AFC East Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Initially, Dolphins WR Jakeem Grant thought the lower leg injury that ended his 2018 season after 10 games was an Achilles injury. Thankfully it wasn’t that serious and Grant will be able to pick up where he left off in 2018.

“I feel like last year I kind of made a big name for myself in the return game I want to be the best returner in the league,” Grant said via Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post. “And I want to be one of the top receivers in the league. I’m going to continue to play the best I ever can.”

Jets

Jets LB Avery Williamson believes their defense can be a top-five unit in 2019.

“Shoot, we can definitely be a top-five defense,” Williamson said via Ethan Greenberg of the team’s website. “We have all the talent right there, we just have to continue to be on the same page. We could be really great, we have the talent, man. I’m excited. We had a great squad last year. We didn’t have the best season, but we fought hard. So if we have all the pieces I feel like we do, we can really be something special.”

Williamson is transitioning to weakside linebacker in DC Gregg Williams’ scheme.

“You have to go in there and be ready to hit people,” Williamson said of his new role. “But it involves a lot of coverage, so you really have to be in tune with what your corners are doing, the safeties, how they’re playing the field, so it’s a lot of stuff. It’s definitely a lot of new things, but I’m starting to pick it up and just continue to keep looking at stuff and keep enjoying the process.”

Patriots

Former NFL OT Jared Veldheer signed briefly with the Patriots early in MAy to provide much-needed depth at offensive tackle. But two weeks later, Veldheer retired after realizing he didn’t have another season left. 

“When March rolled around I thought I could give it a go, but once I went out there to do actual football stuff, the hip felt exactly how it did at the end of the season,” Veldheer said via Peter J. Wallner of MLive.com. “There was just no way I was going to put my body through that. I couldn’t conceive even trying to make my body do that.”