ESPN Insider AFC East reort card

[BillC]

I already posted wha they gave Buffalo In the Bills Forum (http://billszone.com/fanzone/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17050)


Here is the rest of the division


Miami Dolphins
Offseason Priorities
1. Jump start the passing game - Incomplete. The Dolphins have gotten a little faster at wide receiver by replacing Oronde Gadsden with Derrius Thompson. But better? That remains to be seen. The ineffectiveness of Ray Lucas as Jay Fiedler's replacement has cost him his job and a veteran backup remains high on the priority list. A lot of people assume Brian Griese will be signed next month after the Broncos release him, but he might go somewhere else to be a starter instead.

2. Come up with a better salary cap strategy - Incomplete. The Dolphins have been very successful for a long period of time. Last year was one of the few seasons in the last 20 years that they did not make the playoffs, and they still had a winning record. Yet that prolonged success in this era of salary caps and free agency has finally caught up with them, and they will be faced with difficult cap decisions every offseason for the next several years. At the beginning of the offseason, I suggested the Dolphins take a page out of the Eagles strategy guide to managing the cap, and start signing their young, up and coming talent to long term deals now. Instead, they've gone the opposite path, signing veteran talent to short term deals hoping to make a push this year for the Super Bowl.

3. Learn to innovate on defense - Incomplete. We won't know if this has been accomplished until late in the season.

Position Needs

1.WR Grade: C Oronde Gadsden is a free agent that they have not re-signed. They released Dedric Ward and let Cris Carter slip back into retirement. In free agency, they signed Derrius Thompson from the Redskins, who had 53 catches for 773 yards last year. He can be a good supplemental player, along with James McKnight who is still hanging around the roster. The hope in Miami, though, is that Chris Chambers bounces back from his sub-par 2002 season.

2.OT Grade: C The Dolphins entered free agency hoping to coax one of several available left tackles down to South Florida. They failed and remain with the status quo by re-signing converted guard Mark Dixon.

3.QB Grade: Inc. Ray Lucas has been released. Brian Griese is expected to follow in his father's footsteps by signing a free agent contract in June. But it hasn't happened yet.

4.OLB Grade: B Junior Seau may be slowing down, but he has at least one more good season left in him. The thought of him playing side by side with Zach Thomas has 'Fins fans in a heightened state of hysteria. Derrick Rodgers will be released after June 1st. On the other side, top draft pick Eddie Moore will compete with Morlon Greenwood

[BillC]

New England Patriots

Offseason Priorities

1. Find a new feature back - Incomplete. Free agency didn't have much to offer but most observers were shocked that the Patriots didn't draft a single running back with any of their 10 rookie picks. Are the Patriot coaches so secure in Antowain Smith's abilities that they don't want to even challenge him in this year's training camp? Or will last year's flirtation with Jamal Anderson bloom into an actual courtship this summer?

2. Add more explosiveness to the offense - Incomplete. The Patriots have the speed to stretch the field with last year's rookie burner Deion Branch, veteran David Patten, and 2nd round draft pick Bethel Johnson at wide receiver, along with Kevin Faulk coming out of the backfield. Whether they bother to use that speed vertically, we'll have to wait until the games count for real to see.

3. Put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks - Complete. The signing of linebacker Roosevelt Colvin improves the team's pass rush tremendously, and the drafting of defensive end Ty Warren with the 13th overall pick should also help. Meanwhile, the Patriots have upgraded their secondary by signing CB Tyrone Poole, S Rodney Harrison, and drafting CB Eugene Wilson with the 36th overall pick, which should buy the pass rush more time to get to the quarterback.

Position Needs

1.DE Grade: B The Patriots use of a hybrid 3-4 defense requires their defensive ends to have more run stopping ability than average. So drafting a college defensive tackle in Ty Warren and sliding him outside works fine. He'll also be able to swap spots with 2001's top pick, Richard Seymour whenever necessary to add versatility to the defensive front.

2.LB Grade: B Roosevelt Colvin is suited amazingly well for the Patriots defense. If he has less than a dozen sacks this season it will be a horrible disappointment. However, the grade remains a B, because Colvin was the only addition to the roster at this position.

3.WR Grade: C Donald Hayes couldn't grasp the offense and was released. He is replaced by 2nd round draft pick Bethel Johnson who is the tallest receiver on the roster even though he just scrapes the six feet mark. No veterans were added, so Johnson and last year's rookie wideout, Deion Branch, will have to make big strides before the season starts.

4.OT Grade: F The Patriots gave up on Greg Robinson-Randall at right tackle and traded him away. They have seven tackles on their roster, but they average less than 3 years of experience (Adrian Klemm is the old man of the group going into his 4th year in the league, and he doesn't even start.) No high draft picks were used or veterans signed at the position. They're going to go with what they already had.

5.S Grade: B The Patriots swapped Tebucky Jones for Rodney Harrison, got a couple draft picks out of it, and saved a few million dollars along the way. They lose some speed with the switch but gain a lot of hitting ability. Chris Akins was signed away from Cleveland as a backup.

[BillC]

New York Jets

Offseason Priorities

1. Sign Laveranues Coles to a long-term deal - Incomplete.

Coles got a deal better than he should have expected, but from the Redskins instead of the Jets. New York took the draft pick as compensation for Washington signing their restricted free agent, combined it with their own first round pick, and traded up for DT DeWayne Robertson. They signed veteran Curtis Conway, who was having a great year for the Chargers last season until injuring his neck, to replace Coles as a starter.


2. Re-sign guard Randy Thomas - Incomplete.

Thomas signed with the Redskins as well. Not only did the 'Skins take the Jets best restricted free agent and unrestricted free agent, but their kicker and their kick returner as well. To replace Thomas, the Jets signed veteran Tom Nutten from the Rams. His price tag was fifth of Thomas' and his supposed poor play from last season was more from him trying to play two positions at once thanks to the revolving door the Rams had at the tackle spot next to him.


3. Have the coaches and front office work together - Complete.

Coach Herm Edwards made a power grab soon after he arrived in New York and almost every one of his personnel decisions turned into a bust. Instead of the power swinging back the entire way, general manager Terry Bradway looks to have improved communications skills all around. The coaches say what they need and give their opinions, then the front office goes out and gets the players without overpaying.


Position Needs

1.WR Grade: D

On the plus side, the switch from Coles to Conway gives the Jets some much needed height in their receiving corps. But Coles is an up and coming star of the game and Conway light is fading back to Chrebet's flashlight levels. The Jets would have been insane to match the Redskins' offer though. Considering what it would have done to their salary cap over the long run, it was a hard, but correct, choice.

2.S Grade: C-minus

On the plus side, Damien Robinson is gone. On the down side, the Jets are counting on unproven second year man Jon McGraw to replace him in the starting lineup. He did see the field last year, and even started one game and looks custom built for the cover 2 defense the Jets want to play. Also, Sam Garnes is back at strong safety with his limited range and penchant for playing close to the line of scrimmage. The Jets did sign former Viking safety and cornerback Tyrone Carter, who is undersized but plays with abandon.

3.LB Grade: C-plus

The Jets didn't do anything spectacular here, but did accomplish their offseason needs at the position. Sam Cowart signed a renegotiated contract that pays him an average of $2M less per season over the next 5 years than he was scheduled to make. Mo Lewis' eventual successor at strongside linebacker was drafted in the second round - Victor Hobson out of Michigan.


4.TE Grade: F

The Jets have decided to push off any moves at the position until next year, when Anthony Becht's contract is up.


5. K- Grade: D
The Jets wanted to upgrade at the position with John Hall a free agent. Hall was one of the many who went to Washington (with a typically Washington overpriced contract to help out with moving fees.) Unfortunately for the Jets, there was slim pickings at the position and they'll enter training camp with the assumption that Doug Brien will be their kicker. He was ridden out of Minnesota on a rail early last season after missing a handful of field goals and two extra points.