AFC Notes: Bills, Jets, Denzel Mims, Patriots

Bills

Bills HC Sean McDermott addressed the allegations made against P Matt Araiza, who recently won the punting competition over P Matt Haack, who has since signed with the Indianapolis Colts.

McDermott elected to bench Araiza during the team’s recent preseason game, saying: “It was my decision, and at the end of the day I didn’t think it was right.”

“It is a situation that is extremely serious,” McDermott said, via Pro Football Talk. “It’s just hard to go through, and it’s not a situation that I or we take lightly whatsoever. It’s very serious, I understand the sensitivity of the situation, and it’s clear we have work to do to continue to figure this thing out, and we’re going to do that.”

McDermott would not speculate on if Araiza would remain on the team’s roster.

“My heart and thoughts and prayers go out to the people involved,” McDermott said, via Nicki Jhabvala. “That includes Matt, that includes both sides here and the victim and everyone involved. I’m hurt. I understand they’re hurt. It’s emotional. It’s not easy to hear about some of the things I’ve heard about over the last several hours. Haven’t slept a lot to be honest with you. This is a game, but here are things that are more important than this.”

Jets

Jets WR Denzel Mims would cost a potential trade partner $1.1 million in 2022, while New York will remain responsible for the remaining $377,000 if he is cut or traded.

Jets GM Joe Douglas said that the team has received “a couple of calls” about trading Mims so far, but hasn’t taken the receivers trade request personally.

“I love that chip on his shoulder,” Douglas said, on WFAN. “Not every player’s path is a perfectly straight line up.” 

Jets HC Robert Saleh was unwilling to say that Mims would be traded for sure but added that the team planned to do what was best for both the team and for the young receiver.

“I’m not going to say it’s over with him,” Saleh said, via Pro Football Talk. “I’m standing by it: He’s had a really good OTAs, he’s done a really good job in training camp. It’s just a matter of him finding his niche. I know that he’s frustrated — as we’ve talked about before — that he’s not where he wants to be, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t get there.” 

“Those guys (Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, and Garrett Wilson) are going to get first dibs,” Saleh said of the other receivers on the roster. “It’s not a knock on [Mims]. He’s part of a really good room. That’s why I think you see the frustration where he has a desire to do more — and that’s why I think the events from his agent happened. I don’t think it’s a locker-room distraction. This is the business part of it. In my heart, I think if you look at Denzel, it’s not ‘I don’t want to be a part of New York.’ It’s not ‘I don’t like my locker room.’ It’s not ‘I don’t like my teammates’ or ‘I don’t like my coaches.’ It’s ‘I want more,’ which is understandable.” 

“You love Denzel’s competitive nature — and he feels like he is one of those best three and he should be on the field and he wants those reps,” Saleh continued. “I respect the heck out of it, and I want him to keep fighting for that because you want that competition. The balance is understanding where you are as a football team … and dominate your role until those opportunities come up.”

Patriots

Patriots RB Ty Montgomery suffered an ankle injury in the team’s final preseason game against the Raiders, with HC Bill Belichick saying that the team plans to monitor the injury going forward.

“We’ll see how it goes today,” Belichick said, via Pro Football Talk. “I’m not sure. There’s no update at this point on him. He’ll get looked at this morning like we usually do. We’ll probably know a lot more after 12 or 24 hours after the injury instead of trying to make an instant diagnosis.”

“Ty’s had a good camp,” Belichick added. “Versatile. He’s played some multiple positions and played in the kicking game. Smart kid. Good level of experience.”