By Jason Roberts

Fantasy College Blitz

Over the next few weeks we will be rolling out the team needs break-down as they start looking at free agents and the NFL Draft. We will start with the AFC East today with a new division coming out every 3-5 days.

Buffalo Bills

Top 3 Needs:

- Outside Linebacker

- Tight End

- Defensive End

Buffalo fans had high hopes for the 2008 season and found quite a treat in seeing the team kick off the year with a 5-1 start. However, the Bills struggled during the last two-thirds of their schedule and finished out the 2008 season by going 2-8 in their remaining games.

The significant contributing factor? Try a non-existing pass rush. Angelo Crowell looked early on to be a major factor when it came to blitzing opposing quarterbacks from the outsider linebacker position, particularly considering the support he was receiving from a healthy Paul Posluszny and the acquisition of Kawika Mitchell from the Kansas City Chiefs in the preseason. Crowell, however, suffered a season-ending injury to his knee and Buffalo could not find a suitable replacement for the veteran’s experience and consistent production.

With the eleventh pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, expect the Bills to look to players like Brian Cushing of Southern California or Marcus Freeman of Ohio State to shore up depth at outside linebacker, particularly now that Crowell enters into the off-season as a free agent. Other potential options for Buffalo also come at the tight end position where Buffalo has suffered from the lack of a significant receiving threat.

Other options are at defensive end; Brandon Pettigrew would seem the ideal fit given the Bills’ current predicament at the tight end position but talented players such as Everette Brown of Florida State and Aaron Maybin of Penn State could push the desire for a pass-catching tight end down into the second or third round.

Miami Dolphins

Top 3 Needs:

- Offensive Line

- Cornerback

- Wide Receiver

Perhaps the story of the year out of the AFC East (perhaps all of NFL football) was the magnificent turnaround experienced by the Miami Dolphins under the leadership of Bill Parcels, Jeff Ireland, and Tony Sporano. Expected to post no better than a five- to six-win record in what was suppose to amount to a building year for the Dolphins organization, the 2008 season instead ended in stunning fashion: With Miami finishing 11-5 and capturing the AFC East crown.

A major spurt of maturation and grittiness manufactured a surprising air of confidence and ability on a team accustomed to underachieving. This leaves Miami heading into the offseason with a tremendous amount of momentum on their side.

The Dolphins front office will look to deal with the potential loss of Vernon Carey at right tackle to free agency by targeting a replacement in the form of Max Unger or Eben Britton. Don’t be surprised if Carey is re-signed, however, allowing Miami to go after a solid option at safety (Patrick Chung of Oregon) or cornerback (Alphonso Smith of Wake Forest or William Moore of Missouri).

Many believe the team needs to try once more to find a true game breaker at wide receiver (likely Darrius Heyward-Bey of Maryland or Derrick Williams of Penn State) after finding previous draft picks such as Ted Ginn, Jr. provided a less-than-expected return on investment. Fans can expect Miami to pursue Juaquin Iglesias - assuming he’s still available - late in the first-round or mid-way through the second as he would likely be the answer the Dolphins have so long been searching for.

New England Patriots

Top 3 Needs:

- Cornerback

- Linebacker

- Wide Receiver

For the New England Patriots, the NFL Draft this April will be all about defense. Needs at cornerback and linebacker are significant; especially given that New England allowed the Philadelphia Eagles to sign Asante Samuel as a free agency in the 2008 offseason.

Ellis Hobbs and Jonathan Wilhite are talented but a lack of size in the former. The need to adjust to the Patriots’ defensive scheme in the latter provided poor coverage overall and a total lack of pass rush off the corners. Victor Harris from Virginia Tech or Alfonso Smith out of Wake Forest would inject a strong sense of youth and athleticism and could offer up immediate playing time for either.

At linebacker, New England needs to find someone to couple with Defensive Rookie of the Year Jerod Mayo - particular given that injuries decimated depth at the inside position. Adalius Thomas, Pierre Woods, and Tedy Bruschi were all at one time relegated to the sidelines on injured reserve as were rookies Shawn Crable and Bo Ruud.

Junior Seau and Rosevelt Colvin both came out of semi-retirement to provide additional support (if not much needed bodies) in December, but clearly don’t address the need for youthful talent at linebacker as it relates to the long term. Many in the organization would love to see the Patriots snatch up Brian Cushing in the first round, but aforementioned concerns at defensive back may take precedent.

Both at running back and wide receiver are areas New England could justifiably address heading into April’s draft as well. Specifically with Donald Brown of Connecticut or Shonn Green of Iowa to strengthen the Pats’ backfield. This could provide a buffer for head coach Bill Bellichick who is hoping to replace Jabar Gaffney if for some reason the team’s third-best option at wideout is not re-signed heading into the 2009 season.

New York Jets

Top 3 Needs:

- Middle Linebacker

- Offensive Tackle

- Quarterback

With Brett Favre coming over to the Jets after an off-season debacle with the Green Bay Packers which left both sides embittered and frustrated, the New York Jets started out the 2008 season reenergized and focused going 8-3 through their first eleven games.

They then handed the Tennessee Titans its first loss in a major upset win during Week Twelve. Still, the Jets, as usual, faltered down the stretch, leaving many to ponder whether or not New York’s “other” team had really addressed any of its most pressing needs in concentrating its efforts on acquiring Favre.

The New York faithful remain upbeat about 2009 given the decision by the front office to bring on board former assistant head coach and defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens, Rex Ryan, as the Jets’ new head coach. Given his prowess on the defensive side of the ball (the Ravens never ranked less than sixth in the NFL in his ten years with the organization), expect a corresponding concentration on talented players to bolster a unit that ranked 16th in the NFL for yards surrendered per game.

Experts are suggesting Ryan will take aim first and foremost at middle linebacker where either James Laurinaitis of Ohio State or Rey Maualuga of Southern California would likely have immediate impact paired up with David Harris. A noted interest in Georgia tailback Knowshon Moreno could draw a surprise pick to bolster the Jets’ backfield should the team’s need at linebacker be fulfilled by the signing of free agent Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens. More likely the Jets will use a second- or third-round pick to find a talented backup to Kellen Clemens once Favre’s run with New York comes to an end.

Mark Sanchez is a name being thrown around in the discussion of potential candidates to come to the Meadowlands at this point in time, but Sanchez could be passed over in order to strengthen offensive tackle where the Jets could easily find a quality option such as Larry English from Northern Illinois.