NFL Notes: Trent Baalke, Bills, Dolphins, Texans

Trent Baalke

• Adam Schefter reports that the NFL has hired former 49ers GM Trent Baalke as Football Operations Consultant.
• Baalke is expected to handle a variety of roles for the NFL including game-related matters, player development and evaluation, and officiating video review.

Bills

Bills WR Sammy Watkins gave the team a scare on Sunday when it appeared he injured his ankle.

“I overextended on my foot on my route,” Watkins explained after practice, via Mike Rodak of ESPN. “Usually I don’t do that, but that play, I overextended and tweaked my ankle a little bit, but I’m fine.”

Watkins said he still expects to be back on the practice field Monday.

“I’ll probably ice it and I’ll be fine,” Watkins said. “I’ll be out here [Monday].”

Dolphins

• Ian Rapoport of NFL Media says it’s at least possible that Jay Cutler‘s new opportunity with the Dolphins could turn out to be a long-term situation, depending on how things go for them in 2017.

Texans

Texans DE J.J. Watt tells Sirius XM NFL Radio that he feels great and is looking forward to the upcoming season.

“It’ll be a lot of fun,” Watt said. “There’s going to be a lot of great things ahead. I’m very fortunate, I’m looking forward to it. My body feels great, I feel great. The practices have been going really well, so I’m really looking forward to playing some games, getting back out there, and being the player I expect to be.”

Watt added that he intends to trust the plan laid out for him by the medical staff and not push to out practicing as much as possible.

“I’ve learned a lot over my career to really kind of trust the plan that (the medical staff) put in place,” Watt said. “In the past, I may have been chomping at the bit and getting in their ear a lot and really try to get out there every single day. And I’ve learned that all that does is wear me out. I just try and do what they say and whenever they do let me out of the cage, I kind of go out there and then really let it fly.”