AFC Notes: Brian Callahan, Will Levis, Brian Thomas Jr, Jaguars, Titans

Jaguars

Jaguars GM Trent Baalke gave his early impression of first-round WR Brian Thomas Jr. and second-round DT Maason Smith after the first few weeks of training camp. 

“Well, just his speed and the fact that that’s a tough position as you know to come in as a rookie. That position is one of the harder ones to pick up. Tremendous effort on his part learning the system,” Baalke said, via SI.com’s John Shipley. “He’s a smart young man, comes to work every day. And the older guys, I’m proud of the older guys. They’ve wrapped their arms around him and helped him grow as fast as he can grow.”

“Well I think we’ve got to remember with Maason [Smith] he’s really played a year and a half of college football. He’s a big man. He’s an athletic guy. He’s got a lot to learn.”

Titans

Titans HC Brian Callahan mentioned they still have not decided whether QBs Mason Rudolph or Malik Willis will be the backup to Will Levis. 

“We’ll let this thing play out another week,” Callahan said, via Jim Wyatt of the team’s website. “This time next week we’ll be able to make a decision and determination on who the 2 will be, and what happens with the third spot, if we keep three or practice squad three, or we just go with two.”

• Callahan on the right side of the offensive line: “Dillon Radunz (RG) and Nicholas Petit-Frere (RT) are trending in the right direction as starters. Reserve the right to pull the plug on that but as of right now, those guys have played the best.” (Paul Kuharsky)

Titans

With a new regime and coaching staff in place, Titans QB Will Levis is excited about the start of the upcoming season.

“I’m excited,” Levis said, via Titans Wire. “I mean, these past few weeks at camp, I feel like we’ve really just kept our nose down to the grindstone and have improved in so many important areas. We’ve had a couple preseason games and there’s been some guys that have gone out there and have done some really, really good things and earned some opportunities for themselves.”

Levis added that the team’s additions this offseason have fit seamlessly into their locker room culture.

“They’ve come together quite nicely, I’d say. I think our locker room, other than just the talent across the board that our organization has made an effort to put together this offseason, with the additions that they’ve made, I feel like the people that we have in this locker room is really what makes it special. We come into work every day, I see people with smiles on their faces, excited to get after it and to work to get themselves better and get the people around them better, so I just feel like the environment and culture we’ve established here is really heading in the right direction and all of us are doing our best to  maintain it and improve it as much as we can.”