Players are beginning to report, as camp begins in just a few days, and the NFL season just around the corner. In the AFC East, the New England Patriots are always the frontrunner; despite offseason drama and a suspension to their leader, Tom Brady.
Fellow East teams have made strides to compete with the always dangerous Patriots, as they look to dethrone them in 2015.
Here’s a look at the top training camp battles for the AFC East teams.
Buffalo Bills
The biggest training camp battle for the Bills is at the most important position in football; the quarterback.
EJ Manuel, Tyrod Taylor, and Matt Cassel will battle it out for the starting quarterback position. There has been buzz around Taylor after minicamp and OTAs, while Cassel was unimpressive. Manuel is still young, and has shown potential, while Cassel is looking to reboot his career with some change of scenery.
Offensively, the quarterback position is the biggest question mark and the most important to resolve. The Bills have a strong defense, but need some work on the offense. They brought in LeSean McCoy to give the run game, and offense, a much needed boost to compete in this tough division.
The quarterback battle will be the most important throughout camp. All three candidates have the capability of winning the starting job, however there is more on the line for Cassel, who is a vet and may be cut if he doesn’t show promise for the season working with this offense and coaching staff.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins will look to make the postseason this year, as they build off an 8-8 season, that could have gone a lot better. They made a splash this offseason, signing defensive star, Ndamukong Suh, who will have an immediate impact.
When it comes to training camp, the biggest battle for the Dolphins will be in the secondary at the cornerback position.
Brent Grimes is locked in as the number one cornerback, but there will be some intense competition for playing time as the second corner on the defense. Jamar Taylor, Zack Bowman, Will Davis, and Brice McCain are all seeking playing time.
The Dolphins need to determine their secondary in order to cover the ball downfield, especially against the pass oriented offenses within their division. They have plenty of suitable candidates ready to battle for the starting position throughout camp and preseason.
New England Patriots
The defending Super Bowl Champs will have some decisions to make when it comes to the cornerback position, as this is one of the most important roster spots to fill for the Pats following camp.
This offseason they lost Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner to free agency. They will have a few candidates to choose from as they work together throughout camp, but after OTAs and minicamp, Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan appear to be frontrunners.
They also have Tarell Brown, Derek Cox, Bradley Fletcher, Justin Green, Robert McClain, Jimmy Jean, Daxton Swanson, and, Darryl Roberts vying for playing time and a spot on the Patriots roster.
New York Jets
The Jets quarterback situation has been downright awful the past few seasons, with a lot of drama throughout the 16-game course. Geno Smith has had many ups and downs in his time with the Jets, but they continue to stick with him.
New York acquired Ryan Fitzpatrick this offseason, but the Jets are giving Smith the upper hand in the competition and are insisting he is their choice at starting quarterback.
Last season, Smith played in 14 games, had 2,525 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.
This offense is in need of a lot of work starting at quarterback, but the running back competition will be intriguing as the season approaches.
Chris Ivory and Stevan Ridley are two of the better known names who will battle for playing time in training camp. The run game is crucial for the Jets offense, and these two are vying for carries as are Daryl Richardson and Zac Stacy.