AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

• Per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, the full package the Dolphins gave CB Xavien Howard in his reworked deal includes, for 2021, $1 million for being named to the Pro Bowl or All Pro team, $750,000 for 70 percent playing time plus team improving in its three worst categories, $750,000 for 80 percent of the snaps and another $750,000 for 90 percent of the snaps. 
• Howard also got the 17th game added to his base salary to make it $12,785,294, which was also guaranteed. If he hits all his incentives, Howard can make $16,285,294 in 2021. 
• For 2022, Howard had a $500,000 roster bonus and a $100,000 workout bonus converted to his base salary, which is now $12.975 million. Of that total, $6,775 million is now fully guaranteed, with the rest guaranteed for injury and vesting to full guarantees on the first day of the 2022 league year. 
• ESPN’s Cameron Wolfe reports Howard and his agent have also received assurances from the team that if he stays healthy and plays well, they’ll return to the negotiating table next year for a new deal. 
• Howard’s agent, David Canter, tweeted a statement thanking the team after what had been contentious negotiations at times: “Want to thank Coach Flores, Chris Grier and Brandon Shore for doing something unexpected and difficult to say the least. Many times over the past 8 months we all did not expect anything to happen. The organization handled us with absolute class and professionalism.”
• Former NFL GM Michael Lombardi says he’s heard the Dolphins are looking for offensive tackle depth, including potential trade options. 
• In response to the report, Dolphins HC Brian Flores said: “I’m not sure that’s big news. Everyone is looking for ways to improve their team. We are happy the guys we have. I’m not going to get into conversations we have with other teams.” (Barry Jackson)

Jets

Jets’ HC Robert Saleh commented on why the team values second-round WR Elijah Moore so highly.

“He really wants to get better, he wants all of it,” Saleh said, via Brian Costello of The New York Post. “He wants all the information, he wants everything he can get on the grass. I think that’s more of a testament to the character more than it is his play and what’s being asked of him because they’re all being asked of the same thing. He’s special, in that regard.”

• ESPN’s Rich Cimini reports OTs Morgan Moses and George Fant rotated at RT during practice.
• With first-round G Alijah Vera-Tucker still not practicing, G Dan Feeney took first-team reps at left guard. (Brian Costello)
• Saleh said he’s not sure when G Alex Lewis will return to the team: “He’s going through some things much greater than football.” (Cimini)
• For now, Jets LB Jarrad Davis is the signal-caller on defense and not LB C.J. Mosley. (Cimini)
• So far during training camp, Blessuan Austin and Bryce Hall have received most of the starting reps at cornerback, with sixth-round rookie Brandin Echols and UDFA Isaiah Dunn mixing in. Fifth-round CB Michael Carter II has taken a lot of first-team reps at nickel.  
• The Jets worked out OT Elijah Nkansah. (Aaron Wilson)

Patriots

After a slow start to the season, Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers came on strong and was clearly the team’s best receiving threat in 2020. He led the team in targets and yards, and despite New England adding a number of other receiving threats, Meyers is still a candidate to be the team’s leading receiver again if he wins the competition to start in the slot. 

“I think he just sat back and he watched Julian do it for the last two or three years,” Patriots WR coach Troy Brown said via NBC Sports’ Tom Curran. “Took down some notes and he incorporated it into his game. It took a lot of hard work for him to get to a point where he felt comfortable going in there to work it. He earned the right to play in there the last couple years and now he’s gotta fight for a spot to go out there and do it again this year. But that’s really all he did. He just sat back and he watched. He studied tape. He came out here and did it against the air. Did it against players.”

• Patriots WR Kristian Wilkerson is making a strong bid for an end of the roster spot, including for his work on special teams. (Mike Reiss)