Bills
Bills WR Khalil Shakir agreed to a four-year contract extension last week, which he says will fuel him for the 2025 season.
“It makes me want to go to the gym right away,” Shakir said, via the team’s website. “You know that you have an organization behind you that believes in you and wants to lean on you a bit more. . . . More motivation just to continue to reach higher limits.”
- The Buffalo Bills plan to put in a bid in order to attempt to draw DE Myles Garrett away from Buffalo, according to Tony Pauline. Cleveland has remained adamant that they don’t plan to trade Garrett, but if they do, Buffalo is a strong landing spot.
Jets
- NY Times Zack Rosenblatt predicts the Jets will enter camp with a quarterback competition with Tyrod Taylor, a veteran free agent and potentially a rookie draft pick.
- Rosenblatt added that QB Sam Darnold, who is the top free agent quarterback, will likely not return to New York. Steelers QB Justin Fields and Russell Wilson are potential options, but Wilson is likely to head west to rejoin forces with Raiders HC Pete Carroll and Pittsburgh wants to re-sign Fields. Veteran options such as Carson Wentz and Kirk Cousins round out the group, which could be more realistic due to their price tag and expectations.
- Miami QB Cam Ward, who is expected to be one of the first selections off the board, met with New York.
- “I think at 7 we’re going to be open to moving up for a player or moving back,” Jets GM Darren Mougey said. “All those options are on the table.”
- According to Rosenblatt, Jets LB Jamien Sherwood is expected to garner significant interest in free agency, and New York hopes to get a deal done with him before free agency.
- Rosenblatt reports that two free agent wide receivers to keep an eye on for the Jets to sign are Josh Palmer and Tim Patrick.
- ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes that Jets LB Jamien Sherwood could clear north of $10 million a year in free agency as a starting linebacker.
- Per Connor Hughes, the Jets have contacted the Titans about moving up to the number one pick but are simply doing their due diligence.
- Meanwhile, TE Tyler Conklin and CB D.J. Reed are expected not to return to play for the team next season.
- Hughes reports the team has an interest in free agents TE Juwan Johnson, TE John Bates, and LB Derrick Barnes.
Patriots
- Patriots HC Mike Vrabel says the plan is for DC Terrell Williams to call plays this season. (Doug Kyed)
- Vrabel said he had “numerous conversations” with Josh McDaniels over the last year before landing on him as Patriots OC: “In the end felt Josh was right to lead our offense.” (Chad Graff)
- Vrabel said he expects the team to be “aggressive” in free agency and believes they can be competitive in “compensation and opportunity” for playing time. (Aaron Wilson)
- Vrabel: “We have to improve. That’s the goal. We’re not going to put a timetable on anything. We all want to win. That’s why I got hired. They shouldn’t have to wait very long, but we have to understand we’re not going to fix every issue on first day of free agency or the first day of the draft.” (Wilson)
- Vrabel on who has the final say on roster decisions: “Well, I wouldn’t be here, and I wouldn’t have wanted to be the head coach here if I wasn’t comfortable in my impact on the roster. So we want to continue to have great conversations with the personnel staff, with me, with Stretch (John Streicher), with coaching. We’re all just trying to find ways to bring the right players in here, whether that’s the first part of free agency, [the] middle free agency like we talked about, or the draft. There are going to be players who get released that we’ll have to pivot to and have options. So, again, we need to strengthen the roster. We understand that. And have some really good conversations as to how we get there.” (Kyed)
- Vrabel was asked if the current roster fits McDaniels and Williams’ schemes: “I think what the roster looks like today is going to be vastly different than what it looks like at the end of August.” (Kyed)
- Patriots GM Eliot Wolf on what caused WR Ja’Lynn Polk to have a rough rookie season: “Organizationally maybe we put too much on his plate early.” (Chad Graff)
- Pete Thamel reports that Nebraska is hiring Patriots pro personnel director Pat Stewart as their new general manager.
- Mark Daniels reports that the Patriots were shocked last offseason when they missed out on free agent targets WR Calvin Ridley and DT Christian Wilkins. The team also fell short of acquiring WR Brandon Aiyuk and OT Tyron Smith. They plan to be more aggressive this offseason.
- Daniels reports that OL Michael Onwenu could return to tackle under OC Josh McDaniels after playing guard last season.
- Wolf on Onwenu: “I think, ideally Mike is a guard. But again, some of those decisions haven’t been made yet. Mike has played tackle for Josh. Doug Marrone, I don’t believe, has even met him yet. So we’re going to get to the point where we’ll make the best decision for the team.”
- Daniels points out several free agent options, including tackles Ronnie Stanley, Dan Moore Jr., Cam Robinson, Jedrick Wills, Morgan Moses, Teven Jenkins, Dillon Radunz, and Patrick Mekari.
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