AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Denzel Mims, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel was asked about the team deciding to keep QB Skylar Thompson on their 53-man roster.

“Yeah, he played very well.” McDaniel said, via ProFootballTalk. “Again, another guy that comes in, he just works every day, won over his teammates through his work ethic, and he went out and balled. Another one where we got calls again, people asking what we were going to do and they’re all saying, ‘You know, you guys would be stupid to let him go.’ And there was no thought about us doing that. We’re not in the business of being stupid.”

“I haven’t heard of a good football team that their problem was they had too many good quarterbacks,” McDaniel continued. “They touch the ball every play. So it’s not about — you can go [through] a lot of draft classes over a long period of time, and if you’re holding your breath for a player out of the seventh round to play like he did in the preseason, you’re going to pass out. You don’t just scoff and look the other way when you have a player playing well at that position. Those are things that if you let those slip through your fingers, you’ll end up regretting that forever.”

• Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel is “very, very, confident” that WR Jaylen Waddle will play in the team’s season opener. McDaniel added that Waddle’s absence is precautionary and would’ve played in the past two games had they been regular season contests. (PFT)

Jets

Jets WR Denzel Mims feels like he’s earned a starting role but the coaches are already set on who their starters are. 

“I feel like I already pretty much [proved it], from OTAs until now,” Mims said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN. “I mean, they’re pretty set on who they want. I feel like, yeah, I feel like [the coaches] have made their mind up, honestly. But I feel like I can change their mind on that. I feel like I’ve been doing that. Their minds are pretty made up, though.”

Mims added that he must continue to prove himself in the Jets’ lineup and has no issues with contributing on special teams. 

“Of course I’m going to be frustrated that I’m not playing with the starters, but I’ve got to continue to work,” Mims said. “I have no problem playing special teams, I don’t at all, but I feel like I’m a starting receiver.”

Jets GM Joe Douglas doesn’t think that Mims wants to play with another team but the receiver is eager to start. 

“I wouldn’t say he wants to be somewhere else; he wants to play,” Douglas said. “He wants to start. Denzel is very confident. He has voiced that, that he wants to be a starter. Ultimately, you want a team full of guys that feel like they should be the No. 1 guy.”

Patriots

Patriots QB Mac Jones thinks that their offense has been progressively improving throughout the offseason and must continue executing. 

“Yeah, it’s been good,” Jones said, via ProFootballTalk. “A lot of learning experiences and [there’s] always room for growth. I think it’s been good. I think we’ve ironed out a lot of things and it’s good that they’re happening now. I feel confident in what we’re doing. We just have to go out there and do it for 60 minutes, and that’s just play-by-play. Obviously during practice, same thing, play-by-play, go out there and execute it and once you turn on the game film and you look back and there’s 45, 50 good plays then hopefully you come out on top. But that’s more about executing it and doing your job individually. If we all do that, 11 guys do it close to right every play, then you’ll have a good play.”

• Free agent OT Leroy Watson and WR Lynn Bowden, Jr. visited the Patriots. New England opted to sign Bowden to their practice squad. (Aaron Wilson)