AFC East Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• Per the Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, Bills HC Sean McDermott says the team is discussing if it’s best to leave TE Tyler Kroft on the PUP list, which would cause him to miss the first six weeks of the season. Kroft, who signed with the Bills this offseason, broke his foot during OTA’s. 
• Bills TE Jason Croom will play in the preseason finale and needs a “hell of a game” to overtake either Tommy Sweeney, Dawson Knox or Lee Smith for a roster spot, according to ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques.
• Bills P Corey Bojorquez is “still competing” per McDermott despite the fact Buffalo released P Cory Carter. (Buscaglia)

Dolphins

Dolphins WR Kenny Stills‘ name has come up in trade rumors, particularly after he publicly criticized both Dolphins owner Stephen Ross for his support of President Donald Trump and rapper Jay-Z for his partnership with the NFL. Stills has also been vocal in the past in his support for Colin Kaepernick and continued kneeling during the national anthem in his protest of police brutality. 

However, Stills says he believes any potential departure from Miami wouldn’t be due to his activism. He’s set to count $9.75 million against the cap for the Dolphins this year, who have already released several veterans on the eve of roster cuts.

“It’s the business side of this game,” Stills said via Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post. “All of us in this game could potentially be somewhere else.”

• According to the Miami Herald’s Adam Beasley, by cutting OT Jordan Mills and TE Clive Walford the Dolphins freed up $8 million in cap space. 
• The Dolphins freed an additional $4 million by cutting DT Akeem Spence and LB Chase Allen. (Beasley)
• With $29 million in cap space currently available, Beasley expects Miami to roll most of that over. 
• Dolphins HC Brian Flores says the team still has not decided who will start at quarterback Week 1: Ryan Fitzpatrick or Josh Rosen. (Beasley)
• Fitzpatrick is dealing with an illness and won’t play in the final preseason game, while there’s a good chance Rosen will. (Cameron Wolfe)

Jets

• Jets CB Trumaine Johnson returned to individual drills in practice Tuesday, per the Athletic’s Connor Hughes. 
• Johnson had been out with a hamstring injury. 

Patriots

Patriots QB Tom Brady said he understood Andrew Luck‘s decision to retire given all the injuries he’d suffered in his seven-year career. Brady has been fortunate to avoid major injuries for the most part, excluding a torn ACL in 2008. He says it’s taken a lot of support to extend his career as long as he has and hopes to. 

“I think it’s everything. There’s definitely a physical element. There’s definitely an emotional element. I think there is a mental element. Everything in my view really has to come together for you to be the best version of yourself as a player, and it takes a lot of support,” Brady said in a radio interview with WEEI. “It takes a lot of people. You see certainly, you can see me as an individual doing that. I have the support of my teammates, my coaches, my family, my friends, Alex [Guerrero], my training system. All those things really need to come together in order to continue to achieve.

“It feels great when you have that support because a football season is like a marathon. There’s moments where it is very challenging whether it’s physically, emotionally, or mentally — you need somebody to help you push through the hard parts because it’s not all easy. It’s a great challenge, but it is very rewarding when you meet the challenge, too.”