AFC Notes: Bengals, Bills, Patriots

Bengals

Bengals HC Marvin Lewis is entering the final year of his contract, which has led to some speculation about his future with the team beyond the 2017 season.

According to QB Andy Dalton, Lewis doesn’t talk about his contract situation with the team.

“He doesn’t talk about contracts. He doesn’t talk about his situation,” Dalton said, via Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “It’s all about having a good year. So, the guys aren’t thinking about that.”

Veteran CB Adam Jones admitted that they all know what’s at stake this season.

“I know as far as a group we love coach and we’re all in here working toward one thing, which is winning,” Jones said. “And if you’re winning everything is good. If you have one bad year, you should get everybody out of here. So, we just gotta stay true to ourselves and worry about the things we can control and let everything else play itself out.

“I think everybody knows what’s at stake. First, we don’t want to let down ourselves and our families and we definitely don’t want to let down coach Lewis.”

Bills

The Bills have free agent acquisition Micah Hyde working as a defensive back and still helping out as a punt-returner, but this is nothing new for him.

“I’ve been doing it for a while,” Hyde said, via the Buffalo News. “I did it all through high school and in college. I did it while I was in Green Bay, so it’s nothing new to me. You learn the defense, you study the playbook on the defensive side and from there, you catch the ball when you return.”

As for picking up a new defense, Hyde said it’s just a matter of getting the new terminology down.

“The terminology is different, obviously,” Hyde said. “Once you get terminology down, everything comes into play. This is about training your eyes. Right now I’m training my eyes and trying to get used to this defense and from there, we are going to make plays.”

Patriots

• Mike Reiss of ESPN envisions Shea McClellin‘s role with the Patriots being more of a passing game linebacker this season.
• If it’s looking like McMclellin may not be able to make the team coming out of the preseason, Reiss seems to think he should have enough trade value for the Patriots to get something in return for him.
• According to Reiss, it’s a “long shot” that the Patriots would release recently signed LB David Harris before the start of the season and he considers Harris to be a lock to make the team.