What will the final AFC East standings look like in the 2025 NFL season?

In the 2024 NFL season, the AFC East was far from the strongest division in the league in terms of parity.

The Buffalo Bills were the only team in the entire division to end up with a record above the .500 mark at 13-4. The Miami Dolphins disappointed a lot of people and went just 8-9 while the New York Jets finished with a 5-12 record, leaving the New England Patriots in last place with a 4-13 record.

However, the division projects to be less top-heavy in the 2025 campaign than it was a season ago, which should make for more balance. Let’s predict what the final AFC East standings will look like this season.

1. Buffalo Bills

Projected record: 12-5

The landscape of the division looks different than it did a season ago, but the Bills still stand out as the team to beat. Ever since quarterback Tom Brady departed the Patriots following the 2019 campaign, the Bills have clinched the division every year, and fans can expect that streak to continue into the 2025 season.

Buffalo’s offense should be a well-oiled machine for as long as Josh Allen is the team’s signal-caller. Allen was named the NFL MVP a season ago after he totaled 3,731 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns compared to only six interceptions. He also ran for 531 yards and 12 scores.

Meanwhile, the Bills made some nice defensive additions this offseason in an effort to give themselves a lift on that side of the ball.

Behind a similarly fantastic season to his MVP campaign for Allen and an improved defense, the Bills pick up double digits in victories once again and continue their stranglehold on the AFC East.

2. Miami Dolphins

Projected record: 10-7

Some folks might be surprised to see the Dolphins projected to finish with so many wins. After all, Miami is on the heels of an 8-9 season, and the team has seemingly gotten worse on paper at important positions such as cornerback and tight end.

Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith — the latter of whom is fresh off maybe the best season from a tight end in franchise history — were traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this offseason. Ramsey’s departure highlights major questions for the team at corner.

However, the Dolphins still should be able to get back to enjoying the regular-season success they did earlier on in the Mike McDaniel era, so long as two of the team’s top offensive players have better injury luck than they did last season.

Injuries plagued wide receiver Tyreek Hill and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the 2024 campaign. Hill injured his wrist in August of last year and went against the advice of medical professionals and suited up in all 17 of Miami’s games instead of undergoing season-ending surgery.

The injury seemed to negatively impact Hill, even if it didn’t sideline him, but he claimed not long ago that he’s feeling like himself again after he finally did undergo surgery.

As for Tagovailoa, injuries sidelined him for six of Miami’s contests last season. But when he’s been at full strength, the Dolphins have historically been a tough out.

3. New England Patriots

Projected record: 8-9

There are reasons to believe that the Patriots will be one of the more improved teams in the NFL compared to one season ago. For one, the team now has a highly seasoned and successful coach leading the team, as Mike Vrabel has won more than 50 regular-season games patrolling the sidelines at the highest level.

Vrabel has coached in the playoffs on several occasions, too. He stands out as an apparent upgrade over last season’s head coach, Jerod Mayo, who was thrown into the fire as a first-year head coach.

Plus, the consensus view is that the Patriots did a good job improving their roster this offseason. They added a number of key defensive pieces and acquired a four-time Pro Bowler at wide receiver in Stefon Diggs.

The Patriots will be a noticeably better team than they were under Mayo, but at the same time, they’re a year or two away from getting back in the playoffs. Quarterback Drake Maye shows his inexperience in big games in his sophomore season, and New England ends up just below the .500 mark.

4. New York Jets

Projected record: 4-13

The Jets have been the laughingstock of the division for a long time now. The last time the team qualified for the playoffs was all the way back in the 2010 campaign, and people shouldn’t count on New York snapping its long playoff drought in the 2025 season.

As has been the case with the Jets numerous times over the last decade-plus, the team has a lot of uncertainty surrounding the all-important quarterback position. Aaron Rodgers was the Jets’ starting signal-caller last season and had a decent season — he threw for 28 touchdowns and 3,897 yards — but is no longer with the team, as he signed with the Steelers as a free agent.

Now, it’s Justin Fields’ turn to give it a go for New York this coming season. Fields remains an intriguing player at the position but is also relatively unproven at the highest level. He’s never thrown more than 2,562 yards in a single NFL season, and he logged just six starts with Pittsburgh in the 2024 season. He does remain a threat with his legs.

The prediction is that with Fields in the fold, the Jets will be unable to keep up with teams on the scoreboard, not helped by the fact that the rest of the roster still has too many question marks. New York will catch teams off guard and have some scattered solid performances here and there, but the team won’t accomplish anything of significance.