AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Mekhi Becton

Bills

Bills QB Josh Allen says that the team will use their loss to the Chiefs last season as fuel to make it to the Super Bowl in 2023.

“We’ll learn from it, we’ll get better from it, it’s going to fuel us,” Allen told NBC Sports’ Peter King. “There are ways we could’ve found a way to win that game. Unfortunately, there are 31 teams that don’t do that, in terms of winning the Super Bowl.”

Dolphins

• Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes the plan is for Dolphins OL Connor Williams to start at center unless he just cannot handle snapping the ball and the other mental duties of the position.
• Jackson says the new coaching staff will give OT Austin Jackson every opportunity to win the starting right tackle job and believe the new system suits his skillset well. 
• While G Solomon Kindley will have a fresh start after perhaps not getting a fair shake from the previous coaching staff, Jackson notes they envision Liam Eichenberg as the starter at left guard. 
• Jackson mentions Dolphins RB Sony Michel will probably operate as the No. 3 back behind Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert, while Myles Gaskin is in danger given his $2.5 million non-guaranteed base salary. 
• Jackson highlights UDFA OT Kellen Diesch as the most likely to make the team but adds not to rule out RB Za’Quandre White.
• Other veterans in danger and on the roster bubble include TE Cethan Carter and Adam Shaheen, per Jackson, who points out the addition of FB Alec Ingold nullifies the need for a fourth tight end or H-back. Miami could also save about a couple million apiece by cutting Carter and Shaheen. 
• Ingold, who signed as a free agent this offseason, says he’s targeting Week 1 as a return after tearing his ACL in Week 10 last season: “I wouldn’t say we’re at 100 percent yet, but we can get there.” (Jackson)
• Dolphins OLB Melvin Ingram has been running with the first-team defense ahead of OLB Andrew Van Ginkel but both figure to have prominent roles, per Jackson. 
• Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel wants to “exhaust all scenarios” at the center position, but is giving the impression the job is Williams’ job to lose. However, McDaniel did not close the door on signing a veteran late in camp if need be. (Adam Beasley)

Jets

The Jets made it clear they plan to have Mekhi Becton focus on playing right tackle with George Fant handling the left tackle duties. Becton admits that this is going to be a “work in progress.” 

“It don’t really matter to me,” Becton said, via the New York Post. “I’ve just got to change my technique up. As long as I’m on the field, it don’t really matter to me. I just know I have to do different things on the right side than I do on the left. I’m still getting used to that. It’s a work in progress.”

Jets HC Robert Saleh made it clear that they won’t be switching Fant and Becton back and forth between tackle spots. 

“We don’t want those guys jumping back and forth,” Saleh said. “We made a decision that was best for the team. George had a fantastic year last year at left tackle. Mekhi is a gifted young man. He can do both. It doesn’t mean that Mekhi’s left tackle days are over.”

• Regarding Becton’s stamina issues Thursday, Saleh said: “it’s been a year (since he played). It was a little sticky today. He’s a big man.” (Zack Rosenblatt)
• As for Fant, Saleh says there’s no setback and him sitting out in team periods is not contract-related either. (Connor Hughes)
• Jets WR Corey Davis said he lost 10-15 pounds this offseason and is now at 205. (Zack Rosenblatt)