Words with Frenz AFC East Mailbag, April 6 Edition

Who's the front-runner in the AFC East if it's not the New England Patriots? Who should the New York Jets be targeting with pick No. 16 in the 2012 NFL Draft? Should Jeff Ireland lose his job if the Miami Dolphins continue to struggle? And finally, will Brian Hoyer be the next back-up quarterback to get a shot at a starting job?

It's all on the table in this week's AFC East mailbag, so let's get right to the questions.

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@ErikFrenz Are the Buffalo Bills the sleep team in the AFC East?

— BST&N (@bossprtsthennow) April 6, 2012"

It's hard to call the Bills a sleeper anymore. With the moves they've made this offseason, it's hard not to say they're the front-runners for second place.

If you mean sleeper in the sense that everyone still thinks the Patriots will win the division, yes, but the team with the best chance to overthrow them has to be the Bills.

When it comes to adding an elite pass-rusher, history speaks for itself, and the Bills figure to have one of the best four-man defensive lines in football. What really hurt them down the stretch last year was the inability to stay healthy. If they can do that, and if Ryan Fitzpatrick can play the way he played in the first seven games of the season, there's no question the Bills should be the second-favorite in the AFC East.

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@ErikFrenz Who do you think will be the best available players at 16 for the Jets, who wouldn't be a reach?

— Oz Y (@ozmanyyy) April 6, 2012"

There are always unexpected draft day reaches and falls, so there could be someone available at 16 that none of us currently think will be there. 

However, if the board falls as projected, I like Alabama safety Mark Barron, and mocked him to the Jets in my "ultimate Jets mock draft" earlier today. It's no secret that the Jets need a safety, and they could get a real athletic one in Barron who has produced in one of the toughest conferences in college football.

Another one I like is Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw. His experience in the 3-4 defense makes him a great add for Rex Ryan, who has already vocally stated his admiration for Upshaw and his desire to add a blue chip pass rusher in the draft.

Either one of those two would be solid, but it's hard to say for sure until the draft starts and until we begin to see how the board will fall.

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@ErikFrenz if he #Dolphins dont do well next season will the fire ireland?

— Andrew D. Parrish (@MRHELLAHANDS0ME) April 6, 2012"

Should they? Probably. Will they? No.

Let's put it this way: The Dolphins had an 11-5 regular season in Ireland's first year as GM. Since then, they've gone a combined 20-29 in the regular season and postseason. 

That being said, the Dolphins are rolling in a new head coach and an entirely new coaching staff. With a new coaching staff comes a bit of leeway, because it takes everyone time to get on the same page. 

Even if the Dolphins struggle this year, I wouldn't be surprised if Ireland gets another year. That being said, he's made his inability to build a roster abundantly clear at this point. How much that has contributed to Miami's struggles is unknown, but if two coaching staffs can't make it work, chances are good that it should fall on Ireland.

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@ErikFrenz will be a long season in the case. As for the Pats what's Brian Hoyer's stock worth? Is he going to go the Matt Flynn route next?

— Phil Shore (@PShore15) April 6, 2012"

In a word, yes.

Many have come out in support of Hoyer as a potential starter in the NFL, including Michael Lombardi of NFL Network, who has routinely vouched for Hoyer over the years, even way back in 2011 when teams were clamoring over then-Eagles backup Kevin Kolb. 

"I think if I was still in the league and needed a quarterback, instead of chasing Kolb, I would chase Brian Hoyer of the Patriots. If teams evaluate New England's Week 17 game against Miami, they'd see that Hoyer demonstrates the skills needed to be a starter."

That being said, it would seriously help his stock if he got some time to really show his stuff: as in, not in the preseason or during garbage time in a blowout. With 43 regular season pass attempts in his career, the body of work simply isn't there.

Even if he boosts his stock this year, the Patriots won't be able to get anything for him next year when he'll be an unrestricted free agent and free to sign where ever he wants, unless he gets the franchise tag.

Follow @ErikFrenz