have a chance to surprise people.

Are the Buffalo Bills up to something? Will they pull off a shocker and draft former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill in the first round? Probably not.

But according to Peter King of Sports Illustrated, the Bills will host Tannehill leading up to the 2012 NFL draft. The former Texas A&M quarterback has planned visits to Kansas City and Cleveland before meeting with Buffalo.

Most likely, this is just due diligence by the Bills, who hold the No. 10 overall pick. The Bills also hosted former Alabama star tailback Trent Richardson, for example, and they are stacked at running back. It's also prudent to get as much intel on Tannehill as possible, because he could be a future opponent. The Miami Dolphins, who own the No. 8 overall pick, are one of the teams after Tannehill next week.

Buffalo veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is the starter for at least the next couple of seasons. His recent $59 million contract extension says the team has confidence in "Fitz." But I do anticipate Buffalo drafting a quarterback this year that it can groom for the future, perhaps as early as the second or third round. That player won't be Tannehill next week.

Buffalo Bills

In a conference call with reporters, ESPN analyst Jon Gruden discussed Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Bills' quarterback situation. "I think Fitzpatrick showed some things early that were very exciting ... helping the Buffalo Bills come out of the gate in impressive fashion. But in this league, at the end of the day it's about sustaining. Ryan Fitzpatrick has to prove he can start the season and end the season by putting the Buffalo Bills back in the playoffs where we used to see them. That remains to be seen. I think he's got to answer those questions himself."

Defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt's name has been mentioned as a possible replacement for fired Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino.

Miami Dolphins

Free-agent fullback Ahmard Hall visited with the Dolphins on Wednesday.

Quarterback Matt Moore says he had no problem with the Dolphins' pursuit of Peyton Manning or Matt Flynn.

New England Patriots

Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com lists Florida's Chris Rainey as a player who would fit nicely with the Patriots.

Cornerback Antwaun Molden has agreed to a deal with the New York Giants.

New York Jets

Coach Rex Ryan is reportedly against the idea of his team being featured again on HBO's "Hard Knocks."

Neil Glat was hired Wednesday as the Jets' new team president. He worked the past 15 years in the NFL league office.

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.

We have another interesting edition of "Poll Friday" in the AFC East. The question: Excluding Tom Brady, which division quarterback will go on to have the best NFL career?

We have some intriguing choices in the AFC East. Let’s start with the New York Jets. Will Mark Sanchez or backup Tim Tebow thrive and have the best career? Sanchez enters the season as the starter, but there will be plenty of pressure from Jets fans and media to replace Sanchez if he plays like he did last year. Will it be Tebow time once again?

Or will Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Buffalo Bills put in all together. Fitzpatrick is known to be streaky. He can play three or four great games and follow it up with the same amount of poor games. Can Fitzpatrick stay consistent the rest of his career and be worthy of his $59 million contract extension?

What about Matt Moore of the Miami Dolphins? He proved a lot of doubters wrong last year by going 6-3 in his final nine games. Will Moore beat out veteran David Garrard in Miami next season and prove to be the long-term solution for the Dolphins?

Who would you choose? Using our SportsNation poll, vote on which quarterback will have the best career in the NFL. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Wednesday we opened the floor for our first blogger mock draft of 2012. My vote counts for half and the community board counts for the other half.

The AFC East will stay true to our board. Here are the final results:

Miami Dolphins (No. 8 overall)

Analysis: The Dolphins are in a tough spot, despite having the best pick in the division. I do not like Tannehill at No. 8. But the Dolphins botched their quarterback situation so badly this offseason that I think they almost have to take Tannehill if he’s available. Matt Moore and David Garrard are not the long-term solutions and have just one year left on their contracts. Tannehill provides some hope, even if he’s just holding a clipboard in 2012. Reiff would fill a need, but I wouldn’t draft a right tackle in the top 10. I think Ingram would be solid at No. 8 to provide a pass rush opposite outside linebacker Cameron Wake.

Buffalo Bills (No. 10 overall)

Analysis: I was surprised how fast Floyd is moving up everyone's draft board. Buffalo fans lately are in love with the Notre Dame product. Floyd was the top choice on the community board. I’m still a little nervous about Floyd in the top 10, but he did make the end of my list. I still like Reiff here at left tackle. Buffalo rotated three players there last year, and they need a bookend to protect quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s blind side.

New York Jets (No. 16 overall)

Analysis: Power to the people on this one. I had the same three players as Jets fans in the AFC East blog. But Upshaw and Barron are so close in my book that I’m getting out of the way. If both are on the board, I’m trusting my Jets scouts and going with Upshaw. You'd better be right, Jets scouts. The New York media will get on my case very hard if I pass up the best safety in the draft for a bust, knowing that safety was a huge need.

New England Patriots (No. 27 and No. 31 overall)

Analysis: With two picks at the end of the first round, we went with the top five options. I knew this ballot would be all over the place. But here is what I like most: The final board is defense, defense, defense. That is something we can all agree on. Mercilus was the consensus top pick for myself and Patriots fans. Konz did make the top three, but he would be a backup behind Dan Connolly. Any defensive pick in the first round this year has a chance to start right away for New England's 31st-ranked defense.

The Buffalo Bills entered the 2012 offseason with a top priority of fixing its anemic pass rush. Two defensive ends and $142 million later, consider that problem solved with Mario Williams and Mark Anderson.

Now that the Bills set the edges of their new 4-3 defense, the team can focus on other areas. Let's get up to date on Buffalo's remaining needs and how this fits into the NFL draft.

Need No. 1: Left tackle

Analysis: The Bills are still searching for a blue-chip prospect to protect quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick's blind side. Left tackle was a revolving door in Buffalo last year, and that's a quick and easy way to lose games. This is a very important position that needs stability. I wouldn't be surprised if Buffalo takes a left tackle in the first round with the No. 10 overall pick. First-round possibilities include Iowa's Riley Reiff and Stanford's Jonathan Martin. Any top prospect at left tackle probably could start from Day 1 in Buffalo.

Need No. 2: Wide receiver

Analysis: The Bills re-signed leading receiver Steve Johnson before free agency. That gave Buffalo some relief in addressing this need right away. But the Bills pass a lot on offense and need another dynamic talent in the lineup. The Bills nearly signed Robert Meachem, who decided instead to go to the San Diego Chargers. That was the target Buffalo wanted. But there are probably a few receivers in the draft the Bills like.

Need No. 3: Outside linebacker

Analysis: The Bills took care of their defensive line, but their second level isn't that deep or talented. Nick Barnett is stable in the middle, but two outside spots remain a work in progress. Maybe Shawne Merriman has potential here. But he's coming off his second season-ending Achilles injury. No one knows at this point how well he can bounce back. The Bills also have a young linebacker in Danny Batten who has some potential. But can you start Batten for 16 games? An addition like Alabama's Courtney Upshaw could be solid. Upshaw is a good hitter who can also bring a pass rush off the edge. He could fall to the Bills at No. 10.

The Miami Dolphins were kicked out of the Peyton Manning sweepstakes. But they reportedly have gone to the top of the list for another free-agent quarterback.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter report Miami has the inside track to land former Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn. He has just two career starts but played well in limited time and has ties to Miami head coach Joe Philbin, who is Flynn's former offensive coordinator in Green Bay.

Miami's pursuit of Manning made sense. He is a proven commodity who could single-handedly change the fortune of the franchise. Flynn is an unknown. But the Dolphins are confident they have a good feel for Flynn's abilities via Philbin's knowledge.

Flynn is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks and is expected to meet with the Dolphins next. There's no doubt Flynn's reps will try to use Seattle and Miami against each other for financial leverage.

While we're on the topic of money, how much should the Dolphins offer to pay Flynn?

Other quarterbacks such as Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Buffalo Bills and Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets are getting contract extensions close to $60 million. Is Flynn, who has two career starts, worth equal or more to Miami? Should the Dolphins offer $40 million or $50 million instead?

Money -- and perhaps a great offer from Seattle -- seems to be the only thing in the way of Flynn joining the Dolphins. There is definitely mutual interest.

Now it's time to take the Buffalo Bills seriously in the AFC East.

The last-place Bills, who finished 6-10 in 2011, signed the best player in free agency not named Peyton Manning on Thursday. Buffalo agreed to a whopping six-year, $100 million contract with two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Mario Williams. The contract also includes $50 million guaranteed.

Buffalo general manager Buddy Nix said the traditionally frugal Bills would spend this year in free agency -- and he wasn't kidding. Williams just became the highest-paid player in franchise history.

This is not just a great move for Buffalo. It's potentially a game-changer and home run for this rebuilding franchise, which hasn't made the playoffs since 1999 and hasn't won a playoff game since 1995. Buffalo had a long way to climb to catch the reigning AFC champion New England Patriots in the division. Williams moves the Bills closer to contention.

The trio of Williams, Marcell Dareus and a healthy Kyle Williams gives Buffalo one of the league's most dominant defensive lines. It's a lot easier to win games when you're controlling the line of scrimmage.

Mario Williams, who has 53 sacks in six seasons, brings a much-needed pass rush to Buffalo's new 4-3 defense. Dareus and Kyle Williams are stout, and will make it hard for opponents to run up the middle. This is a bad day in general for quarterbacks and offensive linemen in the AFC East.

With the Patriots and New York Jets relatively quiet so far, and the Miami Dolphins trading away their best player (Brandon Marshall) and possibly falling behind in the Manning sweepstakes, the Bills made up ground with one humongous signing.

How far can Williams take Buffalo next season? It's too early to say. Williams is a huge cog, but questions still remain on the roster.

Can the Bills find a shutdown cornerback? Can they get a left tackle to protect quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick? Can Buffalo add another receiver to complement Steve Johnson? The draft and the remainder of free agency are important to fill these needs. Buffalo also needs to stay healthy next season.

But the Bills accomplished priority No. 1 this offseason. They needed someone who can get to the quarterback, and landed the top pass-rusher on the market.

That makes Buffalo one of the early winners in free agency.

The wildly popular "Madden NFL '13" cover tournament is coming up later this month. But the preliminaries begin Wednesday to determine who makes it into the 32-player tournament.

Here are the eight candidates for the AFC East:

• Miami Dolphins: RB Reggie Bush vs. WR Brandon Marshall
• New York Jets: QB Mark Sanchez vs. CB Darrelle Revis
• New England Patriots: WR Wes Welker vs. TE Rob Gronkowski
• Buffalo Bills: WR Steve Johnson versus QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

Four of these players will advance to represent their teams in the main tournament. You can visit the SportsNation page today to vote.

Last year Cleveland Browns fans went all out and put running back Peyton Hillis on the cover. Hillis was the latest victim of the "Madden curse" and had an awful year. So vote at your own peril.