AFC Notes: DeAndre Hopkins, Bills, Dolphins, Lamar Jackson, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills GM Brandon Beane said social media rumors aren’t always accurate, but didn’t close the door on trading for Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins.

“What I would say is social media is social media, don’t take that too far. But again, you know me, when we’ve talked about OBJ, guys that are…we’re always gonna look for talent, we’re gonna look at anything & everything,” Beane said via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg. “Our name gets thrown in the hat, a lot of things that sometimes we’ve done one percent, one person made one call and they’ve looped us in that we’re all over ’em and we’ve offered ’em a contract and it’s funny sometimes, but, that’s as far as I can go into it. He’s on another team.” 

• According to Tim Graham, the Bills will not be trading for Hopkins unless there is a “significant development” in the situation.
• Beane alluded to the team possibly extending DT Ed Oliver and said that if they chose to go that route it could help reduce his cap number in the interim: “I’ve spoken to him this offseason, and here recently, and he’s fired up to come back. But we’re good with his number. Yeah, if we worked on an extension, that would be an avenue for us to lower his number.” (Getzenberg)

Dolphins

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel made it clear that Miami won’t be pursuing Ravens QB Lamar Jackson after exercising QB Tua Tagovailoa‘s fifth-year option.

“That’s why you pick up a fifth-year option,” McDaniel said, via Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post. “That’s why you, that’s how you do it. That’s why you pick the option up as soon as you know you’re going to. So to, to kind of as opposed to speaking, having an action speak, to really squash any of that an unnecessary direction or chatter.”

Jets

Jets GM Joe Douglas said the team has had some “productive conversations” with Green Bay revolving around QB Aaron Rodgers.

“Obviously, we’re not where we need to be yet, but I feel like we’re in a good place,” he said, via ESPN.

Douglas added there’s no “hard deadline” for a trade with Rodgers and added there’s not an overwhelming sense of urgency to expedite the deal.

“There’s not a ton of urgency from our standpoint right now. But still very optimistic.”

Douglas eliminated the possibility of the team being contenders for Ravens QB Lamar Jackson‘s services.

“First of all, Lamar Jackson is a fantastic player, but where we stand is, it would be disingenuous and negotiating in bad faith if we went down that path,” Douglas said. “We have our plan, we have our process and we’re sticking to that. We’re never going to operate in bad faith.”

Douglas also didn’t deny the team would be interested in adding WR Odell Beckham Jr.

“The more weapons the better,” Douglas said. “This could be an opportunity to add a unique talent, but we feel great about our room as it’s currently constructed.”

Douglas said the addition of WR Mecole Hardman allowed the team to move on from WR Elijah Moore this offseason.

“That was a tough decision because Elijah is a really good and a young player on a cap-friendly deal,” Douglas said. “It was just a situation that came up where we had a flood of calls. Ultimately, we felt like this was an opportunity to bring value that we needed, back to the team and back to the draft.”

• UAB CB Starling Thomas V met with Jets assistant DB coach Ricky Manning Jr. at his pro day. (Tony Pauline)