2022 Team Needs: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Thanks for checking out our 2022 Offseason Team Needs previews. Consider this a primer for the goals each team has to accomplish this offseason and the resources they have to work with. 

A couple of notes. Cap space projections are from Over The Cap and based on a salary cap of $208.2 million, which is the ceiling for this year. It’s also using OTC’s effective cap space, which takes into account what teams have to budget to sign their rookies and fill out the offseason 51-man roster. 

Compensatory picks are also from OTC’s projections, which are historically the most accurate in the industry. Their methodology is outlined here. The comp picks from minority hires the past two offseasons are also included. 

With that, let’s get into it:

Bills

Projected Cap Space: ($7,977,620)

Draft Picks: 9

• 1st (No. 25)
• 2nd (No. 57)
• 3rd (No. 89)
• 4th (No. 128)
• 5th (No. 167)
• 6th (No. 183, from CAR)
• 6th (No. 202)
• 7th (No. 229, from ATL)
• 7th (No. 244)

Notable Free Agents: CB Levi Wallace, DE Jerry Hughes, DE Mario Addison, DT Harrison Phillips, WR Emmanuel Sanders, QB Mitchell Trubisky, OL Ike Boettger, WR Isaiah McKenzie, DT Vernon Butler, RB Matt Breida, DE Efe Obada, DB Siran Neal, OL Ryan Bates (RFA)

Biggest Needs:

1. Cornerback

Thanks to the stellar play of Wallace, the Bills fared okay despite losing elite cover corner Tre’Davious White to a torn ACL in November. Wallace is a pending free agent, though, and Buffalo doesn’t have a ton of cap flexibility to retain him if another team comes calling with a big check. White might also not be 100 percent by the start of next season given the standard rehab timeline of 9-12 months. 

Add it all up and Buffalo needs some insurance. They could draft a corner and sign a veteran if they’re unable to retain Wallace to cover their bases and give them a couple of shots at having a replacement No. 2 corner. One potential splashier possibility to keep an eye out would be a trade for Giants CB James Bradberry given the shared Panthers connections. They’d have to be willing to take on his $13.4 million base salary or lower it with an extension, though. 

2. Interior OL

The Bills could revamp the interior of their offensive line completely this offseason, as C Mitch Morse, OL Jon Feliciano and OL Daryl Williams are all potential cap casualties. Beat writers have talked about the need for Buffalo to settle on a more cohesive philosophy for their line, as Feliciano and Williams are powerful road graders who could move bodies off the line of scrimmage but were victimized at times in pass protection in 2021. Morse meanwhile was a liability at the point of attack but one of the team’s best pass protectors and an asset as a puller. 

3. Wide Receiver 

Keep an eye out for an extension for WR Stefon Diggs, as it’s a way for Buffalo to create cap space in 2022 and Diggs has vastly outplayed his current deal. Beyond Diggs, the Bills seem to have confidence that Gabriel Davis can step up as a No. 2 following his four-touchdown breakout in the divisional round. He’ll take over for Sanders, who is mulling retirement. Cole Beasley seems like a prime cap-cut candidate but GM Brandon Beane appeared to douse that speculation in his end-of-season presser. There’s still room for a long-term slot receiver in this offense, unless they view McKenzie as that guy and bring him back. 

Dolphins

Projected Cap Space: $56,292,293

Draft Picks: 8

• 1st (No. 29, from SF)
• 2nd (No. 50)
• 3rd (No. 101, from SF, comp)
• 4th (No. 119)
• 4th (No. 123, from PIT)
• 5th (No. 157)
• 6th (No. 199, from NE)
• 7th (No. 222, from HOU)

Notable Free Agents: OLB Emmanuel Ogbah, TE Mike Gesicki, WR Will Fuller, CB Nik Needham (RFA), QB Jacoby Brissett, CB Justin Coleman, CB Jason McCourty, LB Elandon Roberts, RB Phillip Lindsay, TE Durham Smythe, WR Mack Hollins, WR Albert Wilson, OLB Brennan Scarlett, WR Preston Williams (RFA), DT John Jenkins, RB Malcolm Brown, LB Vince Biegel, P Michael Palardy

Biggest Needs:

1. Offensive Line

A lot of teams need offensive line help, as is evident from this article series, but the Dolphins were the absolute worst in the league by a lot of metrics last season. As new HC Mike McDaniel looks to implement his scheme, which presumably will be another offshoot of the Shanahan-style offense, and builds a system for QB Tua Tagovailoa to thrive, fixing the offensive line will be the key to all of that. 

The first step will be figuring out who plays where, as Miami swapped its linemen around at a dizzying rate the past few seasons desperately trying to find a combination that worked. McDaniel has to figure out if he’s got two tackles, two guards and a center that he can work with between Austin Jackson, Liam Eichenberg, Jesse Davis, Robert Hunt, Michael Deiter and Solomon Kindley. All of them have started at multiple positions at this point and it arguably stunted the development for a lot of them. 

Maybe the new staff gets more out of guys like Jackson and Kindley, who have flashed potential but also struggled mightily. I would hazard a guess the Dolphins end up making at least three additions here between free agency and the draft to provide competition and some starting alternatives. Perhaps pending 49ers free-agent G Laken Tomlinson is a priority target to help steady the transition. 

2. Cornerback

You could be forgiven if you forgot about the drama between the Dolphins and CB Xavien Howard last summer. A considerable amount has happened since then, but it’s safe to bet Howard’s desire for a new contract has not gone away. The market has dramatically passed him by since he signed a deal worth $15 million a year that, at the time, was the highest mark in the league for corners. It’s now $20 million a year. Howard is due just under $13 million in 2022 with two more years after that and only $6.77 in guarantees. 

If Miami still doesn’t want to break precedent and redo Howard’s deal, a trade could be an alternative. That would make cornerback a major need for the Dolphins, even with Byron Jones in the fold. Former first-round CB Noah Igbinoghene barely played in his second season and both slot corners Needham and Coleman are on expiring deals. 

3. Linebacker

Miami’s defense is the strength of the team but they could use help at linebacker next to Jerome Baker. There’s a starting spot coming open with Roberts headed to free agency. The defensive scheme will be staying largely the same with most of former HC Brian Flores’ staff remaining, so they could look at a few pending free agent linebackers from the Patriots, which you can see below. 

Jets

Projected Cap Space: $35,113,630

Draft Picks: 9

• 1st (No. 4)
• 1st (No. 10, from SEA)
• 2nd (No. 35)
• 2nd (No. 38, from CAR)
• 3rd (No. 69)
• 4th (No. 109, from CAR)
• 4th (No. 115, from MIN)
• 5th (No. 145)
• 5th (No. 162, from PIT)

Notable Free Agents: OT Morgan Moses, S Marcus Maye, DT Folorunso Fatukasi, WR Braxton Berrios, WR Jamison Crowder, S Lamarcus Joyner, WR Keelan Cole, G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, LB Jarrad Davis, TE Tyler Kroft, RB Tevin Coleman, QB Joe Flacco, QB Mike White (RFA), K Eddy Pineiro

Biggest Needs:

1. Tight End

Building around QB Zach Wilson should be the priority this offseason and there’s not any spot on offense more devoid of talent right now than tight end. Fortunately, there will be a plethora of options for the Jets between free agency and the draft even if there aren’t any slam-dunk, elite players available. They could stand to make multiple additions, in fact, to fill roles like a safety valve, blocker and mismatch threat even if those aren’t attributes all possessed by one player. 

2. Defensive Line

The Jets are doing a lot of modeling around San Francisco given the background of the coaching staff, and a common tactic the 49ers have used to find success is to overload on high draft picks on the defensive line to keep the position as well-stocked as possible. So while as a whole, defensive end and defensive tackle are probably strengths compared to the rest of the roster, the Jets could still make additions here if there’s a great value in free agency or a BPA when they pick in the draft. 

3. Safety

The average NFL fan probably could not name the Jets’ starting cornerback trio. However, the team seems to be more optimistic about their potential than their notoriety would suggest. Instead, New York could focus on revamping the safety position. Maye and Joyner were supposed to be the starters this past season but both ended up getting hurt and are on expiring deals. Former third-rounder Ashtyn Davis hasn’t proven he’s worth handing a starting job to yet, so the Jets need two new starters here if they don’t re-sign anyone. Good safety play can cover up for weakness at corner, too, which is an added perk. 

Patriots

Projected Cap Space: $5,006,114

Draft Picks: 5

• 1st (No. 21)
• 2nd (No. 54)
• 3rd (No. 85)
• 4th (No. 125)
• 6th (No. 209, from LAR)

Notable Free Agents: CB J.C. Jackson, RT Trent Brown, S Devin McCourty, LB Jamie Collins, LB Dont’a Hightower, OL Ted Karras, WR Jakobi Meyers (RFA), LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, FB Jakob Johnson, WR Gunner Olszewski (RFA), ST Matthew Slater, K Nick Folk, RB James White, QB Brian Hoyer, RB Brandon Bolden

Biggest Needs:

1. Cornerback

Compared to last offseason, the Patriots are going to be much more limited in what they can accomplish this year as they have less cap space to work with and only five draft picks. With that in mind, a $17.3 million tag for Jackson might be burdensome. If he makes it to free agency, he’s projected to make at least that much annually on a long-term deal, so they’ll have to pay up to keep him either way. 

Whether Jackson stays or goes, the Patriots could stand to add more reinforcements at cornerback. The position was exposed in the two losses to the Bills last season. They get Jonathan Jones back from injury to return to the slot but he’s turning 29 and is in a contract year. If they don’t re-sign McCourty, Jalen Mills could end up seeing more time at safety and opening up a need at corner as well. 

2. Linebacker

This was the other position where the Patriots’ lack of speed was exposed as the season went along. There are a number of pending free agents in this group, including Hightower, Collins and Bentley. Kyle Van Noy could also be let go to save a few million in cap space. New England has been drafting linebackers the past couple of years, including Chase Winovich and Josh Uche, and trying to stockpile others in the pipeline like Raekwon McMillan, Jahlani Tavai and Cameron McGrone. But Winovich and Uche have each been benched at various points, while McMillan, Tavai and McGrone have been depth players and dart throws to this point. More additions could be coming here depending on who New England re-signs, if anyone. 

3. Wide Receiver

There should be a lot of optimism in New England about 2021 first-round QB Mac Jones after his rookie season. He displayed a level of accuracy and command of the game that ought to ensure a high floor, at a minimum. There are a couple of ways the Patriots could unlock more of a ceiling. One, a year in an NFL strength program gives Jones’ arm a boost to be able to access more windows down the field. We saw something similar happen with Joe Burrow this year, as he improved his arm strength from Year 1 to Year 2. 

Secondly, the Patriots could provide Jones with a bonafide, No. 1 receiver who he can lean on to defeat man coverage and go up and win the ball in clutch situations. Right now New England’s receiving corps is a collection of role players who put together generally limited production and as a whole are better working out of the slot. Whether it’s in the draft or free agency, a go-to outside receiver could really unlock a lot for Jones in his second season.