AFC Notes: Jets, Patriots, Steelers

Jets

The Jets ultimately missed out on signing Kirk Cousins in free agency, but quickly turned their attention to Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater.

Jets CEO Christopher Johnson said at the owners meeting that their quarterback plan is “shaping up as something pretty magnificent.”

“We moved very quickly to Plan B,” Johnson said, via the New York Daily News. “It’s almost a shame to call it Plan B, because it’s shaping up as something pretty magnificent. I’m pretty excited about it. We did so swiftly. It doesn’t hurt it all that we now have an awful lot of money that we were thinking we might be sending out the door to one player. Now [we] have that back with us and we can spread that out over a lot of other players over the next few years.”

Patriots

Patriots HC Bill Belichick explained that he and OC Josh McDaniels really didn’t get a chance to sit down until after the Super Bowl and discuss him potentially returning to New England.

“Once that game ended, I think that really gave Josh and I a chance to sit down [Tuesday] and talk more directly about the situation, as opposed to, ‘We really want to talk about the game and what we need to do to try to compete in that game.’ That’s basically what happened,” Belichick said Sunday at the NFL’s annual meeting, via ESPN.com. “Before the game, I’d say we had minimal discussions. I’d say we had much deeper and longer and more in-depth and more constructive discussions immediately after the game.”

McDaniels reached an agreement with the Colts to be their next head coach before backing out of the deal.

“We got back from Minnesota, I had an opportunity to talk to Josh, and we were able to work some things out,” Belichick explained. “I’m thrilled he’s still with us and is going to continue in his role. I think he’s a top offensive coordinator in the league. He’s done a great job for me for a long time in a lot of different roles. I’m very glad, based on the meeting we had — there were a number of things that happened — that we were able to work that out and keep him with us.”

Steelers

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said he believes there isn’t a ceiling on LB Ryan Shazier‘s return from a severe spinal injury he sustained last year.

“There is no ceiling in Ryan’s recovery. He aggressively approaches it every day,” Colbert said, via ESPN.com. “We support him in every way possible in that endeavor. Where that leads, only he will know and he will determine further down the road. His approach, his mental approach. I can’t tell you how impressive an inspiration he is to us.”

• Steelers HC Mike Tomlin said he talks to franchise RB Le’Veon Bell “quite a bit” but they haven’t discussed his contract status: “We all want to do long-term business and I think all people have said that.” (Mark Kaboly)
• Tomlin said he will travel Louisville’s pro day to check out QB Lamar Jackson. (Mark Kaboly)
• In regards to new S Morgan Burnett, Tomlin said he has a vision of what Burnett brings and where he wants to use him but he “is open to being pleasantly surprised.” (Mark Kaboly)