AFC Notes: Jaylen Waddle, Geno Smith, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

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Dolphins Barry Jackson reports that the Broncos are paying all future money owed to WR Jaylen Waddle , including his full salary. The trade is still pending a physical, which will take place on Wednesday. SI.com’s Albert Breer names the Dolphins, Browns, Jets and Cardinals as teams looking to 2027 for a quarterback. While none of the options are locked in as top-five picks now, there are numerous players who can rise to that level compared to the 2025 and 2026 classes. Jets The Jets re-acquired QB Geno Smith this offseason as they swapped late-round draft picks with the Raiders to keep the veteran off waivers. Former Raiders and Seahawks HC Pete Carroll had the utmost praise for Smith and feels the coaching staff could have done better to get more out of him last year. “He’s a phenomenal quarterback, he really is,” Carroll said, via ESPN’s Rich Cimini . “He had a fantastic offseason and preseason with us, and he comes out in the first game, has a great first game. It was all fitting. It was exactly the right time for us. Then we just faltered and faltered. We didn’t do well enough, coaching.” “We should’ve had him better prepared for the things that happened, and that wouldn’t have happened. I take a lot of responsibility in that. We didn’t prepare him well enough in the offseason even though he looked great and we felt we had everything lined up. It was very, very disappointing for us both.” Carroll thinks Smith put too much blame on himself after a rough start, which snowballed throughout the year. “He got off to such a miserable start, and it wasn’t just him. It was the whole thing. We just didn’t function well early on, and he got behind the eight ball right from the beginning. Everybody wanted to blame him for it, and he took it and took it and took it, and then they captured him — an exchange or whatever. He just didn’t get to reap the benefits of our relationship.” Patriots Patriots WR Romeo Doubs ‘ four-year, $68 million deal includes a $15.6 million signing bonus and base salaries of $3 million (guaranteed), $13 million (guaranteed), $14 million, and $15 million. ( Over The Cap ) Doubs can also make $1.7 million annually in per-game roster bonuses, and those are guaranteed in his first two years (meaning if he’s cut, he’s owed the money, but otherwise must still be active to earn them). There’s also an annual $300,000 workout bonus. The Patriots signed DT Michael Brown to a one-year, $1.315 million deal that includes a $50,000 signing bonus, a $1.215 million salary, and a $1.175 million salary cap figure under the veteran salary benefit. ( Wilson ) The Patriots signed LB Julian Hill to a three-year, $15 million deal that includes a $4.2 million signing bonus, $7.5 million fully guaranteed, and salaries of $1.4 million in 2026, $3.1 million in 2027, and $3.6 million in 2028. ( Wilson ) The Patriots signed FB Reggie Gilliam to a three-year, $10.8 million deal that includes a $2.4 million signing bonus, $6 million fully guaranteed, and salaries of $1.3 million in 2026, $2.3 million in 2027, and $2.7 million in 2028. ( Wilson ) The post AFC Notes: Jaylen Waddle, Geno Smith, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots appeared first on NFLTradeRumors.co .