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Here are the most interesting stories Wednesday morning in the AFC East:

• After an extended wait, Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams chose No. 94 with his new team.

Morning take: Williams wanted No. 90, but veteran Chris Kelsay wouldn’t give it up. No. 94 will have to do for Williams in Buffalo.

• In light of concussions, the father of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said he would be hesitant to let his son play football.

Morning take: Fortunately for Patriots fans, it’s too late. Brady has had an amazing career in New England. We will have more on Brady later today.

• The New York Jets' three safeties have a history of struggles against the pass.

Morning take: LaRon Landry, Yeremiah Bell and Eric Smith are not cover safeties. They have other strengths, but opponents will test their pass coverage often.

• Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill says he has to get use to the speed of the game.

Morning take: No shocker there. That is the biggest adjustment from the colleges to the pros. Tannehill will be fine. It will take time to play faster.

The most prized free-agent acquisition not named Peyton Manning will not get the jersey number he wants in Buffalo.

New Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams, who signed a $100 million contract this offseason, will have to find a new jersey to wear in 2012. The No. 90 jersey Williams wore with the Houston Texans is occupied by Bills veteran defensive end Chris Kelsay, who is not giving it up.

"I've worn it my entire career here," Kelsay told the Buffalo News. "A lot of times in a situation like this, the guy will buy it from you. But I'm not really interested in that."

Kelsay, a nine-year veteran, is one of the longest-tenured Bills. He says he's attached to the number. In fact, every jersey from No. 90-99 is occupied in Buffalo.

Williams will have to pay one of his teammates who are more willing to make the switch soon.

The Buffalo Bills made one of the biggest splashes in free agency by signing two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Mario Williams to a six-year, $100 million contract. Buffalo's defensive line is now one of the best in the NFL with Williams and defensive tackles Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams.

But who will fill the open spot opposite Mario Williams in Buffalo's new 4-3 defense? Here are the candidates:

1. Chris Kelsay

Analysis: Kelsay is a nine-year veteran who might be able to step in -- at least for the short term. He's 32 and had some injuries last season, missing four games. Can Kelsay hold up for 16 games at a more physically-demanding position? Last season he was an outside linebacker in Buffalo's 3-4 defense. Despite injuries, Kelsay still managed to have a decent season with 41 tackles and five sacks. The defense overall seems to play better when he's in the lineup. Kelsay also is one of the leaders in the locker room.

2. Draft pick


Analysis: Buffalo is fortunate that the draft this year is stocked with talented defensive ends. Quinton Coples of North Carolina, Melvin Ingram of South Carolina, Whitney Mercilus of Illinois, Andre Branch of Clemson ... the list goes on. The Bills hold the No. 10 overall pick, and drafting a defensive end in the first round is certainly an option. I think a good plan would be to start Kelsay, and within the first two rounds, draft a defensive end that can be molded into a starter.

3. Shawne Merriman

Analysis: Merriman is another candidate, but he certainly has question marks. For starters, he had another season-ending Achilles injury. He expects to play next season, but he is not the explosive player he was when he first entered the NFL with the San Diego Chargers. Secondly, Merriman played most of his career as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Most believe it's easier to make the transition back to a 4-3 defensive end, but it would be a transition for Merriman nonetheless.

Here are the most interesting stories Sunday morning in the AFC East:

• It looks like a two-team race between the Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks for free-agent quarterback Matt Flynn.

Morning take: Flynn was Miami's Plan B, and the team met with him on Saturday. The Dolphins appear to be favorite unless Seattle provides a huge monetary offer.

• The New England Patriots signed former Oakland Raider Trevor Scott to help with their pass rush.

Morning take: New England is in danger of losing both Mark Anderson and Andre Carter (10 sacks each) in free agency. New England hopes Scott can be a sleeper to soften the blow if one or both don't return.

• Will Buffalo Bills veteran defensive end Chris Kelsay give up his No. 90 for new teammate Mario Williams?

Morning take: Kelsay had better. The payback will be all the double-teams Williams takes to make it easy for Kelsay to get to the quarterback next season.

• The New York Jets reportedly made an offer to free-agent safety Reggie Nelson and are waiting for a response.

Morning take: Nelson is athletic and can help in coverage, which the Jets need. He could be one of two safeties they try to add to the starting lineup.

Here is the latest injury updates for Week 11 in the AFC East:

Buffalo Bills: The Bills finally got some good news this week on the injury front, as top receiver Steve Johnson (shoulder) returned to practice Thursday on a limited basis. Buffalo's struggling offense really needs Johnson in Sunday's game against Miami. Buffalo linebacker Chris Kelsay (calf) again had a limited practice and looks primed to return. Safety George Wilson (neck) and receiver David Nelson (illness, ankle) both missed practice for the second straight day.

Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins remain healthy late in the season. Starting tight end Anthony Fasano (ankle) was the only player limited in practice. But he's on pace to play Sunday. Cornerback Nolan Carroll has a hamstring injury but had full participation.

New England Patriots: For New England, the big injury is top cornerback Devin McCourty, who didn't practice with a shoulder injury. The Patriots had 14 players who were limited. It was mostly the usual suspects from last week. But Wes Welker was limited with a knee injury that appears to be a new ailment for New England's leading receiver.

The Buffalo Bills lost outside linebacker Shawne Merriman for the rest of the season with an Achilles injury.

Here are several thoughts on Merriman and the Bills:

• Going on the injured reserve for a second-straight year with Buffalo makes you question Merriman's future. Achilles injuries are tough for pass-rushers, who need explosiveness to get to the quarterback. Merriman clearly lost a couple steps from his prime days in San Diego. He had just one sack this season. A team may take a chance on Merriman to see if he has anything left in 2012, but he may have seen his last days in Buffalo.
• The Bills have been struggling to get to the quarterback and need someone to step up. Youngsters Arthur Moats and Danny Batten have been getting increased playing time in recent weeks. Moats has eight tackles in Buffalo's past two games. Batten recorded five tackles in a recent loss to the New York Giants. Neither have registered a sack. Getting back a healthy Chris Kelsay should add stability to outside linebacker for Buffalo.
• Overall, it's been a tough, four-year run for Merriman. He was once one of the NFL's most dynamic defensive players. Merriman registered 39.5 sacks from 2005-2007. But multiple injuries to his knee and Achilles stifled Merriman for more than half of his seven-year career. Merriman recorded only five sacks the past four seasons.

Update: Merriman issued a statement to the media through his publicist Tuesday evening:

"Due to the fact that I have recently been experiencing excessive aggravation in my Achilles tendon, which is a limitation that I have been dealing with for well over two years now, I sought the opinions of multiple medical specialists. After much consideration and unanimous professional recommendations stating that my Achilles is in danger of rupturing, I have been advised that it would be in my best interest to undergo surgery as soon as possible in order to prevent a major injury. I would like to thank all of my fans for their continued support on my road to a full recovery and am looking forward to getting back out on the field."

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FALLING

1. Miami Dolphins' poise: The Dolphins (0-6) are setting records for being inept. They are the first team to blow a 15-point lead in the final three minutes since the NFL-AFL merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Once Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow got hot, Miami completely unraveled on offense, defense and special teams. The Dolphins' defense allowed two late touchdown drives to Tebow, the special teams failed to recover an onside kick, and Miami quarterback Matt Moore's sack and fumble led to Denver's game-winning field goal. It was a teamwide collapse.

2. Tony Sparano, Miami head coach: The Dolphins' coach is one of the AFC East leaders in the "falling" category this season. He dropped his ninth straight game as head coach. The Dolphins also are an astounding 1-12 in Sparano's last 13 home games. It's just a matter of time before Miami makes a coaching change. It could happen next week or at the end of the season. But Miami can't continue down this path beyond the 2011 season.

3. New York Jets in the first half: This may sound like nitpicking -- New York eventually came back to beat the Chargers -- but the Jets have started slow for the past month. New York trailed at halftime in three of its past four games. The Jets led at halftime only against the winless Dolphins, 14-6, in that span. New York overcame a 21-10 deficit last week against the Chargers. The Jets are 4-3 and cannot continue to rely on second-half rallies if they want to make the playoffs.

RISING

1. Shonn Greene, Jets tailback: The AFC East blog has been critical of Greene's lack of production all season. So it's fair to give Greene credit when he has a great game. Green rushed for a season-high 112 yards on 20 carries. He ran strong between the tackles against the Chargers and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. The Jets can win a lot of games if Greene runs this way more consistently. This is the first 100-yard game for Greene in 2011.

2. Plaxico Burress, Jets receiver: Burress had the most impressive four-catch, 25-yard performance a receiver can have. Burress was unstoppable in the red zone against San Diego. He scored all three of New York's touchdowns to lead the Jets to a 27-21 win. The Jets invested $3 million into Burress for games like this. He's a big body who can make quarterback Mark Sanchez's job a lot easier when the offense is clicking.

3. Rest for Patriots and Bills: The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots should benefit from the bye week. Both teams had injuries and gave key players two weeks to heal. For the Patriots, Pro Bowl linebacker Jerod Mayo is improving and has a chance to return against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Buffalo is expected to get back starting linebacker Chris Kelsay. Linebacker Shawne Merriman (Achilles) also said last week he expects to play against Washington, but nothing has been made official by the Bills.

The countdown of my top 25 AFC East players concludes here ...

About the choice: Tom Brady was the unanimous MVP and received every All-Pro vote after leading the New England Patriots to a 14-2 record and another AFC East crown. He had one of his finest seasons despite an overhaul of the offense. The Patriots traded No. 1 receiver Randy Moss, relied heavily on rookie tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez and found ways to help undrafted running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead thrive. Brady led the NFL with 36 touchdowns and threw just four interceptions. He threw an interception to New York Jets linebacker David Harris in the playoffs, but his NFL-record streak of 335 attempts without an interception technically remains intact heading into 2011. Also still intact is Brady's record of nine straight games with at least two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Brady became the sixth quarterback since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978 to throw a touchdown pass each game.

Key fact: Brady owns a 111-32 regular-season record, giving him the best winning percentage of any quarterback to begin his career in the Super Bowl era.

The complete rundown:

1. Tom Brady, Patriots quarterback
2. Darrelle Revis, Jets cornerback
3. Jake Long, Dolphins left tackle
4. Vince Wilfork, Patriots nose tackle
5. Nick Mangold, Jets center
6. Logan Mankins, Patriots left guard
7. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebacker
8. Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker
9. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets left tackle
10. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
11. Kyle Williams, Bills defensive tackle
12. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
13. David Harris, Jets inside linebacker
14. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback
15. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver
16. Karlos Dansby, Dolphins linebacker
17. Fred Jackson, Bills running back
18. Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots right tackle
19. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver
20. Vontae Davis, Dolphins cornerback
21. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker
22. Randy Starks, Dolphins defensive lineman
23. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end
24. Kendall Langford, Dolphins defensive end
25. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end

The countdown of my top 25 AFC East players continues, one weekday at a time ...

About the choice: Darrelle Revis is a superstar cover cornerback and the key to the New York Jets' defense. His lockdown skills allow the players in front of him to get creative in Rex Ryan's aggressive defense, but he's also solid against the run and is an efficient tackler. Revis has been voted to the Pro Bowl three years running and chosen first-team All-Pro the past two seasons, overcoming a hamstring injury that impaired him for the first two games and then forced him off the field until Week 5. But he rebounded to elite form. From Halloween through Thanksgiving, he limited Greg Jennings, Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson and Terrell Owens to nine catches for 74 yards.

Key fact: In their playoff game, Revis kept Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne to one catch for 1 yard.

Hint about No. 1: If you don't know by now, then you shouldn't be trusted with a computer.

Previous picks:

• 3. Jake Long, Dolphins left tackle
• 4. Vince Wilfork, Patriots nose tackle
• 5. Nick Mangold, Jets center
• 6. Logan Mankins, Patriots left guard
• 7. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebacker
• 8. Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker
• 9. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets left tackle
• 10. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
• 11. Kyle Williams, Bills defensive tackle
• 12. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
• 13. David Harris, Jets inside linebacker
• 14. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback
• 15. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver
• 16. Karlos Dansby, Dolphins linebacker
• 17. Fred Jackson, Bills running back
• 18. Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots right tackle
• 19. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver
• 20. Vontae Davis, Dolphins cornerback
• 21. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker
• 22. Randy Starks, Dolphins defensive lineman
• 23. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end
• 24. Kendall Langford, Dolphins defensive end
• 25. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end

The countdown of my top 25 AFC East players continues, one weekday at a time ...

About the choice: Jake Long has lived up to the expectations of being the No. 1 overall pick of the 2008 draft. The Miami Dolphins' left tackle has been selected to the Pro Bowl each of his three NFL seasons and was voted first-team All-Pro last season. Long played with an injured shoulder that hindered his effectiveness for the final seven games. STATS Inc. had him down for six sacks and eight penalties (both career-highs), but he has been the sentry on an offensive line the Dolphins have over-tinkered with since he joined the club.

Key fact: Long is one of only three players since the NFL-AFL merger to be drafted first overall and chosen for the Pro Bowl his first three seasons. The others are running backs Earl Campbell and Billy Sims. Campbell is the only one to make four straight.

Hint about No. 2: It's either Darrelle Revis or Tom Brady.

Previous picks:

• 4. Vince Wilfork, Patriots nose tackle
• 5. Nick Mangold, Jets center
• 6. Logan Mankins, Patriots left guard
• 7. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebacker
• 8. Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker
• 9. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets left tackle
• 10. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
• 11. Kyle Williams, Bills defensive tackle
• 12. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
• 13. David Harris, Jets inside linebacker
• 14. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback
• 15. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver
• 16. Karlos Dansby, Dolphins linebacker
• 17. Fred Jackson, Bills running back
• 18. Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots right tackle
• 19. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver
• 20. Vontae Davis, Dolphins cornerback
• 21. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker
• 22. Randy Starks, Dolphins defensive lineman
• 23. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end
• 24. Kendall Langford, Dolphins defensive end
• 25. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end

The countdown of my top 25 AFC East players continues, one weekday at a time ...

About the choice: Wilfork is the centerpiece of the New England Patriots' 3-4 defense. He's one of the NFL's elite nose tackles, but is versatile enough to move along the defensive line and give opponents fits, particularly in the run game. Wilfork has been chosen for three Pro Bowls over the past four seasons. Critics who like to rely on stats more than football sense have insisted on the AFC East blog that Wilfork is overrated because he doesn't accumulate many tackles (87 last season) or sacks (two). He'd have more, but he does his job so supremely well, he's almost always fighting off two or three blockers.

Key fact: Wilfork's teammates voted him a defensive captain each of the past three years.

Hint about No. 3: He broke his high school basketball team's record for shooting percentage in a season.

Previous picks:

• 5. Nick Mangold, Jets center
• 6. Logan Mankins, Patriots left guard
• 7. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebacker
• 8. Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker
• 9. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets left tackle
• 10. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
• 11. Kyle Williams, Bills defensive tackle
• 12. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
• 13. David Harris, Jets inside linebacker
• 14. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback
• 15. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver
• 16. Karlos Dansby, Dolphins linebacker
• 17. Fred Jackson, Bills running back
• 18. Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots right tackle
• 19. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver
• 20. Vontae Davis, Dolphins cornerback
• 21. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker
• 22. Randy Starks, Dolphins defensive lineman
• 23. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end
• 24. Kendall Langford, Dolphins defensive end
• 25. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end

The countdown of my top 25 AFC East players continues, one weekday at a time ...

About the choice: Nick Mangold is considered the NFL's best center and anchors one of the most effective offensive lines. He has been selected to the past three Pro Bowls and has been voted first-team All-Pro two seasons in a row. The Jets averaged 148.4 rushing yards a game and amassed the fourth-most ground yards in club history. STATS Inc. has charged Mangold with only eight sacks allowed in his career. Over the past two seasons he has allowed three sacks and committed five penalties.

Key fact: Mangold has started all 87 games, including the postseason, since he entered the league as the 29th overall draft choice in 2006.

Hint about No. 4: He has been to three Pro Bowls.

Previous picks:

• 6. Logan Mankins, Patriots left guard
• 7. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebacker
• 8. Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker
• 9. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets left tackle
• 10. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
• 11. Kyle Williams, Bills defensive tackle
• 12. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
• 13. David Harris, Jets inside linebacker
• 14. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback
• 15. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver
• 16. Karlos Dansby, Dolphins linebacker
• 17. Fred Jackson, Bills running back
• 18. Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots right tackle
• 19. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver
• 20. Vontae Davis, Dolphins cornerback
• 21. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker
• 22. Randy Starks, Dolphins defensive lineman
• 23. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end
• 24. Kendall Langford, Dolphins defensive end
• 25. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end

The countdown of my top 25 AFC East players continues, one weekday at a time ...

About the choice: How dominant was Logan Mankins at left guard for the New England Patriots? He didn't report to the Patriots until Week 9 because of a contract dispute, but still was selected first-team All-Pro and voted a Pro Bowl starter. Five of running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis' best games (based on yards) came after Mankins rejoined the team. The Patriots averaged 112.7 rushing yards without Mankins last season and 131.6 with him.

Key fact: Mankins played tackle at Fresno State, and despite the move inside has started all 89 games he has played in his NFL career.

Hint about No. 5: His college head coach doesn't have a job anymore.

Previous picks:

• 7. Jerod Mayo, Patriots inside linebacker
• 8. Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker
• 9. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets left tackle
• 10. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
• 11. Kyle Williams, Bills defensive tackle
• 12. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
• 13. David Harris, Jets inside linebacker
• 14. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback
• 15. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver
• 16. Karlos Dansby, Dolphins linebacker
• 17. Fred Jackson, Bills running back
• 18. Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots right tackle
• 19. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver
• 20. Vontae Davis, Dolphins cornerback
• 21. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker
• 22. Randy Starks, Dolphins defensive lineman
• 23. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end
• 24. Kendall Langford, Dolphins defensive end
• 25. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end

The countdown of my top 25 AFC East players continues, one weekday at a time ...

About the choice: The New England Patriots' inside linebacker was voted All-Pro and went to his first Pro Bowl. In just his third season, Jerod Mayo was a defensive captain for the second time. Mayo led the team with an astronomical 193 tackles (according to the Patriots' coaching staff's review of game film), ranking third in franchise history. He notched two 19-tackle games. He also had two sacks, a forced fumble and three recoveries (most in the AFC).

Key fact: A Football Outsiders review of last season found Mayo led the NFL with 72 tackles on pass plays and was one of only two non-cornerbacks in the top dozen.

Hint about No. 6: His college head coach once was an assistant to the player's current head coach.

Previous picks:

• 8. Cameron Wake, Dolphins outside linebacker
• 9. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets left tackle
• 10. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
• 11. Kyle Williams, Bills defensive tackle
• 12. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
• 13. David Harris, Jets inside linebacker
• 14. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback
• 15. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver
• 16. Karlos Dansby, Dolphins linebacker
• 17. Fred Jackson, Bills running back
• 18. Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots right tackle
• 19. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver
• 20. Vontae Davis, Dolphins cornerback
• 21. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker
• 22. Randy Starks, Dolphins defensive lineman
• 23. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end
• 24. Kendall Langford, Dolphins defensive end
• 25. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end

The countdown of my top 25 AFC East players continues, one weekday at a time ...

About the choice: In his first full season as an NFL starter, Cameron Wake challenged for the sacks title and was voted a Pro Bowl starter. Wake finished third with 14 sacks. Only six players in Dolphins history have recorded more in a season. The undrafted Canadian Football League import recorded 57 tackles, 21 tackles for losses, 28 quarterback hits and three forced fumbles.

Key fact: Football Outsiders counted 39 hurries for Wake, a close second to St. Louis Rams pass-rusher Chris Long for the NFL lead.

Hint about No. 7: He's one of only two players remaining on the list who didn't play in the Big Ten or the Big East.

Previous picks:

• 9. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Jets left tackle
• 10. Santonio Holmes, Jets receiver
• 11. Kyle Williams, Bills defensive tackle
• 12. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver
• 13. David Harris, Jets inside linebacker
• 14. Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback
• 15. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver
• 16. Karlos Dansby, Dolphins linebacker
• 17. Fred Jackson, Bills running back
• 18. Sebastian Vollmer, Patriots right tackle
• 19. Steve Johnson, Bills receiver
• 20. Vontae Davis, Dolphins cornerback
• 21. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker
• 22. Randy Starks, Dolphins defensive lineman
• 23. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end
• 24. Kendall Langford, Dolphins defensive end
• 25. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end