AFC Notes: Bills, Jets, Ahmad Gardner, Patriots

Bills

Buffalo signed DT DaQuan Jones to fill the role in the middle of their defensive line. Most notably, Jones will fill the role left by DT Star Lotulelei as the space-eating run defender.

“It’s all mental. You get that mindset of knowing what you have to do. Stopping the run is all mental,” Jones said, via Bills Wire. “You can try to be the most physical person in the room and try to go out there and bang, bang, bang. But if you don’t know what’s coming and how to stop it, it’s not going to matter.”

Bills DC Leslie Frazier already has a plan in mind for how he’s going to use Jones next to DT Ed Oliver and DT Jordan Phillips.

“Being able to get a guy like DaQuan Jones, I mean, having him in there lining up with Ed and Jordan, I think it bodes well for what we’re trying to do up front,” Frazier said.

Jets

Jets WR Braxton Berrios has nothing but good things to say about first-round CB Ahmad Gardner.

“He’s everything that I think you’d look for in a corner. He’s long, he has range, he gets football,” Berrios said via the Adam Schefter Podcast. “He’s fast, he has all the attributes. And I think more than any of that, he wants to be great.”

Gardner is still trying to lay low until he establishes himself a little more, however. 

“I haven’t really accomplished anything,” Gardner said. “I’ve accomplished my dream, I’m here, but I got to sustain it. I’ve got to show them why I’m here.”

Patriots

• Mike Reiss of ESPN writes second-year WR Tre Nixon is making an early case this offseason as a player to watch in training camp.  
• Patriots fourth-round QB Bailey Zappe will in all likelihood be the third-string quarterback for his rookie season behind veteran Brian Hoyer. (Reiss)