Intriguing QB rivalries are brewing for the Buffalo Bills and AFC East

The Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Miami Dolphins each have a 2018 first-round quarterback on-board, creating a few intriguing matchups.

When the Buffalo Bills selected Josh Allen at No. 7 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, they figured their future at the quarterback position lies within his hands. The New York Jets, with Sam Darnold on-board, must’ve thought the same. Down in Arizona, the Cardinals joined the club with Josh Rosen as their selection.

Now a year later, both the Bills and Jets–divisional rivals–can continue to claim, and believe, that they have a franchise quarterback on-roster. As for Arizona, they shipped off Rosen, after selecting Kyler Murray No. 1 overall, to Miami, another divisional rival. The culmination of Allen, Darnold, and Rosen playing in the AFC East is a trio of quarterback rivalries worth watching.

The Allen vs. Darnold budding rivalry may be the most intriguing, from an outsider’s non-AFC East fan’s perspective. Prior to the draft, both were in contention to be the No. 1 overall pick, had trained together, and celebrated each other’s drafting. They consider each other friends and continue to practice together in the off-season.

However, that friendship ends the first week of the 2019 season, when the Bills travel to New Jersey to face the Jets. The last time the two met each other, week 14 in 2018, it was a duel. The Bills lost 27-24, but each showed their immense potential in their quarterback. Allen recorded 307 total yards and a score, while Darnold threw for 170 yards and a touchdown.

Allen and Darnold looks to be the marquee quarterback matchup of the future, in the AFC East. But, with Rosen now playing in South Beach, the rivalries of the 2018 class continue to grow. If Rosen wins the starting job–over Ryan Fitzpatrick–matchups between the Dolphins, Bills, and Jets get that much more intriguing.

Though Rosen struggled his rookie year, and may not be up-to-par with what Allen and Darnold bring to the table, his draft-night quote alone makes a matchup interesting. After being selected following both the Bills’ and Jets’ new franchise faces, and slipping to No. 10, Rosen said;

"There were nine mistakes ahead of me."

Both Allen and Darnold may look to prove Rosen wrong in their inter-divisional matchups. The end result, if each pans out, could be a trio of quarterbacks that build a rivalry like none other in the NFL: three highly touted signal-callers selected in the top ten of the same draft, playing in the same division.