AFC Notes: Von Miller, Jacoby Brissett, Bills, Dolphins, Jets

 

Bills

Bills DE Von Miller admitted that he shouldn’t have played last year and his knee was not fully recovered.

“That’s probably what should have happened, but I didn’t want that to happen,” Miller said, via ESPN. “I wanted to be out there and play. If I was 50%, like, nobody was going to stop me from going out there. [Bills general manager Brandon] Beane wasn’t, nobody was going to stop me from going out there. But the truth, just being honest with you guys, my knee wasn’t at a place where I could go, and I could move, and I could do the things that I wanted to do. I mean, I could play, but that was just about it.”

Miller added that he’s feeling better and has lofty expectations for his age-35 season.

“I only know one way to view things, and that’s the most optimistic way, and I wanted it to go better than what it was,” Miller said. “I wanted to go out there and get 15 sacks, that’d put me in the top 10 all time. I wanted all of those things to happen, but the universe just had other plans for me and nothing in life is by coincidence, so I’m here now, year three [with the Bills], I’m feeling good and I’m ready to go.”

Bills GM Brandon Beane is excited about getting the best version of Miller back, who could draw double teams and open up one-on-one opportunities for the rest of the defensive line.

“I think even Von referenced it maybe one time this offseason in the playoffs and maybe that that last game of the season against Miami, just seeing that twitch that he’s always had fire,” Beane said. “You love to see him get back, not only winning his one-on-ones, but where people are like, ‘Hey, we got to have a plan for him.’ Because if two people have to block him or if they got to chip him, somebody’s going to get a single block.”

Dolphins

Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle believes CB Ethan Bonner could have a much larger role with the team entering his second year in the NFL.

“Bonner probably has had like the craziest jump from I think any player from last year, in my opinion,” Waddle said, via Dolphins Wire. “He just seems like a totally different player out there. He’s more patient at the line. Maybe it’s just a year under his belt. His patience, he’s using his long arms. He obviously knows he can run, so he can stay hip-to-hip with anyone and he’s playing with a lot of confidence out there. I tell ‘EB’ every day, ‘You’re getting us better.’”

Patriots

Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett understands that he was brought in to mentor a young quarterback, but also expects himself to be the starter so long as he remains in Foxborough.

“Two things can be true: Like I can be perfect for the situation, but I’m the perfect guy to start, too,” Brissett said, via PFT. “Don’t take that away from me either. I fully expect myself to be the starter as long as I am here. Whatever happens outside of that, that has nothing to do with me. That doesn’t mean I little myself for somebody else. That just means like hey, I’m not too big for a situation to where I can go out there and perform but also go out there and help my teammates and help lead this team.”