Other than the star quarterback in Buffalo, the rest of the AFC East’s passers have something to prove this season.
The Dolphins are still trying to figure out if they have their guy. The Patriots don’t know how much Cam Newton has left and picked up a quarterback in the first round of the 2021 Draft. Then there’s the Jets, who have newfound optimism in their rookie, but it’s still way too early to tell whether he’ll be who they need.
The Daily News has decided to rank these quarterbacks as teams close in on the start of training camp this summer. These rankings are based on production from last year, their immediate outlook for the 2021 season, and the weapons surrounding these quarterbacks.
1) Bills’ Josh Allen
Who could’ve seen two years ago that Allen would be the best quarterback in the division going into 2021.
Allen exploded in 2020 after a plethora of questions surrounding his two pedestrian years. He finished second in the MVP race behind Aaron Rodgers. He threw for 4,544 yards, with 37 passing touchdowns and eight rushing touchdowns. The Bills went 13-3 as they reached the AFC Championship game because of elite play from Allen.
Allen is arguably the most physically gifted quarterback in the NFL. There’s nothing he can’t do. He’s a dual threat with a rocket launcher for an arm, capable of throwing a cotton ball through a semi truck.
And there’s no reason to believe Allen will significantly regress at this point in his career. The Bills retained their offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. They also added Emmanuel Sanders to a receiving core that already featured Isaiah McKenzie, Gabriel Davis, Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley.
Within the AFC East it’s Allen, then the rest of the quarterbacks. It’s not even close.
2a) Patriots’ Cam Newton
Newton is the incumbent starter for the Patriots with the most experience of the division’s QBs. Going into his second season in New England, however, he has just a slight edge on Tua Tagovailoa as the second best quarterback in the AFC East.
Last season, Newton had some of the worst weapons in the NFL. It’s hard for a quarterback to perform at a high level when their weapons are: Jakobi Meyers, Damiere Byrd, N’Keal Harry, Ryan Izzo and a washed up Julian Edelman. It’s impossible for a quarterback to succeed under those circumstances.
As a result, his passing numbers suffered. He completed 65.8% of his throws for 2,657 yards passing. He had only eight touchdowns and tossed 10 interceptions. He posted a starting record of 7-8.
There were times when Newton balled out, like against the Seahawks when he had 444 total yards with three touchdowns. He looked like a former MVP. There were also times when Newton struggled so much he was benched — against the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills.
Newton provided a major impact through the ground game. He had 592 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns, which led all quarterbacks.
The Patriots made it rain during the offseason to provide Newton with better weapons. They added Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. That should improve the Patriots passing attack.
There is a chance Patriots first round pick Mac Jones beats Newton out in training camp for the starting spot. If that happens, these rankings will change.
2b) Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa
Tagovailoa had an average rookie season with good performances against the Cardinals, Bengals and Chiefs. But his nine starts included some terrible performances, which got him benched against the Raiders and Broncos. He also threw three interceptions against the Bills with the playoffs on the line.
Tagovailoa finished the season with 1,814 passing yards and completed 64% of his passes, with 14 total touchdowns and five interceptions. His quarterback rating was 87.1 and his QBR was 52.5. His record was 6-3 (really should have been 5-4) as a starter.
This past offseason Tagovailoa was rumored to be in trade talks when the Dolphins were reported to be interested in Deshaun Watson. But once Watson’s sexual assault allegations arose, those rumors faded away.
A quarterback’s success is tied to his weapons and last season the Dolphins receiving threats were below average in Devante Parker, Preston Williams, Mike Gesicki, Jakeem Grant, Lynn Bowden and Mack Hollins.
The Dolphins have gone all-in on building around their second year quarterback. They drafted his former Alabama teammate in Jaylen Waddle and signed Will Fuller to add an explosive element to the passing game that sorely missed it last season.
A receiving corps of Waddle, Fuller, Parker and Gesicki will improve the Dolphins and give them a better evaluation of what Tagovailoa can do in year two.
No one can definitely say what the former No. 5 overall pick will become, but that’s the best part of sports. No matter what the narrative is, the show will reveal the truth.
4) Jets’ Zach Wilson
Wilson is fourth because he’s a rookie and hasn’t proven anything.
Wilson flashed his talent throughout the spring. He showed good arm strength and velocity with a quick release. He was decisive through his reads and had strong practices.
But the No. 2 overall pick is still a rookie and hasn’t taken a snap in the NFL yet. Wilson can’t be anointed ahead of anybody in the division until he competes against NFL teams.
Wilson will have a good receiving core to throw to in Corey Davis, Jamison Crowder, Elijah Moore and Keelan Cole, which will help his development.
But we have no idea what the former BYU quarterback will become.
Some believe Wilson could be another Patrick Mahomes or Aaron Rodgers. Others don’t buy into the hype. Some believe he was a top two quarterback prospect, others believe he’s the fourth most physically gifted quarterback in the class. He could become a future Hall of Famer quarterback, pro bowler, average starter or a bust. Time will tell, but until then he’s the fourth best quarterback going into training camp.
However, since the AFC East quarterbacks have a plethora of questions, there’s a possibility Wilson could be the second best quarterback within the division halfway through the season.
