AFC Notes: James Cook, Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills RB James Cook was straightforward when asked what he believes his role would be on the team next year.

“Obviously, RB1,” Cook said, via New York Upstate. “So you know, just come in and do what I do. Change the game with my versatility. Catching the ball out of the backfield. Pass blocking. Just try to do what I can do to help the team win games and ultimately win the Super Bowl.”

Cook was asked to clarify whether his statement meant that he was in line to receive the bulk of the work or if he would be the first back to enter the game.

“RB1 is running back one, so you know I’m going out there first obviously,” Cook stated. “I’m ready to work. This is a big step and a goal that I wanted to accomplish in the NFL. Just do what I can do to help the team win games.”

Cook explained that he hopes to reach the level of his brother, former Vikings RB Dalvin Cook and reach the Pro Bowl this year.

“My goal is to be an All-Pro or Pro Bowler like my brother (Dalvin),” Cook said. “Hopefully be in the Pro Bowl with him one day.”

Jets

Jets DE Jermaine Johnson joked that he has “father strength” after having a daughter this offseason but added he has been working on several aspects of his game in order to become more explosive off the line of scrimmage.

“I just feel day and night in terms of explosiveness,” Johnson said, via Pro Football Talk. “Explosiveness, technique, building my body, stuff like that. Just old school, you know. Just in the weight room all the time, eating, making sure I’m good. We like to make jokes. I just had a daughter, so now I have the father strength they call it or whatnot. But I’m just seeing crazy changes right now, it’s making me very excited and I know everyone else in the building is excited because when I’m at my best, I know it’s just going to help the team.”

Patriots

Patriots HC Bill Belichick said the team plans on giving reps to first-round CB Christian Gonzalez at a variety of positions early on in his development, but admitted that he’s most likely going to fit outside at one of the cornerback positions.

“In the spring, the plan is always kind of the same for these guys. Bring them in, let them learn how to be a professional football player and a New England Patriot,” Belichick said, via Patriots Wire. “That encompasses a lot of things, how to study, how to train, how to prepare, you know, how to learn the terminology and communicate with your teammates and so forth. We’ll work him out at a number of positions, again, like we do almost all players at this point in time in the spring. Then, we’ll narrow down a bit when we get to training camp. Ultimately, he is most likely going to be a perimeter corner. But. I think there’s other situations where he could play inside or play in the deeper part of the field, depending on what the call is or how things present themselves, from a game plan structure, from time to time.”