AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• In his 53-man roster prediction, the Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia has the Bills keeping just two quarterbacks on the active roster and cutting both fifth-round rookie Jake Fromm and Davis Webb. 
• Buscaglia notes Fromm has been bad, with poor footwork, accuracy and arm strength. The episode with racist text messages and his response hasn’t helped matters. Webb has outplayed Fromm and Buscaglia says Buffalo might have a better shot at sneaking Webb onto the practice squad. 
• At wide receiver, Buscaglia says the top five receivers are pretty much set with fourth-round rookie Gabriel Davis excelling and Andre Roberts still a quality returner. Sixth-round WR Isaiah Hodgins has played his way onto the team which leaves WR Isaiah McKenzie on the bubble as a potential seventh receiver. 
• Buscaglia calls tight end an easy call, particularly if the Bills can carry TE Tommy Sweeney over to the in-season PUP list. 
• Because of injuries and depth challenges, Buscaglia has the Bills keeping 10 offensive linemen, including C Evan Boehm and OT Ty Nsekhe.
• While there’s a good chance Boehm would clear waivers, Buffalo doesn’t have another backup center. And while cutting Nsekhe would save about $2.5 million, the Bills don’t have anyone else with quick enough feet to back up left tackle
• Buscaglia thinks the potential $7.3 million in cap savings is too much not to cut DE Trent Murphy. He adds Darryl Johnson‘s special teams ability gives him the edge over Bryan Cox Jr. and Mike Love on the bubble. 
• Buscaglia points out DL Quinton Jefferson‘s ability to move inside is bad news for DT Vincent Taylor‘s roster chances, though Taylor should still be a priority for the practice squad. 
• If the Bills decide to go with five linebackers, Buscaglia identifies 2019 fifth-round LB Vosean Joseph as someone who could be squeezed out in favor of LB Tyrel Dodson.
• Buscaglia predicted sixth-round K Tyler Bass beating out K Stephen Hauschka for a roster spot and the starting job. Buffalo cut Hauschka Thursday. 
• Bills WR Robert Foster cleared the concussion protocol Thursday. (Marcel Louis-Jacques)

Dolphins

• According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, 18 teams showed interest in former Dolphins DE Curtis Weaver after he was waived with an injury designation. 
• Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says both second-round DL Raekwon Davis and fifth-round DL Jason Strowbridge should factor into the team’s rotation as rookies. 
• He adds Dolphins LB Kyle Van Noy is expected to be an every-down player for Miami. 
• Dolphins worked out WR Jamari Hester and WR Andy Jones. (Albert Breer)

Jets

Jets HC Adam Gase has a well-documented love affair with RB Frank Gore, who made an indelible impression on Gase when both worked with the 49ers. The coach has made sure to bring Gore onboard whenever possible, including when he was the head coach with the Dolphins and again this offseason. The 37-year-old Gore isn’t around just to be a player-coach, either. He received some major run in this week’s scrimmage and looks like he’ll potentially be a part of a committee backfield with the Jets this year. 

“He looks the same as he did 12 years ago. I can’t explain it,” said Gase via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “It’s unbelievable how, when I watch him, I flash back to 2008. He looks the same. I don’t know how, it doesn’t make sense, but Frank has been one who refuses to listen to what anybody else says. He goes out there and he’s an old-school football player. He looks good. His burst looks good. His vision is never going to change. It’s going to be like that when he’s 60. Frank is special. There’s a reason why he’s third all-time in rushing yards.”

Patriots

At this time last year, Patriots 2019 fifth-round DL Byron Cowart was flashing as a preseason star for New England. Then the regular season roled around and Cowart played sparingly. But with an opening along the defensive line, Cowart is again staking his claim to a bigger role and impressing HC Bill Belichick.

“He’s a very strong and physical player. I think he’s one of the most explosive players that we’ve had or do have,” Belichick said via NESN’s Doug Kyed. “But, really for him, it’s a lot about experience and technique and made a ton of growth in the last 12 months here from where he was last year in training camp, and I think that’s going to hopefully continue to ascend. I think his pass-rush techniques have gotten much better….He has more of a run background than a pass-rushing background. I’d say his development in both areas has been significant, but he’s probably made more growth in the pass rush area, just because he didn’t do it as much.”