AFC East Notes: Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

When the Bills were pitching RB T.J. Yeldon during free agency, they told him he’d have the chance to compete for playing time even though they already had veterans LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore.

The presence of veterans was actually a draw for Yeldon, along with RB coach Kelly Skipper who worked with Yeldon in Jacksonville. 

“That’s a blessing,” Yeldon said via Nick Veronica of the Buffalo News. “Coming in my first couple years, I didn’t have vets like that. Being here in this situation, I can learn a lot from those guys. It’s a lot for me to take with me in my future years. It’s going to be a heated competition. That’s one thing they told me coming in. There’s going to be competition regardless.”

Jets

The Jets hiring of GM Joe Douglas and Douglas’ subsequent hires to fill out his staff, like Chad Alexander formerly with the Ravens, have drawn praise from people around the league. 

“I am not in their building but I respect the Jets organization,” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said via Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun. “They have added exceptional football guys in Joe and obviously, Chad. They have also added some talented guys who have played for us in the past. If you add some players and make a couple of good moves, you can turn things around quickly. Some teams that didn’t do well last year will come up and surprise people this season, and some who won last year will struggle this season. That’s the beauty of this league. That’s what makes the NFL fun.”

Patriots

The Patriots don’t have the strongest track record with drafting wide receivers, as QB Tom Brady is a noted perfectionist. Past Patriots wide receivers say there is a path to success for first-round WR N’Keal Harry.

“You keep your mouth shut, do what you’re asked to do and just understand it’s a new journey,” former Patriots WR P.K. Sam said via the Athletic’s Nick Underhill. “You go from a superstar in your college to back on the bottom, which he won’t because he was a high draft pick, but still. He has to learn the ropes. Just keep your mouth shut, keep your body healthy, and everything will work out.”

• Per Peter Schrager, former NFL CB DeAngelo Hall says the Patriots offered him a three-year, $27 million deal in 2008, which he turned down in favor of a larger deal with the Redskins: “No regrets. I loved my time with the Redskins. That was home. But, yeah, I think about that decision time to time.”