AFC Notes: Colts, Dolphins, Jets

Colts

• According to the Athletic’s Stephen Holder, the Colts would like to draft an offensive lineman somewhere during the first three rounds. 
• While the offensive line was a strength last season, starting LT Anthony Castonzo turns 31 this year and the Colts were 1-4 after he missed the first five games of the season. 
• Holder believes the Colts won’t take Mississippi State DT Jeffery Simmons because of character and injury concerns. 
• Holder doesn’t think the Colts will take a wide receiver in the first round after signing Devin Funchess in free agency and will instead see what they have in Deon Cain and Daurice Fountain.

Dolphins

• According to the Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero, the Dolphins could be considering trading down while targeting Mississippi State DT Jeffery Simmons. 
• NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reports the Dolphins could consider a quarterback at No. 13 and have done the most work on Ohio State QB Dwayne Haskins and Duke QB Daniel Jones.
• Pelissero says the Dolphins have a group of players they feel comfortable with at No. 13 and have also fielded calls about trading back in the draft. 
• Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Dolphins have told “credible” people around the NFL that adding “speed and explosiveness” at receiver and running back remains a “key objective, among other priorities.”
• Jackson believes that the Dolphins must refrain from using one of their first four selections at either position and instead address their offensive and defensive lines, adding an edge rusher who can play both defensive end and 3-4 outside linebacker, a cornerback, and an “above average longterm” option at quarterback. 
• Dolphins GM Chris Grier said “we feel good about” the possibility of drafting an offensive lineman in the first three rounds: “I would say we feel good about it. It’s a good offensive line class. A lot of potential of guys to be really good. There are kind of some young players that maybe have to mature a little more but I do think it has a chance to end up – if all those kids do things the right way – has a chance to be a good offensive line class.”

Jets

Regarding Jets’ recently signed RB Le’Veon Bell‘s absence from voluntary workouts, Jets’ new HC Adam Gase stressed that they’re voluntary.

“It’s voluntary,” Gase said, via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “That’s what it is. That’s the CBA. That’s the rules. He was here that first week (of workouts). (We) got a lot of good information that week to him. The good things is having the iPads and things like that helps you. If a guy’s not here, he can keep up on what we’re doing as far as playbook goes.”

• Connor Hughes hears that the Jets’ reported interest in Ed Oliver is “a bit of a smokescreen to increase the Raiders’ interest in jumping one spot to ensure they get their guy.“
• According to Hughes, the Jets like Oliver, but they would not take him over Quinnen Williams or Nick Bosa. 
• According to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, people in league circles don’t believe the Jets are high on Kentucky DE Josh Allen and he won’t be the pick at No. 3. 
• Cimini says cornerback is another major need for the Jets, and they’ve shown interest in Michigan State CB Justin Layne and Penn State CB Amani Oruyiware.
• Cimini mentions the Jets would like to add an offensive tackle, maybe Alabama’s Jonah Williams if they can trade down. 
• If the Jets traded down with the Redskins from No. 3 to No. 15, they should ask for a second-round pick this year and a first and second-round pick next year according to the trade value chart, per Cimini.
• Cimini says this assumes Ohio State DE Nick Bosa isn’t available. 
• Cimini says this is a loose framework based on the 2016 trades for Carson Wentz and Jared Goff, but that trades can involve more when they involve a quarterback. The Jets “overpaid” by 900 points in their trade up for QB Sam Darnold last year.
• According to Manish Mehta, there’s a “growing sense” the Jets won’t be able to pull off a trade down.