AFC East Notes: Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• Bills CB Levi Wallace was highlighted by Pro Football Focus in a guest column for NBC Sports as a potential breakout player with more opportunity in 2019. 

Jets

When Jets GM Joe Douglas was watching tape of the Jets offense to prepare for his interview with the team, he was particularly impressed by WR Robby Anderson.

“He’s a tough weapon for defenses to match up with, he can get behind you and he can challenge the defense vertically,” Douglas said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “That was a very pleasant surprise.”

• Douglas also says he likes TE Chris Herndon, who was rated highly by the Eagles before they took TE Dallas Goedert in the second round in 2018. 
• Douglas mentioned Jets LB Avery Williamson was on the Eagles’ radar as a free agent in 2018. 
• Douglas highlighted DTs Steve McLendon and Nathan Shepherd as good depth options. 

Patriots

Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph understood why there were a host of rumors connecting him to a potential trade with the Patriots, but he never heard anything concrete. 

“I don’t know how real those trade possibilities were,” Rudolph said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “But, like you said, I played for (former Patriots OC) Charlie (Weis). So for me, I’ve kind of followed that organization from afar since 2008 when I got my first Notre Dame playbook and we watched cut-ups from the Patriots offense that we were running. I have a huge amount of respect and appreciation for what they’ve done over the last two decades. But I don’t know that there was ever any real opportunity there. Obviously the speculation is going to be there because of their situation at my position and then our team’s cash/cap situation and my salary. So there was kind of just a natural, like, ‘Hey, Kyle’s familiar with the offense, he played for a coach that was a coordinator there.’”

• Breer writes that Patriots executive Nick Caserio had a clause in his contract that prohibited him from interviewing with other teams in exchange for a raise at some point. 
• According to Breer, the Patriots have offered similar terms to other members of their scouting department to try and preserve continuity. 
• Breer mentions the Patriots could have been as aggressive blocking the Texans attempt to hire Caserio because of animus with Houston EVP Jack Easterby, who left his role as the Patriots character coach because of owner Robert Kraft‘s prostitution charges.