While it's usually ill-advised in the NFL to name offseason winners and losers, in the AFC East division something wonderful and altogether out of the ordinary seems to have occurred for the first time in a long time - the New England Patriots got markedly weaker and the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets all got appreciably better.
In some instances, exponentially better.
The Miami Dolphins added massive defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh via the richest contract ever given to a defensive player in NFL history, wide receiver Kenny Stills in trade with the New Orleans Saints and tight end Jordan Cameron, but it might be the players they were able to jettison for compensation - receiver Mike Wallace, linebacker Dannelle Ellerbe - as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports argues, that makes the biggest difference for the Dolphins moving forward.
The Dolphins, of course, will go as far as their young, potential franchise-signal caller, Ryan Tannehill takes them, but they took big steps this season to close the gap on the Patriots.
Not to be outdone, the Bills and Jets made big splashes of their own.
At the very top, the additions of Rex Ryan in Buffalo and Todd Bowles in New York add a couple of tough, defensive minded coaches to the divisional mix - though for Rex, it's more of a sideways shimmy.
With the Bills pulling off deals for LeSean McCoy and Matt Cassel and adding Richie Incognito, Percy Harvin and Charles Clay - formerly of Miami fame - to a group that already boasted Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and Fred Jackson, the Bills offense should be much stronger next year.
Combine that with a defense that will be formidably fierce thanks to the presence of Marcell Dareus, Stephone Gilmore, Mario Williams and the recently re-signed Jerry Hughes and the Bills, much like Ryan's Jets, will be a tough out.
Speaking of the Jets, Bowles and new GM Mike Maccagnan have made several splashy signings and seem to have handily shored up nearly every trouble spot on the roster they could with the available talent in free agency and trade.
Cornerbacks not getting the job done? Easy, bring in Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Buster Skrine.
Safety looking a little thin? Add a versatile talent like Marcus Gilchrist to pair with last year's first-round draft pick, Calvin Pryor.
Want to make sure your veteran inside linebacker and defensive leader, David Harris doesn't head elsewhere in free agency? Lock him up with a brand new deal.
Concerned Geno Smith may not be the long-term answer at quarterback? Add Ryan Fitzpatrick to prove a quality veteran presence at the position.
As for the division darlings, the New England Patriots, they lost both starting cornerbacks - Revis and Brandon Browner - as well as veteran defensive stalwart, Vince Wilfork. While their offense remains largely unchanged and will continue to revolve around beautiful head of hair with an arm, quarterback Tom Brady, the defense suffered major losses that won't be easily fixed by the additions of Bradley Fletcher and Robert McClain meaning the Pats won't be able to shut down the opposition as easily as they did this year en route to another Super Bowl victory.
In the end, what do all the additions and subtractions, trades and transactions mean for the AFC East as a whole?
Presumably, not much - at least for next season.
Until one of the Dolphins, Bills or Jets is able to procure a true talent at the quarterback position - or until Brady retires, as La Canfora points out - the Patriots will likely remain the class of the East.
Miami, Buffalo and New York fans take heart though - you've closed the gap significantly and with Brady's advancing age and the Patriot's defensive losses, the distance between your teams and New England is sure only to lessen further in the coming seasons.
