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NFL 2015: Who has the toughest division?

By Matt Verderame

Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins (97) against the Indianapolis Colts during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 4, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins (97) against the Indianapolis Colts during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 18, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) hushes the crowd during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) hushes the crowd during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /

3. AFC East

This division is leaps and bounds better than what it was in 2014. The New York Jets and Buffalo Bills decided that being decent at football might be a priority, so they went out and got after it this offseason. After adding Percy Harvin, Charles Clay, Matt Cassel, Jerome Felton and LeSean McCoy, Buffalo appears to be solid. It would really be scary with a quarterback, something the Jets can sadly also say.

The Miami Dolphins remain a team that should be good on paper. Miami added the biggest free-agent of them all this offseason, reeling in Ndamukong Suh on a six-year, $114 million deal. With Suh anchoring a defensive line that features Olivier Vernon and Cameron Wake, the Dolphins could be devastating. Also, don’t underestimate Ryan Tannehill, who threw for over 4,000 yards last year.

Yet, the big bear of the East is still the New England Patriots. The offseason has been tough on Bill Belichick and his crew with Tom Brady getting suspended for the first four regular-season games in relation to DeflateGate and the departures of Brandon Browner and Darrelle Revis. Still, the Patriots are defending champs and have won the division every year since 2009.

2. AFC West

For years, this was a joke of a division with the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders lagging far behind the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers. Those days appear to be long gone, with the Chiefs actually contending for the division title and the Raiders showing their first real signs of life since going to the Super Bowl in 2002.

Kansas City added to its already talented roster with Ben Grubbs and Jeremy Maclin this offseason, along with getting Derrick Johnson and Mike DeVito back healthy. The San Diego Chargers also added a bit of firepower with their first-round choice of Melvin Gordon and the free-agent signing of left guard Orlando Franklin. Both the Chiefs and Chargers should compete for the division and/or wild-card spots.

While the Denver Broncos endured a rough offseason, the team is still led by Peyton Manning. While Manning did decline during the latter half of 2014, he remains one of the elite players in the NFL. The Broncos are a tough team to figure, but deserve respect after winning the division four consecutive years. This could be the most competitive division in the league.

Next: Simply the best

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