AFC Notes: Bills, Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins, Mike White, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia writes the Bills almost have to restructure a handful of contracts this offseason to have enough cap space to operate. He lists QB Josh Allen, OLB Von Miller and potentially WR Stefon Diggs as the top candidates. 
• If they want to get aggressive or really need more space, Buscaglia adds CBs Tre’Davious White and Taron Johnson are candidates to be restructured. 
• Buscaglia mentions a big chunk of that cap space could be earmarked for an extension for LB Tremaine Edmunds, though talks are still in the early stage as both sides feel out the market at the Combine. 
• Buscaglia points out that while the Bills are expected to add to their receiving corps, GM Brandon Beane mentioned adding another tight end could be on the table to improve their offense. 
• That would also help Buffalo improve its rushing attack which has been a goal for HC Sean McDermott for a couple of seasons. Buscaglia writes the Bills inquired about some big-name backs last offseason and could be interested in Giants RB Saquon Barkley if he makes it to free agency. 
• Beane also seemed to indicate the team prefers to keep CB Christian Benford at his current position and not move him to safety. 
• Florida State S Jammie Robinson had formal meetings with several teams at the NFL Combine, including the Bills, Falcons, Broncos, 49ers and Lions. (Justin Melo)

Dolphins

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said they are still weighing on whether to pick up Tua Tagovailoa‘s fifth-year option. 

“Like any other player, you factor in every variable,” McDaniel said, via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. “I think it’s important to recognize we have a congruence of interests by the Dolphins and the player, Tua, that we both want him to play at a very high level for a long time for the Miami Dolphins.”

McDaniel said they will use all the time required ahead of the May 1 deadline for fifth-year options. 

“We’re probably best served to utilize the time [until the deadline],” McDaniel said. “That’s kind of the way we’re approaching it, but that doesn’t mean that we’re spending any long period of time not discussing it. This is something that Chris and I have been working through.”

Dolphins GM Chris Grier said it’s not out of the question for them to add more quarterbacks alongside Tagovailoa and Skylar Thompson. They remain under contract while veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater is a free agent. 

“You can never have enough quarterbacks. Tua’s our guy, we’re excited for him. He’s healthy. He’s going through his offseason work right now. Skylar Thompson did a nice job for us last year when he was forced into service with the injuries to Teddy along the way… We’ll continue going through free agency here and have our talks now that we’ve finished up the staff,” said Grier, via SiriusXM NFL Radio.

• McDaniel threw his support behind ST coordinator Danny Crossman and his decision to retain him: “If I thought we couldn’t get to where we need to go with Danny Crossman I would’ve made a move. I definitely didn’t feel that way.” (King of Phinland)
• Oregon State CB Alex Austin had a formal interview with the Dolphins at the Combine. (Ryan Fowler)
• Pittsburgh RB Israel Abanikanda had a formal Combine interview with the Dolphins, among other teams. (Ryan Fowler)

Jets

• Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline has heard the Jets will likely need to trade up from No. 13 into the top ten picks if he wants Ohio State OT Paris Johnson. 
• New York will have a better shot at Johnson’s teammate, Ohio State C Luke Wypler, but Pauline notes Jets GM Joe Douglas doesn’t appear particularly high on Wypler. 
• Pauline mentions the Jets have made no effort so far to re-sign QB Mike White. 
• Jets HC Robert Saleh thinks new OC Nathaniel Hackett‘s offense will have “a lot of carryover” from former OC Mike LaFleur‘s system, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. 
• Saleh said they will have a “judicious” approach to free agency for their offense and continue building their defense players: “Judicious. [We want to] run it back with the guys we have [on defense],” via Rich Cimini of ESPN.
• Saleh said White deserves an extension: “He should be on this roster.” (Rosenblatt)
• Saleh had high praise of veteran OT Duane Brown, who has one year left in his contract, for playing through his shoulder injury in 2022 and hopes he’s back for next season: “If he’s here, that’d be awesome.” (Rosenblatt)
• When asked about free agent QB Derek Carr, Saleh thinks he has an “elite” level intelligence, great accuracy and strength, and is underrated outside of the pocket: “Elite, elite mental makeup with regard to football IQ. He’s got tremendous accuracy and arm strength. He can put the ball anywhere you want. He’s a talent. He’s underrated in terms of scrambler and being able to move out of pocket.” (Cimini)
• Saleh compared Carr with Lions QB Matthew Stafford: “(Carr) has been asked to do a lot in his career … If you could just get him to a place that can surround him with all the pieces to allow him to just play quarterback 10 to 15 times a game, it’d be pretty cool.” (Cimini)
• Texas LB DeMarvion Overshown has met with several teams at the NFL Combine including the Jets, Vikings, Cowboys, and Chiefs. (Aaron Wilson)
• Florida State S Jammie Robinson had a formal Combine interview with the Jets. (Ryan Fowler)
• Penn State S J’Ayir Brown had a formal interview with the Jets. (Art Stapleton)

Patriots

• The Athletic’s Chad Graff notes a former Patriots official told him the team would likely prefer to address their need at receiver with a veteran rather than using their first-round pick on a rookie. 
• Current Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers is the top free agent option, but if New England can’t re-sign him Graff says their trade options include Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins or Texans WR Brandin Cooks. He guesses Hopkins would cost a second and Cooks would cost a third. 
• Graff also writes there’s some belief inside the building that the offensive line isn’t as big a need as some are making it out to be. They think as long as they get at least average play at right tackle, the unit as a whole should be fine, with 2022 first-round G Cole Strange taking a step in his development and a lot of internal confidence in LT Trent Brown. 
• The Patriots scheduled formal Combine interviews with Texas Tech DE Tyree Wilson and Clemson DE Myles Murphy, per Graff.
• According to Aaron Wilson, the Patriots are expected to hire former Panthers vice president of player personnel Pat Stewart to a position in their front office.
• Wilson writes Stewart had several teams interested in him this offseason, including organizations where former Patriots executives are now general managers. 
• Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr. said he met with the Patriots at the NFL Combine. Porter Jr. is the son of former Steelers’ All-Pro LB Joey Porter, via Zack Cox of NESN. 
• Porter Jr. said his father wouldn’t be “too mad” if he joined New England. 
• Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes met with New England on Thursday, per Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. 
• South Carolina CB Cam Smith had a formal interview with the Patriots and said the organization asked him a lot of tough questions: “[It was] very intense.” (Cox)