AFC Notes: Bills, Alex Van Pelt, Patriots, Draft

Bills

• Bills HC Sean McDermott is one of two new members of the NFL Competition Committee, via NFL Football Operations. The committee reviews rule changes, player safety, officiating, and the increased involvement of technology.

Alex Van Pelt

Patriots new HC Jerod Mayo brought in former Browns OC Alex Van Pelt for the same position with New England after Cleveland fired him this offseason. Van Pelt has been coaching in the NFL since 2006, with most of his years spent as a QB coach including six years with Jets QB Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.

“I’m not exactly sure and I don’t want to get into what happened at Cleveland, but all the people that I talk to, they speak very highly of AVP,” Mayo said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “Obviously, he understands the X’s and O’s of the game, but also developing talent. Really, he is a relationship guy, which I fundamentally believe is very important. Before you really get into X’s and O’s with the guys on the field, they’ve got to know that you care about them.”

“The one thing I would say about AVP is that he can make the same concept look a bunch of different ways,” Mayo added. “That’s always hard for us on the defensive side of the ball. Really, it depends on the players that we have and the flexibility that he has as far as scheme is concerned. He’s been cross-trained on multiple teams, and I think that experience and that philosophy is going to do us well in the future.”

Patriots

• With the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Patriots have an important decision on whether to select a quarter or go with the best player available. ESPN’s Mike Reiss compares New England having the third pick to when the Falcons held the same spot in 2008 when drafting Matt Ryan out of Boston College. 
• Should New England opt for a non-quarterback, Reiss lists Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and Notre Dame OT Joe Alt as two prospects who stand out. He reflects on the Lions using their top selections on positions around Jared Goff instead of drafting its quarterback of the future, like OT Penei Sewell in 2021, WR Jameson Williams in 2022, and RB Jahmyr Gibbs last year. 
• As for whether New England should trade down from No. 3, Reiss points out they have just one selection in each round and the third pick will fetch a large payout. 
• Reiss mentions how the Dolphins traded its No. 3 pick to the 49ers in 2021 in exchange for San Francisco’s No. 12, a 2022 third-round pick, and a 2023 first-round pick.