AFC East Rookie Report

The conventional wisdom in the NFL is that you can’t truly judge a team’s draft until 2 or 3 years have passed and the players have been given a chance to develop and integrate themselves into the team’s system. But every year it seems a handful of rookies manage to get themselves onto the playing field, whether it be due to their own talent or due to a rash of injuries that moves their name up the depth chart. The 2007 season is no different for all 4 teams in the AFC East, although it is interesting to note that the number of rookies getting playing time seems to be inversely proportional to the team’s success. The 5-0 Patriots have only one rookie who is getting playing time, while the 0-5 Dolphins have 4 rookies who are either in the starting lineup or have locked down a specialist role on special teams.

Bills:
The Buffalo Bills knew going into the season that two of their draft picks would likely see significant playing time right away. Running back Marhshawn Lynchwas drafted to replace the departed Willis McGahee, while linebacker Paul Posluszny was selected to fill the void left by London Fletcher-Baker. Lynch has proven to be a great pick as the rookie is currently #12 in the NFL with 373 yards rushing and has seen his workload increase in recent weeks. Posluszny’s season was off to a terrific start, but the middle linebacker suffered a gruesome broken arm against the Patriots in just the third game and his season was cut short.

The Bills have seen an incredible number of injuries this season, and a sprained knee ligament to starting QB J.P. Losman opened the door for another rookie, quarterback Trent Edwards. Edwards showed a ton of poise in winning his first career start, a tough divisional game against the Jets. While he has shown the occasional flashes of brilliance, it is easy to see that Edwards is still a rookie and has many things to learn. But getting playing time now could prove to be very beneficial down the road as he develops, and the 1-2 combo of Lynch and Edwards could be just what the Bills need to get back to the top of the AFC.

Patriots:
The Patriots didn’t have a very busy draft this past April, as many of their picks were traded away for players (like Randy Moss) or for future picks (like San Francisco’s first-round pick in 2008). The one first-day selection the Pats made was also the only rookie who has seen any playing time at all for the Pats, defensive back Brandon Meriweather. Meriweather has seen time at both cornerback and safety, and given the number of injuries the Pats have had at those positions over the past few years I would expect to see Meriweather continue to learn how to play both spots.

Jets:
The Jets are another team that hasn’t had much playing time for rookies, although the two that have managed to find the field are making it hard for the coaches to hold them back. First-round pick Darrelle Revis, a cornerback from Pitt, has been solid for the Jets, although he does show that he is still a rookie now and again. But that is to be expected for any first year defensive back. Given his raw talent and ability he should be able to flourish under the coaching of defensive whiz Eric Mangini. Linebacker David Harris is another rookie who is seeing more and more playing time for the Jets. While not exactly the perfect size for a middle linebacker, Harris has shown solid instincts on the field, and those will help once he gets used to the speed of the game and fills his body out. The more time he gets to learn the 3-4 defense, the better.

Dolphins:
Down in Miami, the roster is chock full of rookies getting significant playing time. A pair of former Hawaii Warriors, fullback Reagan Mauia and center Samson Satele both worked their way into the starting lineup for the Phins. Mauia impressed the coaching staff in training camp so much that they released veteran fullback Corey Schlesinger prior to the season. And Satele has proven to be a rock at center for the Dolphins. Punter Brandon Fields has also managed to nab a starting role on the Dolphins and has been fairly impressive thus far.

The highest profile draft pick for the Dolphins was receiver/kick returner Ted Ginn, Jr and he has recently shown flashes why he was selected so high in the first round. The speedster from Ohio State was one or two steps away from bringing a kickoff back for a touchdown against the Texans, and also showed he is just as dangerous in the passing game, too. Watch for Ginn to improve every week with more and more playing time. Another high profile pick for the Dolphins was quarterback John Beck. While Beck hasn’t seen the field yet this season, the recent injury to Trent Green and Miami’s 0-5 start could mean Beck’s time comes sooner rather than later. If the Phins continue to struggle, look for Beck to get some playing time so he can start to develop into what Miami is looking for, their quarterback of the future.