AFC East Notes: Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Former Bills QB Tyrod Taylor believes he had done “more than enough” to justify him staying in Buffalo.

“Whether I was or whether I wasn’t, I’m not there anymore,” Taylor said when asked when he realized he wasn’t HC Sean McDermott’s guy, via the Buffalo News. “That’s his decision moving forward. I still feel that I’d done more than enough to stay where I was. But at the end of the day, they made a decision to move forward, and that’s their decision.”

Jets

• Albert Breer writes that though Jets QB Teddy Bridgewater (ACL) has played well in practice, the team will not know his full potential until he gets hit.
• As for second-year WR Chad Hansen, Breer mentions that Jets OC Jeremy Bates envisions a “Pierre Garcon-type” role for him.
• Rich Cimini of ESPN writes that there would be “no chance” Jets HC Todd Bowles starts first-round QB Sam Darnold over Bridgewater or Josh McCown if either of the quarterbacks is producing wins next season.
• Cimini does not expect third-year Jets WR Devin Smith to play much this season since he is still recovering from his second ACL surgery. According to Cimini, Smith will have a hard time making the active roster given there are “at least” six receivers ahead of him on the depth chart.

Patriots

• Mike Reiss of ESPN notes that seventh-round QB Danny Etling has benefited the most with Tom Brady sitting out OTAs since the rookie has been able to practice with the second-string unit.
• Patriots owner Robert Kraft said that he expects Brady and Rob Gronkowski to attend the team’s mandatory minicamp next week.
• According to Reiss, fifth-round LB Ja’Whaun Bentley and sixth-round LB Christian Sam‘s performance on special teams will be “crucial” towards either making the active roster.