NFL Notes: Bills, Jaguars, Eagles, Patriots

Bills/Jaguars

• Ian Rapoport points out that the conditional sixth-round pick the Bills received from the Jaguars in the trade for DT Marcell Dareus will be upgraded to a fifth-round pick after Jacksonville made the playoffs.
• Joel Corry mentions that Bills QB Tyrod Taylor will earn a $500,000 bonus if the Bills advance to the Divisional Playoff round.

Eagles

• According to Howard Eskin, the Eagles could be playing in London next year against either the Jaguars or Titans.
• Eskin mentions that the NFL plans to announce the London slate of games for the 2018 season on Thursday.

Patriots

Patriots QB Tom Brady mentioned Saturday during an interview with Westwood One that he doesn’t see a difference in the work environment between himself, HC Bill Belichick and his teammates.

“I see it as I’ve seen it for the last 18 years: that we’re all there to do a job, and that’s to go out to do our best and help the team win,” Brady said, via ESPN.com. “That’s been very consistent here. That’s been a big reason why our team has been so successful, and I don’t see that any different going into this week.”

Brady also doesn’t think there’s any tension between him and Belichick, despite the recent report from ESPN that outlined some of the issues key members of the Patriots have dealt with this year.

“I don’t think so. I think in so many ways, adversity that our team has faced over the years only makes us stronger. Everything is a great opportunity, and we have a great opportunity as a team,” Brady said.

Brady made it clear that “there’s no coach [he’d] rather play for” than Belichick and referred to owner Robert Kraft as a “second father.”

“I characterize my relationship with Mr. Kraft as very much the same way,” Brady said. “He is a great person, man. He has been like a second father to me in so many ways. I have a great relationship with Coach Belichick. We’ve worked together for 18 years. There’s no coach I’d rather play for, and I’ve loved my experience here. I certainly couldn’t be the player I am today without playing for such a great coach. So I see these as all positive things. A lot of people … that obviously doesn’t sell many newspapers, but, to me, I have such gratitude toward my time here, and I’ve loved my experience. I continue to love my experience.”

As for the future, Brady says he’s hoping to finish things out with the Patriots.

“Well, in that aspect I haven’t changed at all, so I know careers change,” Brady said. “They change places. Great players change, coaches change, ownership changes, that’s just the way it is. So, you know, I think there’s a humility that you understand that you’re not bigger than any of this, and I believe I’m certainly not. And, you know, I love this team, I love this organization, and hopefully we can go out and make everybody proud by finishing the season the right way.“