AFC Notes: Will McDonald, Jonnu Smith, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith was held without a catch through regulation but grabbed three in overtime, including the game-winning touchdown. Smith spoke about staying ready despite not producing at his expected level. 

“Individually, probably wasn’t the game I’ve been having these past couple of weeks,” Smith said, via Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “When my time comes, just got to be there to make the play when it counts. Just extremely — I love this team, man, the resolve we got, no blink, no flinching.”

• Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said LT Terron Armstead‘s knee injury doesn’t require surgery but he will miss time. (Adam Beasley)

Jets

Jets pass rusher Will McDonald is having a breakout season after being selected by the team in the first round back in 2023. He seems to have made a statement about his future with the team despite New York’s poor season amid the firing of GM Joe Douglas, who drafted him.

“It’s another guy that’s just another bright spot in a season with not as many bright spots as you’d like,” Jets interim HC Jeff Ulbrich said, via Brian Costello of The New York Post. “And it’s absolutely a byproduct of his process. This is a guy that gained nearly 20 pounds this offseason and kept his weight on all year long. Not a naturally big guy, guy’s got to work at it, and he has. Practice habits have become elite, all of it, and for all of that to be demonstrated in the sack production he’s had, you feel good about stuff like that, but so excited about Will.” 

Patriots

• Patriots HC Jerod Mayo was asked if owner Robert Kraft ensured his job for next season: “I’m not going to get into all of that stuff. Look, I here I go again dancing a little bit but my focus is on the guys in this room, the coaches on this staff and winning this game that we have coming up.” (Mark Daniels)
• In his Patriots mailbag, Chad Graff of The Athletic thinks New England Mayo and de facto GM Eliot Wolf will return next year despite a disappointing season.
• Graff also believes the Patriots are going to be all in on Bengals WR Tee Higgins in free agency this offseason.