AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Patriots

Bills

• The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia writes that normally the Bills would want to be patient with OC Ken Dorsey, who still oversaw a strong offense in his first season. However, the team is firmly in a win-now window, and Buscaglia adds that means they’ll have to take an honest look at whether Dorsey can move past his initial growing pains. 
• Buscaglia points out Bills QB coach Joe Brady has a reputation as a creative and innovative play-caller, which has been a criticism of Dorsey, and he’s getting coordinator interest from other teams. 
• Buscaglia expects wide receiver to be a big priority for the Bills this offseason, as between Gabriel Davis, Isaiah McKenzie, fourth-rounder Khalil Shakir and even an unretired Cole Beasley, no one in the passing game stepped up to draw attention away from Stefon Diggs. 
• The same is true of the offensive line, per Buscaglia, with LG Rodger Saffold, RG Ryan Bates and RT Spencer Brown some notable weak spots, as well as the overall depth. 
• Buscaglia notes S Jordan Poyer‘s growing list of injuries that he played through is a reason why Buffalo shouldn’t commit significant resources to extend the soon-to-be-32-year-old veteran. 
• Bills DT Jordan Phillips revealed that he was playing through a torn rotator cuff and will have off-season surgery. He is currently set to be a free agent and added that he should be ready for training camp. (Joe Buscaglia)
• Saffold intends to play in 2023 and wants to be back with the team next season. He added that he is willing to do what it takes in order to come to an agreement on a new contract with the team. (Buscaglia)
• Beasley would also like to return to the team in 2023: “Yeah, if that opportunity’s there, I would definitely want to come here.” (Alaina Getzenberg)
• Bills DE Von Miller said his rehab was set to take nine months and is hoping it will take six or seven so that he is able to return for training camp. (Getzenberg)
• Bills S Micah Hyde said he was cleared to play last week and would have been able to play had the team advanced. (Katherine Fitzgerald)
• Bills QB Josh Allen following the loss: “Obviously you want to win all of them. That’s the way it goes sometimes. … Just didn’t have it today. Credit the Bengals’ game plans, but we  just couldn’t find it.” (Fitzgerald)
• Allen: “We just ran into a team that played better than us.” (Fitzgerald)
• Allen said that the team doesn’t feel surgery will be required on his elbow and that he will rest and hope for a recovery. (Sal Capaccio)

Dolphins

Veteran Dolphins P Thomas Morstead said he is open to returning for his 15th NFL season in 2023 and felt that he had a good season with Miami.

“I thought it was super steady,” Morstead said, via DolphinsWire.com. “Unfortunately, the NFL credited me with a -1 yard for the butt punt instead of a block, so my average really was even higher. I just thought it was a really steady year. It certainly wasn’t perfect by any stretch, but it was very steady, very consistent, and very dependable. That’s what I try to be.”

“For 12 years, I played where I lived. Our home’s still in New Orleans, so it’s a different dynamic for me with playing from a distance and not coming home to my wife and kids every single day. Whenever the season does end, I’m always very excited to be home with my wife and kids and just kinda be a dad. I don’t punt for at least a few months, but I don’t really take much time off from the gym,” Morstead added. “It’s just kind of a lifestyle. I love it, and I think it’s kind of required at my age. You don’t take a big chunk of time off because it’s really hard to get back. It’s a lot easier to kind of just keep working and driving through it. I’m capable of doing that because I’m not getting hit all the time. A lot of guys’ bodies are just so beat up after the season that they need to just get away and replenish. I just kind of stay training all year round.”

“15 is definitely on the horizon,” Morstead continued. “I’m certainly looking forward to another opportunity this coming year. I’ve made it known to the team that I’d love to be back, but we’ll see what happens. I don’t know what the future holds yet, and we’ll just take it as it comes, but I certainly am excited about continuing to play.”

Patriots

• Patriots LB coach Jerod Mayo was with HC Bill Belichick for all of the team’s offensive coordinator interviews last week, which were five interviews over video conference. (Albert Breer)