AFC Notes: Stefon Diggs, Jerod Mayo, Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

The Bills sent WR Stefon Diggs to Houston with picks in exchange for a second-round pick. Buffalo GM Brandon Beane reacted to the trade and emphasized they are actively trying to win.

“Are we better today? Probably not. It’s a work in progress,” Beane said via the Bills’ YouTube. “These moves are never easy — very hard, not made overnight, anything like that — but any time you make a move like this, as I said, very difficult, you’re doing it because you’re trying to win.” 

Jets

Jets Hall of Fame DT Joe Klecko commented on the team’s recent trade for pass rusher Haason Reddick.

“He’s a player-and-a-half,” Klecko told ESPN. “I don’t care how good they were on defense last year; it wasn’t good enough. Reddick makes them a much better football team. The opposite of a great quarterback is having great guys to put the quarterback down. That’s how the NFL works. This is a big deal. I love it.”

Jets GM Joe Douglas wouldn’t comment on whether the team plans to draft a quarterback in the first round this year after the team acquired Reddick and brought in veteran offensive tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses in free agency.

Douglas also noted that there is some great talent in the draft when it comes to the offensive line prospects.

“I’m not going to get into whether we’re going to take a quarterback at 10 or not,” Douglas said. “I think I left the door open in terms of we’ve got a lot of flexibility. If there’s a player that we feel helps the Jets, we have the flexibility to do that.”

• Jets HC Robert Saleh mentioned WR Mike Williams is expected to begin training camp on the PUP list as he is only five months out from surgery for a torn ACL in his left knee.

Patriots

Patriots HC Jerod Mayo has had to answer questions about the chances he can find success similar to that of former NFL LB and now Texans HC DeMeco Ryans.

Mayo noted that the team in Houston was already under construction from GM Nick Caserio before they drafted Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud and added that New England may not be in the same position just because they could potentially draft a quarterback this year.

“Remember, Caserio had been building that team for [two] years before they got C.J. Stroud in that position,” Mayo said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN. “So when you look at our team — I’m not asking for patience, but I kind of am. It’s a process. It’s not only about the quarterback. Obviously, you want to have that QB1 and build around him, but it doesn’t always happen when you want it.”

“Look, we could bring a QB in here and he may not be ready to play, realistically,” Mayo added. “That’s why we have a guy like Jacoby Brissett coming along. Jacoby is great. He can still play football and also mentor someone in that room, and he has a connection to that offense with Alex Van Pelt, so he can always be that teacher. That’s how we’re looking at it.”

• Northwestern LB Bryce Gallagher will reportedly visit the Patriots. (Bradley Locker)