AFC East Roster Rankings Have Patriots In Driver's Seat, For Now

The four AFC East On SI publishers sat down to rank the division heading into 2026.

Oct 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) avoids a tackle by Buffalo Bills defensive end Joey Bosa (97) in the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots were the cream of the AFC East crop last season, finally re-claiming their first division title since 2019. All it took was a new head coach, an old offensive coordinator and a quarterback in the MVP conversation to jump the Buffalo Bills for the first time in years.

But now as the Patriots look to defend their divisional crown, how do they stack up to the rest of the division ahead of the 2026 season? They have the core already set in stone, led by quarterback Drake Maye and cornerback Christian Gonzalez, but how do the compare to the likes of the Bills, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets in the margins?

Well, we put that conversation to the test.

All four publishers/editors of the AFC East On SI sites each ranked the teams by position. Alongside me was Ralph Ventre (Buffalo), Alain Poupart (Miami) and Jovan Alford (New York), where we stacked each position group next to their rivals.

And after what felt like a long time coming for a Patriots team starved for success (you can sense the sarcasm just dripping from that sentence, I'm sure), it's nice to see New England back atop the list for once.

How Patriots Stack Up Roster-Wise To Division Rivals:

Nov 13, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (13) makes a catch during the second half against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

All four teams were ranked at 11 different positions (quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, defensive tackle, edge rusher, linebacker, cornerback, safety and specialists/returners). The rankings from each of the four publishers was then tallied together to compile our pre-training camp rankings.

How did the Patriots fare? Really well. Out of the 11 spots, the Patriots finished first in six of them. Those categories were wide receiver, offensive line, defensive tackle, cornerback, safety and specialists. Of those positions, the Patriots were unanimously voted first at wide receiver, defensive tackle and cornerback.

Those shouldn't come as much of a surprise. After an offseason where the Patriots went out and acquired A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, they now have the top unit across the division. The Bills did go out and trade for D.J. Moore, but finished second in those rankings.

At defensive tackle, the interior duo of Milton Williams and Christian Barmore gives the Patriots a punch. While Williams took more of the sacking role last season, Barmore's ability to stuff the run continues to be at a high level (despite tacking a step back over the past few seasons). They beat out the Jets in the voting, who do boast Mazi Smith and T'Vondre Sweat now.

Sep 14, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) runs with the football against New England Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis III (7) during the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Cornerbacks felt like an easy decision the whole way. Christian Gonzalez can be argued as the best cornerback in the entire NFL, while Carlton Davis and Marcus Jones remain at a high level to round out that room. The Bills finished second in the voting, while the Dolphins were unanimously voted last.

As for the positions where the Patriots didn't come in first, they finished second place twice (quarterback, running back), third place twice (tight end, edge rusher), and fourth place once (linebacker).

In the spirit of pure transparency, here's how I voted:

Position Groups	How I Voted (*=unanimous decision)
Quarterbacks	2nd Place (Finished 2nd)*
Running Backs	1st Place (Finished 2nd)
Wide Receivers	1st Place (Finished 1st)*
Tight Ends	3rd Place (Finished 3rd)
Offensive Line	1st Place (Finished 1st)
Defensive Tackles	1st Place (Finished 1st)*
Edge Rushers	3rd Place (Finished 3rd)
Linebackers	4th Place (Finished 4th)*
Cornerbacks	1st Place (Finished 1st)*
Safeties	1st Place (Finished 1st)
Specialists, Including Returners	2nd Place (Finished 1st)

Drake Maye Behind Josh Allen?

Gasp! The MVP runner-up behind Josh Allen? How could I? Here's my argument.

Jan 5, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) and New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) talk on the field before the start of the game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

We've seen the talent of both players up close and personal. The Patriots have had to go up against Allen's abilities at quarterback more than enough, and for a longer period of time. While Maye might have gotten the better of him in plenty of categories last season (many passing stats, division title, MVP voting, trip to the Super Bowl), it's still really hard to rank the 23-year-old against the longevity of Allen.

The three other voters agreed with me, as they all put the Buffalo Bills first in the QB rankings. Now don't fret, Maye was unanimously voted as the second-best in the division. This doesn't mean I think any less of Maye heading into his third season, but until we see the young Patriots captain do it again, I have to give the nod to the MVP winner in Allen.

These rankings will surely change in the coming months, especially once training camp gets off and rolling. It will be fun to see how right (or horribly wrong) I was at some point this fall.

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