AFC East Notes: Leonard Williams, Jets, Patriots

Leonard Williams

According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, the Jets would like to sign DL Leonard Williams to a long-term extension next offseason.

Mehta believes Williams is another productive season away from cashing in with a monster deal.

“It’s one of my goals to be one of the best defensive linemen,” Williams said. “I still have some work. I’ve definitely been focusing on it and taking it day by day. What I’ve been talking to (assistant defensive line coach La’Roi Glover about) is as long as we’re getting better each day, that’s the main focus right now. We try to not look back. Just keep looking forward. As long as today’s practice is better than yesterday’s practice, then we’re making progress. Eventually I’ll be one of those type guys for sure.”

Jets

Darryl Slater of NJ.com has an updated 53-man roster projection up for the Jets.

• Some notable offensive cuts include RB Thomas Rawls, TE Bucky Hodges, TE Clive Walford, WR Charles Johnson, C Travis Swanson, and OL Antonio Garcia.
• On the defensive side of the ball, Slater’s notable roster cuts include DE Courtney Upshaw, OLB Lorenzo Mauldin, S J.J. Wilcox, S Brandon Bryant and CB Rashard Robinson.

Patriots

The Patriots posted on their Instagram account that training camp begins in six days and QB Tom Brady implied that he’s going to report to camp early: “2 days actually! #earlyreporters”

• Mike Reiss of ESPN considers defensive tackles Danny Shelton, Malcom Brown, Lawrence Guy, and Adam Butler to all be locks to make the 53-man roster.
• This leaves Vincent Valentine on the roster bubble this summer with John Atkins and Frank Herron being long shots to make the team, according to Reiss.
• According to Ben Volin, Patriots first-round G Isaiah Wynn is the highest drafted first-rounder not to have his entire four-year contract fully guaranteed this year. Volin adds that Wynn’s four-year, $11.4 million deal is 99.1 percent guaranteed.