AFC Draft Rumors: Bills, Jets, Mekhi Becton

Bills

• The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia reiterates he’s doubtful the Bills take a cornerback in the first round even though it’s widely seen as a big need. He does think the team could target a safety though, either someone like Georgia’s Lewis Cine or even a trade up if Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton starts to slip. 
• Buscaglia also doesn’t discount the possibility of Buffalo taking RB Breece Hall in the first round. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport says there’s a “somewhat moderate chance” the Bills could take Hall. 
• To address cornerback, Buscaglia identifies Mississippi State’s Martin Emerson and Fayetteville State’s Joshua Williams as potential fits for the Bills later in the draft.  
• On offense, Buscaglia likes the fits of Texas A&M RB Isaiah Spiller, Georgia RB James Cook, Kentucky WR Wan’Dale Robinson and Memphis WR Calvin Austin. 
• Buscaglia points out the Bills have started to value athleticism on the offensive line. Some prospects who are fits they’ve had visits with include Memphis OL Dylan Parham, UCLA OL Sean Rhyan, North Carolina OL Josh Ezeudu and Ohio State OT Nicholas Petit-Frere.
• On Day 3, Buscaglia identifies tight end, linebacker and punter as likely positions the Bills will want to address. 

Mekhi Becton

Jets GM Joe Douglas downplayed T Mekhi Becton‘s absence from the team’s voluntary offseason program and said it was because Becton and his girlfriend were preparing for the birth of their child.

“He’s getting ready to welcome a newborn with his girlfriend,” Douglas said on The Michael Kay Show. “We’ve been checking in with him. Checking in with his medical team, making sure everything’s going well in his progression back, and looking forward to him back on the field doing good things. This is a voluntary deal. Of course, every coach, every person, and part of the team would love 100 percent attendance. I think the communication has been strong. It’s not like we don’t know what the heck’s going on with Mekhi in Dallas. We feel good about his progression and where he’s at.”

Becton is still working his way back from a dislocated kneecap that cost him most of the 2021 season and is also working with a nutritionist to keep his weight down.

“He’s working hard,” Douglas said. “He’s rehabbing. “He’s working out with Duke Manyweather and Duke runs a great program down there in Dallas for the offensive linemen.”

Jets

• The Athletic’s Connor Hughes writes that if the Jets take N.C. State OT Ikem Ekwonu with the No. 4 pick, it means they almost certainly will trade Becton.
• Hughes adds another scenario for the Jets is to trade back into the first round for Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning, who Douglas loved from the Senior Bowl. 
• ESPN’s Rich Cimini doesn’t get the sense the door is completely shut for the Jets to potentially trade for WR Deebo Samuel. 
• Cimini adds Ekwonu, Cincinnati CB Ahmad Gardner and Florida State DE Jermaine Johnson all appear to be in play at No. 4. 
• DJ Bien-Aime of the NY Daily News has been told by sources the Jets won’t pass on Ekwonu if he’s available. He adds multiple team sources claim they’re not done with Becton, there are just concerns about his conditioning. 
• Regarding Thibodeaux, Bien-Aime writes his read is the Jets’ coaching staff isn’t bothered by his personality, but there are some in the front office who are. The buzz is that Johnson has a slight edge in their internal assessments, though. 
• Bien-Aime mentions he continues to hear buzz about USC WR Drake London as the favorite for the Jets if he’s there at No. 10. 
• PFF’s Doug Kyed mentions the Jets are a team that could potentially trade up in the first round on Thursday. 
• According to Albert Breer of SI.com, the Jets are among the teams that have engaged in trade talks to move down the board in round one to add more picks.
• Jets DE Vinny Curry‘s one-year deal is for the minimum $1.12 million with $800,000 guaranteed. (Cimini)