AFC East preview: Top defensive linemen are set for paydays, but who has the better unit?
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2023 AFC East preview
The Miami Herald will rank and preview different positions for each team in the AFC East from strongest to weakest during an eight-part series leading into the start of training camp.
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It’s been a rewarding offseason for some of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL.
Many of the top players at the position, including the Tennessee Titans Jeffrey Simmons, Washington Commanders’ Daron Payne and New York Giants’ Dexter Lawrence, signed extensions averaging over $20 million.
In the AFC East, a pair of defensive linemen are also primed to get similar deals. The Miami Dolphins’ Christian Wilkins recorded a career-high 98 tackles in 2022 and was arguably Miami’s most consistent defensive player last season. And the New York Jets’ Quinnen Williams was named an All-Pro for the first time after recording a career-high 12 sacks.
As members of the 2019 Draft class, both players are entering the final year of their rookie deals. It’s uncertain whether either will get a new contract before the start of the 2023 season but they are set to anchor their respective defensive fronts in what will be a competitive division.
During an eight-part series leading into the start of training camp, the Miami Herald will rank and preview different positions for each team in the AFC East, from strongest to weakest. Part 5 is defensive line, and next is defensive backs.
1. Miami Dolphins
▪ Projected depth chart: Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, Christian Wilkins, Zach Sieler, Emmanuel Ogbah, Raekwon Davis, Andrew Van Ginkel, Malik Reed
▪ Skinny: The Dolphins pairing All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey with fellow All-Pro Xavien Howard has garnered a bevy of headlines throughout the offseason. But Miami’s defensive front, which will include on-ball linebackers for this exercise, is the team’s strongest from top to bottom.
Wilkins has emerged as one of the league’s better interior linemen and is set for a big payday entering the final year of his rookie deal. He and Zach Sieler held down the defensive line after Ogbah’s season-ending triceps injury. And Ogbah, who led the team in sacks in 2021 and 2020, has been medically cleared and was participating in organized team activities.
The biggest reason for excitement with this group, though, lies in the pass rush tandem of Phillips and Chubb. After landing in Miami via a midseason trade, Chubb dealt with injuries but is reunited with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who helped him produce a Pro Bowl season in Denver. And Phillips, though not matching his rookie sack total, was more disruptive as a pass rusher and improved as a run defender. He could be a force in 2023 if he continues his positive strides.
2. Buffalo Bills
▪ Projected depth chart: Von Miller, Gregory Rousseau, Leonard Floyd, A.J. Epenesa, Boogie Basham, Shaq Lawson, Ed Oliver, Daquan Jones
▪ Skinny: Last offseason, the Bills signed Miller, hoping the former Super Bowl MVP could help lift a team trying to take the final step toward a championship. And Miller was on pace for a Pro Bowl season, recording eight sacks in 11 games. However, he tore his ACL in November, sidelining him for the rest of the season.
The absence of Miller hurt a defense that dealt with multiple injuries, but Buffalo saw a pair of young pass rushers step up. Rousseau and Epenesa recorded eight and 6.5 sacks, respectively and will be expected to complement Miller, who’s now entering his age-34 season. The Bills also signed Floyd, who has recorded at least nine sacks in each of the past three seasons.
3. New England Patriots
▪ Projected depth chart: Matthew Judon, Josh Uche, Deatrich Wise Jr., Lawrence Guy, Davon Godchaux, Christian Barmore
▪ Skinny: Judon has emerged as one of the league’s best pass rushers with 28 sacks in the past two seasons, and Uche was a legitimate running mate with a career-high 11.5 sacks. New England doesn’t have household names on the interior but gets solid pass production from a group of vets, most notably a career-high 7.5 sacks from Wise.
4. New York Jets
▪ Projected depth chart: John Franklin-Myers, Carl Lawson, Quinnen Williams, Quinton Jefferson, Jermaine Johnson, Will McDonald IV
▪ Skinny: Williams is the best defensive lineman in the division and, like many of his counterparts this offseason, is poised for a long-term extension that averages at least $20 million. Outside of Williams, the Jets will need one or two edge defenders to step up as bona fide pass rushers. The team has invested significant cap space (Lawson, Franklin-Myers) and first-round picks (Johnson, McDonald) in the position, so it’s time to see it pay dividends.
This story was originally published June 29, 2023 at 9:48 AM.
