AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

• Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald writes the Dolphins are a team to keep an eye on as a free agent destination for Cardinals LB Haason Reddick.
• The Cardinals have less cap space to work with after signing DE J.J. Watt, while the Dolphins are about to create more space by moving on from LB Kyle Van Noy. Reddick appears to be a solid scheme fit as a replacement for Van Noy, per Salguero. 
• Sources tell the Athletic’s Josh Tolentino that there’s a decent chance both Dolphins LBs Vince Biegel and Kamu Grugier-Hill hit free agency, as the former is coming off a torn Achilles and the latter is seeking a bigger role. 
• The Dolphins have hired Anne Noland as their new senior director of communications. (Ian Rapoport)

Jets

• Per SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano, Jets GM Joe Douglas believes the team is in a good spot this offseason with all the cap space and draft picks they have available: “Where we’re sitting now we’re very well positioned with the capital we have, financially. We’re well-positioned to really improve this roster.”
• However, Douglas said the team still plans to take a measured approach to free agency: “Our plan is to build this thing through the draft.” (Connor Hughes)
• Asked about potentially trading a haul for a single player — a not so subtle reference to a potential trade for Texans QB Deshaun Watson — Douglas reiterated they want to hit on picks, not necessarily trade them away: “Obviously we have a lot of different scenarios and a lot of different rabbit holes we can go down. …Ultimately for us to get to where the great teams are, the most consistent teams are, you do that through the draft. It’s the most team-friendly market in sports.” (Vacchiano)
• Douglas told reporters he’s had “productive” conversations with S Marcus Maye‘s agent and the plan is still to sign him to a long-term deal. (Brian Costello)
• He added the agent’s outburst on Twitter was “part of the business, part of negotiating,” and shouldn’t affect things. (Rich Cimini)

Patriots

• NFL Media’s Michael Giardi reports the Patriots aren’t enamored with the “current” crop of quarterbacks potentially available in free agency. He adds New England and other teams are hoping some dominoes fall and that changes. 
• In addition to soon-to-be-former Vikings TE Kyle Rudolph and Dolphins LB Kyle Van Noy, ESPN’s Mike Reiss highlights former Jets DL Henry Anderson as another recently-released player the Patriots should have some interest in.