AFC Notes: Stefon Diggs, Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills WR Stefon Diggs has two years remaining on his contract but with the way the wide receiver market has taken a big jump forward this month, he’s someone worth keeping an eye on. Two star receivers have already been traded because their original teams didn’t want to meet their asking prices. Diggs also arrived in Buffalo via trade already. 

“We’ve got Stefon for two years so we know that. At the right time we’ll work with his reps and see if there’s something to be done that works for him,” Bills GM Brandon Beane said via Pro Football Talk. “He’s a winner. He’s all in on winning and, sure, everybody wants to be paid but he wants to be on a winning team. I think he’s been the best version of himself. So I don’t see that being an issue.”

• Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reports Miami QB D’Eriq King has been drawing interest around the league as a slot receiver and returner who can also play quarterback if needed, with three interested teams being the Bills, Cowboys and Seahawks.
• The NFL joint stadium and finance committee will recommend that all 32 teams vote to approve up to $200 million in private funding to help build a new $1.4 billion stadium for the Buffalo Bills during their annual meeting in Palm Beach, Florida on Monday. (Jason Wolf)

Dolphins

Rumors recently arose that Buccaneers QB Tom Brady was attempting to force a trade to the Dolphins, yet Ian Rapoport told Pat McAfee that he hasn’t heard anything substantial regarding any trade involving Brady.

“I haven’t heard anything to corroborate any of that, honestly,” Rapoport said on the Pat McAfee Show. “Look, rumors happen and sometimes I am a part of them so I can’t make fun of all rumors, that’s what drives all of us. This one doesn’t make any sense. Brady is under contract with the Bucs, they have said definitively he’s not going anywhere. Plus, if I remember correctly, he did recruit a couple of guys to sign back with Tampa, including his buddy Leonard Fournette, including Chris Godwin, including several other free agents and is he really going to – Ryan Jensen came back – is he really going to do that and bail? Plus, if we remember correctly, there was kind of a tampering thing that was part of the Brian Flores lawsuit involving the Miami Dolphins. So, after all of this, after that allegation – which has not been proven – do the Dolphins then get him? None of this makes sense to me.”

Jets

• ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes the Jets felt internally that they faced an uphill battle in luring WR Tyreek Hill to New York over the Dolphins once they entered the mix. 
• He adds the Jets are keeping their eyes on Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf, Titans WR A.J. Brown and 49ers WR Deebo Samuel, just in case talks go south with their respective teams and they become available via trade. The Jets have strong connections via players or coaches to all three. 
• Cimini points out the Jets purposefully have backloaded the deals they’ve signed this offseason for two reasons. They expect the cap to go up significantly in 2023 and they want the flexibility to make a blockbuster this year if the opportunity arises. 
• He mentions Jets DE Carl Lawson remains on schedule to return from the Achilles injury that ended his 2021 season and has not suffered a setback. 
• Jets QB Joe Flacco‘s one-year deal includes a $1.73 million signing bonus, $1.12 million guaranteed base salary and a $38,235 bonus for every game on the active roster. (Aaron Wilson)

Patriots

• ESPN’s Mike Reiss talked to Jim Nagy, the director of the Senior Bowl and a former Patriots scout, about some potential fits for New England at positions of need. He identified Wyoming LB Chad Muma as a good fit: “In reaching out to [former Wyoming and current Bengals LB Logan Wilson] during the fall about Chad, he said they always knew he was going to be good because he hit the ground running and knew how to work and prepare. When I heard Logan talk about the makeup part of it with Chad, it screamed ‘Patriot’ to me.”
•  The Patriots also need help at wide receiver and Nagy says to keep an eye on Rutgers’ Bo Melton: “You saw his ability to get open here in Mobile. He’s quick and fast, and he also proved that at the combine [4.34 seconds in the 40-yard dash]. You put on the tape and the first thing you like is his toughness and his play strength with the ball in his hands. In the one-on-ones [at the Senior Bowl], you saw the stuff at the top of the route, the releases, just that suddenness that’s always worked [for former Patriots receivers] whether it’s Troy Brown or Wes Welker or Julian [Edelman].”
• If the Patriots view either Boston College OL Zion Johnson or UT-Chattanooga OL Cole Strange as good fits at guard or center, Nagy believes they’d have to use their first-round pick on the former and a second or third on the latter: “I think Zion is a slam-dunk Pro Bowl player. He reminds me of Rodney Hudson… I think his best position is center, because you’d be wasting his brain playing him at guard — he’s highly, highly intelligent. Work ethic is off the charts.”
• In the secondary, Houston CB Marcus Jones is someone who stuck out to Nagy as a fit for the Patriots due to his versatility: “He’s played outside, nickel, safety and receiver this year. And he’s an All-American returner who can do both [punts and kickoffs] and should be able to do that right away. He’s very much like Troy Brown, just more slanted [toward] defense.”
• Patriots RT Trent Brown‘s two-year deal includes a $2.5 million signing bonus, base salaries of $1.5 million and $4 million and up to $1.5 million in per-game active roster bonuses annually. (Aaron Wilson)
• Brown’s 2022 base salary is guaranteed. He can trigger $3 million in guarantees for his second year by playing 75 percent or more of the snaps in 2022 or being on the roster the first day of the 2023 league year. There is also an annual $750,000 weight bonus and up to $4.5 million in incentives tied to playing time and making the Pro Bowl.