NFL Notes: Broncos, Dolphins, Jets, Vikings

Broncos

• Mike Klis reports that Bears RBs coach Curtis Modkins is the first known candidate for the Broncos running backs coach position.

Dolphins

• Dolphins HC Adam Gase defended signing of QB Jay Cutler to a contract this summer but also admitted that “there weren’t a lot of options” at the time. (Armando Salguero)
• Gase reiterated that Ryan Tannehill will be the team’s starting quarterback in 2018 and explained that he doesn’t look at Tannehill as having had two knee injuries. (Joe Schad)
• Dolphins executive VP Mike Tannenbaum said Wednesday that they’re “going to have to tweak some things but overall I believe where we’re going.” (Armando Salguero)

Jets

Jets GM Mike Maccagnan mentioned during an interview with ESPN New York 98.7 that’s open to trading up for a quarterback in this year’s draft if the right opportunity comes along.

“The simple answer to that question is yes,” Maccagnan said, via ESPN.com. “If that was a player we felt strong about, we would have no qualms of potentially trying to go up and get him.”

• Rich Cimini says that the Jets would likely have to part with a similar package of picks to what the Eagles gave up to move from No. 8 overall to No. 2, which cost them a 2017 first-, 2018 second- and a couple of mid-round picks.

Vikings

• Vikings QB Sam Bradford was asked at what point he knew he was going to need surgery after returning in October: “It was probably a couple weeks after that. It seemed like we tried about everything we could to get it to calm down. I wanted to give it as much time as possible and it just seemed like whatever we did, it just wasn’t getting it to the point that we needed it to get to. I think surgery was a last resort but it was one of those things that once we got to the bye week and tried to test it, we just felt like it was kind of the last stop.” (Courtney Cornin)