AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa has been impressing his teammates since being drafted, and RB Jordan Howard has taken notice of how other players seem to gravitate towards his laid back personality.

“Tua, he’s definitely a people person,”  Howard told Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. “Just a chill guy. I guess being from Hawaii, he just hangs loose. He’s definitely — people are going to gravitate toward him like Ryan Fitzpatrick. He’s hungry. He’s being patient right now, but he’s definitely hungry.”

The Dolphins other new addition at running back Matt Breida told the media that he was stunned, but then pleased, that Miami traded for him.

“When I first got traded I woke up in the morning, it was on draft day, and it was a bit of a shock to me because I know the Niners were doing everything in their power to try and bring everyone back for another year,” Breida said. “Just the way things worked out obviously with them, the cap space — but I’m happy that I’m here. I’m glad that I’m able to play back in my home state for a great organization. I’m just trying to be an all-around complete running back in this game, prove to everyone that I can be an every-down back.”

Jets

Jets TE Chris Herndon entered his second season with high expectations but began 2019 with a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. He later injured his hamstring and missed another four games before breaking his ribs, which effectively ended his season.

“It really taught me how fast this all can be taken, not to take it for granted and just have an extreme amount of appreciation to be out there,” Herndon said, via Brian Costello of the New York Post. “Right now, I don’t want to look too far ahead. I kind of just want to take things day-by-day, get into camp, start getting reps on the field and go from there. I don’t want to put too much in the air right now.”

Herndon is now healthy and has been working out with teammates in order to get in shape ahead of the 2020 season.

“It feels good,” Herndon said. “My body’s feeling good. I’m in a good space mentally. I’m just excited to be back with my team and putting in work with them again. (Last season) was tough. It didn’t go exactly as planned, especially coming off suspension. It was definitely a big learning year from me, kind of a chance to step back and watch from the outside and also made me appreciate it even more. That was just a quick view of how fast it can be taken from me. It wasn’t the best year, but I definitely learned a lot. I felt like I was doing the right things to come back after the suspension ready and then had a little fluke accident. Then, the first game back getting injured. It was definitely tough at first, the first couple of weeks, accepting for me the season was done and I couldn’t be out there with my team.”

• The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia outlines six possible trades that could still happen this year, including the Jets trading a sixth-round pick to the Cardinals for LB Haason Reddick.
• Reddick hasn’t been able to find a home as an off-ball linebacker or pass rusher and Arizona just declined his fifth-year option, so it’s clear he’s not in the team’s long-term plans. He could use a fresh start with the Jets who need linebacker help. 

Patriots

• The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia outlines six possible trades that could still happen this year, including the Patriots sending a sixth-round pick to Washington for LB Ryan Anderson.
• Kapadia notes Anderson is somewhat miscast in Washington’s new 4-3 scheme, while New England needs linebacker help after opt-outs and departures in free agency.