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

Colts

Colts QB Anthony Richardson knows that HC Shane Steichen did great things with QB Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia and is looking forward to working with him. 

“The offense is great. We’ve all seen what he did with Jalen Hurts and he told me we can do similar things like that,” Richardson said, via Pro Football Talk. “And I’m definitely excited for it because I feel like I can perform the same way Jalen did in a type of offense like that. So, I’m looking forward to the offense, looking forward to working with a coach, and ready to get to work.”

Richardson also told reporters that he is going to hone in on preparing for the upcoming season and learning the playbook. 

“[M]aking sure I know what’s going on in the playbook, knowing my teammates, just making sure I’m here in the building, putting the work in so that when the time does come and when I do step on the field, it’ll be easier for me,” Richardson added. “The physical stuff, that’s easy. We can clean that up, we can work on mechanics and certain balls and how we throw them and stuff like that. But the mental is really where it’s at and I want to make sure I’m on point with that because the physical, it’ll just take care of everything else.”

• Colts owner Jim Irsay on the team selecting Richardson: “If we had the first pick in the draft, we would have taken Anthony. That’s how much we think of him.” (Kevin Bowen)
• Irsay also revealed that had Richardson been unavailable with their draft pick, they would have gone after QB Will Levis: “I think we would have taken Will Levis. We liked him.” (Joel Erickson)

Jaguars

Jaguars HC Doug Pederson and GM Trent Baalke addressed the team’s decision to not draft defensive players, saying that the way the draft board fell impacted their plans. 

“You’re not just saying, ‘We’re going to focus on one side of the football,’” Pederson said, via JagsWire.com. “A lot of times you want to make decisions that are best for the football team. Doesn’t matter if it’s offense, defense, or special teams. It’s just kind of the way the board fell to us the last two days. We’ve got several picks left to address many, many other areas. Really I think just to be able to add depth, good football players that are still there, to bring that competition that we look for, that I look for, that’s what makes us better.”

“The board fell the way it fell,” Baalke explained. “When you’re picking where we’re picking, there’s a lot of good players that are going to go off the board. You try to make some trades at times to do some things. It takes two to tango. Sometimes you can make a move, sometimes you can’t. At the end of the day, we stayed true to the board.”

Texans

Texans QB C.J. Stroud spoke with reporters after being drafted and said he plans to be a leader on his new team. 

“Honestly, first and foremost, I just want to be — if it comes natural, to just be a leader on the team,” Stroud said, via Pro Football Talk. “I think that’s the biggest thing for playing quarterback is to be not only vocal but lead by example. That’s something I think I bring to the table very well coming from a place like Ohio State where the quarterback is — other than LeBron [James], you’re like right under LeBron. You’re the leader of the whole state. I feel like I got good practice there. Yeah, that’s kind of the main goal is just to be a great leader, great teammate, to of course like Coach [DeMeco] Ryans said, just adjust, adapt to the new scheme, to the plays, to new coaching. I honestly don’t have a limit on how good I can play. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I know nothing is going to be given to me. Everything has to be earned. That’s how it’s been my whole life. That’s how it’s going to continue to be. That’s what makes me a great player. I’m excited to get started. Whatever happens, happens. I know it’s ordained from God, and I’m blessed to be in the shoes I am today.”