AFC Notes: Jets, Patriots, Ravens

Jets

• Rich Cimini of ESPN mentions that the Jets could feasibly make a run at Steelers RB Le’Veon Bell in the 2019 offseason, given that New York is set to have $88 million in available cap space.
• Cimini does not think the Jets would want to pay Bell over $15 million annually unless they view him as the missing piece toward a championship run.
• Cimini also thinks the Jets will be “major players” in free agency for two other franchise players including Cowboys’ DE DeMarcus Lawrence and Lions DE Ezekiel Ansah.
• As for the looming suspension for WR Robby Anderson, Cimini says the Jets are “cautiously optimistic” the receiver can avoid suspension since the only mark on his record is a reckless-driving misdemeanor.

Patriots

Former Patriots WR Danny Amendola was asked about the reported drama between QB Tom Brady and HC Bill Belichick during an appearance on the Comeback SZN podcast.

According to Amendola, “there’s not really much truth to that.”

“There’s not really much truth to that, to tell you the truth,” Amendola said, via ESPN.com. “There’s always going to be some friction between a coach and a player, in a business — whether it be contractual, whether it be playing time, or whatever. … Personally, I can’t speak for Tom or Bill [Belichick], but regardless of business — and I have mixed feelings of how business is done there — I know for a fact that Coach Belichick is one of the best coaches of all time and he has all of his players’ respect. I know Tom would say the same thing, Gronk would say the same thing, regardless of how they feel about their contracts or their certain situation, or whatever may be going down. That goes without saying.”

James Harrison also downplayed the situation during an appearance on FS1’s “Undisputed.”

“All these stories that come out — all this friction and stuff — I honestly believe it’s made up,” Harrison said. “I came in there looking, like ‘I’m about to see what’s going on. They have troubles too, just like everybody else.’ I get in there and I see nothing. [Belichick and Brady] were interacting, they were talking, I don’t see any friction. I believe they make up these stories to pull that team tighter and closer together, because that’s really all it does.”

Ravens

Ravens OC Marty Mornhinweg said first-round QB Lamar Jackson is “way ahead of the curve” this offseason.

“He’s done an outstanding job up to date,” Mornhinweg said, via Jamison Hensley. “He’s way ahead of the curve now.”