AFC Notes: Colts Coaching Search, Texans, Titans

Colts

• The Athletic’s Zak Keefer says the Colts are keeping an incredibly tight lid on their plans for their coaching search and no one knows which way they’re leaning among their seven finalists. 
• The current expectation is the Colts won’t make their hire until early next week after the Super Bowl. 
• Keefer continues to get the sense interim HC Jeff Saturday is not going to get the job, though it obviously can’t be ruled out until a coach is named given owner Jim Irsay‘s affinity for Saturday. 
• The Colts have been blocking DC Gus Bradley from interviewing elsewhere because some of their candidates are interested in keeping him on staff. Keefer notes Eagles OC Shane Steichen, Rams DC Raheem Morris and Packers ST coordinator Rich Bisaccia all have connections to Bradley. 
• Keefer mentions there’s a decent chance CB Kenny Moore is not back with the Colts in 2023. 

Texans

Recently retired DL J.J. Watt said he has “no interest” in becoming a full-time assistant coach and will only pop into practice at HC DeMeco Ryans‘ request. 

“[If Ryans asks], I’ll pop in and talk to the boys, and I’ll watch practice, and I’ll talk to them, but no, I have no interest in the hours and the time commitment and going to the Combine and going to the Senior Bowl and doing all these things,” Watt said, via Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle. “I do not have interest in that.”

However, Watt is intrigued by potentially entering the broadcast business. 

“I want to be around the game. I love it. Early in my career, I said I’d never [go into broadcasting], but the closer I got to the end, I realized it’s just too cool,” Watt said. “The NFL is awesome, and I want to be around it, but I don’t want to be around it in the capacity where I have to pour all my time and energy into it.”

Titans

• The Athletic’s Joe Rexrode joins a couple of other Titans beat reporters in suggesting that Tennessee promoting pass game coordinator Tim Kelly to offensive coordinator suggests the team is likely to retain QB Ryan Tannehill as the starter for the 2023 season. 
• Rexrode writes Titans HC Mike Vrabel prefers continuity on the coaching staff as much as possible and had his hand forced by the owner to a degree when he fired previous OC Todd Downing and OL coach Keith Carter.
• He adds the fact that Vrabel replaced both with internal options suggests he believes the system will look better when they get better and healthier players, and Vrabel basically said as much Tuesday: “I don’t think everything’s broken. I don’t. I don’t believe that.”
• Rexrode mentions there’s no way to look at TE coach Luke Steckel and QB coach Pat O’Hara moving to analyst positions as anything other than a demotion.
• Vrabel told reporters Tuesday: “The staff is 95 percent complete. Went through multiple candidates at each position. Excited about where this is going to go.” (Jim Wyatt)
• As for the offense at large, Vrabel said: “I’d like our offense to be – there are things that I believe in. You have to be efficient throwing the football. We weren’t as efficient as we needed to be.” (Mike Giardi)
• Regarding the decision to hire Charles London as the team’s QBs coach, Vrabel said: “I appreciate Charles London and what he brings from Chicago and then Atlanta w/QBs. His primary role will be working w/the QB. He’ll help with some of the things how we use the terminology, how we’re teaching things and coaching things.” (Turron Davenport)
• Utah LB Mohamoud Diabate highlighted his meeting with the Titans at the Shrine Bowl as one that stood out to him. (Ryan Fowler) 
• Western Kentucky DT Brodric Martin highlighted his meeting with the Titans at Shrine Bowl as one that went well. (Ryan Fowler)
• Lane DE Andrew Farmer met with eight teams at the Hula Bowl, including the Titans. (Justin Melo)