AFC Notes: Anthony Richardson, Brian Thomas Jr, Colts, Jaguars, Titans

Colts

Colts HC Shane Steichen was impressed with QB Anthony Richardson during his rookie season, but he acknowledged Richardson has to get better at protecting himself to have a long career in the league.

“It’s just being smart on when to get down,” Steichen says, via SI.com’s Albert Breer. “There’s a happy medium. There’s a time and a place, where it’s fourth down and you gotta have it and the game’s on the line, where you gotta go get it. But if it’s first-and-10 — we had this conversation today — and you scramble, and you can make it second-and-4 and take a big hit, or make it second-and-6 and get down, hey, let’s make it second-and-6.”

• Colts OT Braden Smith had successful surgery on his left knee this offseason and noted he’s in a good spot with his strength returning. (Joel A. Erickson)

Jaguars

Veteran WR Jarvis Landry tried out at the Jaguars’ rookie minicamp and had high praise for his fellow LSU alum first-round WR Brian Thomas Jr.

“Elite. Elite,” Landry said, via Demetrius Harvey of the Florida Times-Union. “So, just watching him out here and seeing it first hand in person, I’ve seen it on TV a couple times, but seeing it firsthand, he’s elite.”

Titans

• According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Titans likely would’ve drafted WR Malik Nabers if OT JC Latham was not available at No. 7.
• An anonymous AFC executive said the league assumed Tennessee would select an offensive lineman: “Their offensive line was in shambles, so pretty much everyone had tackle pegged for them.”
• According to Neil Stratton, the Titans have hired AJ Highsmith as their Director of Scouting.