AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Patriots

Bills

• The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia writes there are eight players who are due roster bonuses for the Bills on March 21, which could prompt some roster decisions before then. 
• The total figure is $6.7 million and the list of players includes WR Cole Beasley, DE Jerry Hughes, DE Mario Addison, WR John Brown, DL Quinton Jefferson, DT Vernon Butler, LB A.J. Klein and TE Lee Smith. 
• Of that group, Buscaglia says Beasley and Hughes are probably secure in their roster status. Klein is also more likely to be back than not despite having a $1.6 million bonus because $3.2 million of his 2021 salary is already guaranteed. 
• Buscaglia highlighted Brown and Smith as easy decisions to move on from given the availability of replacements on the roster and the total savings from taking their contracts off the books. 
• Butler and Jefferson have $1 million bonuses on March 21, while Addison’s is for $800,000. Cutting any of those players after that date would result in that bonus figure being subtracted from the possible cap savings for the Bills. 
• On Wednesday, the Bills released both Brown and Jefferson and had Butler take a pay cut. (NFLTR)
• According to WGR 550’s Sal Capaccio, there was no ultimatum from the Bills to veteran C Mitch Morse asking him to take a pay cut. Capaccio says Morse knew the team needed some cap space and he wanted to help, which resulted in him agreeing to lower his 2021 base salary by $2 million. 
• Iowa WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette will meet with the Bills (Justin Melo)

Dolphins

• The Athletic’s Josh Tolentino notes that Jerome Baker and Andrew Van Ginkel are the only two linebackers on the Dolphins who can be considered safe. The team is moving on from Kyle Van Noy and Vince Biegel, Elandon Roberts and Kamu Grugier-Hill are all pending free agents. 
• Tolentino thinks the Dolphins could be in the market for another veteran mentor to work behind 2020 first-round QB Tua Tagovailoa. 

Patriots

• Ben Volin of the Boston Globe predicts that the Patriots will play OT Trent Brown at left tackle, with OL Isaiah Wynn at left guard. Volin does, however, admit that the Patriots have had talks with other free-agent left tackles, and could ultimately move Brown to right tackle.
• NFL Media’s Michael Giardi mentions that unless the Patriots decide to trade Wynn, it appears as though Marcus Cannon‘s days in New England are “numbered.”
• Giardi expects Joe Thuney to hit the open market and he thinks it would make sense for New England to consider re-signing David Andrews.
• The Patriots attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Pro Day to observe OL Quinn Meinerz. (Owen Riese)