AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• Per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, Bills HC Sean McDermott said WR Cole Beasley remains week-to-week with his injury. 
• The Bills added veteran WR Kenny Stills to the practice squad but McDermott noted it’s unclear how much he’ll be able to help: “We’re just getting started with him in the mix. We’ll see what he’s able to digest. I know he’s a good player. We’ll see how we can integrate him into what we’re doing here.” (Chris Brown)

Dolphins

• Per the Athletic’s Mike Sando, other NFL teams don’t think it’s out of the question the Dolphins could decide to take a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick and move on from first-round QB Tua Tagovailoa after just a year. One evaluator thinks they’d be able to trade Tagovailoa: “I think part of why they played Tua this year was to groom him, but also to evaluate him. It is not a foregone conclusion he’s their guy. If they think there is a franchise guy better than Tua, why wouldn’t you take him at this point? Somebody would come after Tua.”
• Dolphins DE Emmanuel Ogbah said he would like to sign an extension to remain in Miami: “I did my part, now it’s my agent’s part.” (Joe Schad)

Jets

• According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Jets CEO Christopher Johnson, team president Hymie Elhai and GM Joe Douglas will conduct the head coaching search. Douglas will make a recommendation and Johnson will have the final say. 
• ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Jets owner Woody Johnson will not sit in on interviews as he finishes the final weeks of his tenure as ambassador to the United Kingdom. 
• Christopher Johnson said the team is contemplating a change in structure where the head coach would report to Douglas and Douglas would report to Johnson. (Brian Costello)
• He added they’re looking for a leader type, not specifically offensive or defensive-minded. (Costello)
• While he has the final say, Johnson indicated Douglas would have the strongest voice in the process: “Joe Douglas will be taking lead on this … His opinion will be taken most seriously.” (Connor Hughes)
• Once Woody returns, he will have the final say, though Christopher says his role will remain “significant.” (Hughes)
• Douglas could kick the tires on Stanford HC David Shaw as a candidate, though Shaw has never shown much interest in leaving Stanford. (Jeremy Fowler)
• Jets QB Sam Darnold blames himself for HC Adam Gase getting fired: “Personally I didn’t play consistent enough. I think that’s the one thing I’m going to stick to because it’s true. I didn’t play well enough.” (Ralph Vacchiano)
• Darnold would still like to have the chance to try and lead the Jets’ turnaround: “Very important to me. I said it once I got here I want to be a Jet for life. I want to turn this thing around. I know we can. I definitely want to stay here, hopefully for the rest of my career.” (Vacchiano)
• Darnold said he doesn’t need shoulder surgery, he just needs to rest and give it time to heal. (Cimini)
• Regarding Darnold’s future, Johnson said he loved him as a player and hopes it works out, but the final say belongs to Douglas: “I’m a huge fan of Sam. I think he’s a great QB. I think he has wonderful talent and drive and leadership. I don’t think the book has been written on Sam. He has a very big future. And I personally hope it’s on this team. That’s what I told him after the game: I hope he is a Jet going forward. But that decision will be made by Joe Douglas and our new coach. That’s about as definitive as I can get on Sam.” (Vacchiano)
• Jets OL Connor McGovern said he got the impression from a meeting the team leadership held that they want a more well-rounded leader as the next head coach: “A CEO kind of guy, a guy who’s going to manage the whole team, a guy who’s going to be a really great leader and a guy who’s going to change the culture.” (Vacchiano)

Patriots

• Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Patriots QB Cam Newton said he would try to latch on with a team as quickly as possible given how hard the quick ramp-up period was on him this past season: “That’s definitely going to go into consideration. I’m not going to wait in the latter part of another season when I have the opportunity to do something or sign with someone.”
• Newton noted he has not spoken with HC Bill Belichick about his future yet. (Jim McBride)
• Asked about how he’d feel about a return to New England, Newton said: “Remarkable.” (McBride)
• Newton also seemed aware of the fact that he might have to compete from a backup role next year: “Honestly it’s too early to tell. Do I think I have starting talent? Absolutely. Do I think a lot of things I’ve done were devalued? Not the team’s perspective, probably the media’s perspective – absolutely.” (Reiss)