AFC East Notes: Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills GM Brandon Beane stressed the importance of drafting the best player available, regardless of need.

“When we get to draft day we’re not going to reach. We’re not. I have seen that and it rarely works when you reach,” Beane said, via BuffaloBills.com. “I’ve seen where decisions were made and it’s decided that a team will not come out of the draft without ‘X’ position filled. I have a lot of examples in my head right now that happened.

“Most teams say they won’t reach. I’ve told my guys to hold me accountable. If they see me starting to reach somewhere that doesn’t match our value I’ve told them to grab me.

“We can’t just go say, ‘Hey I’m going to take this guy in the first and this guy in the second and now we’ve checked those boxes.’ We have to draft best player available. We’ve checked a decent number of boxes, but we still have work to do.”

Jets

• Rich Cimini reports that the Jets signed LB Kevin Minter and G Dakota Dozier to one-year, $880,000 contracts that included $90,000 signing bonuses.
• According to Cimini, new Jets WR Charles Johnson signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract that includes a $250,000 workout and signing bonuses. He’ll carry a cap charge of $1.5 million for the 2018 season.
• FSU DL Derrick Nnadi is visiting the Jets on Thursday. (Josh Norris)
• Temple DL Jullian Taylor will meet with the Jets on Friday. (DraftAnalyst)

Patriots

Patriots owner Robert Kraft mentioned during an interview with Jeff Howe of The Athletic that TE Rob Gronkowski’s future is “not even an issue.”

“It’s not even an issue for me,” Kraft said. “I didn’t know about it until I read about it in the paper. I saw him [recently at Gillette Stadium]. We have a fun, good relationship. He is one of the most up people I know. I was impressed that he was coming in late and doing whatever he had to do to make himself feel right and get his body right.”

As for QB Tom Brady, Kraft said that too isn’t an issue and if it becomes one, they’ll “deal with it.”

“He’ll be 41 when the season starts,” Kraft told Howe. “Neither side has an issue with it. If it becomes an issue, we’ll deal with it.”

“I hope he plays,” Kraft said. “He’s at a different point in his life. He talked about it. It’s interesting to see that Tom vs. Time and see where he’s at, his kids growing up. But that is something for he and his family to decide what is right for him. Me personally, I’d like to see him play as long as he can. I don’t think anyone would have believed 10 years ago that he would have played this year, gone to the Super Bowl and been MVP of the league at 40 years old. It’s just unbelievable. It speaks to the way he takes care of himself, the way he trains, how much film he watches, one of the hardest working guys. He is driven to excel. I think as long as he feels he is like that, he’ll keep playing. We’re so lucky to have him in our system.”