Carlos Watkins

After passing along a few NFC items earlier tonight, let’s round out the evening with some news and notes from the AFC:

• Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue skipped minicamp as part of his push for a new contract, and Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com expects the Maryland product’s efforts to pay off. Speaking to Phillip Hellman of the Florida Times-Union, Fitzgerald says Ngakoue will land a deal with an AAV of at least $21MM and total guarantees of at least $65MM. That would put Ngakoue, who is entering the last year of his rookie contract, at the top of the DE market, but the 24-year-old sack artist has a strong case for that type of payday.
• New Jets GM Joe Douglas was hired after all of the big free agency bucks were spent, but Matt Stypulkoski of NJ.com looks at the assets Douglas will have at his disposal in 2020. Gang Green is expected to have roughly $46MM in cap room, just 17th-most in the league, though Stypulkoski examines a few ways for the club to easily create more space. He names guard Kelechi Osemele and linebacker Avery Williamson as potential cap casualties next offseason.
• Now that C.J. Mosley is in New York, the Ravens have a void at inside linebacker, and 2018 UDFA Chris Board could fill it. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic says Board has shot up the team’s depth chart and has a legitimate shot at opening the season as Baltimore’s weak-side ‘backer.
• Now that Christian Covington is in Dallas, the Texans expect third-year DE Carlos Watkins to have a significantly increased role in 2019, as Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle writes. The 2017 fourth-rounder played in just four games last year, but he is 13 pounds lighter, and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver said he has “sky-high” expectations for Watkins.