AFC Notes: Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• The Buffalo Bills announced five changes to their scouting department, including hiring Malik Boyd as Senior Personnel Advisor, Chris Marrow and Curtis Rukavina named Co-Directors of Pro Scouting, Lake Dawson as a Senior Executive, and A.J. Highsmith as a National Scout. 

Jets

• Per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky and Rich Cimini, a source says QB Aaron Rodgers‘ agent, David Dunn, informed the team before the Combine that the quarterback wanted to play for the Jets. He told the Jets of Rodgers’ intention on March 12, three days before Rodgers announced he wanted to play for the Jets on the Pat McAfee Show.
• Rodgers’ camp thought a deal was close to fruition for most of the month of March. The report adds the Packers left the owners meeting in Arizona in late March thinking “they were pretty close to a deal if they didn’t have one already.”
• Then, the Jets didn’t reach back out to the Packers for two weeks. A source with direct knowledge of talks told ESPN: “It was really weird s—. This should have been done in three or four days once talks started because [the final trade compensation] wasn’t that far off from where it started.”
• Gutekunst finally called back on Friday before the draft and the deal was done by Monday. 
• According to ESPN, the Packers initially asked for the Jets’ first-round pick at No. 13 overall and then any additional compensation would be contingent on how long Rodgers played. Giving up the 2023 first was a hard no for the Jets, so Gutekunst pivoted to a 2023 second, swapping 2023 firsts and a straight first in 2024. 
• However, ESPN adds the Jets, specifically owner Woody Johnson, also didn’t like the idea of giving up a 2024 first-round pick with no assurances Rodgers would play more than one season, and Green Bay’s offer of sending back a conditional pick in 2025 if Rodgers retired after just one season was also rejected. 
• ESPN reports the Jets wanted conditions on the 2024 first to be conditional on Rodgers’ production plus wins and how far the Jets advanced in the playoffs. A source explained the Packers’ rationale for rejecting that offer: “If he plays, then it’s [on the Jets] to win. If Aaron plays and they don’t win, that’s their problem.”
• Eventually the two sides settled on tying the condition to Rodgers’ snap percentage, with 65 percent or higher netting the Packers the Jets’ 2024 first. 

Patriots

Patriots CB Jonathan Jones plans on taking CB Jack Jones under his wing this offseason and making sure he’s there for him with whatever he needs.

“Just to be there for him,” Jones said, via Patriots Wire. “Anything that he needs, whether it be on the field or off the field, just to show him what it is to be a New England Patriot cornerback, player, just a professional in this league. And just watch him continue to grow. Heading into Year 2, you’re just going to see growth.”