Best QB in the AFC East?
The dynasty of Belichick and Brady has finally ended. Their reign of 11 straight and 15 out of the last 16 AFC East crowns was finally snapped. The Buffalo Bills did what everyone in America has been hoping for over the previous 15 years: send Belichick to his couch come playoff time. That’s precisely what they did, thanks in large part to the man righting the ship, Josh Allen.
Could a Bills dynasty be in the works? Josh Allen certainly looks the part. The Jets and Patriots still have significant questions to be answered. Other than that, the Dolphins will most likely put up the biggest fight. With five picks in the first three rounds, this up-and-coming team could certainly make things interesting.
Until then, let’s take a dive and see who the best QB in the division will be in the near future.
Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills
- 4554 yards and 37 touchdowns
- 69.2 completion percentage with 7.9 yards per attempt
- 10 INT and 26 sacks
- 13-3 overall record with 3 GWD
- 107.2 QB rating with an overall grade of 90.9
Cam Newton – New England Patriots
- 2657 passing yards and 8 passing touchdowns
- 592 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns
- 65.8 completion percentage with 7.2 yards per attempt
- 10 INT and 31 sacks
- 7-8 overall record with 3 GWD
- 82.9 QB rating with an overall grade of 70.9
Tua Tagovailoa – Miami Dolphins
- 1814 yards and 11 passing and 3 rushing touchdowns
- 64.1 completion percentage with 6.3 yards per attempt
- 5 INT and 20 sacks
- 6-3 overall record with 2 GWD
- 87.1 QB rating with an overall grade of 65.4
The New York Jets
Less than a week ago, another rim rocking trade shook the NFL. A trade that may have just altered the course of the draft and the Jets franchise’s direction. The Jets opted to ship former first-rounder Sam Darnold off to the Carolina Panthers. Setting the stage for the Jets to select their new signal-caller with the second overall pick.
The rumor mill has indeed been swirling. Indicating the Jets will most likely select Zach Wilson out of BYU. Given he is set to foot in the NFL, it certainly makes it hard to project how he will do next season and in the near future.
Overall, Wilson plays with solid athleticism and has an excellent ability to evade pressure. He has also shown elite timing and anticipation in the passing game. If the Jets can put together a spread-like offense, Wilson should be able to continue to perform at a high level in the NFL.
Cream of the Crop
In 2020 there was no question Josh Allen was the best QB in the AFC East and maybe the AFC in general. Allen put up MVP-like numbers and even received multiple votes for the award. Simply put, Allen was elite in all categories across the board.
Next Five to Ten Years
Again, it’s going to be hard to bet against Josh Allen here. With the addition of Stefon Diggs last offseason, the tandem between Allen and Diggs should be lethal for years to come. The Bills front office is continuing to do a tremendous job by bringing in multiple veterans at the offensive line positions, most recently with the addition of Forrest Lamp.
If the front office were to further invest in the running back position, that could help relieve the pressure off Allen. In 2020, their leading rusher only had 651 yards. In fact, Allen ran for 420 yards himself. Adding a young, dynamic back to the backfield could be the missing piece to an already explosive offense.
As for the Patriots, they have numerous questions surrounding the QB position. Cam Newton is clearly not the guy, well, at least not anymore. His eight passing touchdowns in 2020 is abysmal. Whether his decline was due to injuries, we might never know. But the Patriots need to be looking at all options to find their new franchise QB.
They should have a few options at the number 15 slot come time, April 29th. Mac Jones or Trey Lance could take a slide on draft day. The Patriots could also maneuver their way up the board and position themselves for a player such as Justin Fields. Fields might be the promising of the three, but the idea of Lance or Jones taking a redshirt year to learn the nuances of the position will be enticing.
For the Dolphins, the future may not be as crystal clear as they were hoping when they selected Tua in the first round of the 2020 draft. The expectation was Tua would come in and compete for the starting job right away. Instead, he was bested by Ryan Fitzpatrick and was even replaced in games in favor of Fitz later in the season.
Whether the Dolphins stick with Tua or move on will unquestionably be interesting. Regardless, their future is bright. Either they stick with Tua and surround him with ammo across the board, which will be easy to do given their vast amount of draft capital. If that’s the case, there is simply no excuse for Tua not to develop into their new franchise QB.
The Dolphins could also look to part with Tua and their capital in return for a proven star—as Russell Wilson trade rumors continue to swirl. They could also trade up in 2021 or 2022 for a top rookie. Either way, what the Dolphins decide to do with Tua and how he progresses will undoubtedly be a story to monitor.
Until then, we could be looking at the Josh Allen show for years to come.