AFC Notes: Jacoby Brissett, Sauce Gardner, Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills HC Sean McDermott said this week that WR Chase Claypool is looking to “reclaim” his prior form. Claypool acknowledged how the last two years have been difficult for him and understands he hasn’t met expectations. 

“I think it is tough believing the player that you are or can be, and falling short of those expectations, especially over the last two years, for sure,” Claypool said, via Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN. “It is a tough position because I know there’s times where it can be frustrating if I’m not living up to my potential. But if it’s frustrating to the outside world, it’s even more frustrating for me. I understand where I should be. And I understand that I haven’t met those expectations. And that’s why I work harder and harder and harder and harder every year so I can meet and exceed those expectations.”

McDermott has been impressed with Claypool’s approach in OTAs. 

“[Claypool’s] very focused, he’s working extremely hard day in and day out,” McDermott said. “Very impressed with his day-to-day approach, true pro, high character, smart player, and he’s been a good addition to our team.”

Claypool feels like riding the bench while with the Dolphins helped him realize his love for the game and desire to get on the field. 

“I went from being a starter, playing every play, to going to Miami and really not playing at all,” Claypool said. “So, it … Made me realize my love for the game. Because even though I was doing nothing that I wanted to do or expect to do, special teams and stuff like that at the time. I realize how much I love football. If I didn’t love the game, that’d be easy to just fold.”

Jets

Jets CB Sauce Gardner is excited about the team’s six primetime games and said it’s a perfect opportunity to show the country what they’re capable of.

“We’re always ready,” Gardner said, via PFT. “It’s a prime time game. We’re always going to be ourselves, we’re always going to have the same identity, we’re not going to change anything, just because it’s primetime. It’s great to be able to have those prime time games, because a lot of people are expecting a lot out of us. We expect a lot out of ourselves. Everybody is going to be watching and we learned how to have those type of games. I love those type of games because it’s going to be competitive, and I’m a competitor.”

Patriots

New Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett loves the vibes around the building with HC Jerod Mayo taking over and appreciates how much say he allows the players to have.

“He brings a lot of good energy,” Brissett said, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “The cool thing is you can tell he’s trying to make the players on the team run the team. Obviously, he’s the head coach and he sets the standard, but he definitely puts a lot of responsibility on us players. I like it.”

• Former Patriots RB James White on the current landscape of New England’s QB room: “I believe Jacoby Brissett should start every single football game unless Drake Maye goes out here in OTA’s, Training Camp and he’s just blowing everybody away.” (SiriusXM NFL Radio)
• New England is parting ways with Pro Scout Joe Anile after two years, per Neil Stratton.