Draft Rumors: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer thinks it’s less likely the Bills give up a host of resources to trade up for a receiver with how many holes the roster has. 
• However, the Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia points out Bills GM Brandon Beane sometimes can’t help himself when it comes to a trade or certain players, and their need at receiver is serious. 
• Buscaglia adds LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr. is a target who checks a lot of boxes for the Bills and there’s a range starting at pick No. 13 where it could make sense for the Bills to move up the board to get him without giving up an arm and a leg.  
• Houston OT Patrick Paul had an official 30 visit with the Bills. (MLFootball)

Dolphins

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer points out that while the Dolphins have a host of needs, there are league sources who think Miami won’t be able to help itself with speedy Texas WR Xavier Worthy in the first round. 

Jets

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer says Georgia TE Brock Bowers is a consideration but reiterates the Jets have long-term needs on the offensive line even after adding veteran OTs Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses this offseason.
• SNY’s Connor Hughes notes the Jets are a candidate to trade up deeper into the top 10 for a wide receiver. 
• The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt also projects the Jets trading up for a receiver, noting they could swap with the Titans at No. 7. 
• As far as the need at tackle, Rosenblatt points out former Packers OT David Bakhtiari remains available, though his durability is a major question mark. 
• ESPN’s Rich Cimini notes while the Jets are the betting favorites to select Bowers with the No. 10 pick, there is a chance he will not fall that far and the team could wind up selecting a receiver should one fall in the draft.
• Cimini adds the Jets are interested in selecting an offensive tackle, with their top choices including Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga and Washington’s Troy Fautanu.
• As for a potential trade, Cimini says not to rule out the team jumping past the Bears at No. 9 and trading with the Falcons (No. 8) as Atlanta will likely draft a defensive player and can afford to move down the board. The Jets could make a move and pick up Alt or Washington WR Rome Odunze, who has been linked to the Bears.
• Jets GM Joe Douglas is also interested in bringing in another quarterback, possibly on Day 3 of the draft. The team has hosted Tulane QB Michael Pratt, Florida State QB Jordan Travis and Samford QB Michael Hiers, according to Cimini. Other possibilities include South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler, Kentucky QB Devin Leary and Tennesee QB Joe Milton.
• Minnesota S Tyler Nubin had a formal Combine interview with the Jets. (Andrew Krammer)
• Houston OT Patrick Paul had an official 30 visit with the Jets. (MLFootball)

Patriots

The Patriots are sitting at pick No. 3 for the draft next week. Despite having a need at quarterback, director of scouting Eliot Wolf stated they are willing to listen to offers to move up or down.

“We’re open to anything — moving up, moving down,” Wolf said, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “We’re open for business in the first round and in every round. We have some holes we feel like we need to fill in the draft, and we’re a draft-and-develop team. The more picks we have, the better. But if there’s an opportunity to move up and strike if the board kind of recommends it, then we won’t be afraid to pull the trigger on that either.”

“We have a solid offensive line; we re-signed Mike Onwenu, we have David Andrews coming back, we have three rookies that we drafted last year that are developing, we signed (right tackle Chukwuma) Okorafor from the Steelers, (re-signed tight end) Hunter Henry, a good running game, a solid foundation and a solid system in place with coach (Andy) Van Pelt on the offense. So, I definitely feel like we can support.”

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer says he has it on good authority that Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. was a late addition to New England’s list of 30 visits to prepare for a trade-down scenario. 
• Still, Breer guesses the Patriots will remain at No. 3 overall and pick either LSU QB Jayden Daniels or North Carolina QB Drake Maye.
• Breer later called it “pretty unlikely” that the Patriots would trade down. 
• ESPN’s Adam Schefter says the Vikings are among the teams that have tried to move up to No. 3 with the Patriots, likely for Maye. 
• Schefter notes if the Patriots do move out of the No. 3 pick, there’s a good chance they try to execute another trade up the board to secure a young quarterback. In this scenario, it would likely be because they have similar grades on Maye and Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy, perhaps even a better grade on McCarthy. 
• Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline is hearing from multiple sources that they think the Patriots will ultimately trade down, and that Penix would be a target in the middle of the first round.  
• However, Pauline believes the Patriots will stick and pick because owner Robert Kraft wants a franchise quarterback. 
• According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, the Pats are looking for an unprecedented, blockbuster deal from another team looking to move into the third spot or else they will simply draft their own quarterback with the pick.
• Reiss reports that longtime Patriots captain and WR Matthew Slater has accepted a full-time position with the team.