AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

• Dolphins HC Brian Flores said they were excited to claim RB Phillip Lindsay: “A guy who’s had a lot of production in this league. Excited to get him on board. Just got to get him acclimated on how we do things here.” (David Furones)
• Flores mentioned that CB Trill Williams suffered an injury during practice and will not play in Week 12. (Marcel Louis-Jacques)
• The Miami Dolphins worked out linebackers Curtis Bolton, Justin March-Lillard, and Wynton McManis. McManis was eventually signed by the team following the workout. (Aaron Wilson)

Jets

Jets QB Zach Wilson expects to play faster going forward in his return from a knee injury and wants to perform with a “natural feel” of the game. 

“Play fast,” Wilson said, via Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “Play with my natural feel that I was given to play within the structure of the offense, and let my playmakers make plays.”

Wilson is confident that he can play without any concerns over his knee. 

“I feel like I can go out there and play my game and not worry about it,” said Wilson.

Wilson mentioned that he’s learning to target the “highest percentage play,” even if it results in sacrificing a play. 

“Stats don’t matter. What’s the highest percentage play that’s going to put us in the best situation?” Wilson said. “Maybe it’s second-and-10, and somebody gets beat, and I gotta throw the ball at somebody’s feet. That’s the best play to put us in third-and-10, rather than taking a sack or forcing the ball up.”

Wilson added that he doesn’t want to force plays when windows are unavailable. 

“Those big plays need to be there when they’re giving us those big plays. My mindset needs to be to make them pay when they give it to us, but if they don’t, I wouldn’t call it boring football. Just play football that way it should be played. If something doesn’t look good, I need to trust in it. There’s going to be opportunities in this game here where I might walk away and think, ‘Dang, I missed that down the field,’ but because I was decisive, got it out of my hands, we still had a play out of it.”

Patriots

Patriots’ TE Jonnu Smith told reporters he is thankful to be in his current role on the team, with OC Josh McDaniels saying that Smith is learning the foundation of the team’s offense this season.

“I’m thankful I’m in the position that I am,” Smith said, via PatriotsWire.com. “Whatever it is I’m called or asked to do, that’s just always been the player I’ve been. I don’t necessarily worry about the role. I just embrace it. I’m not going to worry about the role.”

• Patriots CB J.C. Jackson, who signed a one-year deal with New England last offseason, said he’d love to sign a long-term deal with the organization: “I love playing for the New England Patriots, playing under Coach Belichick. I have grown as a football player since I’ve been here … It’s a place that gave me a chance from Day 1. I would love to be a New England Patriot for a long time.” (Mike Reiss)
• Patriots DE Chase Winovich (hamstring) says he feels great after missing four games on the injured reserve with a hamstring injury: “Obviously it’s not ideal getting pushed in the back, but these things happen. This is a violent game. You just keep it pushing; there’s no script for this.” (Mike Reiss)