AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins OL Coach Matt Applebaum realizes that the team’s offensive line needs to get better, and he’s up to the challenge of putting the best five guys on the field.

“A lot of things need to get better,” Applebaum said, via Miami Herald. “I haven’t studied the guys where I can say ‘if he improves on this one thing, then…’ I’m not at that level right now with the guys. Everything needs to get better. We need to find a way to put the five best guys out there to execute our scheme and have success running the football, protecting the quarterback, and winning football games. What needs to happen is clear; executing it is not easy.”

The team decided to retain former OL coach Lemuel Jeanpierre, who was promoted by former HC Brian Flores to replace former OL coach Steve Marshall. Applebaum said he was excited to get to work with Jeanpierre and believes he’ll be a great asset to the team.

“It starts with he’s a phenomenal guy,” Applebaum said. “This is a people business, and we’ve got to work with people on our staff very closely all day long. To be around quality people is a very underrated element. It starts with that. The next thing I would say is the guy is a good football coach. I talked football with him and I’ve been impressed by him. So those are some things. Familiarity with the personnel certainly doesn’t hurt. But he’s a great guy and I’m really looking forward to working with him.”

Applebaum met Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel at the 2010 NFL Combine, and the two have stayed in contact ever since.

“I wouldn’t say we’re texting every day but there has been a relationship there,” Applebaum said. “I would say when he got the job there was optimism,” Applebaum added. “But until I got called by him, I certainly didn’t think [that Applebaum definitely would be hired by the Dolphins]. I was very pleased to get the phone call. His number was programmed in. So from the time it came in, I was like, ‘let’s go.’”

The Dolphins will implement a zone-blocking scheme, which Applebaum says requires a certain amount of athleticism needed to play the run scheme they desire.

“This is a scheme where you have to try to get after your opponent consistently throughout the play. It’s not the kind of thing where you can wall a guy off and the play is over for you. That ball can go a lot of places and it happens later on in the play so you’ve really got to strain.”

Jets

Daniel Jeremiah thinks that the Jets would greatly benefit from drafting North Carolina State OL Ikem Ekwonu, mainly due to the uncertainty surrounding T Mekhi Becton.

“If Ekwonu went to the Jets, Year One would be playing guard, and I think him and [Alijah] Vera-Tucker would be the best young guard duo in the NFL,” Jeremiah said, via Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post. “This dude is so powerful and so strong, and he would have no issues kicking inside. I’m not privy to all the information in terms of where he is at with Becton’s headspace, and I know there’s been a bunch of stuff said about his weight. When he was on the field as a rookie, I thought he played at a pretty elite level and was on his way to establishing himself as one of the best left tackles in the NFL. This year was a complete waste. I still go off of what I’ve seen with his cleats on the grass, and I think the guy is pretty rare in terms of the ability he has. For the rest of it, we’ll have to see how it sorts itself out. From an interior offensive lineman standpoint, there are some guys in free agency that are interesting and you also have the prospect of getting guys on Day 2 [of the draft]. When I look at their picks in the first round and I look at some of their remaining needs, I think a playmaker at receiver would be interesting, if you love a guy. On defense, I think edge rusher and a corner. You probably get two out of those three.” 

• Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network reports that the Jets and T George Fant will come together at the combine with the hope of getting a new deal done. Pauline adds that the Jets will likely use the three-year, $37.5 million extension the Commanders gave to T Charles Leno as a comparable deal.

Patriots

Patriots QB Mac Jones is looking forward to some much-needed time off after making the Pro Bowl in his rookie season and performing well above what was expected of him in his first year with a storied franchise.

“I think that’s the fun part about everything in the offseason,” Jones said, via Zack Cox of NESN.com. “You get a second just to catch your breath and figure everything out. This has definitely been the longest year. It’s been almost two years of football. I love football and I love to keep going as best I can, but it’s always good to step away and evaluate what you can get better at, too. I think back to my freshman year at Alabama. You’re kind of figuring everything out. And then you get older, and you’re just more experienced with everything — the media, the games, everything. I want to be back close to home in New England in the offseason, because we obviously have our place there, and just figure out ways to become a better quarterback. And then do whatever we can to put more points up on the board so we can win more games.”