AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Texans

Colts

Executives around the league thought the Colts made out pretty good at quarterback going from Carson Wentz to Matt Ryan.

“If you look at Indy, Atlanta and Washington, I think Indy played it best,” an exec said via the Athletic’s Mike Sando. “Washington was afraid there wasn’t going to be this type of movement, and they just made a move. I mean, you can’t look me in the eye and tell me they would choose Carson Wentz over Matt Ryan.”

However, others were concerned about Ryan’s age heading into his age 37 season. 

“I think age has caught Matt Ryan,” another exec said. “I had him with a big decline last year. Matt has had a phenomenal career, a great quarterback, but it wasn’t like he was super big athletic or had a super strong arm. I see the skills declining a little bit quicker for him as a result. I think they could be looking at another quarterback in a year, and if they don’t win, look out for Irsay.”

• Wake Forest DE Luiji Vilain has a top 30 visit scheduled with the Colts this week. (Tom Pelissero)
• Virginia TE Jelani Woods has had a private workout with the Colts. (Tom Pelissero)

Jaguars

Jaguars OC Press Taylor commented on his excitement about getting to work with weapons WR Christian Kirk and TE Evan Engram on offense this season.

“Yeah, I think that’s the biggest thing is the versatility,” Taylor said on Jaguars Happy Hour with J.P. Shadrick. “We can line him up all over the formation. He can do a number of different things. He can win on the outside. He’s a great decision-maker with great speed, which you don’t always hear about receivers being great decision-makers, but he really is. So you can put him in positions to be able to adjust things and be able to get on the same page with Trevor.”

“When we put Evan Engram on the field, who’s going to cover him?” Taylor added. “Do you need to bring in a lighter body? Do you put a nickel on him? Do you put a safety on him? Do you put a linebacker on him, which we would ask for if you had to pick?”

Texans

Other execs from around the league weighed in on the Texans finally trading QB Deshaun Watson, getting three first-round picks to really kick their rebuild into gear. 

“They have a chance to build the next few years,” an exec said via the Athletic’s Mike Sando. “It’s great to have a bunch of picks, but eventually you gotta put a name next to them. They went cheap on the free agents, didn’t get any real difference maker. Now, it’s just time to build, and I think they are going to use the year to see if Davis Mills can play.”