2020 POTENTIAL BREAKOUT STARS: AFC EAST

BY ADAM GREENE

Every year there are guys that fly under the radar until the spotlight suddenly finds them. Guys like Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey or Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker, veterans that seemingly didn’t their due. Other times, the guys walk on the field as rookies and find instant success and star power like Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown or Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.

You never know, but we can look at rosters, look at how teams play and make a prediction based on past performance and just gut instinct.

Here are my potential break out stars from each team in the AFC East for the 2020 season.

BUFFALO BILLS

Middle Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds

(2019: 115 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, one safety, one interception, nine passes defended)

Those stats alone might seem enough to warrant a little attention for Edmunds, but he plays in Buffalo. In spite of the team making the playoffs last season, Edmunds is still a virtual unknown, as evidenced by his absence not only from the NFL’s Top 100 list, but from even its honorable mentions.

Edmunds is a freak athlete at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds. At the 2018 NFL combine he ran a 4.54 40-yard dash and reeled off a 117-inch broad jump. In each of his first two seasons he’s recorded triple digit tackles. If the Bills are in the postseason again, and they should be, people are going to start to notice.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Wide Receiver N’Keal Harry

(2019: 12 catches, 105 yards, two touchdowns, five rushes, 49 rushing yards)

Harry never really got off the blocks as a rookie with the Patriots. A rare first round pick for New England, he played in only seven games, started five and spent most of the season on injured reserve.

With an updated offense led by Cam Newton instead of Tom Brady, Harry’s skillset could really be put to use as the Pats’ WR depth chart is shallow, with only Julian Edleman and Mohamed Sanu entrenched in starting postions.

While Harry didn’t do much last season, he was a star route runner and catcher at Arizona State, eclipsing 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons for the Sun Devils.

NEW YORK JETS

Wide Receiver Denzel Mims

(Rookie)

Mims gets the nod as the Jets’ potential break out star by default. This is one of the weakest rosters in the NFL and Mims could be the best wide receiver on the roster before lacing up his cleats.

A three-year starter for Baylor, last year Mims caught 66 passes for 1,020 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Bears. He’s crazy fast, rolling out a 4.38 40 at the combine and has the size and body to overpower corners.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Tight End Mike Gesicki

(2019: 51 catches, 570 yards, five touchdowns)

Last year Gesicki put up those numbers starting just five games on a team actively trying to tank the season. Whether Tua Tagovailoa is the quarterback or Ryan Fitzpatrick, a good, pass-catching tight end is a safety valve that either guy will be glad to use.

It already happened a year ago when Gesicki was targeting 89 times. If he adds 15 more catches with similar targets (and the yardage and TDs that would come along with it), he’ll make the Pro Bowl.

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