AFC Notes: Jets, Patriots, Titans

Jets

• Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network reports the following about the relationship between the Jets and T Mekhi Becton: “I’m hearing that the Jets offensive coaches are fed up with Mekhi Becton. They want to move forward with George Fant. Battle lines between the coaching staff and the front office could be drawn over this.”
• Pauline does not expect WR Denzel Mims to be back with the Jets next year: “Mims won’t be with the Jets in 2022. It would not be a good look for Douglas if the team rids themselves of both Mims and Becton after just two seasons.”
• According to HC Robert Saleh, veteran WR Jamison Crowder has less than a 50 percent chance to play this week. (DJ Bien-Aime)
• Jets OL Dan Feeney will replace C Connor McGovern and has been “dying for this opportunity” according to Saleh. (Rich Cimini)

Patriots

Patriots OC Josh McDaniels downplayed the idea of first-round QB Mac Jones hitting the rookie wall as the season moves past where a normal college season would end. The Patriots have lost back-to-back games and Jones has just two touchdowns and four interceptions in that span. 

“He’s doing fine,” McDaniels said via Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald. “No concern on that. Each rookie kind of handles that differently. There’s always a stretch during the course of the middle of the season that’s a little bit new to him, because when you count the preseason games, preseason work, starting in July, usually that happens somewhere towards the end of October, middle of November, somewhere in there. But he’s gotten through that. He understands what he needs to do. He does a great job with his regimen, takes care of his body, his preparation. He’s learned how to manage his time and what he needs to allocate it towards, and I think that’s a really important thing for a young player.”

• Should Patriots OC Josh McDaniels take a head-coaching job this offseason, Albert Breer could see New England bring back Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator.
• One in-house candidate for the Patriots, according to Breer, is TEs coach Nick Caley.
• Field Yates points out that the Patriots have likely invested wisely in S Adrian Phillips, as he has played 173 snaps at safety, 145 at slot cornerback, 118 at outside linebacker, 102 at inside linebacker, 85 at outside cornerback, and has even lined up 21 times with the interior of the defensive line.
• Patriots HC Bill Belichick compared Phillips to S Patrick Chung: “Very instinctive, very high IQ, plays faster and bigger than whatever his dimensions and times are. This is one of our best players and one of our most versatile players.” (Zack Cox)

Titans

• Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com notes that Lions WR Josh Reynolds is having success with former Rams teammate QB Jared Goff in Detroit, but also points out that Reynolds’ unlucky run with the Titans was cut short due to injury and the fact that he was buried on the depth chart when all the team’s receivers were once healthy.
• Wyatt also defends play-caller Todd Downing, noting that the criticism of him might not exist if he had a fully healthy offense with RB Derrick Henry, WR Julio Jones, and WR A.J. Brown back in the fold.
• As for Henry, Wyatt points out that he is currently working out and is walking around as he plans to return at full speed for the playoffs.