Ranking the AFC East: Wide Receivers
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.
The Miami Dolphins have a large number of solid wide receivers on their roster to go along with 2019 breakout star DeVante Parker, so they pretty much maintained the status quote at the position in the offseason.
The biggest move at wide receiver in the offseason easily was that of the Buffalo Bills acquiring Stefon Diggs from the Minnesota Vikings for a first-round pick.
Like the Dolphins, the Jets and the Patriots refrained from making major moves, though the Jets did spend the highest pick on a wide receiver among AFC East teams.
Let's examine each team's situation before we proceed with our AFC East ranking of the wide receiver position.
BUFFALO BILLS
On the roster: Duke Williams, Andre Roberts, Isaiah McKenzie, Ray-Ray McCloud III, Isaiah Hodgins, Robert Foster, Nick Easley, Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis, John Brown, Cole Beasley
Offseason moves: Acquired Stefon Diggs in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings involving 2020 draft picks ... re-signed Isaiah McKenzie after not extending him a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent ... selected Gabriel Davis in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL draft ... selected Isaiah Hodgins in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL draft.
Projected opening-day starters: Stefon Diggs, John Brown, Cole Beasley
2019 stats: Diggs — (with Minnesota) 15 starts, 63 catches, 1130 yards, 17.9 average, 6 touchdowns; Brown — 15 starts, 72 catches, 1060 yards, 14.7 average, 6 touchdowns; McKenzie — 8 starts, 27 catches, 254 yards, 9.4 average, 1 touchdown; Beasley — 10 starts, 67 catches, 778 yards, 11.6 average, 6 touchdowns; Williams — 3 starts, 12 catches, 166 yards, 13.8 average, 1 touchdown; Foster — 2 starts, 3 catches, 64 yards, 21.3 average;
Outlook: The addition of Diggs to complement Brown gives the Bills two big-play receivers on the outside to make full use of quarterback Josh Allen's strong arm. Beasley is a very dependable slot receiver.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
On the roster: Albert Wilson, Preston Williams, DeVante Parker, Kirk Merritt, Ricardo Louis, Gary Jennings, Allen Hurns, Mack Hollins, Jakeem Grant, Isaiah Ford, Matt Cole
Offseason moves: Lost Trevor Davis as an unrestricted free agent ... waived Andy Jones and Terry Wright ... re-signed Isaiah Ford as an exclusive-rights free agent ... signed Matt Cole and Kirk Merritt as undrafted rookie free agents.
Projected opening-day starters: DeVante Parker, Preston Williams, Albert Wilson
2019 stats: Parker — 14 starts, 72 catches, 1202 yards, 16.7 average, 9 touchdowns; Williams — 7 starts, 32 catches, 428 yards, 13.4 average, 3 touchdowns; Hurns — 7 starts, 32 catches, 416 yards, 13.0 average, 2 touchdowns; Wilson — 4 starts, 43 catches, 351 yards, 8.2 yards, 1 touchdown; Grant — 2 starts, 19 catches, 164 yards, 8.6 average; Ford — 0 starts, 23 catches, 244 yards, 10.6 average
Outlook: Parker capped his breakout 2019 season with a dominating performance against the eventual NFL Defensive Player of the Year, New England cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Parker ended up with more receiving yards and more touchdown catches than any receiver in the AFC, and the question now is, what can he do for an encore? Williams was off to a tremendous start as a rookie free agent before a torn ACL against the Jets ended his season. The Dolphins have all kinds of depth here with Hurns and speedsters Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
On the roster: Quincy Adeboyejo, Damiere Byrd, Julian Edelman, N'Keal Harry, Will Hastings, Marqise Lee, Jakobi Meyers, Gunner Olszewski, Sean Riley, Devin Ross, Mohamed Sanu Sr., Matthew Slater, Jeff Thomas, Isaiah Zuber
Offseason moves: Signed Damiere Byrd as an unrestricted free agent (Arizona) ... signed Marqise Lee as an unrestricted free agent (Jacksonville) ... re-signed Matthew Slater ... lost Phillip Dorsett as an unrestricted free agent (Seattle) ... signed Isaiah Zuber, Will Hastings and Sean Riley as undrafted rookie free agents.
Projected opening-day starters: Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu Sr., N'Keal Harry
2019 stats: Edelman — 13 starts, 100 catches, 1117 yards, 11.7 average, 6 touchdowns; Sanu — 6 starts, 26 catches, 207 yards, 8.0 average, 1 touchdown; Harry — 5 starts, 12 catches, 105 yards, 8.8 average, 2 touchdowns; Meyers — 1 start, 26 catches, 359 yards, 13.8 average; Lee — (with Jacksonville) 1 start, 3 catches, 18 yards, 6.0 average; Byrd — (with Arizona) 3 starts, 32 catches, 359 yards, 11.2 average, 1 touchdown
Outlook: Everything is going to be scrutinized on the New England because Tom Brady is not there any long. For example, can Julian Edelman remain as efficient with Jarrett Stidham at quarterback after having his second career 100-catch season. Sanu didn't have impact the Patriots had anticipated when they traded a second-round pick to get him from Atlanta last year. Harry had a minimal impact as a rookie first-round pick in 2019 and New England needs him to take a big step forward.
NEW YORK JETS
On the roster: Braxton Berrios, Lawrence Cager, George Campbell, Jehu Chesson, Jamison Crowder, Josh Doctson, Josh Malone, Breshad Perriman, Jeff Smith, Vyncint Smith, Denzel Mims
Offseason moves: Signed Breshad Perriman as an unrestricted free agent (Tampa Bay) ... lost Robby Anderson as an unrestricted free agent (Carolina) ... re-signed Josh Doctson ... selected Denzel Mims in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft ... signed Lawrence Cager and George Campbell as undrafted rookie free agents.
Projected opening-day starter: Jamison Crowder, Breshad Perriman, Denzel Mims
2019 stats: Crowder — 12 starts, 78 catches 833 yards, 10.7 average, 6 touchdowns; Smith — 4 starts, 17 catches, 225 yards, 13.2 average; Perriman — (with Tampa Bay) 4 starts, 36 catches, 645 yards, 17.9 average, 6 touchdowns; Mims — (at Baylor) 66 catches, 1020 yards, 15.5 average, 12 touchdowns
Outlook: The Jets' receiving corps took a big hit when Robby Anderson left for Carolina, and Adam Gase is going to have to hope that Mims makes an immediate impact and that Perriman can build on his impressive season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the former first-round pick had limited production in his first three seasons in the NFL.
THE RANKING
The two things that stand out in this division when it come to wide receivers is that Buffalo separated itself by acquiring Stefon Diggs and the Jets easily have the most suspect group because there's not one player in the group who's had a big year in the NFL.
The Dolphins and Patriots are comparable, though it could be argued that Parker was the best receiver in the division last year, the Dolphins have more depth and Edelman won't be nearly as effective with Brady now in Tampa.
The call: 1. Buffalo; 2. Miami; 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.
