AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Patriots

Colts

The Colts have been high on the potential of TE Mo Alie-Cox since bringing him in as an undrafted free agent out of VCU in 2018. Alie-Cox is a converted basketball player and is still learning the game. He’s been primarily a blocker and used sparingly as a receiver the past two seasons. But Colts TE coach Jason Michael thinks the 6-5, 267-pound Alie-Cox has massive potential.

“The sky’s the limit with Mo in my opinion, in terms of what he can do,” Michael said via Andrew Walker of the team website. “Obviously people look at him and he kind of gets that label of that wide tight end, of being the big physical blocker. And he’s continuing to grow in all areas of the game, but that’s kind of where his role has been, and it’s where he’s been able to get into the position that he is now. I think just going forward, I think he did an unbelievable job last year of the things that he didn’t do as much. Now, he caught balls two years ago, there’s no doubt about that, but I think what he did from a route-running standpoint, in terms of detailing those things up, he did a really good job of that last year…

“I think the more opportunities he has, the more of an all-around guy he can be … but I don’t put any limitations on Mo, and he continues to grow.”

Jaguars

Former Jaguars CB A.J. Bouye wasn’t as vocal about wanting out of Jacksonville as some of his teammates. But when the team traded him to the Broncos, he acknowledged he was happy to be leaving. Bouye came to the team as a part of the group that led the Jaguars to AFC title game in 2017. But nearly all the key pieces of that team are gone and Bouye couldn’t identify one reason why. He said it was everything from player egos to lack of innovation by the coaching staff and the whole “Tom Coughlin thing” that sparked the team’s spiral. 

“I just never was a part of something like that,” Bouye said on SiriusXM NFL Radio via Pro Football Talk. “Being in Houston before that and even seeing how the guys in Denver just gelling together with the chemistry between the players and the coaches. It was just something different and I didn’t know how to handle that. . . . It was so many things. From fighting in the locker room and disagreements to people wanting to be gone, I’ve just never seen that before.”

• NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo says there’s a chance Jaguars DE Yannick Ngakoue could sit out the season on the franchise tag if Jacksonville doesn’t grant his trade request. 
• Garafolo notes Jacksonville felt after the draft when a deal didn’t materialize for Ngakoue that the pass rusher was out of options besides playing 2020 on the tag. 
• Ngakoue reportedly remains resolute in his desire to be traded out of Jacksonville. (NFLTR)

Patriots

Patriots C David Andrews said on “Athletes Over Adversity” podcast he understands why the team moved on from a number players during the offseason and said it was “part of this business.”

“Unfortunately, that’s just part of this business,” Andrews said, via Mike Masala of PatriotsWire. “You’re going to lose teammates every year to trades or to cuts. I learned that early on. My wife and I, we were really close with this couple. We came in together and were actually roommates during the offseason program. He ends up getting traded in the middle of our second year. That’s just part of this business, and it is what it is. You hate losing a teammate no matter who it is.”

Andrews compared this offseason to 2017 and 2018 when they lost OTs Nate Solder and Trent Brown respectively. 

“I remember losing Nate Solder after 2017. He was such a great role model, a leader, a guy that I looked up to and respected. Losing him was like, ‘Damn, what are we going to do?’ Then we get Trent Brown — I love Trent and have the utmost respect for him, enjoyed playing with him. Obviously, he was a hell of a football player, too. We had a great room [in 2018], just a great offensive line. ‘Man I don’t want this to end’ and the next thing you know, he’s leaving. And you’re like, ‘That sucks. Where’s Trent?’ But now I got to play with Isaiah Wynn who I went to Georgia with.”

Andrews reiterated that former teammates moving on is a part of the NFL and is excited for 2020. 

“You learn that very quickly in the NFL: NFL stands for ‘Not For Long.’ I think that can be applied to many things, whether it’s your own career or teammates. That’s just part of it and you can’t let it get you down. You have to move forward. I’m excited for the future, excited for this team and to be a part of this team.”