AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

• Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald expects the Dolphins to look at re-signing three players who are entering the final year of their deals: LB Jerome Baker, TE Mike Gesicki and TE Durham Smythe.
• Jackson also believes DE Emmanuel Ogbah has warranted an extension after signing a two-year, $15 million deal last offseason. 
• An NFL agent told Jackson that he thinks the Dolphins should offer Baker, Gesicki, Smythe, and K Jason Sanders long-term extensions but only give it to the first player who agrees to a deal: “Here’s what I would do if I were the Dolphins. I would offer all four guys extensions [Gesicki, Smythe, Baker and Sanders] and tell them the first one who takes it gets the extension, but we can’t do anymore than one. Play it out with the others.”

Jets

Ralph Vacchiano of SNY examines the Jets’ 19 impending free-agents and how New York may address each of them this offseason:

• Vacchiano writes that the Jets franchising S Marcus Maye at $11 million for 2021 would make more sense than an extension in order to evaluate Maye in new HC Robert Saleh‘s system. 
• Vacchiano could see the Jets re-signing S Bradley McDougald to a one-year deal. 
• Regarding veteran RB Frank Gore, his options could be retirement or a one-year, $1 million extension.
• Vacchiano writes that the Jets could re-sign LB Tarell Basham given he “won’t cost much.” 
• Similarly with LB Neville Hewitt, Vacchiano sees him as a “low-cost” option to be re-signed.  
• Vacchiano could also see veteran QB Joe Flacco sign with another team which gives him a better chance to play, but notes that Flacco could be interested in returning to the Jets. 
• It is possible the Jets re-sign C Josh Andrews and CB Bennett Jackson for the NFL’s minimum. 
• Although Vacchiano points out that Jets G Pat Elflein could return to their starting lineup next season, New York could have “considerable competition” if he becomes a free agent. 
• As for S Matthias Farley, Vacchiano points out that he was their special teams’ captain last season and will likely be back. 
• The Jets could bring back LBs Patrick Onwuasor and Bryce Hager for their offseason program. 
• Vacchiano expects the Jets to allow WR Breshad Perriman, CB Brian Poole, LB Jordan Jenkins, CB Arthur Maulet, TE Daniel Brown, TE Ross Travis and DL Trevon Coley to become free agents.

Patriots

• Regarding the Patriots’ possible activity in the open market, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated does not expect New England to be involved in top-level free agents but could see them landing players like Rams TE Gerald Everett, Bills LB Matt Milano or Saints DE Trey Hendrickson.
• At quarterback, Breer could see the Patriots pursuing a trade for Raiders QB Marcus Mariota given they could still select a prospect at the position in the 2021 NFL Draft.