AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

• Per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Dolphins HC Brian Flores seemed to suggest first-round LT Austin Jackson could be out until November. 

Jets

• ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes the Jets should try and trade RB Le’Veon Bell to try and recoup at least a pick and maybe a little salary even if it means paying some of his remaining salary in a trade. 
• Cimini says the relationship between the two sides isn’t working after Bell was targeted just once in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals and passive-aggressively liked tweets after the game saying HC Adam Gase didn’t know how to use him. 
• Gase told reporters he understands Bell’s frustration and that the goal was to target him more until the defense took it away: “It is what it is. I know he’s frustrated we haven’t won. It wasn’t necessarily the plan, not targeting him in the passing game. It ended up being that way with how they were playing us.” (Ralph Vacchiano)
• Gase added he wishes Bell would talk to him directly instead of taking the social media route: “I hate that’s the route we go with all this instead of just talking to me about it, but that seems to be the ways guys want to do it nowadays.” (Vacchiano)
• Gase admitted he has considered relinquishing play-calling duties: “I’d say everything is on the table at this point.” (Cimini)
• Jets QB Sam Darnold and first-round LT Mekhi Becton will be evaluated later this week for their respective shoulder injuries: “We’ll kind of see how the week goes. We’ve got to see how they both feel. We’ve got to keep working those guys through their rehab, see where their strength is.” (Vacchiano)
• Gase noted it would be hard to sell to Darnold to sit out until his shoulder is completely healthy: “I think it would be really hard to convince him, ‘Hey, let’s take this amount of time.’ We just have to keep going week to week and see how he feels.” (Vacchiano)
• Jets WR Chris Hogan has a high ankle sprain and the team is waiting for additional testing results to determine a timeframe. (Vacchiano)

Patriots

• In a radio interview on WEEI, Patriots HC Bill Belichick said testing negative for COVID-19 is not the only hurdle QB Cam Newton, CB Stephon Gilmore and others would need to clear to return to play: “Again, any player that would come back to the team off the COVID [list] would have to go through a medical clearance. That will be part of any player’s return to the team from that situation. We’ll have to see how that goes.”
• Patriots placed DT Byron Cowart on the COVID-19 list. (NFLTR)