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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 Rams in 2012:

Dream scenario (8-8): Sam Bradford takes every snap on offense for the second time in three seasons as the Rams protect their franchise quarterback with sensible play calling. It's the sixth time a Jeff Fisher-coached team finishes 8-8, but no one is complaining after the Rams' 15-65 run over the previous five seasons. Trusting offensive line coach Paul Boudreau to salvage right tackle Jason Smith becomes one of the surprise success stories of the 2012 season, and a critical one for the Rams' efforts to re-establish Bradford.

Turns out the Rams were not fibbing when they suggested Brian Quick, the receiver they took in the second round, ranked up there with first-rounder Justin Blackmon on their board. The constant threat of Steven Jackson and Isaiah Pead out of the backfield creates favorable matchups for Quick and the Rams' underrated receivers. Bradford publicly downplays a Week 2 victory over Robert Griffin III and Washington, but it feels good to win at home against the player St. Louis could have selected second overall this year.

Watching Janoris Jenkins score on a fourth-quarter punt return in Patrick Peterson's house improbably stakes the Rams to a 6-5 record, stirring visions of the postseason. It's certainly sweet to finally win within the division again. The Rams lose to San Francisco the following week and ultimately finish the regular season with a respectable defeat at Seattle, but the season is a success by any measure.

Nightmare scenario (3-13): Road games against Detroit and Chicago in the first three weeks expose Bradford to significant punishment as Smith and the line struggle to find their bearings. Bradford doesn't want to talk about the ankle injury he aggravated at some point in the season's first month, but it's clearly a factor. Facing Cliff Avril, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Ndamukong Suh, Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, Julius Peppers, Chris Clemons, Bruce Irvin, Calais Campbell, Darnell Dockett, Cameron Wake and Clay Matthews in the first seven games leaves Bradford limping toward the bye week, his confidence shaken.

Steven Jackson continues to plug away, but we've seen this movie before and it doesn't end well for the Rams. The depth at receiver is indeed improved, but Bradford doesn't have any truly dynamic weapons. Quick understandably needs seasoning, but with Blackmon and Arizona's Michael Floyd challenging rookie receiving records, the Rams look bad for trading down. It's tough finding open receivers with Smith struggling at tackle, anyway.

First-round pick Michael Brockers and free-agent addition Kendall Langford upgrade the run defense, but life as an every-down defensive end is tough for Robert Quinn. The veteran outside linebackers signed as stopgaps represent only a minor upgrade from last season. Off-field issues dog Jenkins and the defense fails to meet expectations. Critics conveniently blame Gregg Williams' suspension, but the problems are more complex than that.

The Rams head into the offseason with another high draft choice, one they'll almost certainly have to invest in a playmaker of some sort.

Last week ESPN.com's blog team examined big questions around the NFL. I had four in the AFC East that need to be answered that you can check out here.

This week we want to look at four smaller questions about the AFC East. Credit goes to NFC East blogger Dan Graziano for the idea.

Will the Jets improve safety play?

Opponents found the weakness in the New York Jets' defense in the second half of last season. The Jets were exploited time after time over the middle of the field, particularly by opposing tight ends. It was part of the reason the Jets lost their final three games.

Will New York improved its safety play in 2012? The Jets are banking on LaRon Landry to be an upgrade over Jim Leonhard. Landry is a bigger hitter but his coverage skills are questionable. Landry also has injury concerns. Eric Smith struggled last season but will get another year in the starting lineup. Neither safety is known for coverage.

The corners -- Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie -- will do their job. But the Jets could have the same issues over the middle if Smith and Landry don't step up.

Will Shawne Merriman contribute?

Where does Merriman fit with the 2012 Buffalo Bills? It depends mostly on Merriman's health. The outside linebacker is trying to return from back-to-back season-ending Achilles injuries.

Buffalo could use a rejuvenated "Lights Out" coming off the edge this year. The Bills have made it a point to improve their pass rush by investing most of their free-agent dollars on starting defensive ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson. Merriman has lacked the burst he had earlier in his career. But if he can add several sacks to the pile for the Bills, that would be a huge bonus.

Can the Miami Dolphins find a second pass-rusher?

Speaking of pass-rushers, the Dolphins have one in Cameron Wake, who just received a $49 million extension. But who will take the pressure and double-teams off Wake, which was a major issue last season?

Miami's defense is strong in many areas. The team is expected to use more 4-3 looks under first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle. Wake will be a threat on one edge, but someone needs to step up on the opposite side.

Miami's second-leading player in sacks last year was Jason Taylor, who is retired. Maybe defensive lineman Jared Odrick has the potential to fill the void. The Dolphins also drafted Olivier Vernon in the third round to bolster the pass rush.

Will Patriots' running game produce?

The reigning AFC champion New England Patriots improved their defense. They upgraded their wide receivers and signed several offensive linemen.

But what about New England's running game? The Patriots did little at tailback. They lost leading rusher BenJarvus Green-Ellis and signed Joseph Addai, which is a downgrade. Addai averaged just 3.7 yards per carry last season.

The key will be the development of second-year running backs Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. New England hopes one or both players make a big jump in Year 2. The Patriots will be a pass-heavy team. There's no denying that. But the running backs have to make the most of their opportunities when quarterback Tom Brady isn't throwing the ball.

The contract Cameron Wake signed with the Miami Dolphins had to resonate among pass-rushers in the NFC West.

Wake, 30, signed a four-year extension that could help define parameters for St. Louis' Chris Long, Seattle's Chris Clemons and Arizona's Calais Campbell. That extension was reportedly worth $49 million, with $20 million in guaranteed money.

Long, Clemons and Campbell are entering the final year of their contracts, as was Wake.

Scheme differences affect how these players are defined. They are connected by contract status and their ability to rush the passer.

The Cardinals named Campbell their franchise player, setting his value at about $10.6 million for the 2012 season. Long will also earn more than $10 million this season. Clemons' deal pays him $4.6 million in salary for 2012.

Clemons and Wake are similar in that both were undrafted, both are 30 years old and both emerged as prominent players only in the last few seasons.

Seattle values Clemons as a pass-rusher, defensive leader and mentor for new first-round draft choice Bruce Irvin. For those reasons, signing Clemons to an extension could make sense even though Irvin projects as Clemons' eventual successor.

Campbell, 25, plays defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, diminishing his opportunities for sacks (he has 14 over the past two seasons). But as the Cardinals' franchise player, he's in position to command a lucrative extension.

Long, 27, has seen his sack totals grow every season since the Rams made him the second overall choice of the 2008 draft. He had 13 last season.

The chart shows Clemons and Long with about the same sack totals as Wake over the past two seasons. While teams value players for their all-around games, pass-rushing ability carries a premium and sacks are an important measure.

Clemons, Campbell and Long all possess strengths beyond rushing the passer.

You might have heard over the weekend that Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $49 million, including $20 million guaranteed. Some of you have asked what that means for Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril, who is seeking a multiyear extension.

Avril and Wake are in slightly different situations. The Lions have made Avril their franchise player, meaning he would earn a $10.6 million base salary in 2012 if the sides don't agree on a longer deal. Wake, on the other hand, was in the final year of his rookie deal and was scheduled to make $650,000 in 2012.

Also, it's important to note that Wake, who played in the CFL before signing with the Dolphins, is 30. Avril is 26. Football longevity factors into all long-term deals.

Not all of the numbers in Wake's deal are in, but it's worth noting the average is worth about $1.5 million more annually than the franchise figure.

In return for locking himself in for four years, Wake got $20 million in guarantees. Last summer, Carolina Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson received $30 million in guarantees in exchange for signing a six-year deal at about the same average Wake got.

We've been through this issue several times during the offseason. Not all of you are willing to put Avril in the financial category reserved for the NFL's top pass-rushers. But Avril's career numbers tend to sneak up on people. He has 30 sacks in four seasons; Wake has 28 in three while Johnson had 21.5 sacks in his first three seasons before signing his deal.

In the end, you can see why the Lions might not be highly motivated to strike a deal now that they have entered the new league year with Avril's high salary-cap number accounted for. But if the sides do agree on a deal, you can expect it to be in Wake's range if it's on the shorter end. If Avril wants more guaranteed money, he'll have to sign a deal approaching the length of Johnson's.

The Miami Dolphins solved on of their biggest offseason issues Sunday. The team worked out a $49 million extension with top pass-rusher and outside linebacker Cameron Wake, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Wake displayed his unhappiness this offseason by missing part of the team's offseason workouts. He had conversations with members of the Dolphins and briefly returned. But there was still tension without a new contract.

Wake led Miami in sacks the past two seasons. He was entering the final year of his contract.

We will have more on Wake’s extension coming up next.

I usually don't like to look beyond this season in the NFL because so much can change in a year. But ESPN's resident scout Todd McShay has an interesting mock draft up for 2013.

It's a very early projection. But let's take a look at what McShay has in store for the AFC East:

Miami Dolphins

Pick: No. 8

McShay's pick: Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

Thoughts: McShay projects Miami to take one of the best pass-rushers next year. Jones recorded 13.5 sacks as a junior, and expectations are high for Jones in 2012. Pass-rushers are always needed. For example, Dolphins outside linebacker Cameron Wake is entering the final year of his contract and is in the middle of a dispute with the team.

New York Jets

Pick: No. 9

McShay's pick: Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU

Thoughts: I'm surprised McShay and Scouts Inc. project New York to have a top-10 pick next year. Are the Jets on their way to another implosion, as the No. 9 overall pick suggests? If that's the case, McShay sees the Jets drafting another pass-rusher in Mingo. This is the norm for Jets coach Rex Ryan. But I think running back and offensive tackle could be more pressing needs by the end of next season.

Buffalo Bills

Pick: No. 17

McShay's pick: Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech

Thoughts: The Bills didn't draft a developmental quarterback this year. So I understand why McShay sees Buffalo taking one in the first round in 2013. Buffalo will need to have someone ready to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick in the next few seasons. But I was surprised that it was Thomas over Oklahoma's Landry Jones, who has more buzz entering this year. But both players will settle it on the field to determine who is the second-best quarterback prospect behind Matt Barkley of USC.

New England Patriots

Pick: No. 32

McShay's pick: Marquess Wilson, WR, Washington State

Thoughts: Once again, it's interesting that McShay and Scouts Inc. are vaguely predicting a Super Bowl title for New England. The Patriots have so many receivers already that I'm finding it hard to see New England drafting that position in the first round. The Patriots have few holes. But maybe cornerback or running back could be early targets, depending on how things play out this season.

The Miami Dolphins are not getting better offensively, but they continue to try to stockpile solid players to their already stout defense.

Miami reportedly is meeting with free agent defensive end Mark Anderson, who recorded 10 sacks for the reigning AFC champion New England Patriots last season. The Dolphins have most positions covered defensively. But one remaining area of need is a good pass-rusher opposite defensive end/linebacker Cameron Wake.

Anderson is a player the Patriots would like to have back. New England needs more pass-rushers, not fewer. But the Patriots are usually patient in free agency and rarely overpay. Meanwhile, Miami has a chance to help itself, and simultaneously hurt a division rival.

Also, in more Dolphins news, they signed former New York Jets linebacker Jamaal Westerman to a one-year contract on Friday.

There has been plenty of offseason speculation that the Miami Dolphins would be interested in trading up from the No. 8 overall pick, presumably to land Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

But something that hasn't been discussed nearly as much in this draft is the idea of Miami trading down. Should the Dolphins consider it?

I think it makes a lot of sense. Miami's needs in the first round (quarterback, right tackle, safety) may not be available or too high for the No. 8 overall pick.

For example, quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Griffin III would both be targets of interest for the Dolphins. But both are expected to go within the top two picks. Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill also could be of interest, considering his ties with Miami offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, but not at No. 8. If Miami trades back, the interest in Tannehill would increase.

Right tackle is huge position of need for Miami with starter and pending free agent Marc Colombo not expected back. But smart teams do not draft right tackles in the top eight. Left tackles are much more valuable.

Also, is there a safety worthy of the eighth pick in this draft? I don’t see it.

If Miami uses the pick, I think the team should look at the best pass-rusher on the board at No. 8. The Dolphins have outside linebacker Cameron Wake (8.5 sacks), but I don’t think you can ever stockpile enough pass-rushers in today’s NFL. The Super Bowl champion New York Giants are a great example.

But taking a pass-rusher wouldn’t fill Miami’s biggest needs, which is why the team should also consider trading out of the No. 8 pick in April.

MIAMI -- Week 13 told us a lot about the AFC East. With the playoff race heating up, we got a much better understanding of the pretenders and contenders.

Here are seven things we learned:

1. The Jets are back in it

It was a great weekend for the New York Jets. Not only did New York handle its business by beating the Washington Redskins, 34-19, but the Jets got help in the AFC wild-card race. The Cincinnati Bengals entered the weekend with the edge for the final wild card but were crushed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 35-7. The Jets (7-5), Bengals (7-5), Broncos (7-5) and Raiders (7-5) are in the running for the sixth seed. (Denver or Oakland will win the AFC West.) The Jets don't hold many tiebreakers, but they will be in good shape if they continue to win. New York has two winnable games coming up against Kansas City Chiefs (5-7) and at the Philadelphia Eagles (4-8). Their final two games are against the New York Giants and at the surging Miami Dolphins.

2. Sanchez is clutch

Say what you want about Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. But he's proven over the past three seasons to play his best football in the biggest moments. After another uneven first three quarters, Sanchez came alive again in the fourth Sunday, leading the Jets to two key touchdown drives. Sanchez's best throw was a 30-yard touchdown pass to receiver Santonio Holmes for the go-ahead score. New York running back Shonn Greene punched in the final touchdown to put the game away. Sanchez's final numbers (165 yards, one touchdown) were not impressive. But the Jets have a good chance to make a postseason push if Sanchez continues to play well in the fourth quarter.

3. The Dolphins are dangerous

Their playoff hopes are over and changes are expected after the season. But the Dolphins are a team the Jets and Patriots should be wary of when they meet in the final two weeks of the regular season. The Dolphins dominated the AFC West-leading Raiders in a 34-14 win Sunday. The Dolphins (4-8) are 4-1 in their past five games. The winning streak has quieted talk of changes at head coach and quarterback until the season is over.

"We're having fun," Miami linebacker Kevin Burnett said. "I can't explain how much that takes away the pain and the feeling of being on the losing end of the spectrum."

4. Miami’s defense should stay together

Whatever Miami owner Stephen Ross decides to do after this season, the team should find a way to keep its defense intact. If that means a new head coach and/or general manager must retain most of Miami’s defensive players, so be it. If that means keeping veteran defensive coordinator Mike Nolan on next year's coaching staff, so be it. The Dolphins have the answers on that side of the football. Miami was ranked sixth in the NFL defensively last season. After a slow start, this group is rounding back to its usual form. The Dolphins held the Raiders to 304 yards, including 46 rushing.

"That's our personality: We're a tough, hard-nose type of defense," Dolphins linebacker Cameron Wake said. "When teams come in here and try to run the ball, stopping them is something we take a lot of pride in."

5. The Bills are finished

The AFC East blog said the Buffalo Bills were done following last week's loss to the Jets. But it's pretty much official after Sunday’s 23-17 home loss to the Tennessee Titans. Buffalo is 2-7 since its surprising 3-0 start. The defense needs a major overhaul. Buffalo hasn't stopped anyone consistently all season, and it needs to take a hard look at its scheme and players. Injuries to the offensive line, running back Fred Jackson and receiver Donald Jones have hurt the offense. Buffalo must improve its depth in the offseason to compete in the division for the long haul.

6. Patriots will get a first-round bye

Don't be alarmed by the Indianapolis Colts' late run Sunday. The New England Patriots are cruising. New England led by 28 points entering the fourth quarter before taking its foot off the pedal in a 31-24 win against the winless Colts (0-12). The victory keeps the Patriots (9-3), who have the easiest remaining schedule, in the driver's seat for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Baltimore Ravens Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans are also 9-3.

7. Gronkowski is elite

I usually like to wait until a player has a few seasons in the NFL before calling him "elite." But Patriots second-year tight end Rob Gronkowski is developing into something special. He scored three more touchdowns -- two receiving, one rushing -- against Indianapolis. Gronkowski has 13 TD catches in 2011, tying him with Antonio Gates and Vernon Davis for the season record for tight ends. Gronkowski is a lock for his first Pro Bowl. Quarterback Tom Brady and Gronkowski are the most dangerous red-zone combination in the NFL this season.

MIAMI -- You could hear a pin drop for long stretches in the second half.

To my left was a guy sleeping in a luxury box in the third quarter. His head was leaning on his left hand, occasionally bobbing back and forth.

Below me in the crowd another guy was asleep during the fourth. His feet up were on the guardrail while friends jokingly took pictures.

By the final quarter the upper deck could have used a tarp. It was Jacksonville-esque.

Welcome to the lifeless Sun Life Stadium -- home of the 2011 Miami Dolphins.

I won't pretend to know every reason many Dolphins fans don't show up to support this year's team. I'm new to the AFC East and new to Miami. But I'm sure the Dolphins' awful track record at home has a lot to do with it.

Miami had a plethora of miscues and sloppy play in Sunday's 23-13 home loss to the Houston Texans. It was the second straight loss for the Dolphins (0-2) at home. The team also fell to 1-11 in its past 12 games at Sun Life Stadium.

Yes, Miami is 1-11 in its past 12 home games.

How does this happen?

"It's just not acceptable,” Dolphins veteran cornerback Will Allen said. "There's no other way to really say it. It's not acceptable."

Dolphins starting running back Reggie Bush came from a winning franchise with the New Orleans Saints. He won a Super Bowl with New Orleans following the 2009 season. In Bush's previous three years with the Saints, they were 17-7 at home.

"I've always believed that you have to defend home at all cost -- no matter what," said Bush, who signed with Miami as a free agent. "It's your home. I look at it as if an intruder is coming into your home to rob you."

Many intruders have come into Sun Life Stadium to steal wins.

Here is Miami's roll call of home losses since Dec. 2009: Houston (twice), New England Patriots (twice), Pittsburgh Steelers (twice), New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions. It's a mix of good teams and bad teams. Twelve opponents came to Miami, and 11 have conquered.

Perhaps what's most disturbing about Miami's abysmal home record is there's not one particular thing you can put a finger on.

Miami lost at home in shootouts, such as its 38-24 defeat last week to New England. The Dolphins lost defensive battles, such as last year's home defeats to Buffalo (17-14) and Chicago (16-0). Miami also lost strange games, like last year's fumble-that-wasn't game against Pittsburgh.

The only common theme is the "L" at the end of the game -- and it's showing in the stands. Many fans exited when Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson caught a 23-yard touchdown to give Houston a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

There was still 10 minutes left for a potential Miami comeback. But Dolphins fans saw this story before. Miami is a vibrant town with a lot of options. Fans figured it was best to get a head start on traffic and move on to the next thing.

The Dolphins-Texans game could have been blacked out, but more than 10,000 tickets were reportedly purchased by the Dolphins so the game could be televised. The announced crowd of 51,032 people may have been generous. Sun Life Stadium holds about 75,000.

"Sure [you notice], but I mean we're not paying attention to that," said Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne, who threw for 170 yards, one touchdown and one interception. "We're worrying about winning the football game. People who are behind us are behind us. And if they're not, then we're still going to come out on Sundays and play the game."

The story this particular week was turnovers and mistakes for Miami.

Henne's interception led to Houston's only touchdown in the first half. A fumble by tailback Daniel Thomas (107 rushing yards) negated an otherwise good debut for the rookie. Former Pro Bowl kicker Dan Carpenter also had a field goal blocked and sailed one wide left.

That's all the edge a talented team like Houston (2-0) needs. The Texans didn't play their "A" game. But Miami's mistakes made for a double-digit road win for Houston.

Last week Miami head coach Tony Sparano said the team's theme was "On to Houston." Next week it's time to hit the road. It starts with the Browns (1-1).

The Dolphins have just one home game the rest of September and October. Although it's against conventional wisdom, maybe the Dolphins are better off that way. Miami was 6-2 on the road last season.

Every other team in the AFC East is off to a fast start. The Patriots, Bills and Jets are all undefeated. The division is deep and talented, and Miami is quickly falling behind.

"We made our bed," Miami linebacker Cameron Wake said. "and we're laying in it."

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 1:

Handling Hali: Something to watch carefully when Buffalo visits Kansas City is how the Bills handle linebacker Tamba Hali. If left alone, he will torment Bills left tackle Demetrius Bell. If Buffalo designates a tight end next to Bell to assist with Hali or assigns a running back to chip him, that leaves the rest of Buffalo’s protection scheme vulnerable against pass-rushers Justin Houston, Glenn Dorsey and Wallace Gilberry. Kansas City also has a strong secondary. I have a hard time believing that Buffalo will have much success through the air this week. One guy who could really help their cause if used properly is running back C.J. Spiller.

Inexperienced Cowboys: Dallas visits the Jets on Sunday night. This is a terrible matchup for the Cowboys’ offense. Instead of older, heavy-footed road graders up front, the Cowboys' offensive line has an influx of athletic, but very young, starters. This could pay off in time, because they should be much better equipped to pass-block and get out on the screens and draw plays that favor Felix Jones. But for now, I expect huge growing pains. Ultra-talented Cowboys first-round pick Tyron Smith will not play because of a knee injury. I expect Dallas’ protection schemes to have plenty of breakdowns. That is an awful situation against a defense coached by Rex Ryan. Compounding matters for the Cowboys are the matchups on the perimeter. Miles Austin and Dez Bryant are as good a pair of starting wideouts as you will find. But Austin isn’t 100 percent healthy, and Darrelle Revis will shut down whichever wide receiver he covers. Antonio Cromartie is a very good man-to-man cover man who thrives against bigger wide receivers like Austin and Bryant. However, it should be noted that New York’s third-down defense last season gave up too many big plays.

Test for New England: New England travels to Miami for the early "Monday Night Football" game. Although it struggled this preseason, particularly against the Lions, I still consider New England’s offensive line one of the very best. But they will be tested in a huge way on the road. In the Miami heat, the fatigue factor will favor the home team. Miami has an extremely physical and deep 3-man defensive line. Led by Cameron Wake, the Dolphins’ edge pass-rushers are a real handful for any protection scheme. New England might be without starting right tackle Sebastian Vollmer, so we might see first-round pick Nate Solder in his first action.

Pressure from Patriots: When Miami has the ball, I expect Bill Belichick to dial up a lot of front-side pressure. Chad Henne is not very mobile, and he can struggle with pressure right in his face. Jake Long returns, after missing the preseason, to man his left tackle spot. I worry about the right side of the Dolphins’ offensive line, particularly starting right tackle Marc Colombo. He should be out-manned by players such as Shaun Ellis and Jermaine Cunningham, let alone the added front-side pressure. Compounding the problem, right guard Vernon Carey has little experience at guard. Anthony Fasano is an excellent blocking tight end and will have to spend much of his time on the right side, but the Miami running backs are either small and lacking physicality (Reggie Bush) or lacking experience (Daniel Thomas) in protection.

Stopping the run: The Bills' defense was awful against the run last season, but I am betting that it improved with the drafting of Marcell Dareus and some other additions. I expect the run defense to be particularly stout up the middle, where Dareus, Kyle Williams and Nick Barnett play. However, the changes might not pay off big against the Chiefs because Jamaal Charles is such a great runner outside the tackles. I also expect Dexter McCluster’s role as a ball carrier to increase.

» AFC Future Stars: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

A team-by-team look at the players I expect to be the most dominant in the AFC East from 2014 to 2016.

ESPN.com launched a series of stories this week in which we ponder the ultimate Dream Team of Tomorrow, players who should dominate the NFL in the three-year window from 2014 through 2016.

ESPN.com assembled offensive and defensive ballots for you to decide the starting lineup. But there are some prominent names missing from the AFC East. Regardless, here are my predictions for the best candidates from each club.

Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills defensive tackle: Dareus hasn't played an NFL game yet, but he arguably was the safest selection in this year's draft. The Bills were ecstatic to see him still on the board with their third selection. Dareus is immensely talented and versatile along the line. He can't help but make an immediate impact on Buffalo's meager defense and will get better. Dareus will draw multiple blockers and will help stop the run (Bills ranked 32nd) and get after the quarterback (only three teams had fewer sacks).

Jake Long, Miami Dolphins left tackle: Long is the obvious choice for the Dolphins. The top selection of the 2008 draft has been named to the Pro Bowl each of his three NFL seasons. He was voted first-team All-Pro last season. Some might consider outside linebacker Cameron Wake to be a good bet. He started in the Pro Bowl after recording 14 sacks in his second NFL season. But Wake isn't a youngster. He took a circuitous route to the big leagues and is 29 years old already -- and not even on the Dream Team of Tomorrow ballot. Does he have a better shot of being dominant at 32 than Long does at 29? Nope.

Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots inside linebacker: Mayo is the safe bet. He was voted first-team All-Pro after his third season and has proven himself a tackling machine. He should be a defensive star for many years. But the Patriots have a few other intriguing possibilities. Devin McCourty played left cornerback as a rookie and started in the Pro Bowl, but I give Mayo the edge because of his three-year track record. Rookie tight ends Rob Gronkowski (10 touchdowns last season) and Aaron Hernandez (2009 Mackey Award winner) didn't make the ballot somehow.

Darrelle Revis, New York Jets cornerback: He'll be 29 years old when the Dream Team of Tomorrow window opens, but he has been so dominant it's hard to pick any other Jet ahead of him. I realize All-Pro center Nick Mangold and Pro Bowl left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson are on the ballot, but Revis is as elite as they come. Revis is compared to Deion Sanders, who is considered the greatest cover corner of all-time. Dustin Keller was another AFC East tight end strangely left off the ballot.

If you had any dispute over Tom Brady's unanimous selections for MVP and All-Pro last season, then you must not agree with NFL players either.

Brady's peers voted him the NFL's best player for 2011. The NFL Network on Sunday night concluded its series, "The Top 100: Players of 2011." Brady beat out Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis also landed in the top 10.

Total rundown of AFC East players on the list:

• 1. Tom Brady, Patriots quarterback
• 8. Darrelle Revis, Jets cornerback
• 28. Jake Long, Dolphins left tackle
• 35. Vince Wilfork, Patriots nose tackle
• 39. Logan Mankins, Patriots left guard
• 47. Nick Mangold, Jets center
• 50. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver
• 61. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
• 62. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebacker
• 63. Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker
• 76. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
• 79. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets tackle

» NFC Underrated Players: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A team-by-team look at the most underrated players in the division.

Buffalo Bills

Roscoe Parrish, receiver/punt returner: For five years,Parrish practically begged to be thrown the ball. He made the most of his touches, becoming one of the most dangerous punt returners in the NFL and setting franchise records.

But his listed position was wide receiver, and in the Bills' passing game under head coaches Mike Mularkey and Dick Jauron, the undersized Parrish always seemed to be an afterthought.

That changed last year under new coach Chan Gailey. He played just eight games because of a broken wrist, but Parrish caught 33 passes for 400 yards and two touchdowns. The yardage was the most of his career. His TDs tied a career-high. Two more receptions would have matched a career-high.

Miami Dolphins

Kendall Langford, defensive end: On a defense with sack master Cameron Wake, the NFL's highest-paid linebacker in Karlos Dansby, franchise-tagged nose tackle Paul Soliai and Pro Bowl defensive end Randy Starks, a guy like Langford can get overlooked.

Langford, a 2008 third-round pick out of Hampton, has been a starter since his rookie season. Last year, after he gained national fame for being the sap who lost a $50,000 earring on the Dolphins' practice field, Langford produced a quality season for the one of the NFL's better defenses. He notched 47 tackles, three sacks, six tackles for losses, two forced fumbles and four passes defensed.

Langford is adept at controlling blockers and was a major reason why the Dolphins ranked seventh in run defense (100.1 yards per game) and third in average allowed per carry (3.6 yards).

New England Patriots

Gary Guyton, linebacker: Guyton started only eight games at linebacker last season, and half of those were necessitated by Brandon Spikes' four-game suspension. Even so, Guyton made a mark on the Patriots' defense. The undrafted third-year pro from Georgia Tech recorded 63 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), six passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery (returned for another touchdown).

"Gary is someone that fits in our system very well no matter what that role is," Patriots linebackers coach Matt Patricia said during the playoffs. "He's a very [versatile] player for us. He does an excellent job in whatever avenue we ask him to prepare and play. I think he is a guy who is active and plays for us every Sunday, and whatever that role is he's going to go out and do it to the best of his ability. It’s something that we have a lot of confidence in."

New York Jets

Brandon Moore, right guard: The Jets' offensive line has had remarkable star power over the past few seasons. Nick Mangold is an All-Pro center. Left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson went to the Pro Bowl last season. Right tackle Damien Woody has been to the Pro Bowl and owns Super Bowl rings. Alan Faneca, the Jets' left guard in 2008 and 2009, went to nine straight Pro Bowls.

Then there was Moore, an undrafted and often-overlooked workhorse. "Meat," as he's affectionately known by his teammates, has started 105 straight regular-season games. He was a third alternate for the Pro Bowl last year but still hasn't made it to one. In the Jets' locker room, he's respected enough to be a union representative.

"It's a shame that Brandon doesn't get as much of a nod as he deserves," Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said last season. "You'd be hard-pressed to find a better guard than him in all of football."

This was a futile endeavor.

The latest edition of ESPN.com's positional Power Rankings took a look at linebackers.

Sam, will, mike, jack, bandit, outside, 3-4, 4-3, Tampa 2, whatever ... All were thrown into a hopper to be sorted out. Much to my affliction.

All linebackers don't play the same position just because that's how they're listed on their football cards.

Take an outside linebacker such as Miami Dolphins pass-rusher Cameron Wake and plug him into a 4-3 defense, and all of a sudden you don't have a linebacker anymore. You have a hand-on-the-ground defensive end. That's what the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts had in mind when they tried to sign Wake.

The concept of ranking inside linebackers and outside linebackers is tantamount to comparing a cover cornerback to a strong safety because they're both defensive backs.

But I had to come up with something. So here's my list with an explanation to follow:

1. Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers
2. Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears
3. Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots
4. Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens
5. James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers
6. Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers
7. David Harris, New York Jets
8. Jon Beason, Carolina Panthers
9. DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys
10. Cameron Wake, Miami Dolphins

At the top of the order I went with players who would be elite linebackers in any system. I favored linebackers with all-around impact, especially since we already ranked pass-rushers.

At some point I felt compelled to give credit for awesome quarterback-chasing skills -- even if the "linebacker" might not be adept in coverage or provide as much value on first downs or what have you.

I ranked Ware first in our pass-rusher Power Rankings, but ninth here. That was much lower than any of the other panelists.

I very easily could be wrong. But would Ware be a linebacker for the Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings or Bears? Maybe so. Maybe a defensive end.

Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs plays in a 3-4 scheme, but Scouts Inc. analyst Matt Williamson considers him more like a defensive end.

So go ahead and throw your list together.

Feel free to mix in a few fullbacks.