No Major Moves in AFC East Futures After Rodgers Trade to Jets

Article By Mark Keast

Last Updated: 2024 Mar 14

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No Major Moves in AFC East Futures After Rodgers Trade to Jets

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The Buffalo Bills made a roster move on Monday, signing veteran running back Latavius Murray to a one-year deal.

He adds to a backfield led by James Cook, a second-round pick in 2022.

We said last season the Bills were in need of a bigger-body back for short-yard situations since they were relying too much on QB Josh Allen in those scenarios. The 6-foot-5, 237-pound Allen was 34^th in NFL rushing last season, with 762 yards.

Murray, 33, is 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, and ran for 760 yards (4.4-yard average, six touchdowns) with the Denver Broncos last season, right behind Allen, so he should fit the bill.

Cook’s a smaller back – 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, and finished with 507 yards (5.7 average) in his rookie season. The Bills also signed former New England Patriots running back Damien Harris (5-foot-11, 213 pounds, 462 yards, a 4.7 average last season) so they’ve done a nice job addressing the running back size issue this off-season.

Bills Upgrade at Tight End

Last week, the Bills drafted Utah TE Dalton Kincaid in the first round, 25^th overall. He’ll have an immediate impact on their offence this upcoming season, teamed up with fellow TE Dawson Knox.

The opposition already has to worry about blazer Stefon Diggs as well as Gabe Davis and Khalil Shakir at the wide receiver positions.

Kincaid is more than suitable to block players, especially those smaller than him. Playing a two-tight-end offence system with the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Kincaid gives the Bills an advantage because of his catching ability, boosting their short and mid-range passing game, as opposed to having a third wide receiver out there. Trying to decide whether to play nickel defence or a base, four defensive back, three linebacker defence against the Bills just got more complicated.

So while some critics ranked the Bills at C+ in the overall draft, getting Kincaid was without question a win, giving Allen another piece to work with.

AFC East Betting Odds Update

Still, despite the moves by the Bills, the bulk of conversation of late has been the New York Jets trading for QB Aaron Rodgers, and the impact that moves will have on the AFC East futures.

According to some sportsbooks, though, it hasn’t had much of an impact at all, since, as one spokesperson told us, the talk of Rodgers to the Jets had been around for a while.

BetMGM says before the trade, AFC East futures were Bills 2.3, Jets 3.3, Miami Dolphins 4.0, and Patriots 8.5. Post-trade those moved to Bills 2.35, Jets 3.25, while Miami and New England didn’t move.

Over at BetRivers, there’s been no movement since the trade (which happened April 24): Bills are 2.2 to win the AFC East, Jets 3.5, Dolphins 4.0, and Patriots 9.0.