AFC East
New England Patriots - 1
There is no panic with the second-place MVP finisher in Drake Maye. Sure, you wonder if he and the Patriots can rise to a tougher schedule iin 2026, but Maye was quickly cementng himself as an elite passer, and while a slight regression could be coming, Maye is still young, in year three, and already has a Super Bowl appearance.
Buffalo Bills - 1
Josh Allen still appears to be atop his game. There aren't any signs of slowing down, and it's really business as usual for the Bills. Allen could end up in the Hall of Fame when it's all said and done.
Miami Dolphins - 6
Signing Malik Willis to a multi-year deal was odd, but he did play nearly-elite football as the Green Bay Packers' backup, so the Dolphins clearly are betting on that.
New York Jets - 7
Trading for a bottom-7 quarterback in Geno Smith was absolutely a choice, but if Smith can get close to his 2022 and 2023 seasons when he was on the Seahawks, the Jets would look somewhat competent.
AFC West
Denver Broncos - 2
The Broncos saw Bo Nix turn into the most clutch quarterback in the NFL, but a very small question remains about just how prolific of a passer he can be. Everything else is locked-in. Nix is a franchise passer, and the Broncos are contenders.
Los Angeles Chargers - 2
The main issue with Justin Herbert isn't his efficiency, which is always solid; it's that there does not seem to be a different gear in the playoffs. Perhaps a revamped offensive line could help the Chargers solve that problem.
Kansas City Chiefs - 4
Patrick Mahomes, all of a sudden, will soon be on the wrong side of 30 and is now recovering from a a major knee injury. You'd be lying to yourself if you said there wasn't at least some panic. You'd also have to wonder just how less Mahomes is going to scramble going forward due to this injury.
Las Vegas Raiders - 5
If nothing else, the Raiders appear to have a plan in place with Kirk Cousins and the likely future Raider, Fernando Mendoza, but Mendoza might actually be this generation's Cousins-type quarterback if he reaches his ceiling.