AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins GM Chris Grier mentioned that the new coaching staff is excited to work with former first-round DE Charles Harris. 

“[The new coaches] are excited to work with Charles because they had said that they liked him previously when they had seen him coming out of college at Missouri. They’re going to work with him. They think that they can do some things to help him,” Grier said, via the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “Whenever you change schemes and coaches, there always is going to be some misfit pieces. “The one good thing we love about Brian [Flores] is in New England he found a way to getting guys to play better. Hopefully, that’s the case here.”

Jets

• Rich Cimini of ESPN reports that the Jets had interest in Seahawks DE Frank Clark at the start of free agency. 
• However, a trade for Clark “seems unlikely“, considering that the Jets are without a second-round pick and couldn’t agree to a trade while they’re on the clock because they would want to negotiate a long-term deal. 
• According to Greg Gabriel, the hot name for the Jets at No. 3 right now if they can’t trade down is Houston DT Ed Oliver. Gabriel has been told that Oliver is the guy DC Gregg Williams wants on their defensive line. 

Patriots

Daniel Jeremiah mentioned North Carolina State’s Ryan Finley and Auburn’s Jarrett Stidham as two quarterback prospects who could make sense for the Patriots.

“Finley is somebody that — I was at his pro day, and Nick Caserio was there taking a look at him,” Jeremiah said, via NESN.com. “He operates the way they like to operate. He’s smart. He’s efficient. He gets the ball out of his hand quick. I think he fits offensively what Josh McDaniels wants to do and likes to do. I think he’d be a great fit there.

“Stidham is one of the true wild cards because he spins it as well or better than anybody in this entire draft class. In shorts, he’d be a top-five pick. Unfortunately, it hasn’t clicked on the field like you’d want to see at Auburn. Some of that is the lack of protection. Some of it is an offensive system that’s not great for him. But just throwing the football, he’s a great athlete. I think it’s going to take a little bit of time to develop him, but I could make a case he makes a lot of sense for the Patriots because they’ve got a little bit of time, no pun intended, with Tom there. He’s not going anywhere right now. That would give you a chance to really develop a guy like this with a potential huge upside. Really as much upside as any quarterback in the draft class. Stidham is very talented. So that might be a risk worth taking.”