AFC Notes: Dolphins, Patriots, Kendrick Bourne

“Jevon Holland has a chance to be one of the best safeties in the league. You guys see it. We see it. Everybody sees it,” Dolphins defensive assistant Patrick Surtain said via NFL Media’s Cameron Wolfe. “If we’re going to get to where we want to get, we need him to play like that…”

“He’s the quarterback of the defense. The special guys have those elements. This is a fairly young team. Jevon wants to be a leader of this defense. Elandon Roberts is the clear one now. But there’s room for more. Jevon relishes it. Guys respect him. He doesn’t say much. But when he talks, it’s like EF Hutton. People listen.”

Patriots

Patriots WR Matthew Slater had high praise of RB Rhamondre Stevenson‘s improvement since being a fourth-round pick in 2021. 

“The improvement that I’ve seen from the day that he got here until now is unbelievable. One of the best I’ve seen,” Slater said, via Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. “That’s a credit to him and his work ethic and the way he’s applied the coaching that he’s gotten. it’s been fun to watch.”

Patriots WR Jakobi Meyers said that Stevenson quickly reminded him of RB James White. 

“When he first got here, just in practice, I saw him catch a seam out of the backfield. And that’s like a James White kind of play, you know what I mean?” Meyers said. “But he’ll go out there and give you a dead leg, catch a seam, take one to the crib. He’s a really talented player.”

Meyers doesn’t think there will be any drop-off in pass protection between Stevenson and RB Ty Montgomery, who landed on injured reserve this week. 

“I wouldn’t expect a drop-off,” Meyers said. “I really do have a lot of trust in Rhamondre. All of our backfield — they all are really good players, and they all do a lot of things really well. But especially him, too.”

Kendrick Bourne

Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne told reporters on Friday that he had a better week of practice and expects to be more involved in Week 2.

“Yeah, I’ve just been practicing, been in the role. Just rotating. Just waiting to go in. It’s been good, though,” Bourne said, via NESN.com.

Bourne made it clear that he’s healthy.

“No, no. Just feeling good. Just moving. Just trying to stay healthy, that’s the biggest thing. Taking care of my body, doing rehab, doing things,” Bourne said.

Bourne added that he doesn’t expect his role to be a lot different.

“Not much has changed. Just doing what they ask me to do. Everything’s really the same in a sense. Just doing the role they ask me to play, so keeping it the same,” Bourne said.