AFC Notes: Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills GM Brandon Beane got generally solid marks from his peers around the league for Buffalo’s offseason, which has largely been quiet so far outside of the addition of WR Emmanuel Sanders.

“Emmanuel definitely makes an impact and adds value,” an evaluator said via the Athletic’s Mike Sando. “They added Matt Breida as well. I think they did a nice job. They extended and kept the guys they feel good about that fit well with what they do. I think they’re going to be aggressive in the draft from a pass-rush standpoint. But honestly, I think the way they addressed their free agency is similar to the personality of the GM — solid, steady, not real flashy, but good quality.”

Jets

The sense that the Jets are going to draft BYU QB Zach Wilson at No. 2 overall has grown stronger and stronger as the calendar turns to April and the draft looms in a few weeks. That would obviously leave QB Sam Darnold in limbo as New York’s former budding franchise quarterback and most expect the Jets to trade Darnold in the coming weeks.

However, the Jets reportedly haven’t ruled out keeping Darnold as they’ve found less of a market than expected for him, even though that has the potential to create an awkward situation. Former Jets QB Josh McCown believes Darnold would embrace another chance, though. 

“Can it be done? Absolutely,” McCown said via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “In my mind, if you can’t get the value now for him, that’s absolutely how you go about it. I wouldn’t even call it a competition. I would just say, ‘We’re going to go with Sam as the guy and bring Zach along.’ If Sam knocks it out of the park, we’ll re-evaluate where we are a year from now.

“Sam would embrace it and be helpful, but he’d also go out and work hard and try to make the most of the opportunity to play this year — and put it back on them and make them have to make a tough decision at the end of the year. I think, if that happens, really and truly, everybody wins.”

• A source tells Dan Patrick that the Jets are looking for a second-round pick in return for Darnold, but would probably be willing to settle for a third.
• Patrick also adds that the Carolina Panthers are one of the teams interested in Darnold should they be unable to move up in the draft.

Patriots

• ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes that the Patriots might be out of range for the top quarterback prospects picking at No. 15, barring a trade up to nab one of the top five if they slip.
• He still expects them to draft a quarterback, though, perhaps on Day 2 and beyond, highlighting Florida’s Kyle Trask, Stanford’s Davis Mills, Wake Forest’s Jamie Newman and Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond as potential options. 
• Reiss also mentions a trade for 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo could still be on the table if they lower their asking price. Two key checkpoints for that will be after OTAs when they get a chance to see their rookie in some action and before the start of Week 1 when Garoppolo’s salary becomes guaranteed.