Buffalo enters 2026 with the strongest immediate Super Bowl expectations in the AFC East, but every division camp will open with major questions: a first-time head coach guiding Josh Allen, a rebuilt Miami offense behind Malik Willis, New England’s attempt to recover from a Super Bowl blowout and New York’s latest effort to end a long playoff drought.
AFC East training camp preview: New coaches, new quarterbacks and pressure points
SEO Title: AFC East Training Camp Preview: Bills, Dolphins, Patriots and Jets Storylines for 2026
SEO Description: A Sunday-desk look at the biggest 2026 AFC East camp questions, including Joe Brady’s Bills debut, Malik Willis in Miami, New England’s new receiving corps and Geno Smith’s Jets return.
Buffalo’s camp, scheduled to begin in late July, will mark the start of the Joe Brady head-coaching era. The Bills retained much of their 2025 starting lineup after reaching the Divisional Round, leaving the change from Sean McDermott as the franchise’s defining offseason development. Brady, 36, takes over after McDermott delivered Buffalo’s longest sustained run of success since the Marv Levy years, and his central task will be maximizing Allen’s command of the offense. Jim Leonhard, a former NFL safety who recently coached Denver’s standout defensive backs, assumes responsibility for the defense.
The Bills also need more disruption from their edge group. Gregory Rousseau led the club with only seven sacks last season, while Joey Bosa’s future appears uncertain. Bradley Chubb arrives after posting 8.5 sacks for Miami in 2025 during a healthy comeback from a torn ACL, his first complete season since his rookie year. At 30, Chubb joins second-round selection T.J. Parker on a front seven that failed to consistently pressure Trevor Lawrence and Bo Nix in last year’s postseason. Buffalo needs him to become the type of edge rusher who can tilt a game.
Allen’s receiving corps will be another early camp focus. Buffalo has not fully replaced Stefon Diggs through Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Josh Palmer and Brandin Cooks, so the trade for DJ Moore carries substantial weight. Moore is again working with Brady, his former Panthers offensive coordinator, and has a chance to become Allen’s top target after a limited 2025 role with Caleb Williams in Chicago. He acknowledged some spring adjustment issues but expects the installation process to be settled by the fall. Moore could also help Coleman, whose development has drawn heavy attention since owner Terry Pegula criticized him in January.
Miami, meanwhile, has moved on from Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Willis signed a three-year, $67.5 million deal and enters camp as the starter, while De’Von Achane has agreed to a long-term extension. Willis flashed in two starts replacing Jordan Love in Green Bay last year, although both games ended in losses. He now takes over a rebuilding roster under first-time head coach Jeff Hafley, with second-year backup Quinn Ewers — who has made three NFL starts — waiting behind him. A poor season that places Miami near the top of the draft could complicate Willis’ long-range standing, especially with a highly regarded 2027 quarterback class on the horizon.
Willis will be throwing to an almost entirely remade pass-catching group. Malik Washington returns, while Tutu Atwell, Jalen Tolbert, Terrace Marshall Jr. and Jalen Reagor seek larger opportunities after supporting roles elsewhere. Rookie additions Chris Bell, Kevin Coleman Jr. and Caleb Douglas add further uncertainty to a young, unproven group. The Dolphins’ camp will offer the first indication of which receiver can emerge as Willis’ dependable option.
Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan bring extensive Packers backgrounds to South Florida, and their first camp represents an opportunity to establish a different tone after Miami’s disappointing 2025. Last summer, the Dolphins struggled in joint practices and dealt with injuries before a sluggish season. Avoiding a similar start would be an early sign that the new leadership group has steadied the organization.
Patriots seek another AFC title run as Jets remake their defense
New England added the premier weapon of the division’s offseason when it completed its June trade for A.J. Brown. Brown quickly began building a connection with reigning MVP runner-up Drake Maye during minicamp and described his new situation as “heaven.” Romeo Doubs, previously the Patriots’ top offensive addition, now projects as the No. 2 receiver. Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte remain on the roster, while second-year wideout Kyle Williams will try to build on a rookie campaign in which he caught 10 passes and scored three touchdowns.
There are two defensive personnel matters to watch in Foxborough. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez is seeking a contract extension after his first Pro Bowl campaign. He missed voluntary work but attended mandatory minicamp, and a deal likely would need to approach or exceed $30 million annually to place him among the highest-paid players at his position. Rookie edge rusher Gabe Jacas, the 55th overall pick, has not practiced since New England traded up to draft him in April. He remains unsigned after an offseason medical procedure for which few details have been released, putting him behind schedule entering camp.
The Patriots also head toward their season opener against Seattle, their Super Bowl LX opponent, after an offseason shadowed by personal scrutiny around coach Mike Vrabel. Photos published in April showed Vrabel with former reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort, creating months of attention around the organization. Vrabel missed the third day of the draft to begin counseling but participated throughout spring practices, and players have supported him publicly. New England must also rebound from its lopsided Super Bowl loss and avoid the familiar post-title-game slump that has kept many recent runners-up out of the following postseason.
The Jets finished 2025 without recording a single interception and ranked 31st in scoring defense, prompting general manager Darren Mougey to overhaul the unit. Former Jets draft pick Demario Davis, New Jersey native Minkah Fitzpatrick, T’Vondre Sweat, David Onyemata, Joseph Ossai and Nahshon Wright were added alongside rookies David Bailey, the No. 2 overall selection, and national champion D’Angelo Ponds. As many as eight defensive starters could be new. Davis, Fitzpatrick and returning defensive lineman Harrison Phillips will be expected to give the group leadership under first-time defensive coordinator Brian Duker.
New York’s offense begins with a reunion. Geno Smith, drafted by the Jets in the second round in 2013, returns at age 35 after his first stint ended following uneven play and a broken jaw. Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall remain the centerpiece skill players, with Adonai Mitchell, Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. joining the mix. Four offensive-line starters return, with Dylan Parham positioned to replace John Simpson at left guard. New offensive coordinator Frank Reich replaces Tanner Engstrand and brings experience from coaching Philadelphia’s Super Bowl-winning offense. Smith is also reportedly under investigation for battery in Florida and has not commented publicly on the matter.
The Jets have gone 15 seasons without reaching the playoffs, 23 years without an AFC East crown and 57 seasons without winning the Super Bowl. Hall attended the Knicks’ Game 5 championship-clinching win and said Jets players felt “positive jealousy” after watching New York’s NBA celebration. Coach Aaron Glenn has pointed to the competitive stamina displayed by Mike Brown’s championship team as a standard for his own locker room. Camp will not end the drought, but it should reveal whether the Jets have built a roster capable of finally changing their direction.
