AFC Notes: Browns, Colts, Texans

March 29, 2020

Browns

Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com believes the Browns is committed to RB Kareem Hunt after using a restricted tender and that she doesn’t see the team trading him for a draft pick.
Cabot is for the idea of the Browns bringing in a veteran LT such as Jason Peters and is also in favor of them trading for LT Trent Williams, who has been linked to Cleveland since requesting a trade from Washington.
According to Cabot, it is unknown how the Browns have the top four offensive tackles ranked on their draft board, but Louisville’s Mekhi Becton is going to be given serious consideration. The others are Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, Georgia’s Andrew Thomas and Alabama’s Jedrick Wills.
After signing LB B.J. Goodson, Cabot says that the Browns could draft another inside linebacker, but might also be happy with the group they have and expect good, solid play out of Sione Takitaki and Mack Wilson.

Colts

Retired TE Antonio Gates was a member of the Chargers for his entire career. But late in 2019, Gates nearly joined the Colts for one last run. He elected not to come back as the Colts’ season cratered, but his familiarity with HC Frank Reich and OC Nick Sirianni was a major draw like it was for QB Philip Rivers who signed this offseason.

“I was in the same boat Philip is in now,” Gates said via Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star. “You understand the people you’re going to work with. They don’t have to worry about me as a human being. They know me. And they know, ‘OK, this is his ritual and how he gets prepared and gets ready.’ Sometimes as a veteran, you need that. That helps you. . . . It was just so familiar. Even the players had, like, similarities if that makes sense. It’s just crazy how everything works. It did look familiar and when they called plays, it just fit what we had done over the course of a decade in California.”

The Athletic’s Connor Hughes writes that the Colts were hoping to re-sign CB Pierre Desir at a lower rate after cutting him to avoid a $3 million roster bonus. However, the Jets swooped in and signed Desir.