AFC Notes: Bengals, Bills, Jaguars & Jets

Bengals

• Bengals HC Marvin Lewis told Alex Marvez that TE Tyler Eifert (injured reserve) underwent back surgery Tuesday.

Bills

A Bills source tells Albert Breer that their main issues this season can be attributed to a “lack of organization.”

One example of this was Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi rushing for 57 yards to clinch Week 16’s game while the Bills had just 10 players on the field to defend the play.

“That wasn’t the first time,” said the Bills source. “That stuff’s been going on all year. Lack of organization. Lack of detail. And at that position, from the head coach, you can’t have it.”

Another example mentioned by Breer is the fact that they allowed WR Sammy Watkins to try to play through an injury that probably should have forced him to be shut down.

Jaguars

• According to Albert Breer, “early indications out of Jacksonville” are that the Jaguars prefer to hire a head coach with previous head-coaching experience.
• However, Breer says that it seems more likely that they’ll go with a “second-chance” option like Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, Eagles DC Jim Schwartz, Buccaneers DC Mike Smith or Cowboys OC Scott Linehan as opposed to a veteran coach like Tom Coughlin.
• Breer adds that interim HC Doug Marrone figures to be in the mix for the job as well.
• Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union writes the Jaguars should consider using their first- and second-round picks on offensive linemen next year.
• Beyond that, O’Halloran suggests targeting offensive line upgrades in free agency such as Bengals G Kevin Zeitler and Cowboys G Ronald Leary.
• If there’s a way to keep Doug Marrone on board to coach their offensive line group, O’Halloran believes they should also consider that too.
• In regards to OT Kelvin Beachum, O’Hallaran says that it would be smart for Jacksonville to pick up his option, as it would be just as costly to try to find a replacement in free agency.

Jets

Gary Myers of New York Daily News spoke to a “well-placed Jets source” who said that he expects HC Todd Bowles to be back with the team next year.

“I don’t anticipate changes,” the Jets’ source told Myers.

That’s hardly a ringing endorsement of Bowles but previous reports have said that Bowles is likely safe, so it wouldn’t come as a big surprise to see him return for the 2017 season.