AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

So far, Dolphins QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has been ahead of QB Josh Rosen in the competition for the Dolphins starting positions. Fitzpatrick has made some flash plays, but also been more consistent and shown a leadership presence. 

“The first thing I think of is his command of the huddle,” HC Brian Flores said via ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe. “How he works with players — older players, younger players — and his rapport with defensive guys, offensive guys and guys in the kicking game, I think that shows his leadership in a big way. Whoever he is in there with, he’s trying to help and improve and get better. I’ve been very pleased with him.”

Rosen is admittedly still adjusting after a whirlwind trade to the Dolphins from the Cardinals. He also doesn’t have Fitzpatrick’s benefit of lots of NFL experience to lean on in a leadership role. But he’s expected to see the field at some point this season and is preparing that way. 

“One of my favorite phrases is, ‘If you set no expectations, you’ll never be disappointed.’ I don’t really have any expectations,” Rosen said. “I have a daily standard I want to hold myself to and how good I feel like I am and how I should be.”

“Whatever he does well, I’m trying to figure out why he did it and emulate it and continue to add my own flavor to it,” he continued. “The real competition starts in training camp.”

Jets

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer says new Jets GM Joe Douglas could bring Eagles director of player personnel Andy Weidl and director of college scouting Ian Cunningham with him. 
• Douglas could also add Chicago’s Champ Kelly and ESPN’s Todd McShay to his staff in prominent roles. 
• Senior VP of business affairs and general counsel Hyme Elhai has also taken a more prominent role on the football side. 
• Douglas is expected to formally request an interview with Ravens executive Chad Alexander, per Jason La Canfora.
• According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, the Jets could potentially be more aggressive with extensions for players like WR Robby Anderson and DL Leonard Williams under GM Joe Douglas.
• Cimini adds Douglas won’t have to worry about an extension for QB Sam Darnold until 2021 at the earliest. 
• Cimini says he expects the Jets to have a strong emphasis on keeping their own talent, such as S Jamal Adams, under Douglas.
• Cimini mentions DL Nathan Shepherd, WR Charone Peake, DL Folorunso Fatukasi, and RBs Elijah McGuire and Trenton Cannon as being put on notice as past draft picks from a former general manager. 
• Cimini also expects Douglas to put more of an emphasis on the offensive line than former GM Mike Maccagnan, who only drafted three offensive linemen during his tenure.
• Cimini identifies Phil Savage as a potential candidate to assist Douglas. 
• The Jets promoted Greg Nejmeh to director of pro personnel, Kevin Murphy to assistant director of pro personnel, Andrew Dollak to college scout, and Ray Agnew and Salim Powell to scouting assistants, while player personnel executive Rich Snead retired, per Cimini.
• According to Cimini, Jets WR Robby Anderson has high goals for himself entering a contract year: “My first couple of years, I thought 100 yards [per game] was, like, good. For what I want to be — an elite, top-five receiver — that’s not good. I’m setting higher goals for myself.”
• While the Jets have had talks with CB Morris Claiborne and are “thin at corner” per HC Adam Gase, Cimini says Claiborne’s price is still too high. 
• Cimini also mentions Steelers former first-round CB Artie Burns as a potential trade candidate. 

Patriots

• In his latest 53-man roster projection, NESN’s Doug Kyed has the Patriots cutting WRs Braxton Berrios and Dontrelle Inman among others while keeping only five wide receivers on the roster. 
• Kyed also has WR Demaryius Thomas starting the season on the PUP list.
• Kyed also has the Patriots cutting former third-round DE Derek Rivers after not seeing anything impressive from him during minicamp. 
• Kyed predicts rookie P Jake Bailey will win the competition against Ryan Allen, with the latter being cut.