AFC Notes: Keon Coleman, Chase Claypool, Bills, Jets, Patriots

Bills

Bills HC Sean McDermott said WR Chase Claypool is on a mission to “reclaim” his prior success and has been impressed by the receiver in their offseason program. 

“He is on a mission right now to reclaim what he once was,” McDermott said, via the team’s YouTube. “And those are my words … I would just say very impressed with his day-to-day approach, true pro, high character, smart player, and he’s been a good addition to our team.”

Claypool told reporters he doesn’t feel like he needs to prove himself to anyone and just wants to help the team. 

“I don’t come in with any baggage from the outside world,” Claypool said. “I’m not here to prove that I’m not what they say I am. I’m just here to be who I am and be a part of the team.”

Jets

The Jets haven’t had a settled situation at left tackle for years and years, ever since former LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson called it a career after 10 years of playing virtually every snap. Their dream is for first-round LT Olu Fashanu to become that kind of player, even if it’s possible he doesn’t play a single snap his rookie season behind veteran LT Tyron Smith.

“The NFL has gotten to the place where they want immediate impact, but I think for people to learn what that transition is like to the league, it just benefits you,” Ferguson told ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

“I’m excited for a player like him,” he added. “This is a ripe opportunity to grow in. Had the Jets not made so many moves, I think the expectation would’ve been even harder because now if he doesn’t perform, they’re going to look for other ways to make fixes. But I think they put him in a position to have success. I’m happy and excited to see where this goes.”

• Cimini mentions Jets WR Jason Brownlee has been getting some buzz this spring and is a player to watch as the intensity of practices ramps up throughout the summer. 
• Jets TE coach Ron Middleton and WR coach Shawn Jefferson were selected to attend the NFL’s head coaching accelerator program. (Jonathan Jones)

Patriots

New England was close to making a draft day trade with the Bills before Buffalo turned around and made a similar deal with Carolina. NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reports the Patriots wanted first-round WR Xavier Legette or second-round WR Keon Coleman, but couldn’t get either when the deal fell apart.

“I talked with someone with the Patriots who felt a little jaded because they thought that they had sort of… close to an agreement with the Bills. And they believe that agreement was kind of shopped to the Panthers,” Wolfe said, via Carlos Talks Pats. “Because the Panthers have a relationship with Dan Morgan, Brandon Beane. They have that bond… they’re not helping their division rival, so I get it.”

“But ultimate, [the Patriots] ended up not getting up there… and so their top two [Keon] Coleman and [Xavier] Legette both go picked… you hear all the time, ‘Hey we got the guy we wanted, he was gonna be our pick no matter what.’ That wasn’t the case here. The Patriots would’ve loved to have Keon Coleman or Xavier Legette — it did not work that way.”