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AFC Notes: Quincy Williams, Woody Johnson, Kendrick Bourne, Jets, Patriots

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Jets

Jets

  • Rich Cimini of ESPN confirms Jets owner Woody Johnson called an internal meeting on September 30 following their 10-9 loss to the Broncos to express concern about the team’s direction and “broached the idea” of benching Aaron Rodgers.
  • Cimini reports that one source indicated Johnson didn’t appear to be serious about benching Rodgers, saying the owner spoke “in jest in a provocative nature.” However, another source told Cimini that Johnson wasn’t messing around: “If Woody really wanted Rodgers benched, he would’ve been benched.”
  • One source told Cimini the September 30 meeting created a lot of tension within the organization, saying Johnson was “out for blood.”
  • Cimini notes Johnson’s postgame meetings typically only included former HC Robert Saleh, but the post-Broncos meeting included three coordinators and members of the front office. 
  • As for Rodgers’ standing on the team, one source indicated they would be “shocked” if the quarterback returned in 2025. 

Patriots

The Patriots released WR Tyquan Thornton, a former second-round pick, which came as a surprise to some. Meanwhile, veteran WR Kendrick Bourne says the position continues to evolve as he takes on a different role as a mentor, despite having only eight catches on the year so far. 

“Shoot man, it’s definitely tough. We’re aware as receivers that we have seven receivers. It’s just about focusing when you get your opportunity, that’s all you can do,”Bourne said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN. “You can’t fall into pointing the finger — ‘Why this, why that?’ You really just have to look in the mirror. So personally that’s how I look at it — give it everything I got, make it be the best play ever, because it can be limited. Obviously we’re young. So I think that’s where Mayo and Eliot have to make certain decisions. They’re trying to develop. Me being older, I fall into a different bucket. We have a talented group and we have to see what guys can do and give them opportunity. We have to build them up, build confidence, build experience.”

Patriots OC Alex Van Pelt also weighed in on what he has seen from the younger receivers so far this year.

“Kayshon Boutte is a guy that has come on and played really well for us. Really happy with his play. Ja’Lynn Polk is going to get going again as we move forward. Douglas is Mr. Consistent, and he makes big plays for us all over the field. I think we’ve kind of zeroed in on who we’re going to work with on game day and that will show more as we go forward,” Van Pelt mentioned.
 
Defensively, CB Jonathan Jones is concerned with forcing more turnovers, as the team ranks 23rd in the NFL in takeaways. The team is hoping for a boost from veteran pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue, with younger LB Anfernee Jennings hoping to study the rush moves of someone who has had success in his career so far.
 
“The biggest thing is putting pressure on the ball, trying to force fumbles. That’s one you can directly affect on defense. The other is putting offenses behind when they have to throw the ball, and the quarterback has to make those tight throws and you end up getting a lot of interceptions,” Jones said. “We need to continue flying around the ball. The old saying is, ‘They come in bunches, so once you get one, hopefully they’ll start rolling.’”
 

“I heard a lot about him as a guy who perfected the ‘cross chop’ move, he’s had a lot of success, so for me being around him and being a sponge, it’s been good. And I tell him what it’s been like around here,” Jennings noted of Ngakoue. “You can tell he’s been around; he’s been here a couple days and he already knows a lot of things in the playbook. I can’t wait to see when he gets out there on Sunday what he’ll do.”

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