AFC East preview: Do a corps of young linebackers give the Dolphins an edge?

If the Dolphins want to change their fortunes in 2022, they will have to start in the division. The last time the team won the AFC East was in 2008 when Tony Sparano was head coach and Chad Pennington was starting at quarterback. Since then, the Dolphins have made the playoffs just once and finished second in the division only four times.

The Dolphins, though, have assembled a talented and deep roster that is expected to have them in contention for a playoff spot after coming up one win short each of the past two seasons. In the third of an eight-part series, the Miami Herald will rank and preview different positions for each team in the AFC East, from strongest to weakest. Part 6 is linebacker, and next is secondary.

1. Buffalo Bills

▪ Projected depth chart: Matt Milano, Tremaine Edmunds, Terrel Bernard.

▪ Skinny: The Bills have a pair of experienced starters in Milano and Edmunds. Buffalo doesn’t blitz a ton, so their value lies in pass defense, where both possess the speed and quickness to execute their coverage assignments in coordinator Leslie Frazier’s defense. The team is seeking more consistency from Edmunds, though, who is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract. Buffalo added depth by drafting Bernard in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft and selecting Baylon Spector in the seventh round.

2. Miami Dolphins

▪ Projected depth chart: Jerome Baker, Elandon Roberts, Duke Riley, Channing Tindall

▪ Skinny: If there was any weak spot in the Dolphins defense entering the offseason, it was at inside linebacker. Baker is one of the fastest players in his position but better as a blitzer than in run defense. Roberts is a leader and physical enforcer but can be targeted in coverage. The Dolphins do well by placing them in niche roles that emphasize their strengths. The team also drafted Tindall, a former Georgia linebacker whose speed fits perfectly with the defense. Riley had a strong showing during offseason practices and should make the team.

3. New England Patriots

▪ Projected depth chart: Ja’Whaun Bentley, Mack Wilson, Raekwon McMillan, Cameron McGrone

▪ Skinny: The Patriots are expected to have a different dynamic at inside linebacker after parting with a number of longtime players. The team released Kyle Van Noy and did not re-sign Jamie Collins Sr. or Dont’a Hightower. Bentley returns as a starter after his most productive season to date. New England traded for Mack Wilson, who was a full-time starter earlier in his career with the Cleveland Browns but dropped on the depth chart. McMillan and McGrone are both returning from ACL tears but should provide depth.

4. New York Jets

▪ Projected depth chart: C.J. Mosley, Quincy Williams, Hamsah Nasirildeen, Jamien Sherwood

▪ Skinny: Mosley returned after playing sparingly the past two years — he opted out of the 2020 season and injuries limited him to just two games in 2019. The 30-year-old led the Jets in tackles last year and while he might not possess the physical abilities of his All-Pro days in Baltimore, he’s still an instinctual leader who provides value to a defense. Quincy Williams is a growing player who set career numbers last season, but New York is hoping to see him hone his aggression to become an effective every-down player. It’s a solid duo but the top-end talent level and depth fall a bit short of the other teams in the division.

AFC EAST POSITION PREVIEWS

DL: How does the Dolphins’ defensive line stack up in the division?

OL: Have the Dolphins fixed one of the league’s worst offensive lines?

WR/TE: Does Tyreek Hill give the Dolphins the division’s best pass-catchers?

RB: After adding trio of veterans, where do the Dolphins’ running backs rank?

QB: Josh Allen is an MVP favorite but is Tua the second-best QB in the division?