AFC East Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Patriots

Bills

Bills C Mitch Morse finally returned to the field last week after spending most of this summer in the concussion protocol. Every player and every concussion is different, making recoveries and timelines unpredictable, but Morse says he consulted “every freakin’ expert known to man” while the effects of the injury lingered. He feels good enough about what he learned to continue playing.

“You always wonder, but every single [specialist] I talked to said the outside perception of these things is kind of far off,” Morse said via Sal Maiorana the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. “I feel very confident that I’m going to be fine in the future. We’ve done all the tests you can do, and everyone was tip-top and all the specialists said I’ll be just fine.”

• The Bills worked out punters Ryan Santoso, Brock Miller, Ryan Winslow and Kasey Redfern on Monday. (Howard Balzer)
• Buffalo also hosted former Bears DE Chuck Harris for a workout Tuesday. (Aaron Wilson)

Dolphins

Dolphins OL coach Dave DeGuglielmo faces a stiff challenge this year after Miami ditched both starting tackles Laremy Tunsil and Jordan Mills on the eve of the regular season. But DeGuglielmo has faced his fair share of challenges in recent years.

In 2017, he took over as the Dolphins’ offensive line coach mid-season after a video leaked of the previous coach snorting a white powder in a team meeting room. He joined the Colts in 2018, only to be fired after the year. He rejoined Miami as a defensive analyst, only to again take over as the offensive line coach when the Dolphins canned Pat Flaherty. 

“I don’t think it’s any different than any other year,” DeGuglielmo said, via the Palm Beach Post’s Joe Schad. “Every year is unique. Every year serves you up its own set of problems. Think about [2017]. A unique situation as well. My situation last year was unique. Every situation has problems. And they’re exclusive. It also has benefits. It’s hard to really say exactly how things will work out in the end, and that’s the pleasure of the game. You work it. You work hard every day.”

• The Dolphins plan to use both WRs Albert Wilson and Jakeem Grant in the slot, per the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.
• That leaves DeVante Parker, UDFA Preston Williams and Allen Hurns as the primary outside receivers. 
• Miami plans to move DE Trent Harris to outside linebacker. 

Patriots

Patriots QB Tom Brady called the release of his backup Brian Hoyer “very difficult,” adding that not only was Hoyer a good friend, but the veteran was a valuable presence in the quarterback room during meetings and on the sidelines during games. 

“Brian provided a lot,” Brady said in a radio interview with WEEI. “He was a great quarterback for our team and he won an offseason award. He just brought a great positive energy to the team. Always optimistic and I think there’s times for me that I get frustrated or I get down or disappointed with things that may have happened and he would always try and bring me back to center pretty quickly. I love the relationship I have with him. It will certainly continue on in its own personal way. We just won’t be working together.”

• Per Kevin Duffy, HC Bill Belichick didn’t say if the team tried to trade Hoyer before releasing him: “There were a lot of things involved with that…That would be a longer conversation. We did what we did, and we’ll stand by that.”
• Patriots WR Demaryius Thomas‘ procedural re-signing with New England includes a raise to $1.5 million in base salary from his previous $1.2 million. (Field Yates)