AFC Notes: Matt Judon, Bradley Chubb, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said the team still doesn’t have a timetable for OLB Bradley Chubb to return, but added that he’s steadily making progress in his recovery.

“It’s going much like the ongoing conversations have been about Jaelan Phillips,” McDaniel said, via Dolphins Wire. “No timeline, [we’re] making sure that he has no setbacks in the whole process, and I can tell you with exuberance there’s been no setbacks. So he’s progressing and we are making sure that when he’s on the field, he’s there to stay.”

McDaniel said that Chubb will play an integral role for the team this year, while adding that he’s listened to the training and rehabilitation staff in terms of making sure he sticks to the timeline.

“He’s doing a great job understanding his role to the team,” McDaniel said of Chubb. “He’s a very important player to this team. Might be one of the most, if not the most popular player on the team. I don’t think there’s a teammate that he can’t reach and with that connectivity, there’s some responsibility that goes there. So he’s been very wise beyond his years in terms of making sure that he doesn’t — in a heat of competitiveness — overstep boundaries too soon. So I’m happy with where he’s at.”

• McDaniel has hope WR Odell Beckham Jr. will practice before the season: “You hope but you have to listen to people’s bodies. He is optimistic about how it’s developing.” (Joe Schad)

Jets

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers said that this year’s training camp has been more strenuous than last year.

“Camp is much harder this year, and maybe the hardest in the last seven or eight years in my career,” Rodgers said, via PFT. “I knew that, I had a little insight coming into camp, that’s what Robert wanted to do. Some people believe that though it puts more strain on you in training camp, it gets you more ready to play when the season starts, and some people believe the the opposite.”

• Jets S Jarrick Bernard-Converse and CB Isaiah Oliver are out for the rest of training camp but HC Robert Saleh thinks they will be ready for Week 1. (Zack Rosenblatt)
• New York WR Mike Williams expects to join team drills this week: “I think I’m ready to do some team stuff, just getting in a rhythm, doing things with the team, just lining up and going through some plays.” (Rich Cimini)
• Saleh on whether DE Haason Reddick will report and play Week 1: “I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it.” (Rich Cimini)
• The Jets made the following front-office moves: Jon Carr and Greg Nejmeh as co-directors of player personnel, Dan Zbojovsky as senior director of football operations and Chad Alexander joined the Chargers. (Brian Costello)

Patriots

New England traded OLB Matt Judon to Atlanta after contract disputes strained the relationship. SI.com’s Albert Breer noted the issues between the two sides have been building for some time which contributed to the split.

“Judon was not as well-liked by the coaches and front office people as you might have thought,” Breer said, via NBC Sports Boston. “And that was really part of it in the end that they were just sick of him. They felt like there was a public face of Judon, and there was Judon behind the scenes.”

“Judon behind the scenes has sort of become a little bit of an operator, and his act had worn thin with people inside the building. It’s something that was an issue in Baltimore, too. So it’s not saying he’s a bad guy, but there was some of this sort of cheerleader stuff on social media that a lot of people in the organization would roll their eyes at.”

• Patriots OC Alex Van Pelt on what stands in the way of first-round QB Drake Maye winning the starting job: “Jacoby (Brissett).” (Doug Kyed)
• New England second-round WR Ja’Lynn Polk was asked about his mindset while he catches a pass: “It’s money in the air. It’s free money. Either you’re going to go get it or your pockets are going to be empty.” (Mark Daniels)
• Patriots TE Austin Hooper commented on former OL Nick Leverett catching a touchdown in practice during Leverett’s transition to FB: “Nick’s a natural, man. That’s fun when you see a big-man touchdown. Nothing gets the boys more juiced than a big-man touchdown. It is a truly beautiful thing. You guys were truly fortunate to witness that.” (Kyed)