AFC East Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Patriots

Bills

After missing 11 games over his first two years in the NFL, Bills former first-round DE Shaq Lawson says he’s going to do whatever it takes to stay healthy, including dropping 12 pounds.

“Sitting back and watching our playoff game I was like, ‘I’ve got to stay on the field. Whatever I have to do to stay on the field I’m going to do it,’” Lawson said, via BuffaloBills.com. “I’ve got to be the best I can be and what they drafted me to be.”

Dolphins

• Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald notes that the Dolphins’ cap space jumped from $311,556 to over $17 million after the dead money from DT Ndamukong Suh’s contract came off their books on Friday.
• Following Dolphins’ first-round DB Minkah Fitzpatrick‘s rookie contract, Jackson mentions that the team will require $7.6 million to sign the rest of their rookie class and another $2 million for their practice squad.
• Jackson also writes that the Dolphins are set to have $15 million in cap next offseason, but more space will be needed to re-sign impending free agents like DE Cameron Wake, DT Jordan Phillips, and OT Ja’Wuan James.

Patriots

Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower dealt with a pectoral injury last year, but he says he’s been able to do everything in OTAs up to this point.

“I’ve been doing everything since OTAs started,” Hightower said, via Pro Football Talk. “Still rehabbing and still getting my extra lifts and all that other good stuff in, but as far as how I feel, I feel good. I’m still going to continue to do that — a lot of preventive work throughout the season — so I’m just concentrating on staying healthy.”