AFC Notes: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Mac Jones, Jets Roster Predictions, Patriots

Player mentions

Article text

Jets Jets CB Brandon Stephens and S Minkah Fitzpatrick spoke about changes in an attempt to record their first interception under HC Aaron Glenn . “It’s hard to believe it could happen, but it happened,” Stephens said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN . “I think all the guys are taking that personally because it’s part of our name. How do we want to rewrite the story after that?” “I like moving around,” Fitzpatrick said. “I like being able to give the quarterback different looks. I think when you just sit in a high post all game, they know you’re back there and they could dial stuff up for you, but they could also avoid you. So, I like being a chess piece.” “I mean, he’s done that through the course of his career, so I don’t expect that to change at all,” Glenn said of Fitzpatrick’s ball skills. “We want guys that can get their hands on the ball; we want guys that can make plays. And we also want guys that, when things break down, have the instincts to get us right back where we need to be, to give us another chance to have another play.” Jets Regarding the remaining positions on the Jets’ roster that they could add this summer, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic writes that the backup quarterback role is an “obvious” choice. Although Roseblatt believes New York will give fourth-round QB Cade Klubnik a chance to earn the No. 2 role, he could see them bringing in a veteran free agent like Cooper Rush or Josh Dobbs. Rosenblatt writes that QB Bailey Zappe should also get a chance to earn the backup job. Rosenblatt also wouldn’t rule out the linebacker spot, given they don’t have any “exciting” options behind Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood . Rosenblatt notes that LB Kiko Mauigoa struggled after being given a significant role last season, while Mykal Walker and Marcelino McCrary-Ball are primarily special teams players. As for the Jets’ cornerback battle, Rosenblatt thinks Brandon Stephens and Nahshon Wright will be their starting outside options, while second-round rookie D’Angelo Ponds will start in the slot. Rosenblatt points out that S Minkah Fitzpatrick will also get time in the slot role. Patriots Coming off a solid rookie year with New England, QB Mac Jones admitted OC Josh McDaniels ‘ departure negatively impacted his development at a critical stage of his career. “I get it. [Josh McDaniels] obviously coached us and got that chance to be a head coach again, and that’s what he wanted to do,” Jones said, via the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast . “And good for him, but I think that really affected me because I felt like if I could have just built on the year before, it would have really helped me and everybody on the team.” “…At first Bill was going to call the plays, which I was like, ‘Alright, this is kinda fun. Let’s see how this goes.’ And he’s like obviously a great defensive guy, and I was like, ‘Alright, if Bill wants to take it over, good for him. He has six Super Bowls. He can do whatever he wants.'” Jones felt like the writing was on the wall during OTAs that the 2022 season was not going to go how they wanted. “I just felt like we didn’t click early in OTAs. You could kind of see it kind of trending, and I was a second-year player, so I didn’t really say much or do much. Brian Hoyer was the backup, and he was kinda like looking at me, like trying to keep me in it. But we were kinda like, ‘This is not gonna be good.'” The post AFC Notes: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Mac Jones, Jets Roster Predictions, Patriots appeared first on NFLTradeRumors.co…