AFC Notes: Tua Tagovailoa, Zach Wilson, Quinn Ewers, Dolphins, Patriots

Dolphins 

The Dolphins signed veteran RB Alexander Mattison as a free agent this offseason. He called himself a “very versatile back” and thinks he can showcase his skills in HC Mike McDaniel‘s offense. 

โ€œIโ€™m a very versatile back. Downhillโ€ฆ physical style,” Mattison said, via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “[I want to] show people I can do different things. Iโ€™m glad to be in an offense where I can showcase that. Not being a one-trick pony. I never [portray myself] as a speed guy, but itโ€™s fun to push my limits and see how much I can flourish in an offense like this and kind of unlock some of that speed in my game.โ€

  • Marcel Louis-Jacques reports that Dolphins FB Alec Ingold is in concussion protocol.
  • Dolphins CB Cam Smith will be out a few days per McDaniel: “We’re all awaiting his ability to stay on the field. So every time there’s a setback, we try to assess … I like the stuff that he’s doing and his development on the field.” (Marcel Louis-Jacques)

Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa missed four games last season due to a concussion and the final two games due to a hip injury. The Dolphins’ quarterback said he’s avoiding taking unnecessary hits this offseason and is focused on staying healthy in 2025. 

โ€œMe not putting myself in situations where Iโ€™m not available for my team, and then we take it from there,โ€ Tagovailoa said, via PFT. โ€œIf I can stay healthy for our guys, I believe, and I think the team believes, that I give us the best chance to go do what we say we want to do.โ€

Tagovailoa acknowledged last season’s disappointing 8-9 result and missing the playoffs. He wants to see how the team responds this season.  

โ€œA lot of the guys on the team, we hear the noise, we hear all that, but itโ€™s OK,โ€ Tagovailoa said. โ€œItโ€™s OK for people to have their opinions. What are we going to do about it?โ€

Tagovailoa also said rookie QB Quinn Ewers has been having an impressive camp and has fully bought into what the team is trying to get out of him.

โ€œI think Quinn has been balling,โ€ Tagovailoa said, via PFT. โ€œI think heโ€™s been buying into what heโ€™s been told in the quarterback room and then things that heโ€™s taken from the meeting rooms. With Mikeโ€™s meetings, โ€˜Slowโ€™sโ€™ [senior passing game specialist Bobby Slowik] meetings, and โ€˜Bevโ€™sโ€™ [QBs coach/pass game coordinator Darrell Bevell] meetings, and heโ€™s been able to take that out here on the practice field. Heโ€™s been doing really well. I think Zach has been doing pretty good as well, and theyโ€™ll continue to work. Theyโ€™ll continue to get me better, Iโ€™ll continue to get those guys better, and continue to help that room grow.โ€

Dolphins

Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said the backup quarterback position is QB Zach Wilson‘s to lose.

Zach [Wilson] is the backup quarterback,” McDaniel said, via Dolphins Wire. “There’s no such thing as non-competition and I think Quinn [Ewers] is the type of person that is every day trying to make a real competition. Right now it’s not like that in my mind.

Patriots

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