MOST IMPROVED TEAMS, DIVISION BY DIVISION, PART 4 OF 8: AFC EAST

Author: Peter DiPaola

Here are the online results of the polls on which AFC East team has improved the most this offseason:

TWITTER POLL:
Bills 54%
Patriots 38%
Dolphins 8%
Jets 0%

FACEBOOK POLL:
Patriots 64.5%
Bills 21.5%
Jets 7%
Dolphins 7%

Writer's Pick: Buffalo Bills

Before the last game of the 2016 season, the Bills fired head coach Rex Ryan, which signaled changes for the Bills, who went 7-9 in 2016 following an 8-8 campaign in 2015. Buffalo replaced Rex by hiring Panther's defensive coordinator Sean McDermott as their head coach, prior to becoming the Panthers defensive coordinator in 2011 he had part of the Eagles coaching staff from 1999-2010. He was an assistant to the head coach, defensive assistance coach, assistant defensive backs coach, safeties coach, linebackers coach and defensive coordinator while in Philadelphia.  While he was in Philly he was part of a coaching staff that help coach the Eagles to 5 NFC Title games and Super Bowl appearance, in Carolina he was part of a coaching staff that turned the Panthers organization around which helped them to a Super Bowl berth in 2015.

Buffalo was also able to acquire pieces in free agency, like former Panthers fullback Mike Tolbert and wide receiver Corey Brown, former Raiders wide receiver Andre Holmes and former Packer Micah Hyde.  Other free agent acquisitions included defensive end Ryan Davis, wide receiver Corey Davis and cornerback Leonard Johnson (played for Carolina in 2016), there were other free agent signings as well on both sides of the football to add with the players mentioned above.

Outside of the free agency signings and before the draft, the Bills were able to re-structure Tyrod Taylor's contract so it would not be a burden on the salary cap.

Buffalo's additions help because they did lose wide receiver Robert Woods in the offseason as well as cornerback Stephon Gilmore who signed with the division rival Patriots.  Buffalo added more talent via the draft, the picked Tre'Davious White, cornerback out of USC with the 27th pick in the first round, a pick from the Chiefs who moved up to the Bills spot at 10.  Buffalo was able to obtain an additional first round pick in the 2018 NFL draft from that trade which will only help improve the Bills over time. Buffalo picked twice in the second round, they drafted wide receiver Zay Jones Guard Dion Dawkins, giving the Bills another weapon on offense and more stability on their offensive line.  Buffalo then picked linebacker Matt Milano and quarterback Nathan Peterman in round 5 and linebacker Tanner Vallejo in round 6.

Nathan Peterman will have a shot at the starting job in 2017, according to a tweet by Jay Skurski, all the quarterbacks on the roster will compete to start.  The added talent on both sides of the football will benefit whoever is the starter for the Bills in 2017 and the team as a whole as they move forward with a new coaching regime for the upcoming season.

2017 Record Prediction: 10-6, second in the AFC East and wildcard berth. 

Draft information from www.nfl.com/draft
Transaction information from www.espn.com
Sean McDermott information from:  https://pro-football-history.com/coach/1184/sean-mcdermott-bio

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