2022 AFC East training camp preview: Storylines for the Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Players report: July 18 (rookies); July 23 (veterans)

First practice: July 24 (full schedule)

Location: St. John Fisher College | Pittsford, New York

Notable acquisitions/re-signings:

• WR Tavon Austin
• WR Jamison Crowder* (No. 82)
• WR Isaiah McKenzie
• TE O.J. Howard* (No. 78)
• OG Rodger Saffold
• C Mitch Morse
• DE Shaq Lawson
• DE Von Miller* (No. 3)
• DT Jordan Phillips
• DT Tim Settle

Notable departures:

• QB Mitchell Trubisky (Steelers)
• RB Matt Breida (Giants)
• WR Cole Beasley
• WR Emmanuel Sanders
• OL Daryl Williams
• DE Jerry Hughes* (No. 32; Texans)
• DT Star Lotulelei
• DT Harrison Phillips (Vikings)
• LB A.J. Klein
• CB Levi Wallace (Steelers)

Subplots to track:

1. Is Josh Allen embarking on an MVP campaign? He’s coming off a strong regular season and two brilliant playoff performances. He has weapons all around him, too. At 26 years old with 60 regular-season starts under his belt, Allen might be at the peak of his powers. But following back-to-back postseason losses at Arrowhead Stadium and last season’s “13 seconds” nightmare, his biggest proving ground likely won’t be reached until January.
2. The Bills have been tweaking their offensive line each year, seemingly, trying to find the optimal starting five and the best reserve options. Late last season, the team settled on a quintet of, from left to right, Dion Dawkins, Ryan Bates, Mitch Morse, Daryl Williams and Spencer Brown, with Cody Ford as the sixth option. With Rodger Saffold expected to take over a guard spot to replace Williams, the biggest improvement could come from Brown. He was up and down as a rookie but has strong potential at right tackle. Bates must prove he’s as good as he was last year.
3. Can Von Miller upgrade the Bills’ defense? At the price they paid him, that’s the clear, unquestioned expectation. Miller joined a good Rams defense midseason last year and helped raise it to championship-grade quality. Buffalo’s defense ranked first in total yards allowed, pass yards allowed, first downs allowed and points allowed. It was among the top 10 in interception rate (third) and sack rate (sixth), too. However, the playoff struggles against the Chiefs proved that more firepower was needed.
4. Is the offense ready to add even more explosiveness? There was a big addition to the backfield in second-rounder James Cook, a possible big-play threat and third-down option who will be folded in with recent draft picks Devin Singletary and Zack Moss and free-agent addition Duke Johnson. But there’s also strong hope that Gabriel Davis, who scored nine TDs in his final seven games (including the four-TD effort in the playoff loss to the Chiefs), could be on the verge of stardom and help take this offense to new levels.

Players report: July 19 (rookies); July 26 (veterans)

First practice: July 27 (full schedule)

Location: Baptist Health Training Complex | Miami Gardens, Florida

Notable acquisitions/re-signings:

• QB Teddy Bridgewater* (No. 30)
• RB Chase Edmonds* (No. 84)
• RB Sony Michel
• RB Raheem Mostert* (No. 98)
• WR Tyreek Hill (trade)
• WR Cedrick Wilson
• TE Mike Gesicki
• OT Terron Armstead* (No. 1)
• OG Connor Williams* (No. 51)
• DE Emmanuel Ogbah* (No. 9)
• LB Melvin Ingram* (No. 25)
• CB Xavien Howard
• P Thomas Morstead

Notable departures:

• QB Jacoby Brissett (Browns)
• RB Duke Johnson (Bills)
• RB Phillip Lindsay (Colts)
• WR Will Fuller* (No. 49)
• WR Albert Wilson (Vikings)
• OL Jesse Davis (Vikings)
• CB Justin Coleman (Seahawks)
• CB Jason McCourty (retired)

Subplots to track:

1. The time for QB Tua Tagovailoa to produce is now. He has some talented targets, a beefed-up offensive line and reputed offensive guru Mike McDaniel in his corner and is another year removed from his college hip injury, but the pressure really is starting to hit. If Tagovailoa doesn’t step up and prove to be Miami’s franchise QB, the Dolphins will have two first-round picks in the 2023 draft to perhaps mull a change next spring.
2. How will the new offensive pieces integrate? The Dolphins upgraded the offensive line (including signing my colleague Gregg Rosenthal’s top-ranked free agent, Terron Armstead), added to the backfield (signing Raheem Mostert, Chase Edmonds and Sony Michel) and traded for big-play dynamo Tyreek Hill. If the offensive line jells, the blocking improves and Hill proves to be close to the weapon he was in Kansas City, the Dolphins should be a playoff team. The offense hasn’t ranked higher than 15th in points or 22nd in yards the past seven seasons.
3. Where will the defensive improvement come from? Miami has been solid defensively the past two seasons, and the focus this offseason was more about keeping last year’s core intact, with a few additions along the way. Melvin Ingram could boost the pass rush, and third-rounder Channing Tindall could work into a key role. Other hope for improvement comes from within, where Jevon Holland, Jaelen Phillips and Christian Wilkins are young stars on the rise.

Players report: July 19 (rookie); July 26 (veterans)

First practice: July 27 (full schedule)

Location: Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, Massachusetts

Notable acquisitions/re-signings:

• RB Ty Montgomery
• RB James White
• WR DeVante Parker (trade)
• OT Trent Brown* (No. 40)
• OL Darryl Williams
• LB Ja'Whaun Bentley
• LB Mack Wilson (trade)
• CB Malcolm Butler
• S Devin McCourty
• S Jabrill Peppers
• K Nick Folk
• ST Matthew Slater

Notable departures:

• QB Jarrett Stidham (traded to Raiders)
• RB Brandon Bolden (Raiders)
• OG Shaq Mason (traded to Buccaneers)
• C Ted Karras (Bengals)
• DE Chase Winovich (traded to Browns)
• LB Dont'a Hightower* (No. 97)
• LB Kyle Van Noy (Chargers)
• CB J.C. Jackson* (No. 2; Chargers)

Subplots to track:

1. Probably the biggest question is the Year 2 development of QB Mac Jones and just how he’ll go about improving with his seemingly unusual coaching arrangement. With Josh McDaniels gone to Las Vegas, Jones’ new offensive coordinator is … yet to be determined! The belief is that assistants Joe Judge and Matt Patricia will have big hands in shaping the offense, although neither has extensive experience in terms of designing or implementing an offense. Jones was very respectable as a rookie and has room to grow, but the coaching setup -- even with Bill Belichick overseeing the entire operation -- has raised some concerns about how this process functionally will work.
2. After the Bills dissected the Patriots’ defense in the playoffs, it was clear that New England badly needed more youth and speed on the unit -- even while turning in strong regular-season results on that side of the ball. But after the Pats lost J.C. Jackson, Dont’a Hightower, Kyle Van Noy and others, it’s fair to wonder if there will be some growing pains on defense. There are some interesting young pieces on the depth chart, but there are also plenty of unknowns, especially at cornerback and with the pass rush, which is concerning, considering how much offensive firepower suddenly has entered the division.
3. Another lingering question on offense comes at left tackle, which has been manned most often in recent seasons by Isaiah Wynn, but his injury history is concerning, and he missed chunks of the offseason program. Could Trent Brown kick over to that side? It’s at least one possibility apparently being considered. This is already an offensive line that is replacing steady guard Shaq Mason with first-round pick Cole Strange, who played at FCS-level Chattanooga last year.

Players report: July 19 (rookies); July 26 (veterans)

First practice: July 27 (full schedule)

Location: Atlantic Health Jets Training Center | Florham Park, New Jersey

Notable acquisitions/re-signings:

• QB Joe Flacco
• WR Braxton Berrios
• TE Tyler Conklin
• TE C.J. Uzomah
• OG Laken Tomlinson* (No. 48)
• DL Solomon Thomas
• LB Jacob Martin
• CB D.J. Reed* (No. 41)
• S Jordan Whitehead* (No. 66)
• DB Lamarcus Joyner
• K Greg Zuerlein

Notable departures:

• WR Jamison Crowder* (No. 82; Bills)
• OT Morgan Moses* (No. 86; Ravens)
• DE Shaq Lawson (Bills)
• S Marcus Maye* (No. 35; Saints)

Subplots to track:

1. The Jets’ defense remains a worry after ranking last in points allowed (29.6 per game) last season. But with the team adding several reinforcements on that side of the ball, it’s time for Robert Saleh’s unit to raise its level of performance. Even still, they’ll likely be asking a lot from first-round cornerback Sauce Gardner and will need major improvements from the run defense and the pass rush. But were there enough assets added to the front seven to make major improvements? 
2. Left tackle remains a question mark heading into camp despite the team using the 11th pick in the 2020 NFL draft on Mekhi Becton to man that spot. His inconsistencies and reported weight fluctuations have been a source of frustration and opened up the position to a battle with the more reliable George Fant. It wouldn’t be shocking at all to see Fant win the job and Becton moved to right tackle -- if he’s not traded.
3. Zach Wilson had some bright spots as a rookie, especially down the stretch, when he came back from injury to cut down on his turnovers and utilize his legs more effectively. But overall, he’ll need to improve his consistency and accuracy, both of which were subpar over 13 rookie starts for the No. 2 overall pick of the 2021 draft. Wilson now has a slew of weapons to throw to and hand off to, and his offensive line and coaching communication should be improved, but the pressure is on the second-year QB to put it all together.