AFC East Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Last season, Bills DE Jerry Hughes had just 4.5 sacks and his lowest tackle total since his second year in the league. After Buffalo’s 2019 season ended, Hughes revealed he’d been playing through torn wrist ligaments and a groin injury. Hughes had surgery to repair the injuries and says so far everything is progressing well toward being healthy for the 2020 season. 

“Everything seems to be on track, going along well with my rehab. I’m still able to go to the facility four times a week, so I’m just moving along quite well,” Hughes said via the Buffalo News. “I’ve been talking with my trainers and what they’ve been telling the guys here in Houston is that I’m on schedule.”

• The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia says not to rule out the Bills as trade candidates for Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette, as they’ve expressed interest in a downhill-style back to complement RB Devin Singletary.
• If Jacksonville is willing to take a Day 3 pick for Fournette, Buscaglia can see the Bills being more than willing to meet that price, especially since Fournette is entering the final year of his rookie contract and Buffalo could potentially recoup a compensatory pick. 

Dolphins

• Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald mentions the Dolphins would like to draft at least one edge player despite it not being as pressing a need after the free-agent additions of Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah and Kyle Van Noy.
• According to Jackson, some possibilities include Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons, LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson, Wisconsin’s Zack Baun, Auburn’s Marlon Davidson, Penn State’s Yetur Gross-Matos, Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa, Boise State’s Curtis Weaver, Utah’s Bradlee Anae, Alabama’s Terrell Lewis, Notre Dame’s Julian Okwara, Tennessee’s Darrell Taylor and Michigan’s Josh Uche.
• Jackson also notes on Twitter that a choice between QB Tua Tagovailoa and QB Justin Herbert will come down to the player with the better “playmaker gene” or the one who has been much healthier in college.
• Another note from Barry Jackson is that the team has continued to remain in contact with Utah State QB Jordan Love via video conference. Jackson says it is hard to see the team spending so much time with him if there is no interest.
• Other players the team has reached out to include Florida State S Levonta Taylor, Alabama S Xavier McKinney, LSU S Grant Delpit, California S Ashtyn Davis, Minnesota S Antoine Winfield Jr., Southern Illinois LB Jeremy Chinn, Dayton TE Adam Trautman, LSU TE Stephen Sullivan, and Virginia LB Jordan Mack.
• According to Alabama DT Raekwon Davis, the 49ers, Packers, Dolphins, Ravens, and Eagles have been in the most contact with him.
• Former West Virginia and the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks S Kenny Robinson had a video meeting with the Dolphins among other teams. (Jordan Reid)
• The Dolphins have conducted multiple interviews in recent weeks with Georgia K Rodrigo Blankenship. (Barry Jackson)
• Other FaceTime interviews Miami has conducted include Duke DL Trevon McSwain, Auburn DT Nick Coe and LSU DT Rashard Lawrence. 
• Jackson says the Dolphins have also talked to Maryland RB Anthony McFarland and Cincinnati RB Michael Warren. Jackson believes the Dolphins could use two picks on running backs. 
• Jackson notes the Dolphins have done a lot of work on Valdosta State OT Brandon Kemp who is a potential UDFA. Miami also sent an official to interview Oregon State OT Blake Brandel before the shutdown and has kept in contact with Michigan G Michael Onwenu, both options on Day 3 or later. 
• Jeremy Fowler reports that the Dolphins are among the teams that have done “serious homework” on Utah State QB Jordan Love.

Jets

• ESPN’s Rich Cimini says his sense is the Jets are willing to slow-play an extension for S Jamal Adams into 2021, which will be the final year of his deal after the fifth-year option, while Adams wants to be extended now. How the two sides navigate that will be crucial to Adams’ future in New York. 
• Cimini writes that if Louisville OT Mekhi Becton is the only tackle left and his flagged drug test raises character concerns with the Jets, keep an eye on Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb for New York.
• Cimini adds Jets GM Joe Douglas, with strong roots in the Ravens and Eagles organizations, is open to moving down in the draft and adding more picks.  

Patriots

• ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes the Patriots would be open to taking Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon QB Justin Herbert if one fell to them in the first round. 
• Reiss mentions the Patriots and G Joe Thuney aren’t close to an extension and New England could deal Thuney during the draft. 
• ESPN’s Matt Bowen, who pegged Jarrett Stidham as a fit for the Patriots last year, believes Washington QB Jacob Eason would also be a fit for New England this year. 
• Jeremy Fowler reports that the Patriots are among the teams that have done “serious homework” on Utah State QB Jordan Love.
• Minnesota DB Antoine Winfield Jr told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the Patriots are among the teams he’s heard from during the predraft process.