AFC Notes: Anthony Richardson, C.J. Stroud, Colts, Jaguars, Texans

Colts

Colts QB Gardner Minshew has been reassuring Anthony Richardson that the game will progressively slow down for him. 

“It’s funny man, I remember coming off the first day, he was like, ‘Man, that’s fast,’” Minshew said, via ColtsWire. “You’re like, ‘Yeah, it’s only going to get slower though.’ It’s been cool to see him – he studies hard, he picks it up, he wants to learn. So, he’s been doing a great job there. He has been improving steadily and I think he will continue to.”

Minshew said their competition for the starting quarterback job does not impact their relationship. 

“Well, my performance doesn’t really have anything to do with him performance. I can go out there and be great and it’s not going to affect him and he can go out there and be great, it’s not going to affect me. So I think our whole room is just pushing to be the best we can be and in that way serve the team the best way that we can,” Minshew said.

Minshaw has already seen glimpses of Richardson’s potential on film. 

“You see it on film, anytime someone has a big play, the other quarterbacks behind him are going crazy. I think it’s been a lot of good energy, a lot of camaraderie being built, a lot of high fives and smiles,” Minshew said. “I think those are all things that, when times get tough, you got to be able to rely on those strong relationships and it’s good to see those getting built.”

Jaguars

Jacksonville mayor-elect Donna Deegan has been in contact with Jaguars owner Shad Khan about the team’s plans to renovate TIAA Bank Field.

“I’m looking forward to a very productive negotiation season,” Deegan told A.G. Gancarski of Florida Politics. “I think that, frankly, we both really want to get to yes. That will certainly be a process, but I think it’s going to be fine.”

“These huddles that the Jaguars are having right now, that was something that I asked them to do when I met with Mr. Khan months and months ago,” Deegan said. “I think it’s incredibly important to take what their plans are, put those plans in front of the public, and hear the concerns of the public firsthand. … I’m actually very appreciative of the fact that they included that in the process.”

Texans

Texans HC DeMeco Ryans addressed the quarterback competition between Davis Mills and C.J. Stroud, with both players weighing in on their progress.

“For a quarterback, you have to have a short memory. You can’t let one bad play become three bad plays, right? Put that behind you. You’re going to make some bad plays, but as long as it doesn’t matriculate into other bad plays, then I’m fine with that,” Ryans said of Stroud, via DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN.com. “To see him and see his resolve, the way he was able to come back, compete, drive the offense down for a touchdown there at the end of practice — that was pretty cool to see. We’ll see where their process goes in training camp and see as the competition continues. We’ll see who separates themselves.”

“It’s a matter of just getting reps. Nothing magical about it. It’s just getting under-center and doing it. C.J. had reps under center in college. It’s not foreign to him,” Ryans added. “He’s done it before. He’s done a good job these past few days in the practice of understanding, and we haven’t had any issues with that. C.J. is doing a great job.”

“This team has been very accepting of me, very honest, and very transparent. What I love about it, man, nothing has been given to me,” Stroud said. “I have to earn everything, which I love. It’s been like that my whole career.”

“I’m competing for that starting job. Since I’ve been drafted in the NFL, I’ve been in a competition. I don’t think anything is going to change,” Mills said. “It’s been great getting to know C.J. so far. He’s an extremely hard worker, and it will be good to see how we go out there every day and make each other better.”