AFC Notes: Mike McDaniel, Garrett Wilson, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said it was gut-wrenching for the team to fail to meet expectations once again. For the second year in a row, the Dolphins roared out of the gates early in the season with a potent offense before attrition wore them down at the end. Miami’s gone 23 years without a playoff win and now it will be at least 24. 

“We fell very short of our goals,” McDaniel said via Pro Football Talk. “We have very strong expectations for ourselves. One of the reasons a lot of people don’t put themselves out there and hold those expectations is because when you fall short of them it’s emotional, it’s gut-wrenching.”

Jets

Jets WR Garrett Wilson was asked about his comments that this season was the “worst year of my life” despite recording 95 receptions. Wilson said he appreciates the organization for allowing him to vent his frustrations. 

“They’ve definitely let me vent, I guess you could say,” Wilson said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN. “I’m appreciative of that. I know that isn’t the case everywhere and that isn’t the case often. They allow me to do that and they have insightful answers to all the things I ask, all of my worries, and it all comes with good answers from them. They have an open-door policy. We had our exit meetings this week. … Even past that, we’ve had conversations. That’s something I don’t take for granted because the intentions are there to get this thing the way it should be.”

Jets GM Joe Douglas said Wilson’s comments made him feel like he needs to make adjustments to their offensive personnel. 

“When I hear things like that, it just makes me say I have to do more to help this offense, that wideout room, that O-line. I need to do more.”

Patriots sixth-round WR Demario Douglas has had a strong rookie season, which is unusual for a New England wide receiver, but was asked if he has been studying some of the great pass catchers in franchise history 

“Yeah, for sure,” Douglas said, via NESN’s Zack Cox. “It’ll be in the little clips. I’ll see Edelman, Troy, Deion. Some of the GOATs that have been through here. Watching them, it helped me with my game, also. …How they run their routes. How they became successful. The little things that they do, how they come off the ball, stuff like that.”

• ESPN’s Mike Reiss points out the Patriots haven’t hired a GM in 30 years under the Kraft family and he suspects they won’t break that streak. While the Patriots will need someone to be in charge of the front office, Reiss doesn’t think they’ll hire a GM with authority to run the entire football operation. 
• Reiss mentions Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf is viewed as well-positioned to be tabbed to run the team’s front office. However, he notes there doesn’t seem to be a lot of urgency from the Krafts to overhaul the front office just yet and the current staff will likely remain in place through the draft.