NFL Notes: Bills, Browns, Jaguars, Jets, & Redskins

Bills

Bills GM Doug Whaley said that their decision to not match the Patriots’ offer sheet for WR Chris Hogan came down to “strictly finances.”

“For what we dedicated last year to offense and what we needed to do defensively, you can’t pay everybody,” Whaley said, via CSNNE.com.

“It was (difficult to let him go),” said Whaley. “He’s done a great job, not only on the field as a third and fourth wide receiver (and) special teams, (but also) what he’s brought to the community. He’s a great asset to the Patriots. We’re sorry we’re gonna lose him. And add the fact that we’re gonna have to deal with him with the other end of that being [Tom] Brady, it’s a tough matchup because he’s a talented person.”

Browns

• Browns executive VP of Football Operations Sashi Brown told reporters at the owners meeting that they’re moving forward on possibly signing QB Robert Griffin III and that they’re doing their due diligence on him.
• However, Mary Kay Cabot writes that it does not sound like a signing is imminent.
• Regarding a potential trade for 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick, Brown said they were contacted by San Francisco to see if they were interested, and engaged in some preliminary talks, but their overall interest was “over-reported” and that they never negotiated a draft pick or a new contract for Kaepernick.

Jaguars

• Mark Long reports that the Jaguars have added Monte Kiffin as a defensive assistant, John Benton as assistant OL coach and John Donovan as offensive quality control coach.

Jets

Given the Jets’ lack of cap space, Dom Cosentino of NJ.com offers a few suggestions as to how they could pick up some more room to work with.

• According to Cosentino, roster cuts could include RT Breno Giacomini, LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson, and K Nick Folk, which would net them close to $15.5 million in available cap space.
• The Jets could also restructure the contracts of Ferguson, C Nick Mangold, and/or WR Brandon Marshall. However, this would boost their 2017 cap figures.

Redskins

Washington GM Scot McCloughan said he’d like to have as many as 12 picks to work with, which four more than what they current have.

“The thing is, the more you kind of swing at it,the more chances you’ve got to hit,” McCloughan said, via Redskins.com. “And I think last year we had a solid draft – we got some guys that came in and helped us win a division – we’re going to keep adding to it. And the more picks I can get, the more younger guys – the more healthier guys – I’m going that route.”

McCloughan stressed that building through the draft will continue to be his approach moving forward.

“I preach and preach and preach and I’ll never change: you build through the draft,” he said. “You identify your own – who can play, but not just from a talent standpoint, but from a personality standpoint, character standpoint, a passion standpoint, a competitive standpoint where you know, ‘This guy fits what we’re looking for. We can build on these guys.’ And they teach younger guys how to do it.”