AFC East
New England Patriots: WR Stefon Diggs
Stefon Diggs’s personal life was rather exposed over the course of OTAs and minicamp, and he had to answer some awkward questions about pink substances on a boat as a result. The Texans signed the veteran Diggs to a three-year deal worth $69 million and when you give a guy like that a bunch of money, you’re going to be expecting him to set an example in every possible way. Diggs not only has to prove himself worthy of the contract, but he has to be a key part of Drake Maye’s development.
Miami Dolphins: Cam Smith, CB
When you have certain players who were draft picks and favorites of a prior coaching staff or specific coach, those players are always going to be in tough situations on a year-to-year basis. The Dolphins only got one year out of Vic Fangio, who left for his dream job with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Fangio unfortunately left behind cornerback Cam Smith. Phin Phanatic site expert Brian Miller offered this on the pressure Smith finds himself under this offseason:
“Cam Smith was called out by Chris Grier during a pre-draft press conference. If his OTAs have been any indication, he may not be responding the way the Dolphins want. Smith was burned a couple of times in practices and came away with an injury to boot. Training camp is going to be critical for his retention, but for now, it is looking more and more like he will be another wasted 2nd-round pick.”
New York Jets: QB Justin Fields
There is really no question that the player on the New York Jets roster right now who is under the most pressure is Justin Fields. They might have other guys vying for roster spots elsewhere on the team, but this is likely Fields’s final shot (at least for the time being) to be a legitimate Day 1 starter for a team in the NFL. Fields was a 1st-round pick in 2021, and the luster of that has not yet worn off.
The Jets believe they can maximize his abilities, and maybe they will. Fields has arguably a better overall supporting cast than any of his other stops, and if you want to argue the Steelers had better personnel last year, then the Jets’ situation is better because Fields isn’t dealing with any sort of impending benching.
Buffalo Bills: CB Dane Jackson
The Buffalo Bills have made some serious efforts to kill needs with fire in the 2025 offseason, especially on the defensive side of the ball. They signed a couple of veteran defensive linemen in Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi before adding a handful of guys in the 2025 NFL Draft for the defensive front as well.
They also went hard after the cornerback position and might not be done. They were rumored to be interested in a potential Jaire Alexander trade before he was cut, and they brought back former 1st-round pick Tre’Davious White. The moves the Bills have made in the defensive backfield put a player like Dan Jackson in the roster crosshairs and if the Bills feel like their investments in youth at the cornerback position can work out quickly, they likely won’t hesitate to dump Jackson.