AFC East Defensive Grades: Buffalo Bills need D-line to develop

Defensive line

Miami Dolphins: 1

New York Jets: 2

New England Patriots: 3

Buffalo Bills: 4

The Miami Dolphins, who play a 3-4 on defense, have great depth on their defensive line. The team signed former New England Patriots tackle Adam Butler this offseason, and he’ll likely fit in perfectly as head coach Brian Flores was his defensive play-caller with the Pats in 2018. He’ll fight for snaps with Raekwon Davis who was named to the PFWA’s all-rookie team in 2020. The Fins also have Christian Wilkins, 2021 first-round pick Jaeleen Phillips, and Emmanuel Ogbah at end, and the latter is coming off an impressive campaign that saw him record 9.0 sacks.

The New York Jets bolstered their defensive line this offseason, adding tackle Sheldon Rankins, end Vinny Curry, and end Carl Lawson. Rankins joining forces with tackle Quinnen Williams should make for a stout interior D-line while Lawson, the team’s highest-paid player, will be counted on to get pressure off the edge.

The Patriots, as they’ve been known to do, looked inside the division to bolster their roster. The team signed Jets’ defensive end Henry Anderson to help with the run while also adding tackle Davon Godchaux from Miami to help the team up the middle after it allowed 131.4-rushing-yards-per-game in 2020. New England also added Alabama tackle, Christian Barmore, in the second round and Oklahoma end Ronnie Perkins in the third round.

The Buffalo Bills slot in fourth as there seem to be more questions with their D-line than others’. Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison, while effective, are aging and it remains to be seen how Star Lotuleilei performs after opting out in 2020. An intriguing crop of young players at the position headlined by Ed Oliver, A.J. Epenesa, first-round pick Gregory Rousseau and second-round pick Boogie Basham could ultimately vault this unit up the ranks, however.