Ranking the AFC East: Special Teams
With the major phase of free agency and the 2020 draft behind us, it's a good time to revisit every team's roster and see where everybody stands.
We have arrived at the last position group in our rankings of the AFC East, and that's the special teams.
With few exceptions, there's a lot of turnover on those units from year to year, so it's probably tougher to evaluate than, say, offensive lines or secondaries, which have fewer moving parts.
There was a lot of turnover in the offseason when it comes to specialists, namely punters, kickers and long-snappers.
Let's examine each team's situation before we proceed with our AFC East ranking of the special teams.
BUFFALO BILLS
Key special teams players: K Tyler Bass, K Stephen Hauschka, P Corey Bojorquez, P/K Kaare Vedvik, LS Reid Ferguson, KOR/PR Andre Roberts, Darryl Johnson, Siran Neal, Tyler Matakevich
Key offseason moves: Selected K Tyler Bass in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft ... signed P/K Kaare Vedvik as a free agent ... signed Tyler Matakevich as an unrestricted free agent (PIT)
Projected opening-day starters: K Tyler Bass, P Corey Bojorquez, KOR/PR Andre Roberts
Key 2019 stats: Andre Roberts 8.0 average on punt returns, 26.6 average on kickoff returns; Corey Bojorquez 41.9 punting average; Stephen Hauschka 22-of-28 on field goals; Siran Neal 8 tackles; team 2 blocked kicks
Outlook: The Bills have all the pieces to make a deep run in 2020, but they need more consistency from their kicking game, which is why they added competition for both kicker Stephen Hauschka and punter Corey Bojorquez, Given that the Bills spent a sixth-round pick on Tyler Bass, he's likely to take over the placekicking duties. Andre Roberts remains one of the best returners in the league. He made the Pro Bowl each of the last two seasons, in 2018 with the Jets and in 2019 with the Bills.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Key special teams players: K Jason Sanders, P Matt Haack, LS Blake Ferguson, PR/KOR Jakeem Grant, Vince Biegel, Durham Smythe, Clayton Fejedelem, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Sam Eguavoen
Key offseason moves: Selected LS Blake Ferguson in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft ... signed Clayton Fejedelem as an unrestricted free agent (CIN) ... signed Kavon Frazier as a UFA (DAL) ... signed Kamu Grugier-Hill as a UFA (PHI) ... released LS Taybor Pepper ... released Walt Aikens
Projected opening-day starters: K Jason Sanders, P Matt Haack, KOR/PR Jakeem Grant
Key 2019 stats: Preston Williams 11.5 average on punt return; Jakeem Grant 25.1 average, 1 TD on kickoff returns; Matt Haack 45.0 punting average; Jason Sanders 23-of-30 on field goals; Walt Aikens 7 tackles; team 0 blocked kicks
Outlook: The Dolphins likely will be the only team in the division that will have the same kicking specialists, though they will have a new long-snapper after they drafted Blake Ferguson to replace Taybor Pepper. Jakeem Grant is a dynamic kick returner, though the Dolphins turned to Preston Williams to return punts last season when Grant started having ball security issues. Still, Grant is a threat to take one back all the way anytime. Special teams captain Walt Aikens was not re-signed as an unrestricted free agent, but the Dolphins used free agency to land some experienced special teams players. The Dolphins will look to improve their kick coverage, particularly kickoffs after ranking 31st in the NFL in 2019.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Key special teams players: K Justin Rohrwasser, P Jake Bailey, LS Joe Cardona, PR Gunner Olszewski, Matthew Slater, KOR Brandon Bolden, Chase Winovich, Shilique Calhoun
Key offseason moves: Selected K Justin Rohrwasser in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft ... signed Adrian Phillips as a UFA (LAC) ... re-signed Shilique Calhoun as a UFA ... re-signed Matthew Slater ... lost Nate Ebner as a UFA (NYG) ... released K Stephen Gostkowski
Projected opening-day starters: K Justin Rohrwasser, P Jake Bailey, PR Gunner Olszewski, KOR Brandon Bolden
Key 2019 stats: Gunner Olszewski 9.0 average on punt returns; Brandon Bolden 22.4 average on kickoff returns; Jake Bailey 44.9 punting average; Nick Folk 14-of-17 on field goals; Matthew Slater, Nate Ebner, Brandon Bolden 7 tackles each; team 4 blocked kicks
Outlook: Special teams has played a role, however small, in the Patriots' dominance in the AFC East over the past decade, but it will be a new era in 2020 with kicker Stephen Gostkowski no longer on the roster. New England does not have an explosive return game, but the Patriots also were in the top in both punt and kickoff coverage last season.
NEW YORK JETS
Key special teams players: K Brett Maher, K Sam Ficken, P Braden Mann, LS Thomas Hennessy, PR Braxton Berrios, KOR Vyncint Smith, Daniel Brown, Harvey Langi, Tarell Basham, Frankie Luvu
Key offseason moves: Selected P Braden Mann in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft ... re-signed K Sam Ficken ...
Projected opening-day starters: K Brett Maher, P Braden Mann, PR Braxton Berrios, KOR Vyncint Smith
Key 2019 stats: Braxton Berrios 11.4 average on punt returns; Ty Montgomery 20.2 average on kickoff returns; Lac Edwards 45.9 punting average; Sam Ficken 19-of-27 on field goals; Frankie Luvu 6 tackles each; team 1 blocked kick
Outlook: The Jets could have two new kicking specialists in 2020 if former Cowboys kicker Brett Maher beats out incumbent Sam Ficken, who missed eight of 27 field goal attempts last year (though he did make the game-winning kick against the Dolphins in December). Sixth-round pick Braden Mann will become the new punter after the Jets declined to re-sign unrestricted free agent Lac Edwards. The Jets return game was nothing special in 2019, though the team was third in the NFL at covering kickoffs.
THE RANKING
Things can change quickly from year to year when it comes to special teams, especially kickers, but there's still something to be said for continuity.
Besides having the advantage over their division opponents in that category, the Dolphins also have one of the best returners in the game in Jakeem Grant, though Buffalo's Andre Roberts also belongs in that conversation.
The one area where the Dolphins lagged last year was in kickoff coverage, but they look like the best group overall nonetheless.
The call: 1. Miami; 2. Buffalo; 3. New England; 4. N.Y. Jets
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Don't agree with the ranking? Feel free to post a comment.
Alain Poupart has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989. You can follow him on Twitter at @apoupartFins.
