AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• In a survey of NFL analytics personnel by ESPN’s Seth Walder, the Bills were mentioned in the second tier of teams as far as being analytically advanced.
• Bills DT Ed Oliver missed some practice time this week with a knee injury but says he’s “fine.” (Thad Brown)

Dolphins

• Dolphins DE Jason Strowbridge has been ruled out of Thursday’s Week 3 game and did not travel with the team to Jacksonville. (Armando Salguero)
• Dolphins promoted CB Tae Hayes to their active roster. (NFLTR)

Jets

Jets’ first-round LT Mekhi Becton said he enjoys being a lead blocker and having runs directed his way. 

“That’s always been my mentality since growing up. I always want the ball running behind me. It always feels good when I’m blocking my responsibility and I see the running back coming up my butt for a big gain,” said Becton, via Rich Cimini of ESPN.

• ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes how Jets QB Sam Darnold and the team perform the rest of the season is critical for Darnold’s future. New York must make a decision on Darnold’s fifth-year option by next May which will be around $25 million fully guaranteed in 2022. 
• If the Jets finish with the No. 1 overall pick and decide to take Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, Cimini notes Darnold’s contract would make him very tradable, though New York likely wouldn’t get back more than a second, if that. 
• The Jets added third-round S Ashtyn Davis (groin) and starting RT George Fant (concussion) to the injury report Thursday. (Ralph Vacchiano)
• Jets HC Adam Gase suggested UDFA WR Lawrence Cager could get called up from the practice squad, as they need anyone with “a pulse” at receiver this week. (Connor Hughes)

Patriots

• In a survey of NFL analytics personnel by ESPN’s Seth Walder, the Patriots were rated as one of the more analytically advanced teams despite perhaps not having as much of a formal department: “The New England one is interesting to me. I think they get credit from people that don’t actually know what it is they do. They have a lot of extremely intelligent people on staff. They’re able to come up with things similar to what analytics would produce, without actually doing what we’d call formal analytics.”
• Former agent and CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry notes the Patriots could retain QB Cam Newton for as little as $25 million on the franchise tag given the expected drop in the cap in 2021. 
• The Patriots brought in free agent DB J.T. Hassell in for COVID testing and an eventual tryout. (Mike Reiss)