Colts

Colts CB Charvarius Ward talked about his first game in a Guardian cap after dealing with three different concussions last year.

“I don’t know if it made a difference or not. I’ve got a headache right now. I don’t think it’s a concussion . . .. You’re going to get dinged up. You’re going to get knocked around. It’s a physical game, man. Football is a dangerous game. Whatever comes with it, comes with it,” he said via FOX59’s Mike Chappell.

Jaguars

• Jaguars HC Liam Coen said WR Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) will be limited this week but is optimistic about his Week 2 status: “I fully imagine him being able to play this game [at Denver], no issues, just might not be able to get hit throughout the week or something.” (Michael DiRocco)

Texans

Texans CB Kamari Lassiter dropped a late interception and then was beat for the go-ahead touchdown on back-to-back plays in Week 1’s loss to Buffalo. Houston LB and team captain Azeez Al-Shaair came to Lassiter’s defense, urging his teammate to keep his confidence going forward.

“That’s my boy. We all have been there. I mean, he’s supposed to feel like the game is on him, just like I feel like the game is on me,” Al-Shaiir said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC. “I told him, the biggest thing is, it’s okay to feel like it’s on you if that’s going to make you push yourself to keep getting better, but don’t let that lose the confidence of who you are as a player. Every player should be looking at themselves saying, what should I be doing differently? How can I be better without losing, you know, the sight of the big picture and, like, all the work that he’s done.”

“You know, he’s a great player, a great corner. And him being in position and dropping the ball, if anybody knows what that feels like, to drop the ball, be in a position to make the play.”

• Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said LB Jake Hummel is week-to-week with a groin injury, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC.
• Ryans isn’t sure if his defense bought into the hype coming off an excellent 2025 season: “That was 2025. It’s not about the 2025 Texans defense. You have to put your stamp each and every year on who you’re going to be. This isn’t 2025 you got to go earn it… Talk never matters.” (DJ Bien-Aime)

Titans

Year 2 for the Titans and QB Cam Ward didn’t get off to a hot start, with a 23-10 loss to the Jets that stung on multiple levels. Ward looked a lot like he did as a rookie with a few flashes but a lot of football that’s just not conducive to winning games. Afterward, HC Robert Saleh was asked if Ward was more of a project than he expected when he took the job. 

“You look at Cam, and he’s had seven different coordinators over the last seven years,” Saleh said via Jim Wyatt of the team website. “We’re trying to build a foundation for him, and we’re trying to give him some stability. … His growth will happen throughout the year, his growth is going to happen next year, and the year after. This young man is at the floor, again, on what it takes to be an NFL quarterback. But he has all the tools, the mental makeup to get to where he needs to go. It’s time on task, and giving him stability, and a chance to be repetitive in the day-to-day process with the right coaching to help him get better.” 

• Saleh expects LB Cedric Gray to be back for Week 2 after being in concussion protocol. (McCormick)