AFC East Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn points out both Bills DE Shaq Lawson and DT Jordan Phillips should see stronger interest on the open market after franchise tags dilute the free-agent defensive line crop as expected.
• Another player the Bills could consider extending is S Jordan Poyer, who is 29 and entering the final season of his deal, per Fairburn. 
• Notre Dame WR Chase Claypool had a formal interview with the Bills at the Combine. (Matthew Fairburn)

Dolphins

• Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes the Dolphins have made it expressly clear they intend to go into 2020 with Ryan Fitzpatrick as a veteran option and potential starter depending on who they draft. 
• That rules out Miami from pursuing any potential free-agent options like Patriots QB Tom Brady, Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston or Saints QB Teddy Bridgewater.
• The Dolphins are making plans to meet with or work out Florida International QB James Morgan following the Combine. (Aaron Wilson)

Jets

• Per SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano, multiple NFL sources would be shocked and surprised if Jets GM Joe Douglas didn’t take an offensive tackle in the first round: “How could he not? There are legitimately four starters that will go in the Top 15. They all have Pro Bowl potential. One, maybe even two of them, will be there for the Jets. He can’t go wrong. And he can get a receiver later. He needs an anchor left tackle to make sure Darnold has time to throw.”
• New York should have a shot at at least one of the four top offensive tackles this year — including Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs, Georgia OT Andrew Thomas, Louisville OT Mekhi Becton and Alabama OT Jedrick Wills. 

Patriots

• According to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, twin brothers and Patriots DBs Devin McCourty and Jason McCourty are informing teams they are not a package deal this offseason. 
• Devin is set to be a free agent, while New England could decline Jason’s option for $1.75 million in cap relief and make him available. 
• The Athletic’s Jeff Howe writes it’s worth examining who is lying about which teams are interested in Patriots QB Tom Brady, using contradictory info from two different sources about the Chargers as an example. One source said the Chargers were only interested to drive up the price for the Raiders in cas Las Vegas signs Brady. 
• Howe adds another team that’s been linked to Brady, the Titans, could be feigning interest to drive down the price of QB Ryan Tannehill, who’s also set to be a free agent.  
• NESN’s Doug Kyed writes there’s a high likelihood the Patriots bring back reserve OL James Ferentz as an unrestricted free agent in 2020.