AFC Notes: Tua Tagovailoa, Mike Williams, Bills, Dolphins, Jets

Bills

• Bills HC Sean McDermott said TE Dawson Knox (ankle) and DT Dawuane Smoot (groin) did not practice on Wednesday, while LB Terrel Bernard did not practice for personal reasons, per Joe Buscaglia. 
• McDermott announced Bernard, DT DeWayne Carter, and WR Curtis Samuel are out in Week 8. (Katherine Fitzgerald)
• McDermott doesn’t believe Samuel will have to go on IR but he could miss a few weeks. (Joe Buscaglia)
• Regarding Carter, McDermott said he will miss multiple weeks following wrist surgery but he’s unsure whether he will need to go on IR. (Maddy Glab)

Dolphins

As QB Tua Tagovailoa prepares to return from a concussion in Week 2, Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel spoke on their plan to ease him back into the process.

“You don’t go and ride the Tour de France on the first time you’ve picked the bike back up, you know?” McDaniel said, via Adam Stites of the Dolphins Wire. “So that’s kind of the way we’re approaching it and excited to see him start the process.”

• Barry Jackson notes Dolphins QB Skylar Thompson‘s rib injury is fully healed and he could be Tagovailoa’s backup in Week 8.  
• McDaniel noted S Jevon Holland, C Liam Eichenberg and DE Emmanuel Ogbah will play in Week 8. He added S Kader Kohou is out while CB Storm Duck is more of a game-time decision. (Marcel Louis-Jacques)

Jets

Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post takes a look at five possible trade destinations for Jets WR Mike Williams. 

• Dunleavy writes there is a perception that the Steelers are favorites to land Williams given they want a complement to pair with George Pickens.
• Dunleavy could also see the 49ers being interested in Williams after Brandon Aiyuk‘s season-ending injury and Deebo Samuel being hospitalized due to fluid in his lungs. 
• He lists the Buccaneers as another suitor after Chris Godwin‘s season-ending injury and Mike Evans aggravating his hamstring injury.
• The Chargers could also be a possibility to bring Williams back given they only have one receiver over 200 yards in Ladd McConkey. 
• Dunleavy also believes the Chiefs could be a candidate because of Travis Kelce‘s production being down and injuries to Marquise Brown and Rashee Rice. In the end, Dunleavy thinks Williams could complement Xavier Worthy better than JuJu Smith-Schuster.