AFC Notes: Calvin Ridley, C.J. Stroud, Jaguars, Texans, Titans

Jaguars

Jaguars HC Doug Pederson mentions that the team will ease WR Calvin Ridley back into football this offseason now that he has served his suspension and is working out with his new team, but added that he isn’t concerned about injuries after Ridley recently revealed he played through a broken foot in 2020. 

“A little bit,” Pederson replied about acclimating Ridley, via NFL.com. “That and just want to be careful with him. He is coming off — he hasn’t played in a while, plus the injury. We’re just trying to be careful with him. He’s done an outstanding job for us. He’s the type of guy that you have to kinda pump the brakes with. He wants to go so much and so fast and so hard out there at practice that we just kind of have to pump the brakes and just tell him now’s not the time. But he’s doing a great job. He’s picking up the offense well. The times he’s working with Trevor [Lawrence], they’re on the same page, they’re connecting, and those are good things to see right now in the offseason. Just more or less just being cautious with him. And really, just making sure that he’s, again, he hasn’t played a ton of football and just want to make sure he’s ready to go for camp.”

Texans

Texans QB C.J. Stroud spoke about the team’s wide receiver groups being constructed to suit his strengths and help him succeed in his first year as a pro. 

“I think something I am good at is I throw guys open,” Stroud said, via TexansWire.com. “I think I have done that in my career where guys aren’t wide open, but I try to throw them that way. I try to throw them down (field), I try to throw them out (routes), I try to throw them over their shoulders. Separation is not always going to be there, so that is something I pride myself on.”

“Sometimes I get so invested in the read (routes), because you spend eight hours on one play, I guarantee you that you are not going to go, ‘One, two, run,’” Stroud replied when asked about scrambling. “You are going to go, ‘One, two, three, four,’ and really try to figure out who is open. You really want to feed your guys the rock (football). That is something I pride myself on, but when it is time to dip my shoulder and go get that first down, I am willing to do that too.”

Titans

Titans DL Jeffery Simmons wants to lead by example and it taking his health and mentality seriously this offseason.

“When (guys) see me out there, I think it means something to our team,” Simmons said, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online. “It shows what we’re about here in Tennessee. No matter who you are, we want people to buy into our standards. I am feeling good so far. It’s been three months rehabbing, and just to be back out there with the guys, being in meetings with guys, it feels good. My thing is getting my feet back on the ground. It’s been a while since I’ve been healthy, and it’s been a while since I felt like myself. Getting healthy is important, and I am not there yet. I am working my way back at it now, and it feels good to be back out there with my teammates.”