AFC Notes: Garrett Bradbury, Justin Fields, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

The Dolphins did not make considerable investments in this year’s free-agent market compared to past seasons. Mike Sando of The Athletic cites an anonymous executive who thinks Miami is taking a different approach after being burned on previous gambles for veterans. 

“It feels like a team that invested in some older players the last couple years and it did not work out for them,” the executive said. “I could see this being the start of a little reset for them.”

Miami signed OL James Daniels to a three-year, $24 million deal along with QB Zach Wilson and TE Pharaoh Brown to modest one-year deals. Another executive considers each of them to be solid moves. 

“I like James Daniels — good player — and the Pharaoh Brown signing will be good for them, as he’s become a blocking tight end,” the executive said. “Zach Wilson is a good reclamation project. He is similar to Tua (Tagovailoa) in that the ball comes out quick, he is accurate short — all the things he has not been asked to do yet.”

One more executive doesn’t think the Dolphins did enough to bolster their offensive line. 

“They just don’t have enough there to warrant that they are going to have a better commitment to the run game and better protection for Tua,” the executive said. “Contrast them with Chicago, which made two trades for starting linemen before free agency. That has not been the Dolphins’ way up front.”

Jets

Jets QB Justin Fields wasn’t interested in answering hypothetical questions when asked what he would think if the team drafted a quarterback next week.

“I don’t really like to answer rhetorical questions,” he said, via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “I’m willing to teach, but I’m not really interested in rhetorical questions.”

According to Cimini, the Jets are keeping close tabs on Texas A&M DL Shemar Stewart. New York likely won’t take him seventh-overall, but he could be an option for the team if they opted to trade down. 

Jets LB Jamien Sherwood said that QB Aaron Rodgers left a lasting impression on the organization during his short time there.

“He helped create a standard for myself and those other guys on offense,” Sherwood said. “He really basically left a mark on all of us. He taught us all so much in a short span of time that we will all carry for the rest of our lives, the rest of our football careers. He meant a lot to us.”

Patriots

The Vikings released C Garrett Bradbury this offseason after six seasons in Minnesota. Bradbury has no hard feelings towards the Vikings, but he does have a reignited desire to prove himself after not being wanted anymore. 

“Yeah, absolutely. Had six great years in Minnesota,” Bradbury said, via Mike Reiss. “It’s a great locker room. Built some really good connections there. And it ended, right? That’s the business. You never want to feel comfortable, but that’s a wake-up call. That’s ‘all right, here we go, that’s how they feel and they move on.’”

“There’s no ill will. I’m not bitter towards the Vikings. It’s just a new opportunity for me. I think when there’s a change, if you don’t take that opportunity, you’re not going to grow from it. So it’s more about, ‘All right, I get to re-invent myself, I get to re-prove myself’. And the minute you think you have it figured out, you’re gone.”