Miami Dolphins & AFC East Dominate Early Off-Season Talk

The New England Patriots won the Super Bowl and the rest of the AFC East has taken notice. Since the Super Bowl concluded and the start of free agency crept closer and closer, the AFC East has dominated the NFL news wires.

We all know that nothing done in March defines the season a football team will have. We all know that only what is on the field from September to January dictates a playoff birth. Still what happens in the 0ff-season can go a long way to making September, November, December, and January a lot more exciting.

While the New England Patriots are still brushing off their “Super” shoulders and their fans are still digging out of record snow falls they have made the news often not from the moves they have made but the ones they have not.

Starting Tuesday the Patriots will watch Vince Wilfork begin a free agent tour alongside safety Devon McCourty barring any unforeseen last minute contract offers. In addition the team still is wondering what will happen with Darrell Revis who is technically on a two year deal but not really. The contract of Revis has made news itself as Revis believes it to be a one year deal and the Patriots view it as a two year deal. What is known is that if Revis does indeed have to stay in New England barring a new deal, he will receiver $20 million on the season.

While the Patriots are quietly conducting their business behind closed doors the Buffalo Bills are taking the Rex Ryan public approach to their business.

The Bills have traded for quarterback Matt Cassel and running back LeSean McCoy. That news in and of itself was big. Today they agreed to terms with McCoy on a new five year deal that keeps the running back happy. In addition the Bills have been a hot topic rumored destination for Miami Dolphins tight end Charles Clay despite the transition tag designation. The Bills are also expected to be a major player once free agency starts.

Ryan may not be with the Jets anymore but the Jets are making moves to get better as well. They have already traded for Brandon Marshall, are letting Percy Harvin hit the streets, re-signed linebacker David Harris to a little more than his value, and are a rumored interested party in Dolphins QB Matt Moore. The Jets too have a new head coach this year in Todd Bowles and Bowles quickly poached respected defensive line coach Kacey Rodgers from the Dolphins.

The three division rivals have been making news waves with what they have and have not done. The three teams alone have almost had the NFL news and rumor departments cornered. That could continue through the next two days and the first few days into free agency.

For the Miami Dolphins, well there is of course Charles Clay, Mike Wallace, Dannell Ellerbe, Randy Starks, Phillip Wheeler, Brian Hartline, Brandon Gibson, and “a boy named Suh”.