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Which division improved the most during free agency?

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We're now more than two weeks into NFL free agency and some teams are already looking vastly different than they did in February.

Some organizations have been more aggressive than others, and some have been more judicious with their signings. When it comes to the division that has improved the most since March 9, there are a number of candidates, but one collection of four teams stands out from the others.

That division is the AFC East.

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As unfair as it may be, the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots retooled by re-signing All-Pro linebacker Dont'a Hightower and adding corner Stephon Gilmore, tight end Dwayne Allen, defensive end Kony Ealy, and electric receiver Brandin Cooks to their arsenal. They're the runaway most improved team in the league, and it isn't close.

The Patriots' offseason losses were minimal (corner Malcolm Butler is rumored to sign with the Saints) and star Rob Gronkowski is still recouping from season-ending back surgery. They promise to be even better next season.

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For the first time since 2010, another AFC East team joined the Patriots in the playoffs when the Miami Dolphins entered as a six seed. Armed with the confidence of management, general manager Chris Grier and VP of football operations Mike Tannenbaum got to work arming coach Adam Gase with even more talent.

The Dolphins' trade for tight end Julius Thomas was among the first rumored transactions this offseason. The Fins pulled off the deal by shipping tackle Branden Albert to Jacksonville. Thomas enjoyed the two most productive years of his career playing under Gase's offensive scheme in Denver.

Miami also managed to hold on to one of the most coveted free agents by signing Kenny Stills to a four-year extension and added Nate Allen to the back of the secondary.

The Dolphins were also prudent to reward pass-rushing specialist Cameron Wake and safety Reshad Jones with extensions.

With such additions and retentions, Gase could have Miami in contention for the foreseeable future.

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In Buffalo, the Bills are working to gloss over the Rex Ryan regime with a number of signings for new coach Sean McDermott. The most important move, however, was the decision to ink starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor to a much more team-friendly contract.

Aside from that, the Bills provided star runner LeSean McCoy with two new fullbacks in Mike Tolbert and Patrick DiMarco, signed new kicker Steven Hauschka, added receivers Andre Holmes and Brandon Tate to replace the departed Robert Woods and Justin Hunter, and brought aboard strong safety Micah Hyde.

A lot of work still needs to be done. The team remains in talks to re-sign their leading tackler of a year ago, Zach Brown, and Leonard Johnson alone can't replace the losses of Gilmore and Nickell Robey-Coleman in the secondary. Nonetheless, the Bills are candidates to improve on their 7-9 showing.

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Finally, there's the Jets. There's no ignoring the fact the team cut most of the biggest names on its roster. However, the Jets, as they were constituted in 2016, were never going to win a Super Bowl, as they didn't come near to sniffing the postseason. The team should be commended for recognizing that and working to tear down the roster in an effort to rebuild it with stronger parts.

Gone are Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brandon Marshall, Darrelle Revis, Nick Mangold, Erin Henderson, and Nick Folk. That could be characterized as addition by subtraction. The Jets still need to field a team in 2017, however, and Josh McCown, Quinton Patton, and Morris Claiborne will fill some of those vacancies.

The Jets may not be in a better position to contend yet, but it'll come. As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day. This rebuild is destined to take years.

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