AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

  • Over The Capโ€™s Nick Korte lists Dolphins G Michael Deiter and LB Jerome Baker as players who are helped by the new CBAโ€™s PPE rules and are on track to get raises in their fourth season. 
  • Sports Illustratedโ€™s Albert Breer notes the Dolphins coaching staff returned to the team facility Monday. 

Jets

  • ESPNโ€™s Rich Cimini evaluates the first year of GM Joe Douglasโ€˜ career, saying Douglas brought stability to a difficult situation after taking over for former GM Mike Maccagnan.
  • One of Douglasโ€™ defining characteristics so far has been his willingness to draw a hard line in contract negotiations. Cimini writes it cost the Jets WR Robby Anderson but helped them keep CB Brian Poole and LB Jordan Jenkins on fairly low-cost deals. 
  • The other has been his commitment to shoring up the Jetsโ€™ offensive line, including trading for G Alex Lewis, signing C Connor McGovern, OT George Fant and G Greg Van Roten, and drafting first-round OT Mekhi Becton.
  • Cimini thinks Douglasโ€™ best move was dealing DL Leonard Williams for a third and fifth-round pick, while his worst move was bringing C Ryan Kalil out of retirement.
  • Going forward, Douglas will need to navigate the situation with S Jamal Adams, continue to fix the wide receiver position and help the Jets draft better. 
  • SNYโ€™s Ralph Vacchiano adds something to monitor going forward will be how Douglas and the Jets handle player injuries. There were multiple dustups last year with players like G Kelechi Osemele and WR Quincy Enunwa taking issues with the team. 
  • Other potential challenges for Douglas, per Vacchiano, include a potential extension for QB Sam Darnold and how he handles HC Adam Gase if he continues to struggle. 

Patriots

Former Chargers S Adrian Phillips spoke about his decision to join the Patriots as a free agent this offseason.

โ€œItโ€™s a first-class organization,โ€ Phillips said, via NBC Sports. โ€œYou notice that from afar and you wonder, โ€˜How does that keep happening?โ€™ So, actually being in the mix, you see that, and being in the meetings with the guys and with the DBs, you see why theyโ€™re always in the position that theyโ€™re in. Itโ€™s just great to be part of.โ€

Phillips credits his new teammates and coaches for embracing him and immediately making him feel at home in an unfamiliar situation.

โ€œThatโ€™s a testament to those guys โ€” to embrace me the way that they did and treat me like Iโ€™ve been there for so long, and not even having met me face-to-face,โ€ Phillips said. โ€œItโ€™s a huge testament to them, and itโ€™s a huge testament to the coaches, just showing that theyโ€™re real people who really want to know the best of you and really want to see the type of person you are and embrace you and bring you into the winning culture. So, itโ€™s real cool to be a part of that.โ€

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