Everyone but Mike Reiss thinks the Buffalo Bills will win the AFC East in 2026.
ESPN New England Patriots reporter Mike Reiss is the only one at the outlet who thinks Mike Vrabel's team will win the AFC East in 2026.
Buffalo Bills reporter Alaina Getzenberg, Miami Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques and New York Jets reporter Rich Cimini picked the Bills to win the AFC East next season, while Reiss is going with the Patriots.
"Despite a tougher schedule and the likelihood they won't be able to duplicate their 14-3 record, the Patriots will still have enough to win the division," Reiss wrote. "Key factors in the projection are Maye rising even higher in the NFL's elite QB ranks, a motivated Brown providing him a bona fide No. 1 receiver and the likely learning curve of Brady with the Bills, the only other team with a realistic chance of contending."
In Year 2 of the Vrabel era, the Patriots face the Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Bills, Las Vegas Raiders, Jets, Chicago Bears, Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos.
New England acquired A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason and signed Romeo Doubs. The Patriots should have an explosive offense next season.
Since entering the NFL, Brown is fourth in the league in both receiving yards (8,029) and touchdown catches (56). Brown and Ja'Marr Chase are the NFL's only two players with at least 1,000 receiving yards and seven-plus touchdown catches in each of the past four seasons.
Drake Maye finished second in MVP voting last season. Let's see if he wins the award in 2026 with Brown on the squad.
"It's hard not to get excited," Maye said. "What a player he is, and just right off the bat, what a great teammate so far. He's been a guy that you see on 'SportsCenter' the next day, making plays and scoring."
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