AFC East Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

With the news that veteran G Richie Incognito plans to retire from the NFL, Mike Rodak of ESPN writes takes a look at how the Bills’ list of roster needs could impact whether they trade up for a quarterback in round one.

• Rodak mentions that a trade up could cost the Bills half or more of their six picks in the first three rounds of this year’s draft.
• Buffalo also lost C Eric Wood to retirement this offseason, so their offensive line, which had been a strength for them, will likely be downgraded for the start of the 2018 season.
• Rodak says that the Bills could also use help at middle linebacker, a No. 3 receiver and a nickel cornerback.
• There are also players with uncertain long-term futures such as TE Charles Clay, RT Jordan Mills, DE Jerry Hughes and DE Shaq Lawson, according to Rodak.
• Regarding Incognito’s retirement, Joel Corry points out that the Bills are entitled to recover $2.15 million, which breaks down to $1.15 million of his 2018 signing bonus proration from his 2016 deal and the $1 million signing bonus in his recently renegotiated contract.
• The Bills are hosting Louisville DB Jaire Alexander for a pre-draft visit on Tuesday. (Mike Jones)
• Buffalo OT David Goldsby will work out for the Bills at their local pro day. (Aaron Wilson)

Dolphins

• On Monday, a report surfaced that the Dolphins nixed a trade with the Broncos that would have sent RB C.J. Anderson to Miami in return for RT Ja’Wuan James. (NFLTR)
• However, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins did not want to trade James to the Broncos for Anderson and had no such agreement in place.

Jets

• Albert Breer reports that the Jets are hosting USC QB Sam Darnold for a Top 30 visit in the coming days. Breer adds that Darnold wasn’t on their schedule a couple weeks back, but is now.

Patriots

Patriots owner Robert Kraft mentioned that neither the team nor QB Tom Brady have an issue with his contract situation and if that changes, they’ll deal with it at that time.

“He’ll be 41 when the season starts,” Kraft told Jeff Howe of The Athletic. “Neither side has an issue with it. If it becomes an issue, we’ll deal with it.”

Kraft added that he would like to see Brady play as long as he can.

“I hope he plays,” Kraft said. “He’s at a different point in his life. He talked about it. It’s interesting to see that Tom vs. Time and see where he’s at, his kids growing up. But that is something for he and his family to decide what is right for him. Me personally, I’d like to see him play as long as he can. I don’t think anyone would have believed 10 years ago that he would have played this year, gone to the Super Bowl and been MVP of the league at 40 years old. It’s just unbelievable. It speaks to the way he takes care of himself, the way he trains, how much film he watches, one of the hardest working guys. He is driven to excel. I think as long as he feels he is like that, he’ll keep playing. We’re so lucky to have him in our system.”