The NFL's Top Five Defensemen by Division: AFC East

Scribe Written on July 08, 2009

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FOXBORO, MA - SEPTEMBER 8: Defensive lineman Vince Wilfork #75 of the New England Patriots is congratulated by teammate Richard Seymour #93 after an interception against the Oakland Raiders during the 2005 NFL opening game at Gillette Stadium on Septembe

Nick Laham/Getty Images

I am starting a new eight-part segment on the top five defensive players in each division, doing one division per week leading up to the regular season.

The AFC East is a division that has seen a lot of improvement on the defensive side of the ball in the past few seasons, but what other choice was there? With teams gearing up to face the New England Patriots twice a year, there can never be enough emphasis on a stingy defense.

Even the Dolphins, who lack a game-breaking play maker on defense, made strides toward improving their defense last season, when they improved from having the league's 23rd overall defense to 15th.

The Jets defense improved slightly last year, despite making many free agent additions to their roster. With the aide of new head coach Rex Ryan, they should get the maximum potential out of their starters this year.

The Bills defense has been a basement dweller for years now, but leaped to 14th overall in defensive rankings for yards allowed last year, though they still ranked fourth-worst against the pass.

The Patriots defense had been a staple of the franchise for a decade, but has recently seen its share of struggles in the red zone. Clearly, Belichick doesn't approve.

Without further ado, here are my opinions on the top five defensive players in the AFC East.

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The NFL's Top Five Defensemen by Division: AFC East

Erik Frenz

The NFL's Top Five Defensemen by Division: AFC East

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