AFC Notes: Chiefs, Texans, Titans

Chiefs

Chiefs HC Andy Reid expressed confidence in their defensive backfield with first-round CB Trent McDuffie, second-round S Bryan Cook, fourth-round CB Joshua Williams and seventh-round CB Jaylen Watson.

“Yeah, I like them,” Reid said, via ChiefsWire. “I like the speed they play with. I think Juan (Thornhill) has done a good job of kind of helping everybody out back there and managing that from a player’s standpoint back there. But it looks like we’ve got good speed and range and those type of things.”

Although Reid thinks that their rookies will be vulnerable to some mistakes, he thinks they’ll have quality players “in the long haul.” 

“There are going to be some hiccups here and there when you have young guys,” Reid said. “That’s what happens, but I think in the long haul we’ll be okay with the guys we got there.”

Texans

• Texans HC Lovie Smith said that RB Dameon Pierce has “earned the right” to be the starter in Houston. (Brooks Kubena)
• The Texans worked out international OT Bam Olaseni on Friday. (Aaron Wilson)

Titans

Titans rookie CB Roger McCreary will play both inside at the Nickel position as well as outside corner during the team’s opener against the Giants.

“It’s a tribute to him and kind of how he’s come in and approached it,” Titans DC Shane Bowen said, via Titans Insider. “We put a lot on those guys, really to see what they can handle, and if they can’t, you’ve got to try and slow things down, but he’s been able to manage it throughout, not only schematically, but also technique-wise, being able to play outside and inside. I’m pleased with him.”

McCreary downplayed the difficulty of having to play both inside and outside. He believes there are a lot of similarities between the assignments.

“I played outside corner (at Auburn),” McCreary said. “It’s different (at nickel), but it’s really not that hard. DBs are all the same, so I don’t look at it as this is harder than playing outside. It’s like trying to get better at it. It’s not that hard, so you can easily do it. I feel like I’ve just got to keep practicing and getting better at it.”

McCreary understands that he still has a way to go in perfecting his craft both inside and outside. His approach is to take it a day at a time and continuous improvement.

“I wouldn’t say that I’ve learned it all quickly, because there’s still some more stuff that I’m learning. I still make little mistakes. That’s part of adjusting to the league and everything,” he said. “I have a lot more work to be done. I would say I have a lot more work to be done. I’m not there, but I’m trying to improve every day. That’s my game plan really, just to improve every day.”

Bowen believed that McCreary had the skills to play inside, but didn’t have any tape from Auburn to back up that theory. He admitted that the team experimented with him at the Nickel position because they believed his skillset would transfer over there.

“You never really right away whether they’re going to be able to handle it from the mental side of it. Skillset-wise, I think watching his film, we had an idea that he would be able to do it,” Bowen said. “But just getting out here and putting him through it and seeing how he would respond, initially that’s what you’ve got to do, and I’ve been pleased with how he’s handled it.”