Before the NFL draft kicked off Thursday night, the Patriots had some catching up to do with in the AFC East.

The Jets secured one of the top quarterbacks in the league in Aaron Rodgers to complement their shutdown defense. The Dolphins, meanwhile, bolstered their soft spot — defense — during free agency, and the Bills continue to be one of the elite teams in the league thanks to the presence of Josh Allen.

So did any of the teams make any dramatic moves during the draft to improve?

Here’s how it shapes up for the Patriots and the rest of the AFC East teams:

Draft haul: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah; O’Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida; Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane, Justin Shorter, WR, Florida, Nick Broeker, G, Houston, Alex Austin, CB, Oregon State.

Best pick: Kincaid. Torrence is a close second given they snagged one of the best interior line prospects in the second round. But Kincaid, who the Bills surrendered a fourth-round pick to move up the board to get, is the premier pass-catching tight end in the class. His presence with Dawson Knox will make Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis even more dangerous.

Head scratcher: Still searching.

Sleeper: Shorter. He’s an outside receiver with some downfield ability. He might even push Davis.

Analysis: It was the Super Bowl or bust last year, but the Bills still haven’t been able to break through.

They continue to be one of the best teams in the NFL, and it remains to be seen if the Dolphins, Patriots or Jets can knock them off the pedestal as the top team in the AFC East.

Adding at least one bonafide weapon in Kincaid could help put them over the top. Even as a tight end, he’ll line up in the slot and provide a welcome target for Allen over the middle.

Williams, meanwhile, should take away some of the sting of losing Tremaine Edwards, while Torrence, in the words of ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., is a “pancake machine” who plows over defenders in the run game. Overall, a very good draft for the Bills.

Draft haul: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina; Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M, Elijah Higgins, TE, Stanford; Ryan Hayes, OT, Michigan.

Best pick: Achane. One of the NFL’s speediest offenses just got even faster.

Achane, who also doubled as a member of the Aggies track team, clocked a 4.32-second 40-yard time. Over the past two seasons, he racked up a stunning 36 breakaway runs of 15-plus yards.

Head scratcher: Smith. The Fins already traded for Jalen Ramsey to pair with Xavien Howard, so the need for another corner didn’t compute, especially where they took Smith. What they needed was to get more protection for Tua Tagovailoa with their top picks.

Sleeper: Higgins. He was Stanford’s leading receiver the past two seasons, but Mike McDaniel is moving him to tight end. With his size (6-3, 239 pounds), and ability to stretch the seam, he’ll be an interesting player to watch.

Analysis: The Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick, and had also sent two picks to Kansas City as part of the Tyreek Hill trade last season. So they weren’t exactly flush with picks.

With the four they had, it was somewhat curious they didn’t provide more protection for Tagovailoa, given the number of head injuries he suffered last season.

But the Fins did much of their work in free agency, fortifying their weakest link — the defense. They were a playoff team last year, and depending on Tagovailoa’s health, should be on that road again.

Draft haul: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon; Keion White, DE, Georgia Tech; Marte Mapu, LB, Sacramento State; Jake Andrews, C, Troy; Chad Ryland, K, Maryland; Sidy Sow, G, Eastern Michigan; Atonio Mafi, G, UCLA; Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU; Bryce Baringer, P, Michigan State, Demario Douglas, WR/PR, Liberty; Ameer Speed, CB, Michigan State, Isaiah Bolden, CB/KR, Jackson State.

Best pick: Gonzalez. Projected as a top 10 pick, getting him at No. 17 should be considered a steal. But he absolutely, 100 percent has to be the real deal. He cannot be a bust.

Head scratcher: Mapu. He’s very good, and Bill Belichick supposedly loves him, but he’s redundant. See Kyle Dugger, Adrian Phillips, Jabril Peppers and Jalen Mills, all box safeties who occasionally drop back to play deep in single-high coverage.

Sleeper: Boutte. He was widely considered a possible Day 1 pick prior to his final season at LSU. Both an ankle injury, and some concerns of a a lack of effort sent him tumbling down the board. If that ankle problem doesn’t linger, and he gets his act together, he has the talent to be a game-changer.

Analysis: With a dozen picks, the Patriots had the most picks of any team in the AFC East. Some of their picks made complete sense, others not so much.

Not sure why they needed so many interior offensive linemen when tackle was their greatest need. Sow has played some tackle, but the Patriots needed a plug-and-play at right tackle especially.

The Pats added more speed on both sides of the ball, which is never a bad thing. That being said, they still don’t stack up with Buffalo, and are treading water to stay with the Dolphins and Jets.

Draft haul: Will McDonald IV, DE, Iowa State; Joe Tippman, C, Wisconsin; Carter Warren, OT, Pitt; Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pitt; Zaire Barnes, LB, Western Michigan; Jarrick Bernard-Converse, S, LSU; Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion.

Best pick: Tippman. He’s the highest-drafted center since Nick Mangold (29th overall in 2006). Even while re-signing Connor McGovern, Tippman is ticketed to be Aaron Rodgers’ center, one of the most important jobs on the offense.

Head scratcher: Not getting Rodgers more weapons in the early rounds. Wasn’t that Green Bay’s MO?

Sleeper: Kuntz. A steal in the seventh round.

Analysis: The Jets believe they got their missing piece by finally completing the trade for Rodgers. They’ve certainly put themselves in position to contend, given how good their defense was last year.

Rodgers has a very good cast around him, with Breece Hall in the backfield, and Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard as his top receivers.

A bit surprised the Jets didn’t nab another receiver, or a top tackle, given all of Mekhi Becton’s injury woes.

With a motivated Rodgers, however, the Jets are going to make some noise.