AFC Notes: Cam Ward, Titans, Jaguars Offseason, Texans Restructure Candidates

Jaguars

• SI.com’s John Shipley writes that the last Jaguars regime wasn’t planning to re-sign S Andre Cisco and he’d be surprised if the new one made it a big priority. 
• Shipley adds Jaguars G Brandon Scherff will likely be playing elsewhere as the team looks to revamp the offensive line to a degree. 
• If Jaguars HC Liam Coen prioritizes bringing in Buccaneers QB Kyle Trask as the backup, Shipley points out that will push out QB Mac Jones, a pending free agent. 

Texans

• The Houston Texans could clear $22 million in cap space by restructuring WR Nico Collins and DE Danielle Hunter‘s contract this offseason, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, who points out those contracts are designed to be restructured.
• In addition, the team could save $10 million by restructuring RT Tytus Howard‘s deal and nearly as much by restructuring LT Laremy Tunsil‘s deal, per Graziano. These cap savings could be used to bolster the offensive line in free agency and also free up much-needed cap space for an extension for CB Derek Stingley.

Titans

The Titans have a ton of options with the No. 1 pick in the draft, but it all really comes down to just one question — do they take a quarterback or not? Everything else, including whether to trade the pick or take a different prospect, starts with answering that question. ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, who worked in the NFL and has interviewed for a few GM vacancies in recent years, knows what he would do if he was in Tennessee, and that would be drafting Miami QB Cam Ward.

“He directed that passing attack down there at Miami this year with the kind of precision and the kind of maturity that is worthy of being considered a number one overall pick. It just is,” he said on ESPN, via Justin Graver, adding that he foresees Ward having a similar impact to Commanders QB Jayden Daniels. “He will have that same kind of effect.”

Riddick added he got the chance to see Ward up close while calling games for ESPN last fall, and talked to people in Miami’s program who raved about Ward. 

“’This guy is the ultimate consummate leader,” Riddick quoted Miami HC Mario Cristobal as saying. “He plays with a gigantic-sized boulder on his shoulder. It’s not a chip, it’s a boulder. He is very confident in the work that he has put in, and he should be because he is supremely smart, he is supremely talented, and he’s deadly serious about the game.’”