AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills QB Josh Allen said he has “supreme trust” in TE Dawson Knox‘s ability as a blocker and receiver. 

“Whether it be blocking, whether it be pass-catching to running routes, he just finds ways to get open,” Allen said, via Alaina Getzenberger of ESPN. “I have supreme trust in this guy right here and he’s only going to continue to get better.”

Bills GM Brandon Beane believes their tight ends began making an impact towards the end of last season while Knowx was finding “his groove.” 

“At the end of the year, I thought we did a little bit, Dawson started to get his groove, but it was never where the opposing defense was like, ‘Man, we’ve got to stop their tight ends from going off,’” Beane said.

Knox said he’s not paying attention to “outside talking” of Buffalo potentially acquiring big-name tight ends and is focused on his own production. 

“There’s always going to be a lot of noise coming from the outside talking about trades for certain players or acquiring different free agents,” said Knox. “But we gotta focus on us, you know? I gotta focus on myself and I’ve gotta get better every day. As soon as I start worrying about what people are saying about the tight end position or the offense, that’s the second you start to slip and lose focus on where you want to be.”

• Bills HC Sean McDermott said CB Tre’Davious White is dealing with a shoulder injury: “He’s got a little bit of a shoulder.” (Sal Capaccio)

Dolphins

The Dolphins want to push the ball downfield more often and QB Jacoby Brissett knows he missed some opportunities to get the ball to WR DeVante Parker on Sunday.

“Just from learning from last week when we got in those situations,” Brissett said, via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. “I overthrew [Parker] a couple of times, then this week we hit them because we had that experience. … We just have to find a way to get these guys the ball more often, I’ve got to do that.”

• Dolphins HC Brian Flores said they traded WR Jakeem Grant to the Bears because of their depth at the position: “We had some depth at receiver and wanted to get some other guys going.” (Marcel Louis-Jacques)

Jets

• SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano writes that all signs point to Jets S Marcus Maye exiting New York sooner or later. Maye has clearly been unhappy with his contract status under the franchise tag, skipped offseason workouts and wasn’t voted a team captain, got hurt and is out for a few weeks and now is facing a suspension at some point down the line for a DUI and other charges. 
• Vacchiano doesn’t think the Jets will just give Maye away at the trade deadline and his franchise tag salary could be an obstacle to a deal. But at this point, he doesn’t see New York meeting Maye’s contract demands and if he’s not bought in it makes more sense to move on this offseason rather than tag him again. 
• Jets HC Robert Saleh mentions that LB Hamsah Nasirildeen (knee) is expected to spend three weeks on the injured reserve and it is not considered a season-ending issue. (Connor Hughes)
• Saleh said Jets second-round WR Elijah Moore (concussion) has returned to practice. (D.J. Biene-Aime)
• Regarding Maye’s DUI charges from February, Saleh said he’s had a “good conversation” with Maye and is supportive of his player.  (Connor Hughes)
• Saleh had high praise of WR Denzel Mims and said Moore’s return wouldn’t prevent him from being active for Week 5: “I’ll never make a promise I can’t keep. But if he’s putting in the work the way he is, he should be active.” (Ralph Vacchiano)
• Saleh believes Jets CB Javelin Guidry doesn’t get “enough credit” for his production. (Connor Hughes)
• The Jets worked out RB Austin Walter, S Natrell Jamerson, S Luther Kirk, DB Nate Meadors. (Aaron Wilson)
• Of this group, New York signed Walter and Jamerson to their practice squad.

Patriots

• USA Today’s Josina Anderson cites a source who calls Stephon Gilmore‘s situation with the Patriots a “quagmire” given they wouldn’t pay him until he was deemed healthy: “It was a catch 22. They wouldn’t pay him until (he was) healthy, but they also wanted him to play 75-80%.” 
• Anderson also reports that this experience wasn’t Gilmore’s original intention and he truly wanted to remain in New England. The two sides just couldn’t agree on fair value.
• According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Patriots approached Gilmore about restructuring his deal for cap relief, and his refusal set in motion the leak about his release and eventual trade to the Panthers.  
• NFL Media’s Mike Giardi reports that Gilmore’s recent checkup showed “nothing wrong” with his quad injury.
• Patriots HC Bill Belichick mostly leaned on the statement the team released about moving on from Gilmore, but did say regarding the timing of the move, via PFF’s Doug Kyed: “There are a number of things that have gone on for a long period of time and finally we just mutually reached the point that we reached.”
• Regarding New England’s 1-3 start, Matthew Fairburn notes that the Patriots’ offensive line has struggled without RT Trent Brown (calf) given OT Justin Herron has allowed 12 pressures.
• Meanwhile, at left tackle, Fairburn notes that Isaiah Wynn has also allowed 12 pressures and two sacks. 
• Fairburn adds that the Patriots’ run blocking must improve after -1 rushing yard. 
• Fairburn writes that Patriots LB Matt Judon has been highly productive with  4.5 sacks, 17 pressures, and eight quarterback hits thus far. 
• The Patriots worked out WR Devin Gray and DB Elijah Benton on Tuesday. (Aaron Wilson)