AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

• According to Aaron Wilson, the Dolphins’ deal with S DeShon Elliott is for one year at $1.77 million and includes a $1.08 million salary fully guaranteed, and a $690,000 signing bonus.
• Wilson adds that the Dolphins CB Nik Needham‘s new contract is for one year at $1.825 million with $750,000 guaranteed, a $152,500 signing bonus, and a salary of $1.672 million with $597,000 fully guaranteed.
• Wilson mentions that the Dolphins’ new deal with WR River Cracraft is for one year at $1.08 million.
• Dolphins G Dan Feeney signed a one-year, $3.25 million deal that includes a $2.045 million signing bonus, a $1.08 million base salary (guaranteed), and a $125,000 roster bonus. (Over The Cap)
• Penn State C/G Juice Scruggs has met with the 49ers, Bills, Browns, Buccaneers, Chargers, Dolphins, and Packers. (Justin Melo)

Jets

• Ravens QB Lamar Jackson still hasn’t gotten any offer sheet interest from other teams but Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post writes other teams believe the Colts, Jets, Falcons, and Patriots could get involved at some point. 
• One general manager for another team told La Canfora: “There is only one team that wants anything to do with Aaron Rodgers and that’s the Jets. If [owner Woody Johnson] pivots to Lamar, the Packers are screwed.”
• However, there’s been no indication from New York that they’re considering meeting with Jackson, even to create leverage in their stalemate with the Packers.

Patriots

• ESPN’s Mike Reiss mentions a few people believe Patriots coach Joe Judge‘s role this upcoming season will be as a senior advisor to HC Bill Belichick.
• Patriots S Devin McCourty weighed in on the offense and QB Mac Jones, saying he believes Jones deserves more credit from the fanbase: “I don’t think he should be subjected to as much displeasure and scrutiny as he gets. We sat here his rookie year and said, ‘Hey, I’m with this! I like this new era.’ We go to the playoffs and it’s like ‘Here we go!’ Then what happened this year from an offensive situation coaching-staff-wise … He needs to have some consistency [around him].”
• McCourty added the Patriots’ issues on offense last season didn’t set Jones up to succeed: “I think player-wise there was enough trust that we’re going to put the best guy out there. But the struggles on offense, I think there were some guys in the locker room that were like ‘Let’s go with [Bailey] Zappe.’ Or ‘No, Mac looked good today.’ It was just a back-and-forth, which to me, spoke more about what we had on offense than the quarterback. We never were solidified as an offensive group that guys had full confidence in anything we were doing. There was never true hope.”
• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mentions he thinks the Patriots would still make sense as a potential trade suitor for Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy, as it would reunite him with college teammate Mac Jones. However, Denver’s asking price of a first-round pick is a non-starter, as Breer believes the Patriots have earmarked that pick for a tackle. 
• Aaron Wilson mentions that the Patriots’ new deal with S Jabrill Peppers is for two years at $9 million and includes $6 million guaranteed. It has a $3.1 million signing bonus, salaries of $1.08 million guaranteed, $3.18 million with $1.82 million fully guaranteed, $40,000 per game in active roster bonuses annually, and up to $1 million in playtime incentives annually.
• Patriots OT Calvin Anderson signed a two-year, $7 million deal that includes a $1.69 million signing bonus and base salaries of $1.08 million and $2.3 million. (Aaron Wilson)
• His 2023 base and $1.23 million of his 2024 base are guaranteed. Anderson can also make up to $680,000 in per-game active roster bonuses in 2023 and $850,000 in 2024. 
• Georgia OL Warren McClendon met with the Patriots at his pro day. (Tony Pauline)