AFC East Notes: Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Most of the other AFC East teams have gone the route of remaining publicly deferential to the Patriots even after the clear vacuum of power following QB Tom Brady‘s departure. The Bills have been no different, with GM Brandon Beane and HC Sean McDermott saying the Patriots are the division champions until they’re not. New Bills CB Josh Norman — not known for being understated — took a predictably different course. 

“With or without [Brady] being there, we was going to be a force to be reckoned with,” Norman said in an interview with TMZ via NewYorkUpstate.com’s Matt Parrino. “Coming in, I know the philosophy of the head coach and the GM already. Mindset-wise, it didn’t matter who was at the quarterback position for the opposing team. It was just going to be about us and not nobody else. That’s what I think the mindset going into this year is all about: Separating yourself from the pack. Going out there and doing your thing, worrying about you, and don’t concern yourself with anybody else.”

Norman also feels strongly about his own outlook for the coming 2020 season. After a nightmare end to his tenure with the Redskins, where Washington went out of its way to keep him on the bench despite injuries in the secondary, Norman reunited with a number of former coaches from his time in Carolina. In a scheme that fits him, Norman is more than a little optimistic for big things this season. 

“I feel like All World is coming. I want to put it out there to say that but you put things in the atmosphere and they are even though you have to work on them and get through it,” Norman said. “For me it’s just something I always pride myself in being one of the best to do it. Try to go out there and show it (while) having all this other talk all out there. But you can’t do anything about that. You just have to put it on your back and go out there and carry that chin up.”

Jets

• Per NFL Media’s James Palmer, free-agent CB Logan Ryan says he’ll probably be one of the first people to break the news when he chooses a team to sign with: “I’d probably say it’s not true until you hear it from me on my page. I’ll probably be one of the first to break the news on where I go.”
• SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano says as far as he knows, the Jets have been in contact with Ryan but have been waiting for his price to drop and have not made a formal offer yet. 
• Vacchiano doesn’t think the Jets have much interest right now in former Patriots K Stephen Gostkowski and will monitor the battle between Sam Ficken and Brett Maher this preseason to see if they need to add another option.
• ESPN’s Field Yates lists the Jets as a strong fit for free-agent QB Joe Flacco, LB Markus Golden and WR Taylor Gabriel.
• Matt Bowen adds the Jets would make a lot of sense for Seahawks free-agent DE Jadeveon Clowney, as he would provide a major boost to their pass rush. 
• Jeremy Fowler highlights former Giants and Saints CB Eli Apple as an available option for the Jets to continue to rebuild the secondary.
• Jets LB Jordan Jenkins‘ one-year deal is for $3.75 million with $3.25 million guaranteed. (Rich Cimini)
• It includes a $1.75 million signing bonus and a fully guaranteed $1.5 million base salary. Jenkins can make up to $500,000 in per-game active roster bonuses and an additional $250,000 in likely to be earned incentives. (Cimini)
• Jets RB Frank Gore‘s one-year, $1.05 million deal includes $200,000 in guaranteed base salary and counts $750,000 against the cap under the veteran salary benefit. (Cimini)

Patriots

ESPN’s Mike Reiss breaks down the Patriots undrafted rookie free agent class by guaranteed money:

• LB De’Jon Harris: $140,000 total guaranteed, $15,000 signing bonus
• DT Bill Murray: $125,000 total, $10,000 SB
• RB J.J. Taylor: $100,000 total, $7,500 SB
• WR Isaiah Zuber: $100,000 total, $10,000 SB
• TE Jake Burt: $85,000 total, $5,000 SB
• OLB/TE Rashod Berry: $82,500 total, $7,500 SB
• LB Kyahva Tezino: $70,000 total, $10,000 SB
• WR Will Hastings: $57,500 total, $7,500 SB
• CB Myles Bryant: $50,000 total, $5,000 SB
• DE Nick Coe: $40,000 total, $5,000 SB
• QB J’Mar Smith: $30,000 total, $5,000 SB
• DT Courtney Wallace: $20,000 total, $4,000 SB
• WR Sean Riley: $15,000 total, $5,000 SB
• QB Brian Lewerke: $2,500 SB
• WR Jeff Thomas: $2,500 SB