AFC East
New England Patriots: Mike Vrabel: Coach of the Year
Many people in NFL circles are expecting the New England Patriots to be the breakout team of the 2025 season, and for a couple of primary reasons. The first is obviously quarterback Drake Maye and his expected breakout. The second is Mike Vrabel, the former NFL Coach of the Year with the Titans. Vrabel is a great Coach of the Year candidate this season and might be the only Patriots player or coach likely to take down any real hardware.
Miami Dolphins: De’Von Achane, RB: Offensive Player of the Year
We saw how productive De’Von Achance can be last season when the Dolphins gave him a big increase in overall touches. He’s obviously got the trust of the coaching staff, and if the quarterback situation can be better for Miami in 2025, then he stands a pretty great chance of eclipsing 1,800 yards from scrimmage, maybe even topping the 2,000-yard marker. He had 1,499 yards from scrimmage last year and barely had 200 carries. A big year is certainly on the way if he stays healthy.
New York Jets: Sauce Gardner, CB: Defensive Player of the Year
When you look at the New York Jets for potential awards in 2025, I think there are two really obvious candidates. Sauce Gardner is perennially one of the most overrated players in the NFL, but he obviously has no problem drawing the attention of the media and could be a great candidate for DPOY if he can pick off five or more passes this season. The other candidate I considered here was Justin Fields for Comeback Player of the Year. It feels like Gardner is more likely to win an award this season, but that is not a bad possibility, either.
Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen, QB: MVP
Josh Allen is the reigning NFL MVP and the Bills are going to need even more from him this coming season. Allen has clearly taken step after step in his professional career and the game seems to have slowed down for him each season. He does such a great job of getting all his teammates involved and neutralizing whatever defenses are trying to throw at him with his ability to throw the ball to all levels of the field as well as use his legs to make plays as a runner. The other clear award candidate in Buffalo is probably head coach Sean McDermott, and maybe James Cook has an outside shot at OPOY.