AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel is excited to work with Tua Tagovailoa and thinks his “best days are in front of him.”

“I’m really excited moving forward because the guy has some skills that I think are untapped,” McDaniel said, via Kevin Patra of ARound the NFL. “I think it’s important that you empower the quarterback with the rest of the players around him and the scheme you bring forth. So, I think his best days are in front of him. And that’s a really cool piece of the process to be part of as a coach.”

McDaniel’s goal is to have each player have the “best year” of their careers in his system. 

“As a coach, you’re sitting there looking at each individual player and regardless of what’s happened before or what’s going to happen after, as a competitor, you’re saying ‘I want your best year attached to a year that I’m coaching you,'” McDaniel said. “So that’s something that I think is a driving force really when you are able to get a player maybe a couple years into the league but his first year in the system. That’s something that our coaching staff is prepared to do and accepts that challenge and understands what it is, and can take complete ownership of it.”

Jets

When speaking about the Jets’ potential activity this offseason, GM Joe Douglas made reference to how the Cincinnati Bengals made reasonable free-agent signings last offseason to fit their system. 

“I think Cincy did great in free agency last year,” Douglas said, via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. “They didn’t blow the doors off in terms of signing super high-priced guys. They brought in guys who fit exactly what they wanted to do.”

Douglas reiterated that he wants the team to be “financially flexible” this offseason in order to always be in cap position “to strike if the right opportunity presents itself.”

“We always want to be financially flexible,” Douglas said. “We always want the opportunity to strike if the right opportunity presents itself. So I think that’s something we’re going to be looking to do moving forward.”

Douglas will also be “ready to strike” in the trade market this offseason.

“If the right opportunity presents itself in the trade market, we’re ready to strike.”

Douglas added that the Jets have “a lot of different avenues” to improve and they have the cap availability to make moves in free agency. 

“I would say there’s a lot of different avenues, a lot of different tools to improve your roster,” Douglas said. “Free agency is one of those tools. And so I think we have a good opportunity. We have assets that we’ve acquired and we have financial flexibility. We’re going to get this team better any avenue we can.”

• The Jets had a formal interview with Utah LB Devin Lloyd at the Combine. (Ryan Dunleavy)

Patriots

• Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports that it would be a surprise if the Patriots franchised CB J.C. Jackson. As of now, the Patriots have yet to indicate what their plans are for Jackson, but Howe says it doesn’t sound like they want to tag him.
• The Patriots met with Georgia LB Quay Walker at the Combine. (Andrew Callahan)
• The Patriots had an informal meeting with Wyoming LB Chad Muma at the Combine. (Jim McBride)
• The Patriots met with Utah LB Devin Lloyd at the Combine. (Jim McBride)
• The Patriots met with Alabama LB Christian Harris at the Combine. (Andrew Callahan)
• The Patriots met with Montana State LB Troy Andersen at the Combine. (Andrew Callahan)