AFC East Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• Per Joe Buscaglia, Bills GM Brandon Beane said the team felt like RB Devin Singletary was sticking out on their board, especially given the age of their running backs.
• Beane added that RB LeSean McCoy was still the starter. 
• According to Beane, the Bills thought about trading back into the first round for OL Cody Ford, who will play right tackle first for Buffalo and add depth at guard. (Buscaglia)

Dolphins

New Dolphins QB Josh Rosen will be given a chance to compete for the starting job, but also won’t prevent the Dolphins from drafting a quarterback in 2020 if they need to. 

“We didn’t go out saying he’s got to be a franchise quarterback for us,” Dolphins GM Chris Grier said via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. “For us it was he’s a very talented young player. He’s got a lot of upside in this league and the value and taking on the contract, for us the value was tremendous that we couldn’t afford to pass up.”

Rosen has faced a lot of questions about his attitude, leadership and personality so far, however, Grier said the Dolphins are comfortable with the player they’re getting. 

“The work we’ve done — and we’ve talked to people we both know — and coaches unsolicited have called us that know him, that have worked with him and say a lot of that stuff is B.S.,” Grier said. “And so for us, we don’t know him because we don’t have our hands on him. We’re going with the people we trust and know. And the coaches and scouts in the building that have called people have said this is really a good kid that’s smart. And maybe he has some other interests like following the stock market or something. He’s really smart but he loves football. He studies it. And it’s really important to him and he has a chip on his shoulder now.”

Jets

The Jets drafted talented edge rusher Jachai Polite in the third round, who struggled during the pre-draft process.

Polite said it was a “great learning experience” for him and he plans to focus on getting better. 

“I know this road has been bumpy with ups and downs,” Polite said, via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “It was a great learning experience going into this league. Just humbling myself. . . .I learned how to take care of business. I was kind of blinded before, being young and immature. But I’ve accepted all my flaws and have been working on it this offseason.”

Polite said at the Combine that teams were “bashing” him. 

“I regret saying that [anyone] was bashing me, because they weren’t really bashing me,” Polite said. “There were just trying to interview a guy to come play for their team. They just wanted to see how I reacted. It was all my fault, and I learned from it.”

“I have a lot of people to prove wrong,” Polite added. “I’m ready to work. Growing up, there’s always been a lot of negative things about me. And I’ve just worked my whole life.”

• Per the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta, any rumors about GM Mike Maccagnan‘s future are false and the Jets didn’t consider making any changes this offseason. 
• Maccagnan says he has no problems bringing back CB Morris Claiborne. (Connor Hughes)

Patriots

The success the Patriots had with WR Josh Gordon last year might have induced them to take WR N’Keal Harry instead of a smaller slot option. 

“I think Bill’s always gone with trends and where the league is going,” analyst and former Patriot Tedy Bruschi said via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “To have a big wide receiver, for possibly shots down the field off play-action; if they decide they still want to be a power-running team, this is a guy that can do it for you.”

• Reiss believes WR Demaryius Thomas will be a valuable mentor for Harry. 
• According to Reiss, the Patriots not drafting a tight end could lead to them looking to add someone like TE Benjamin Watson to bolster the position. 
• Reiss mentions he never got the sense the Patriots were that interested in QB Josh Rosen. 
• Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio said it’s too early to determine where DB Joejuan Williams will play. (Doug Kyed)
• Patriots undrafted rookie LB Terez Hall received $80,000 guaranteed including a $10,000 signing bonus. (Ben Volin)
• Patriots undrafted rookie OT Tyree St. Louis received $27,500 guaranteed including a $7,500 signing bonus. (Volin)