AFC Notes: Derek Carr, Christian Gonzalez, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

• Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says that the Dolphins will likely need to find two new starting safeties with Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer likely to move on this offseason.
• Jackson lists plenty of options available in free agency, with some of the best options to be a starter including Jeremy Chinn, Tre’von Moehrig, Justin Reid, and Julian Blackmon.
• Four more potential starters for the team include Talanoa Hufanga, Elijah Molden, Cam Bynum, and Andre Cisco.
• Jackson also evaluates several other options who could be available for Miami including Marcus Epps, Jordan Fuller, Eric Murray, Quandre Diggs, Chuck Clark, Justin Simmons, John Johnson, Will Harris, Xavier Woods, Vonn Bell, Jason Pinnock, Damar Hamlin, and Mike Edwards.
• Jim Ayello of the Athletic points out RB Raheem Mostert, CB Kendall Fuller, and TE Durham Smythe were already let go by the team, yet there is still K Jason Sanders,  with the Dolphins needing even more cap space and cutting him saving $3.3 million.

Jets

• Tom Pelissero said that QB Derek Carr winding up with the Jets is “probably less likely this time around than it was a couple of years ago.”
• Pelissero notes that the Jets liked Carr when he initially left the Raiders but the team now has a different head coach and general manager.
• Carr’s former QB coach Todd Downing was with the Jets in 2023 but has since joined the Patriots, with Pelissero telling Rich Eisen: “The connective tissue though with Derek Carr there was Todd Downing.”
• Connor Hughes notes that players with an uncertain future or not expected to return to the team next season include CB D.J. Reed, LB C.J. Mosley, LB Jamien Sherwood, WR Davante Adams, WR Allen Lazard, RT Morgan Moses, and TE Tyler Conklin.
• Zack Rosenblatt comments that Lazard and Adams are the team’s most likely cap cuts, with Adams’ mostly non-guaranteed deal saving New York $29.8 million in cap space with an $8.3 million dead-cap charge if he is cut or traded.

Patriots

Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez said he loves being a part of the organization despite not having recent success.

“It’s just the pedigree of the Patriots. Just the history—the winning,” Gonzalez said, via Patriots Wire. “That’s kinda how it is. We gotta get back to it. We’ve been off these past two years, but hopefully, we get back to being who we are.”