The AFC East just got tougher for the New England Patriots with star wide receiver Tyreek Hill joining the Miami Dolphins.
Miami acquired Hill from Kansas City in exchange for a haul of draft picks on Wednesday, then signed him to a four-year contract extension worth $120 million, ensuring New England will have its hand full with the speedy wideout for a while.
Perry: Potential Patriots trade candidates at wide receiver and cornerback
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SIGN UP HERE The move boosted the Dolphins' chances of winning the division, but was it enough to propel them ahead of the Patriots? Tom E. Curran, Phil Perry, and Matt Cassel discussed on a new episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast.
Patriots Talk: Where do the Patriots stack up in the AFC East post-Tyreek Hill? | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
"The Bills are clearly, to me, still the cream of the crop in the AFC East," Perry said. "But what the Dolphins have done over the course of the last couple days here, because Tyreek Hill as well as Terron Armstead at tackle, really make them a significantly better team. I would say they're still in the Patriots' tier, but they are better. There's no doubt about it."
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Curran asked Perry where the Patriots remain better than the Dolphins heading into 2022.
"Quarterback is where I would start," Perry answered. "I would say you would look at the Patriots' offensive line and you still say as a group, that group is still better than what the Dolphins have at the moment. And I think defensively, their front is probably more talented than what the Dolphins have. The Dolphins' secondary is loaded but to me, the two most important people in the franchise are better for the Patriots than they are for the Dolphins. Head coach and quarterback."
Also discussed in this episode: Weighing the advantage of having Bill Belichick. Evaluating the concern for Mac Jones' development in 2022. Do the Patriots need to draft a cornerback to get faster on defense? Why aren't the Patriots shopping for players like Hill and Davante Adams? How can the Patriots utilize Jonnu Smith more next year?
Check out the latest episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network, or watch on YouTube.
