Bills
Bills GM Brandon Beane said he’s going to leave the determination of fit up to the coaching staff, but that he’s excited about LB Terrel Bernard, and believes he brings positional versatility.
“He’s played both at Baylor, for us I’ll let the coaches ultimately determine it, but he can play both, he can play inside or play out. He really could,” Beane said via Bills Wire. “He’s going to be undersized. He’s not going to be your prototype size. If he’s playing Mike, he’s going to be the opposite of what Tremaine looks like inside, but we do think he can do both. We like his versatility, super instinctive.”
Bernard is just ready to do whatever is asked of him.
“I think I can just bring another hard-working piece,” Bernard said. “Special teams, fight for a roster spot–Do whatever I need to do.”
- University of Buffalo CB Ja’Marcus Ingram has accepted an invite to the Bills’ rookie minicamp. (Mike Kaye)
Jets
During a post-draft press conference on Saturday, Jets HC Robert Saleh said he was happy with the results and wouldn’t be paying much attention to any draft grades.
“That’s for you guys,” said Saleh, via NewYorkJets.com. “I’ve also been in places where we’ve been universally mocked. I think we took Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, and Russell Wilson in the first three rounds and got a D-grade. It doesn’t matter. We’ve got to help them, we’ve got to put them in the best position possible. We’ll know in three years. It’s not necessarily comparing us to what they have. It’s just building a roster that we have a vision for, that can execute our schemes, that can execute the character we want, that can execute the things we need to get done. The idea of closing the gap isn’t necessarily trying to combat what they have, it’s trying to get better with what we have, adding pieces, adding players, developing those players. I think there’s a clear vision for every single player we’ve brought in, from free agency to the draft. Now it’s just going on the field and implementing that vision and getting those guys to play to the best of their ability.”
Jets GM Joe Douglas was also happy with the draft and feels like the team added some playmakers to surround sophomore QB Zach Wilson.
“I feel like we’re a better team now than we were going into this weekend,” Douglas said. “I feel like we’re a better team now than we were to start the entire offseason. A lot of that credit goes to the coach and his staff, Rex [Hogan, assistant GM], all our personnel staff working together. It’s just a real team effort to give us this chance to go into a season improved at some different spots, adding quality depth to the team, adding some guys that we feel can be explosive, dynamic playmakers for us. I feel like all three of these guys can help Zach in different ways. Whether it’s helping him on the field on offense or getting the ball back to him as quick as possible. Part of the goal was to add some guys that when they touch the ball, they can take it 80 yards.”
- Per Western Michigan Football’s Twitter account, TE Brett Borske has received mini camp tryout invitations from the Buccaneers and Jets.
- A source tells NFLTR Lousiana Tech RB Marcus Williams has rookie camp invites from five teams, including the Jets. He’s also been invited by the Bucs, Falcons, Steelers and Saints.
Patriots
The Patriots decided to draft QB Bailey Zappe in the fourth round, which Director of Player Personnel Matt Groh says adds value to the team.
“There’s always value in having good players on your team, and Bailey is a good player and he’s going to add value to our team,” Groh said, via Zack Cox of NESN.com. “It’s going to be up to him to kind of carve out what role that is here initially and then going forward. At that quarterback position, yeah, one guy is only on the field, but you’d better have another good one or two or three or whoever it is in the system coming up because you never know when those guys are going to be needed, and if you’re short at that position, you’re going to be in real trouble. Just like a college program that might bring in a highly recruited quarterback one year, you can’t really afford to skip a year. You’ve got to have plenty of talent there at that position, and we had an opportunity to add Bailey and tried to add some good value to the quarterback position.”
- NFL Media’s Mike Giardi reports the Patriots drafted G Cole Strange at the end of the first round due to another team looking to select him at the top of the second round.
- Giardi also reports the team moved on WR Tyquan Thornton in order to prevent another team from selecting him, possibly the Pittsburgh Steelers.
- PFF’s Doug Kyed reports Patriots RB James White is yet to be medically cleared following hip surgery that he had during the 2021 season.
- Per the team’s Twitter account, Rhode Island DB Cody Tippett, son of Hall of Fame LB Andre Tippett, has been invited to rookie minicamp with the Patriots.
- The Patriots’ deal with UDFA DE DaMarcus Mitchell includes a $25,000 signing bonus and a $50,000 base guarantee for $75,000 in total guarantees. (Kyed)
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