Where do AFC powers stand after first wave of free agency?

With the initial rush of free agency now in the books and teams starting to settle in when it comes to the team-building process for 2018, we wanted to take a look at where the AFC power structure stood. Here’s a snapshot -- in no particular order -- of where last year's playoff teams stand as we near the end of March and start the one-month countdown to draft weekend.


PATRIOTS
Re-signed: RB Rex Burkhead, ST/RB Brandon Bolden, ST/DB Brandon King, ST Nate Ebner, ST Matthew Slater, LB/ST Marquis Flowers
Additions: NT Danny Shelton, CB Jason McCourty, RB Jeremy Hill, DE Adrian Clayborn, OL Matt Tobin, WR/KR Cordarrelle Patterson
Losses: WR Danny Amendola, CB Malcolm Butler, RB Dion Lewis, OT Nate Solder, CB/ST Johnson Bademosi
Unsigned: OT Cameron Fleming, OT LaAdrian Waddle, LB James Harrison
What it all means: The Patriots took their share of personnel losses on offense in the early going, but they remain deep at receiver, and appear poised to draft a running back before the end of Day 2. There’s some concern about left tackle going forward, but they’re still in on Waddle and Fleming at this point, and they are likely to add a tackle in the draft. Their most significant additions for 2018 could ultimately be their own guys — they’ll get Dont’a Hightower, Julian Edelman and Marcus Cannon back from injuries, which should help stabilize personnel losses on both sides of the ball.

STEELERS
Re-signed: FB Roosevelt Nix, RB Fitzgerald Toussaint, RB Le’Veon Bell (franchise tag).
Additions: S Morgan Burnett, LB Jon Bostic.
Losses: OT Chris Hubbard.
Unsigned: K Chris Boswell, CB William Gay, S Mike Mitchell, S Robert Golden, DB Mike Hilton, WR Justin Hunter, LB Arthur Moats, WR Eli Rogers, LB Sean Spence.
What it all means: The Steelers accomplished pretty much all they needed to accomplish this offseason with the decision to hit Bell with the franchise tag. He wasn’t happy about it, but the fact that Pittsburgh has Bell, Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger and JuJu Smith-Schuster pretty much guarantees they’ll still be able to outscore 75 percent of their opponents. The Burnett signing gives them a boost at safety, but expect them to go defense heavy in the draft, particularly at linebacker.



CHIEFS
Re-signed: P Dustin Colquitt, DT Jarvis Jenkins, FB Anthony Sherman, ILB Terrance Smith, WR De’Anthony Thomas.
Additions: CB David Anderson, QB Chad Henne, LB Anthony Hitchens, WR Sammy Watkins.
Losses: QB Alex Smith, CB Marcus Peters, C Zach Fulton, CB Terrance Mitchell, WR Albert Wilson.
Unsigned: LB Tamba Hali, LB Derrick Johnson, NT Bennie Logan, DE Rauem Nunez-Roches, S Ron Parker, LB Ramik Wilson.
What it all means: The Chiefs hit the reset button on offense, swapping out Smith for Pat Mahomes at quarterback and adding Watkins to a group that includes Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt. Expect Kansas City to try and find another corner or two early in the draft in hopes of replacing Peters.



JAGUARS
Re-signed: TE Ben Koyack, WR Marqise Lee, DE Lerentee McCray.
Additions: G Andrew Norwell, CB D.J. Hayden, TE Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, WR Donte Moncrief, FS Cody Davis, TE Niles Paul, SS Don Carey.
Losses: CB Aaron Colvin, QB Chad Henne, RB Chris Ivory, OG Patrick Omameh, Allen Robinson.
Unsigned: RB Corey Grant, WR Allen Hurns, CB Josh Johnson, TE Marcedes Lewis, LB Paul Posluszny.
What it all means: On the heels of a surprising run to the AFC title game last year, Jacksonville stands at a crossroads. Can the Jags’ use the playoff run as a springboard to bigger things down road? Or was last year a one-off convergence of events? The additions of Norwell (the best offensive lineman in free agency) and Moncrief are intriguing additions for a franchise that’s at an important stage in its development.



BILLS
Re-signed: RB Travaris Cadet, LB Ramon Humber, RB Taiwan Jones, DT Kyle Williams.
Additions: C Russell Bodine, DB Rafael Bush, CB Vontae Davis, RB Chris Ivory, DT Star Lotulelei, QB AJ McCarron, LB Trent Murphy, OT Marshall Newhouse.
Losses: LB Preston Brown, OT Seantrel Henderson, CB Shareece Wright, QB Tyrod Taylor.
Unsigned: CB E.J. Gaines, DB Leonard Johnson, WR Jordan Matthews, DB Shamarko Thomas, DT Cedric Thornton, FB Mike Tolbert.
What it all means: Biggest add was likely McCarron, but the Bills keep moving up the draft board, which leads some to believe they might be targeting one of the Big Four quarterbacks before it’s all said and done.



TITANS
Re-signed: DE Daquan Jones, DE David King, OG Josh Kline, K Ryan Succop.
Additions: CB Malcolm Butler, RB Dion Lewis.
Losses: LB Avery Williamson.
Unsigned: CB Curtis Riley, RB DeMarco Murray, QB Matt Cassell, DE Karl Klug, WR Eric Decker, WR Harry Douglas, CB Brice McCain, SS Da’Norrs Searcy, QB Brandon Weeden, NT Sylvester Williams.
What it all means: “Patriots Southeast” now features the likes of Butler, Lewis, Kline and Logan Ryan, as well as ex-Pats Mike Vrabel (head coach) and Jon Robinson (GM) as part of the braintrust. There are some draft questions, but if the newcomers can mesh with a talented young roster that lost in the divisional round last year, this could be a 10-win team in 2018.