PFF: The Miami Dolphins have the AFC’s best defensive line but the top secondary is in New York

ProFootballFocus provides a unique contextual layer with detailed grades and analytics — unmatched talking points as we await training camp to begin. PFF’s analysts ranked the top position groups in the AFC and gave some love to the AFC East — specifically the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.

PFF views Miami’s defensive line, where each player is 28 years old on average, as best in the conference and No. 4 overall entering the 2023 season. The unit is deep at defensive tackle with Raekwon David and Emmanuel Ogbah backing up Zach Sieler and Christian Wilkins while Bradley Chubb and Jaelen Phillips look to be one of the league’s top pass-rushing duos.

The Dolphins also received love for having the league’s third-best wide receiving group behind the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles. Miami needs to replace over 100 targets after losing Trent Sherfield and Mike Gesicki, but it’s hard to see them being any lower after Tyreek Hill finished second in both receiving yards and receptions while Jaylen Waddle closed the year with an average of 18.1 yards per reception and 1,356 receiving yards.

Miami’s roster was good enough to be mentioned a third time, but New York was deemed the league’s best secondary. The Dolphins added Jalen Ramsey — the top-rated cornerback in Madden — to a group headlined by All-Pro Xavien Howard. Cornerback Kader Kohou and Jevon Holland are emerging players. Yet, it wasn’t enough to leapfrog the Jets.

PFF credited New York for returning four starters from last season, which includes defensive rookie of the year Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed starting at cornerback.

The Dolphins plan to ride the momentum from last season’s playoff run, but the AFC East is shaping up to be an 18-round title fight with the Jets and Dolphins looking to replace the Buffalo Bills as the division’s top team.