AFC Notes: Carson Wentz, Colts, Jaguars, Texans, Titans

Colts

Colts HC Frank Reich said Carson Wentz is getting “very antsy” to return from his foot injury but is urging him to remain patient and focus on the “mental side” of the game. 

“He’s getting very antsy. Very antsy,” Reich said, via J.J. Stankevitz of the team’s official site. “He’s wanting to push the envelope, as I would expect. But he’s gotta be patient and just stay focused on the mental side of it right now and we gotta let things take their course. But at the same time, there’s a time to push things and we’ll keep doing that as it’s appropriate.”

Reich reiterated that Wentz had been staying involved in training camp as he recovers. 

“Carson was like, on the angle, you just need to come out of it a little bit higher because I need a little bit more space or hey, when you’re in that break, just take two more steps in that revolution, I’m not going to be ready to throw the ball,” Reich said. “Or hey, just bring that out a little flatter — those are the side conversations that, when he’s not doing rehab, he’s out here on the field talking to them, talking to the O-line about checking things in the run game. That kind of thing is very valuable.”

Reich reiterated that Wentz had done well taking “mental reps” while observing the offense at camp. 

“Jim Caldwell used to say that all the time to me with Peyton, that there was nobody better at putting himself in the moment than Peyton Manning, like feeling like you’re in the Super Bowl,” Reich said. “That even though you’re standing behind the line of scrimmage you’re not even in on the rep, do you have the ability to get a mental rep and make it feel like you’re in the game. Carson’s doing a good job of that.”

• The Athletic’s Zak Keefer writes that the Colts plan to play most of their starters in Saturday’s preseason game against the Vikings, while QB Sam Ehlinger will be featured the entire first half.

Jaguars

New Steelers LB Joe Schobert said his trade from Jacksonville came out of nowhere after the contract he signed with the Jaguars in free agency last year.

“I think it came out of the blue, from my perspective,” Schobert said, via Brooke Pryor of ESPN. “Nothing really, no warning signs or predetermined stuff. I was talking to defensive coaches right after I talked to the general manager, and they were pretty shocked about it. It’s stressful, especially in the middle of training camp. Got a wife, kid, dog. House down in Jacksonville; got to figure out the logistics of moving them up. I wouldn’t say I was sad, no — stressful. A little shock to the system.”

Jaguars GM Trent Baalke told Schobert that the Steelers had called and were “persistent” about acquiring him. 

“I wouldn’t put you in it if it wasn’t a good situation for you and your family, coming up to Pittsburgh, good team,'” Schobert said Baalke told him. “That’s what I was told.”

However, Steelers’ HC Mike Tomlin tells a different story.

“It presented itself to us, but it didn’t take us long to consider it because we’re highly familiar with his skill set and productivity,” Tomlin said of the trade. “We’re excited about having him. Productivity, when I think of Joe. He needs no endorsement from me. We’re familiar with him. Former AFC North guy, been highly productive in every circumstance that he’s been in. He’s a sideline-to-sideline tackler, he’s good in coverage, he has coverage production in terms of interceptions, he has sack production. He plays a well-rounded game and so we’re excited about infusing him into what we do.”

Texans

When asked if Deshaun Watson is missing practice due to an injury, Texans HC David Culley said the quarterback has no issues and is accomplishing the tasks they give him. 

“No, he’s not injured,” Culley said, via ProFootballTalk. “We come up each day and we have a thing for him, and basically we got done what we needed to get done yesterday in practice.”

Culley reiterated that Watson is present at their training camp facility and expects him back at practice soon. 

“Deshaun is here,” Culley said. “Again, every day he’s here, he comes in, he works. He does what we ask him to do, and he’s here every day and he’s doing fine. . . We expect him to be back out here pretty soon.”

Titans

Titans WR A.J. Brown said he’s been learning from veteran WR Julio Jones this offseason. 

“It’s been incredible,” Brown said, via SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I’ve just been listening and learning as much as I can, just trying to soak everything in. He’s a great pro. Obviously, his resume speaks for itself. But he’s a hard worker too — which I knew already, but seeing it firsthand all the time, it just speaks volumes of him.”

• Titans third-round LB Monty Rice was carted out of Wednesday’s practice with an injury. (Turron Davenport)