Ranking the AFC East Defensive Line Situations, Pre-Draft Edition
After the first wave of free agency, it's a good time to revisit every AFC East team's roster and see where everybody stands at each position.
On the defensive line, there was relatively little movement for most of the division, except for the Buffalo Bills who swapped a handful of veterans.
Let's examine each team's situation before we proceed with our AFC East ranking of the defensive lines.
BUFFALO BILLS
On the roster: DE Boogie Basham, DE A.J. Epenesa, DE Shaq Lawson, DE Mike Love, DE Greg Rousseau, DT Eli Ankou, DT Brandin Bryant, DT DaQuan Jones, DT Ed Oliver, DT Jordan Phillips, DT Tim Settle
Offseason moves: Exercised DT Ed Oliver's fifth-year option for 2023 ... signed DT DaQuan Jones to a two-year contract as an unrestricted free agent from Carolina ... signed DT Tim Settle to a four-year contract as an unrestricted free agent from Washington ... released DT Star Lotulelei ... signed DE Shaq Lawson as a free agent ... signed DT Jordan Phillips as a free agent ... DE Jerry Hughes became an unrestricted free agent ... DE Mario Addison became a UFA ... DT Vernon Butler became a UFA ... DE Bryan Cox Jr. became an unrestricted free agent ... DT Harrison Phillips signed with Minnesota as a UFA ... declined to extend a qualifying offer to restricted free agent DT Justin Zimmer
Projected opening-day starters: DE Greg Rousseau, DE A.J. Epenesa, DT Ed Oliver, DT DaQuan Jones
2021 stats: Team — Rushing average allowed per play, 4.22 (11th in NFL); sacks per pass attempts, 7.92 percent (6th); Individual — DE Greg Rousseau, 4 sacks, 4 PBU; DT Ed Oliver, 4 sacks, 10 TFL
Outlook: The Bills led the NFL in total defense last season, but obviously came up short in the playoff loss against the Kansas City Chiefs. The signature move of the offseason for the Buffalo defense was the signing of pass-rush specialist Von Miller, but the Bills also were active up front. Longtime NFL starter DaQuan Jones highlighted the moves up front that also included depth signings like Shaq Lawson, Jordan Phillips and Tim Settle.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
On the roster: DE Daeshon Hall, DE Emmanuel Ogbah, DL Adam Butler, DT Raekwon Davis, DT John Jenkins, DT Zach Sieler, DT Christian Wilkins
Offseason moves: Re-signed Emmanuel Ogbah to a four-year contract ... re-signed John Jenkins as an unrestricted free agent
Projected opening-day starters: DE Emmanuel Ogbah, DT Raekwon Davis, DT Christian Wilkins
2021 stats: Team — Rushing average allowed per play, 4.39 (18th in NFL); sacks per pass attempts, 7.89 percent (7th); Individual — DT Christian Wilkins, 4.5 sacks, 10 TFL; Emmanuel Ogbah, 9 sacks, 12 passes defensed; Zach Sieler, 2 sacks, 6 TFL; Raekwon Davis, 0.5 sacks, 1 TFL
Outlook: Like the rest of their defense, the Dolphins strategy for the line was maintaining the status quo, which they achieved when they re-signed Ogbah just before the start of free agency. What the Dolphins have is a solid young group with the potential to get even better, particularly in light of Christian Wilkins' breakout 2021 season.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
On the roster: DL Henry Anderson, DL Byron Cowart, DL Lawrence Guy, DL Bill Murray, DL Deatrich Wise Jr., DT Christian Barmore, DT Daniel Ekuale, DT Davon Godchaux,
Offseason moves: DT Carl Davis became an unrestricted free agent ... restructured the contract of DL Henry Anderson
Projected opening-day starters: DE Deatrich Wise Jr., NT Davon Godchaux, DE Lawrence Guy
2021 stats: Team — Rushing average allowed per play, 4.53 (25th in NFL); sacks per pass attempts, 6.69 percent (16th); Individual — DE Deatrich Wise Jr., 3 sacks, 4 TFL; NT Davon Godchaux, 1 sack, 2 TFL; DE Lawrence Guy, 1.5 sacks, 2 TFL; DT Christian Barmore, 1.5 sacks, 3 TFL
Outlook: The front three has played a complementary role in New England's defense for several years, which makes it difficult for those players to shine. The Patriots, like the Dolphins, pretty much are bringing back the entire front line, which lacks star power even though Christian Barmore looked very promising as a rookie in 2021.
NEW YORK JETS
On the roster: DL Bradley Anae, DL John Franklin-Myers, DL Bryce Huff, DL Carl Lawson, DL Jonathan Marshall, DL Sheldon Rankins, DL Hamilcar Rashed Jr., DL Nathan Shepherd, DL Tanzel Smart, DL Solomon Thomas, DL Tim Ward, DL Quinnen Williams, DL Jabari Zuniga
Offseason moves: Exercised the fifth-year option on Quinnen Williams for the 2023 season ... Folorunso Fatukasi signed with Jacksonville as an unrestricted free agent ... declined to extend a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Kyle Phillips ... re-signed Nathan Shepherd as a UFA ... signed Solomon Thomas as a UFA from Las Vegas
Projected opening-day starters: DE Carl Lawson, DT Quinnen Williams, DT Sheldon Rankins, DE John Franklin-Myers
2021 stats: Team — Rushing average allowed per play, 4.48 (24th in NFL); sacks per pass attempts, 5.62 percent (24th); Individual — Quinnen Williams, 6 sacks, 7 TFL; John Franklin-Myers, 6 sacks, 6 TFL; Sheldon Rankins, 3 sacks, 5 TFL
Outlook: The Jets didn't make any significant acquisitions in the offseason, but their defensive line should greatly benefit from the return of Carl Lawson after he missed the entire 2021 season after coming over from Cincinnati as a free agent. Quinnen Williams might be the best interior defensive lineman in the division.
RANKING THE AFC EAST DL SITUATIONS
It's always more complicated to evaluate defensive lines than most positions because of the schemes involved and what each team asks of its players up front.
Buffalo had the No. 1 defense in the NFL last year, but the Bills made a lot of changes up front, in part because they couldn't get any pressure on Patrick Mahomes in that wild playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium.
Little separates the four teams up front, and an argument could be made for just about any team being at the top, except maybe for New England.
The call: 1. Miami; 2. Buffalo; 3. N.Y. Jets; 4. New England
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Alain Poupart has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989. You can follow him on Twitter at @PoupartNFL.
