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How will Patriots QB Tom Brady handle his contract issues?

In New England, it’s all about team. Bill Belichick and the organization have stressed the team concept in winning three Super Bowls during the 2000s. Because it’s a team, the Patriots have asked their players to take a little less in pay in order to keep this team together. Like most Patriots, Brady took less and thought little about it.

Now, everyone is doing a lot of thinking. Brady is in the last year of his contract at a time it is very hard to do a long-term deal because of the league’s current labor woes. With Peyton Manning having some of the same difficulties in Indianapolis, the chances of a contract extension getting done for Brady before the start of camp would seem to be impossible.

Brady has a decision. Does he simply report and hope something gets done or does he try to make a statement with a holdout? A Brady holdout could be the biggest story of the NFL this summer. Over the past couple of years, Brady and his teammates have watched a few key members of the Super Bowl teams -- such as Asante Samuel and Richard Seymour -- leave in free agency or trades.

The Patriots face a potential holdout from Pro Bowl guard Logan Mankins, who arguably is the team’s best blocker. Top guards get $8 million a year, and the Patriots are offering $6.5 million.

Mankins hasn’t signed his restricted free-agent tender; it’s possible that tender will be reduced to 110 percent of his 2009 base salary, or $1.54 million. He can hold out without getting fined.

Odds favor Brady showing up in good faith and hoping for a deal, but he has made it clear he doesn’t want to take a discount in this next contract. No one knows where the salaries of Brady or Manning could end up. Some think Manning could end up commanding more than $20 million a year.

In the meantime, Brady has to decide if he wants to create controversy by making this a big story by not showing up for the start of camp. The ball is in his court.

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What was the top offseason move in the AFC East?

We've hit a rare dead period in the NFL, when all the teams have sent their players home to enjoy the summer for a few weeks. Offseason programs are complete. Training camps will begin at the end of the month.

Perfect time to review all of the offseason moves. With activity slowed to a crawl, we can safely evaluate the ones that should have the most impact on the upcoming season.

I've taken five decisions from each AFC East club and ranked them based on how important they'll prove to be in 2010.

But this list merely is to provide a reminder of what has happened the past few months. I'd like to see your list in the comments section below. Nominate your favorite move, give me your top five or rank them all.

NOTE: I was remiss in leaving out one of the bigger moves, but thanks to some friendly reminders in the comments section, I have corrected the list by inserting the Dolphins' switch at defensive coordinator at No. 4.

1. Dolphins trade two second-round draft picks for receiver Brandon Marshall.

2. Jets trade a third-round pick for cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

3. Patriots use franchise tag to ensure nose tackle Vince Wilfork's return.

4. Dolphins fire defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni and hire Mike Nolan.

5. Dolphins sign inside linebacker Karlos Dansby.

6. Bills name Buddy Nix general manager and hire head coach Chan Gailey.

7. Jets trade a fifth-round pick for receiver Santonio Holmes.

8. Bills switch to 3-4 defense.

9. Jets pass on re-signing kicker Jay Feely and sign pass-rusher Jason Taylor.

10. Bills draft Clemson running back C.J. Spiller ninth overall.

11. Patriots clean house at tight end, sign Alge Crumpler, draft Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

12. Dolphins move Randy Starks from defensive end to nose tackle.

13. Patriots sign defensive end Gerard Warren.

14. Jets sign safety Brodney Pool, trade Kerry Rhodes.

15. Patriots release outside linebacker Adalius Thomas.

16. Dolphins release outside linebacker Joey Porter.

17. Bills sign defensive end Dwan Edwards.

18. Jets replace running back Thomas Jones with LaDainian Tomlinson.

19. Bills sign inside linebacker Andra Davis.

20. Patriots sign receiver Torry Holt.

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With the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets improving at receiver, will the New England Patriots' cornerbacks be good enough in 2010?

The AFC East will be up for grabs this year. With the Jets and Dolphins making acquisitions that could open up the passing game for their young quarterbacks, strong cornerback play will be vital.

The Patriots have an interesting situation at cornerback. They re-signed veteran Leigh Bodden to play on the right side, but released Shawn Springs, who they trusted enough to start nine games, including their final five, at the all-important left cornerback spot.

The Patriots otherwise are young and relatively unproven. Plus, their dubious pass rush could put added strain on the secondary.

In each of the past three drafts, they have selected a cornerback within the first two rounds. Darius Butler, the 41st overall pick last year, looks like the left corner and has the potential to be a force in the division for years to come. But he has started only five games, two as a nickel or dime back.

Jonathan Wilhite, a fourth-round pick in 2008, has surpassed second-round classmate Terrence Wheatley. Wilhite started eight games last year, four on the left side, three on the right side and one at nickel. Wheatley has played in only 11 games because of injuries.

The Patriots drafted Devin McCourty with the 27th pick in April.

I asked Scouts Inc. analyst Matt Williamson if the Patriots' cornerbacks will be up to snuff in a division that added Brandon Marshall and Santonio Holmes in the offseason.

"My initial impression is no, but that mostly stems from a below average pass rush," Williamson said. "I don't dislike the Pats' cornerbacks as a whole. There is a lot of very young talent that should be on the upswing.

"Wilhite and Wheatley worry me. They seem like nickel cornerbacks or even dime guys, but if everything goes as planned with McCourty and Butler, those two will be fine in such roles. Butler is a little more of a finesse player than Bill Belichick really seems to like, but there is a ton of ability there. It would be surprising if he doesn't bring more to the table as a cover man this season."

Despite doubts about being able to get after quarterbacks, Williamson mentioned another way the Patriots can assist their cornerbacks. If the offense can light it up, then the Patriots will have the advantage of defending obvious pass situations for significant portions of the game.

"I do think Tom Brady and company are going to score a ton of points," Williamson said. "So, in a way, that balances things out. That pass defense does not have to be elite in order for New England to win games."

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What's the worst call to have spoiled the result for an AFC East team?

In the past few weeks, Koman Coulibaly and Jim Joyce made two of the most infamous officiating blunders.

On a global stage, Coulibaly's no-goal gaffe might cost the U.S. soccer team a place in the knockout round of the World Cup. Joyce spoiled baseball history when he blew a call at first base on what should have completed a perfect game.

At least they're not alone in sports history. Plenty of other officials have made dubious calls that have changed the outcome of a big game.

The AFC East has seen its share. With help from my Facebook friends, I came up with a short list of controversial calls to consider.

We'll steer clear of the calls that helped an AFC East team win. So forget the Tuck Rule or Vinny Testaverde's phantom touchdown plunge. We're looking for heartbreak here.

With 52 seconds left in their 1976 playoff game, New England Patriots defensive lineman Ray Hamilton was called for a highly questionable roughing penalty on Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler. The Patriots were up by four points. The Raiders faced a third-and-18 from New England's 27-yard line. Stabler's pass was incomplete, but the flag gave the Raiders a first down, and they eventually punched into the end zone.

The Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins in the Snow Plow Game in 1982. On a winter wonderland of a field, Patriots coach Ron Meyer ordered a plow onto the field to clear kicker John Smith's placement for a 33-yard field goal with 4:45 to play. Officials didn't prevent it. Final score: Patriots 3, Dolphins 0.

In 1998, a questionable fourth-down conversion immediately followed by a wild penalty in the end zone as time expired infuriated the Buffalo Bills so much they didn't line up for the extra point in a vexing loss to the Patriots. A Hail Mary pass interference gave New England the ball on Buffalo's 1-yard line. Down by four points, Drew Bledsoe tossed to Ben Coates for the touchdown.

Bills fans bemoan the Music City Miracle, one of the most controversial plays in NFL history. The Tennessee Titans pulled off what I believe was a perfect lateral to eliminate the Bills from the 1999 playoffs. Despite a video review that seemed to have more interpretations than a Salvador Dali painting, the touchdown stood. The Bills haven't returned to the postseason.

Last year, a Sports Illustrated photo showed Dolphins receiver Ted Ginn stripped New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper shy of the goal line. The ball bounded out of the end zone for what should have been a Dolphins' touchback, but a review upheld Sharper's pick-six, a critical play in a dramatic Saints' victory. Had the Dolphins won, it might have helped them get into the playoffs.

There are so many others to choose from. Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

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Who is the most reviled figure in the AFC East?

That's a question I've wanted to explore for a while now, and with plenty of chirping going on among rival fans at the AFC East blog, this seems to be as good a time as any.

There's an abundance of players, coaches and even executives people fans love to hate.

As we saw in the comments section of last week's edition of the Big Question, there's plenty of bitterness toward Bill Belichick and Bill Parcells.

Readers were quick to bring up Belichick's role in the Spygate video-taping scandal, the way he left the New York Jets by scrawling his resignation on a napkin and the way he ran for the tunnel before the end of Super Bowl XLII. Or maybe he's disliked because he has won for a decade.

Parcells is a gruff, larger-than-life character who has worked for every AFC East club but the Buffalo Bills. He has influenced the division for decades, most recently as the Miami Dolphins' reclusive football ops director.

Or maybe you'd like to vote for unashamedly outspoken Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

Perhaps you're more the type to root against quarterbacks. In that case, the top candidate is Patriots leading man Tom Brady, who already has everything but seemingly could drop by your house and take whatever he wants if he were in the mood.

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is another one who seems to drive fans bananas. Many believe he's overrated and a little too glamorous for a kid who hasn't accomplished much.

At other positions, names to consider might include Dolphins-to-Jets turncoat Jason Taylor, gnat-persistent Patriots receiver Wes Welker, fur-coat wearing Patriots receiver Randy Moss, controversial Dolphins receiver Brandon Marshall and hothead Dolphins guard Richie Incognito.

The Bills haven't been much of a factor for the past decade, which means their players don't get opposing fans too riled up. Terrell Owens would be on this list if he still were around.

But if you'd ask Bills fans who they dislike, then running back Marshawn Lynch is in the discussion.

Who's your pick? Feel free to make a case for any of the above or go off the board with one of your own ideas.

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Who will be remembered as the greater coach, Bill Belichick or Bill Parcells?

The passing of basketball legend John Wooden got me thinking about the great coaches in AFC East history. Don Shula is at the top. Weeb Ewbank and Marv Levy also are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

But there are two legends not yet eligible for enshrinement because they're still working in the AFC East.

And that led me to wonder, 15 years from now, whether Parcells or Belichick will be known as the finer football mind.

Their résumés are difficult to compare. Parcells has been a restless vagabond who seemingly can overhaul any abomination, while Belichick has been an exemplar of stability.

Parcells won two Super Bowls as head coach of the New York Giants and took the New England Patriots to the big game. He had a successful stay with the Dallas Cowboys and has been an influential personnel man with the New York Jets and now with the Miami Dolphins.

As Miami's football operations boss, he took over a 1-15 team and turned it into a division champion within a year. While his previous turnarounds weren't as dramatic as that, what he did with the Jets, Patriots and Cowboys was admirable.

Parcells' career head-coaching record is 172-130-1 for a .570 winning percentage.

Belichick deserves partial credit for Parcells' success. Every time Parcells went to a Super Bowl, Belichick was his defensive coordinator or assistant head coach.

On his own, Belichick won three Super Bowls with the Patriots and nearly closed out the NFL's most dominant season in 2007 with a fourth ring. He has overseen New England's football operations since he took over the job in 2001.

Belichick's career head-coaching record is 148-92-0 for a .617 winning percentage.

Of course, Belichick's legacy will be marked by the video-taping scandal that ensnared the team three years ago. The Patriots still almost ran the table after that. And Jets fans might hold it against Belichick that he rebuffed them to become head coach of the Patriots.

My selection is Belichick based on the number of Lombardi Trophies and the fact that without his work as defensive coordinator, nobody can say for sure Parcells still would have won his pair.

True, you can argue it's easy to run a defense with a revolutionary defender like Lawrence Taylor running amok, but that's how Parcells won his Super Bowls, too.

Some also might argue Belichick has been carried by Tom Brady, while Parcells has won with a variety of quarterbacks. Belichick did win 11 games with Matt Cassel two seasons ago, and Belichick shouldn't be punished in this debate for managing to remain in one place longer than four seasons, something Parcells has done just once.

But this question is open for debate, and I fully expect some animated comments below.

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Can second-year Miami Dolphins quarterback Pat White show he was worth the 44th overall draft choice?

White is the NFL's most fascinating fourth-string quarterback.

He was the fourth quarterback selected in the 2009 draft, but he has no guarantees. He plays for a team that's quick to admit a personnel mistake and unload it from the roster.

White was drafted to enhance what the Dolphins do with their Wildcat package. They viewed him as a scat back disguised as a passer. But he had a disappointing rookie campaign, and circumstances have changed.

To review White's first year: 13 games, 0 for 5 passing, 21 rushes for 81 yards as the second quarterback on game days. His season ended a little sooner -- and much more scarily -- than the rest of the Dolphins. In the finale, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Ike Taylor knocked him unconscious, requiring White to be carted off on a backboard.

Now White enters the season fourth on the depth chart behind starter Chad Henne, Tyler Thigpen and veteran Chad Pennington.

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano has spoken highly of White. Sparano recently called White's offseason "outstanding" and said White's slight frame has gained 18 pounds while losing body fat since leaving West Virginia.

At best, it appears White is competing with Thigpen for the roster's third QB spot. Sparano, a former Dallas Cowboys playcaller, has compared Thigpen to Tony Romo in their ability to keep plays alive with their mobility and arm strength.

Unless there's an injury or a position change, White might not have much time to prove himself as a Dolphin.

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How will star receiver Brandon Marshall's absence impact quarterback Chad Henne and the Dolphins' offense?

The Dolphins traded for Marshall with the idea he would transform their offense and facilitate Henne's growth into a franchise quarterback. But we learned last week Marshall won't be able to practice until training camp because he had hip surgery.

I wanted to find out how the absence of such a dazzling target, who must learn a new offense that will morph with him, might hurt the Dolphins' offseason plans. So I reached out to ESPN analyst and 13-year NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer for his take.

Dilfer said he generally believes "the offseason is somewhat overrated," but not when it comes to a quarterback developing synergy with a top receiver. Dilfer doesn't like the word "chemistry" because that indicates the teammates like each other, and that's overrated, too.

"You have to have an intuitive feel for what that person's going to do," Dilfer said. "A lot of that's developed in the offseason, in the grass basketball format, when you're in shorts. You get to discuss how you see things, how things look, how you like doing things, what it's like to roll out of a route at a certain depth, how do you like the ball, how you like the speed. The offseason's a great time to develop that. "

Most critical to foster is timing on intermediate and vertical patterns such as deep outs, corners and posts. Henne must get a feel for how Marshall maintains angles and speed and learn his ability to decipher coverages in the second and third levels.

Dilfer insisted excessive reps can make up for lost time in training camp.

"But if Marshall is coming back from a hip injury, then his training camp reps are going to be limited," Dilfer said. "To some degree this will negatively affect Chad and Brandon's ability to develop that synergy they need. It's going to take longer.

"The first part of the season, there'll still be a learning curve for the two. That doesn't mean they can't be effective. But the learning curve will bleed into the season a little bit longer than it should. That's not good, but it isn't devastating."

Dilfer added Marshall "can get away with being a little rusty" because of the style of receiver he is. He thrived with the Denver Broncos on bubble screens, quick slants, hitches and shallow crossing routes.

"He's not a guy that has to get himself open," Dilfer said. "You can scheme to get him the ball in open spaces. That's one of the things that makes him elite. You can get the ball in his hands quick and let him do damage."

Have receiver Lee Evans' abilities been squandered in Buffalo?

Two summers ago, the Buffalo Bills gave Lee Evans the third-richest contract for any receiver. The four-year extension was worth $37.25 million, with $18.25 million in guarantees. The deal put Evans behind only Steve Smith and Larry Fitzgerald financially.

The gesture was impressive, a sign of commitment from the Bills to a player on the rise. But the money hasn't been well-spent.

On another team, Evans would be worthy of the handsome investment. He has game-breaking speed and fantastic hands. He should own some dazzling stats.

Yet he never has been to a Pro Bowl, never has put together consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, never has cracked double-digit touchdowns -- all the things you'd expect from an elite receiver making elite money.

Evans, the 13th overall pick in 2004, flickered greatness. He was an immediate deep threat, scoring nine touchdowns and averaging 17.6 yards a catch as a rookie with Drew Bledsoe. Evans hasn't matched those numbers since, enduring a long list of offensive coordinators and substandard quarterbacks -- from J.P. Losman to Trent Edwards to Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Evans has topped 63 receptions once, when he established career highs with 82 catches for 1,292 yards in 2006.

Pro-Football-Refernce.com has a feature that compares players whose careers were "of similar quality and shape."

Through three seasons, Evans was compared to the likes of Andre Rison, Ernest Givens, Andre Johnson and James Lofton.

Six seasons into Evans' career, he's grouped with Ron Shanklin, Santonio Holmes, Jerricho Cotchery, James Scott and Steve Watson.

Evans still has time to make something of his career, but his time in Buffalo has generally been a waste.

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Could the AFC playoffs feature three teams from the AFC East?

For the past three years, the AFC East hardly deserved to send multiple teams to the playoffs.

The AFC East arguably didn't warrant extra inclusion in 2009 either. The New York Jets clinched a wild-card bid with massive assistance from their last two opponents, while other contenders withered into pretenders.

But this year is shaping up differently. The AFC East could send three teams into the postseason for the first time since 2001.

Anticipation already is building for what should be an ultra-competitive division shootout. The New England Patriots are defending champs. The Jets reached the AFC Championship Game. The Miami Dolphins won the AFC East in 2008 and were mathematically alive for a wild-card berth heading into Week 17 last year. They beat the Jets twice.

As respectable as those organizations were at the end of 2008, expectations have escalated. All three have improved their playoff chances through free agency, trades and the draft. ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton recently rated the most productive offseasons, and his Nos. 1 through 3 were the Patriots, Dolphins and Jets.

For eight straight seasons, the AFC East hasn't acquitted itself well. It qualified a lone wild-card team in 2004, 2006 and 2009 (all the Jets), but none in the other seasons. Although it should be pointed out the Patriots had an 11-5 record two years ago, but failed to get in because they lost a tiebreaker to the Dolphins for the division crown and to the Baltimore Ravens for the second wild-card spot.

But in 2010, the AFC East's strength of schedule is around the middle of the pack. The Patriots have the sixth-toughest schedule, but the Dolphins, Jets and Buffalo Bills are tied for 16th.

The AFC North has been shaky. Can anybody count on the Cincinnati Bengals to repeat as division champs? The Pittsburgh Steelers failed to make the playoffs at all last year and are experiencing serious turbulence with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

The AFC West has been weak for a few seasons, producing one winning record over the past two seasons combined and two over the past three seasons.

We can pretty much pencil in the Indianapolis Colts to continue their AFC South dominance, but the other clubs have struggled off and on.

What makes the AFC South's outlook even more daunting is the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans are tied for the most-difficult schedule based on their opponents' aggregate 2009 records. The Jacksonville Jaguars own the fifth-toughest schedule. The Colts have the 10th.

Odds would appear decent multiple AFC East teams will make the tournament.

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Can the New York Jets assimilate so many different personalities and expect to win in 2010?

The Jets' headquarters in Florham Park, N.J., will feel like the Justice League of America with all of the stars they've collected.

To Jets fans, the stars seem like superheroes ready to conquer the Legion of Doom (aka the New England Patriots) once and for all. In every area of the Jets' locker room will sit a player who has been an All-Pro. A few are on track for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Quite a few youngsters seem like they can be special players.

To fans of opposing teams, the roster seems like an obnoxious gathering of talent.

But anybody who ever has read a comic book knows there's no such thing as invincibility. The Jets have their kryptonite, and it's their own chemistry.

The Jets have introduced some big personalities (running back LaDainian Tomlinson, receiver Santonio Holmes, pass-rusher Jason Taylor, cornerback Antonio Cromartie) into the locker room, while subtracting proven leaders and contributors (leading rusher Thomas Jones, Pro Bowl return man Leon Washington, habitual Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca, kicker Jay Feely).

Mixing up behaviors and egos can be dangerous. Many of them are short-timers expected to be around for 2010, a fact that increases the volatility.

"I think every year is a different team anyway," Jets coach Rex Ryan said. "The chemistry issue is what it is. When I look at our offensive chemistry, I look at the fact that basically we're replacing two starters: Thomas Jones and Alan Faneca. Last year, for instance, on defense we replaced four starters and nine players overall. How'd that chemistry work? Best in the league."

But the Jets didn't add players like Cromartie and Holmes, players given up on by their former teams despite their abilities. Cromartie's off-field problems are legendary. Holmes will begin the season with a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.

And players such as Jones and Faneca were pillars in the locker room, significant reasons why the Jets were able to pull off the transition from Eric Mangini to Ryan. Tomlinson and Taylor will need to help make sure veteran leadership doesn't slip, but that's not always easy for a newcomer to accomplish.

"Am I worried about team chemistry? Absolutely not," said former Ravens defensive coordinator Ryan. "I don't worry. My teams are always going to play hard. All I've got is my history to go back on. ... The only thing that never worked out was that we were going to compete for that Super Bowl, and we never had that opportunity. That's our mission right now.

"I expect it to come together. I really do. If I was just wanting to stay status quo and have a team that's easy to coach and bringing that team together, you'd never get rid of those kind of players. ... Quite honestly, there are a lot of factors going into things when you bring people in. That's what we did.

"I came here to win. I never came here to be average. Again, I know when it's all said and done, I'm going to be held to those standards. Did you win? Did you deliver a championship? I'm man enough to go for it where a lot of guys aren't. We'll see what happens."

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Did the Jets make a wise decision in cutting Alan Faneca?

The Jets released nine-time Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca over the weekend. I reached out to another nine-time Pro Bowl guard, Ruben Brown, formerly of the Buffalo Bills, to get his thoughts on the move.

Based on what you've seen from Faneca, did the Jets make the right call?

Ruben Brown: I've been watching Alan. He's reached that stage in his career where that's all people can say about you, that you're slipping. He's risen to be one of the best to play the game in this era, and once you reach the top, what else can they say about you? You're going down.

But GMs and scouts don't always understand offensive-line play. The top notch guys -- premier guys like Alan Faneca, Kevin Mawae, Olin Kreutz -- they can play as long as they feel like playing because of their knowledge of the game.

The Jets drafted Vladimir Ducasse out of UMass in the second round. Plus, Faneca was going to make $7.5 million in base salary. I'm sure the contract played a little more into it than just a player slipping.

RB: That probably played all into it. But can a 24-year-old kid dominate Alan Faneca to the point you put him on the bench? I don't think so.

Faneca is 33 years old. Can you explain why you believe an offensive lineman can play at an advanced age while other positions can't?

RB: As a running back, your speed's always got to be up. As an O-lineman, it's so much about balance and strength and technique you can play when you're older. When you're a receiver or running back you have to run as fast as these young kids are running.

Alan Faneca lost a step, but his one step he lost still leaves him better than all the other guys waiting in the wings. Until you find a guy doing what he was doing when he was 26, 27, 28, then you don't get rid of him. It's not like he's going to drop off and be a CFL player.

What does losing a guy like Faneca do to the chemistry of the guys he's leaving?

RB: Most offensive lines that are good are tight. They hang out together. They talk. Their families socialize together [Faneca and Jets center Nick Mangold were out to dinner with better halves when Rex Ryan called to inform Faneca he was being cut].

It's a blow to lose a brother, but offensive linemen know the axe is going to fall. Cuts are made in that room more than others it seems. You knew the axe is coming for you sooner or later. But you've got to go on. Hopefully, somebody else steps up with the Jets.

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Which AFC East quarterback has the most pressure to produce in 2010?

We have little idea who the Buffalo Bills' quarterback will be this year, and since the division already is shaping up as a three-team race and they haven't been to the playoffs in a decade, we probably can argue that whoever gets the Bills' job won't be under much pressure to win.

Expectations are high for the other three teams, who all have experienced success in the past couple years. The New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins have won the division. The New York Jets reached the AFC Championship Game. Not reaching the playoffs in 2010 would be a failure.

New York's Mark Sanchez and Miami's Chad Henne are entering their second seasons as starters and have solid supporting casts. They both operate behind high-caliber offensive lines, have quality running backs and at least one dynamic receiver.

Sanchez has the better receiving corps, including tight end Dustin Keller, but Henne has the best single receiver on either team. Brandon Marshall will change Miami's offense.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, meanwhile, might not seem like a quarterback under a lot of pressure. But he's leading an offense that played a putrid final game and can't have a lot of time left together. He and Randy Moss are 33 this season. Running backs Kevin Faulk and Fred Taylor will be 34 and Sammy Morris 33. Last year's starting O-line returns intact, and four-fifths are in their 30s.

Brady also will have to prove his success hasn't become too reliant on Wes Welker if the slot receiver has trouble returning from his reattached knee.

Who is most expected to win this year? Who will come through?

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What should the Miami Dolphins do with second-year quarterback Pat White?

That's one of the AFC East's great shrug-inducing questions this offseason.

We already were wondering if White would be converted to another position. Then he created a mini-stir Monday by tweeting he'd rather play baseball than wide receiver.

White has been selected in the Major League Baseball draft four times. The Angels drafted him in the fourth round in 2004 and in the 24th round in 2007. The Reds took him in the seventh round in 2008. The Yankees selected him in the 48th round last year.

When fans saw his tweet and thought he was contemplating a return to the diamond, White sent out a follow-up tweet to douse the speculation:

"Lol I guess I need to clear things up... No no no no to all the questions It was just what I was feeling at the time so I said it."

The Dolphins spent last year's 44th overall draft choice on the scrambly West Virginia quarterback. They had visions of him becoming a threat in their Wildcat packages.

But he demonstrated no predilection to being an NFL quarterback. His arm was too weak, his stature too slight. He got knocked out in the season finale.

White got into 13 games last year and threw five passes without a completion. He ran 21 times for 81 yards.

The Dolphins head into the season with four quarterbacks. Chad Henne is the starter. Veteran Chad Pennington has been slotted as the third quarterback while he recovers from shoulder surgery.

The Dolphins have declined to name Tyler Thigpen or White as the primary backup, but it would appear White's in line for a switch -- either by position or sport.

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Is former Syracuse receiver Mike Williams worth the risk?

Williams is one of the most intriguing players in this year's draft. While most draft observers have focused on Oklahoma State receiver Dez Bryant as a high-risk, high-reward prospect, Williams has been overlooked despite the fact he might present an even greater conundrum.

All four AFC East teams have needs at receiver. Williams has visited with the Miami Dolphins. The Buffalo Bills attended his pro day, which took place Monday in their backyard at the Thurman Thomas Training Complex.

Williams has star talent -- maybe more than Bryant, who's expected to be the first receiver drafted, possesses. But teams are wary of the problems Williams experienced at Syracuse. He was suspended for 2008 for cheating on an exam. He was suspended for a game last year, and eventually either quit or was kicked off the team -- depending on the story -- for unclear reasons.

At the NFL scouting combine, Williams was peppered with questions about his background and dedication. He declined to explain the reasons why he left Syracuse, but acknowledged it was important to show teams he's not a problem child.

"I want to let them know that I'm a nice person," Williams said then. "I'm a good person. School was just my problem. I had bad judgment when I was young. School has been my problem. I want to let them know I can play football and be there for that team.

"All through my life I was having a problem with grades. I didn't excel in school, that's not one of my strong points."

Since Williams is such a curious prospect, I asked Scouts Inc. analyst Steve Muench for his take.

"Williams plays like a first-round pick on film," Muench wrote in an e-mail. "He has the potential to develop into a crisp short-to-intermediate route runner. He is fast enough to stretch the field, and he catches the ball well.

"However, teams are unlikely to invest a first-round pick in him, and there's a good chance he slides to the third. Questions about his character and commitment to the game make him a risky pick. It doesn't help that he didn't run as well as expected at the combine or in his workout, and he appears to have gained some weight since leaving the Syracuse program."

In 31 games for Syracuse, Williams caught 133 passes for 2,044 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Buffalo News reporter Mark Gaughan noted Williams matched his combine 40-yard dash of 4.53 seconds on Monday. That's not awful for a receiver who's 6-foot-2 and about 220 pounds, but other receivers are much faster. Williams' vertical jump was 36.5 inches. His broad jump was 9 feet, 10 inches.

"I made some mistakes," Williams told Gaughan. "I've got to learn from my mistakes and make up for it. I've just tried to let all of them know that I can do this. This is what I do. I love football.

"If I don't go in the first round, I'm going to be the steal of the draft. I tell people that: It don't matter where I go. I'll be the steal of the draft. I'm going to be a good character guy and love my teammates."