AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• Tom Pelissero reports that the Bills are hosting undrafted Tulsa QB Zach Smith for a workout this week. 
• The Bills promoted analytics intern Evan Weiss to a full-time position on its staff. (Seth Walder) 

Dolphins

• Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes the Dolphins elected to release S Bobby McCain instead of S Eric Rowe for a few reasons, including slightly more savings from McCain’s deal, more players on the roster who could fill his particular role and how much they value Rowe as a matchup weapon against tight ends. 
• Jackson adds the Dolphins see second-round S Jevon Holland as a better, cheaper and more versatile player than McCain. 
• He also mentions that with McCain’s release, the Dolphins have now moved on from all three of their captains last season, including QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and LB Kyle Van Noy.

Jets

• According to Field Yates, the Eagles and Saints also put in waiver claims on Jets’ recently claimed WR Matt Cole.

Patriots

Patriots G David Andrews said he’s excited to work with first-round QB Mac Jones this offseason. 

“I’ve heard a lot about him,” said Andrews, via Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald. “I’m not a quarterback scout, but I’m just excited to get to work with him, get to meet him and hang out with him. I’ve heard a lot of great things about him.”

Regarding the Patriots’ activity in the free-agent market this offseason, Andrews said they’ve made “a lot of improvement on paper” but now they must build chemistry as teammates. 

“I think you gotta be excited looking at it … we’re trying to do everything we can to make this football team better,” Andrews said. “Now it comes down to the stuff people don’t want to talk about, how much work we put in over the next three to four months. We’ve made a lot of improvement on paper, that’s definitely a part of it. Now we have to become a football team, we’ve gotta work together, learn to work together because obviously, there’s going to be a lot of new faces. Just have to become a team and start putting it all together here … I’m just excited to get the whole ball rolling here.”

As for the Patriots picking up OT Isaiah Wynn’s fifth-year option, Andrews praised the lineman’s ability to battle through injuries.

“I think he’s a tough football player,” said Andrews. “Obviously, unfortunate some of the things he’s had to battle through. But that’s just part of this game. You can’t really control those … when Isaiah’s out there, he’s a great player. He can do a lot of different things with his athleticism that can really help us out … I always enjoy watching him because a lot of people say maybe his size doesn’t benefit him. But then you watch him block the crap out of people sometimes.”

• ESPN’s Michael Rothstein identifies the Patriots, 49ers, Colts and Raiders as teams that have the cap space to absorb Falcons WR Julio Jones‘ contract in a trade and are contending teams with a need at receiver who wouldn’t mind taking a small gamble on a talent like Jones even if he is 32.