AFC Notes: Christian Kirk, Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars, Texans, Titans

Jaguars

Jaguars WR Christian Kirk said QB Trevor Lawrence has grown a lot as a leader since being drafted in 2021. 

“The vocal part of it has been big,” Kirk said, via Michael DiRocco of ESPN. “Getting to know everybody at a personal level on the team. [That is] what great leaders do. You see him sitting at different tables with rookies at lunch and stuff like that. That says a lot about your quarterback and a leader in general. He’s just taking that next step. I feel like he already had it, but he is just really taking pride in making sure we’re going to where we need to go as an offense.”

As for Lawrence’s contract negotiations, Lawrence said he would love to get a deal done but points out he still has a fifth-year option in 2025. 

“I’d love to obviously be a Jag for as long as possible,” Lawrence said. “That would be great [to have it done], but like I said, going into my fourth year, it’s not like this is necessarily going to be my last season [with the team]. There’s a lot that could happen.”

Texans

Texans OL Juice Scruggs has focused on developing his body this offseason and has shown up in much better shape.

“Juice is looking great,” Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said, via Click2Houston. “He’s been here for most of the offseason. Even before we started our offseason program Juice was here working out with our strength staff. You can see, right, the growth. You can see he’s a little stronger, looks better. I’m encouraged where Juice is right now.”

Scruggs also offers positional flexibility, as he filled in at guard last season for the team.

“Really proud of Juice,” Ryans said. “He missed pretty much the entire season, and for him to come back at the time that he came back, we know it wasn’t all good with him coming back. We knew that there would be growing pains there. He played center all throughout training camp for us, and for him to come back and step in at the guard position, he had to get familiar with that spot: playing at the left guard. But Juice has gotten better, and we’ve seen him grow as he’s been in there. He’s gotten better each week, which has helped our offensive line and their success.”

Titans

Titans OTs Nicholas Petit-Frere and Jaelyn Duncan are competing for the starting RT job, but both have had to miss off-season practices due to injury. In the meantime, Tennessee HC Brian Callahan discussed how OL John Ojukwu has been making the most of his opportunity headed into year two. 

“He’s doing everything that you’d want a player in that situation to do,” Callahan said, via Easton Freeze. “He takes it very serious, he’s outstanding in the meeting room, he’s taken the scheme and he’s learned it. I’ve been really surprised. He’s a guy that I didn’t know much about, and as he’s gotten more opportunities, he’s started to show up.”

“When you’re a guy in that position, that’s all you can ask for. And so, he keeps stacking good days together, and so, again, we’ll see when we get to training camp what that looks like. But he’s done everything you can possibly do with an opportunity that he’s been given and that’s always good to see.”