AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins GM Chris Grier said third-round LB Channing Tindal was a player they were “targeting throughout the process” after meeting him at the NFL Combine and hosting him for a top-30 visit. 

“He was a player that we had been targeting throughout the process,” Grier said, via Marcel Louis Jacques of ESPN. “We met with him in Indianapolis [at the NFL combine] and really enjoyed our time with him. We brought him down here on a [top] 30 visit, spent a lot of time with him here as well. For us, it’s the versatility, the speed is what we like. He can play, he has the ability to play all three downs and play special teams, as well.”

Grier said that Georgia HC Kirby Smart had high praise for Tindal’s speed, toughness, and character. 

“In talking to [Georgia coach] Kirby Smart the other day again about him, he was just talking about what tremendous speed and toughness and the character of the kid and how Kirby really loved [Tindall] and thinks he’s going to be a really good player in the NFL.”

Tindall had his best performance in college last season with 67 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks. He credits his production to putting in extra time with Georgia LBs coach Glenn Schumann.

“I just took extra time and watched film with him. I feel like I knew what I had to do,” Tindall said. “I was on a mission before the season started … like I have to get this done. I would say the biggest thing is probably just my mindset. My mindset was do or die.”

Jets

• Jets’ first-round CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner expects to have a strong rookie season: “I think I can have a good impact.” (Rich Cimini)
• Gardner is hopeful to mold his career after Darrelle Revis: “That’s kind of how I want to be when I retire … The future is real bright for me.” (Rich Cimini)
• Clemons also plans on making an impact despite New York’s history of lacking dominant pass rushers: “I plan on making an impact no matter what their history is.” (Ralph Vacchiano)

Patriots

Patriots ILBs coach Jerod Mayo thinks the organization has a lot of depth at linebacker who has the ability to “rush and cover.”

“I think this year, thinking about the guys we have in the room, we have some guys that can rush and cover,” Mayo said, via Pats From The Past podcast. “And so, I think we have some guys that Pats nation, they haven’t even heard of probably.”

When asked about second-year LB Cameron McGrone, Mayo responded that the younger linebackers have the chance to develop on their own this offseason. 

“That’s right. And that, to me, is the exciting part. That is the exciting part — the unknown. And we’re going to go into it as a unit, we’re gonna go into it together,” Mayo said. “And, I would say, even right now, not having some of those older guys in the room is beneficial for the younger guys because older guys would be bored out of their minds with some of the things we’re talking about. At the same time, it’s forcing young guys to really take that step forward, and really grow and develop without being hindered by any other guy’s experience.”