AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Texans

Colts

Despite starting his career at free safety, Colts S Julian Blackmon is working on making the transition to strong safety this offseason.

“It’s more productive, honestly. You have to really tune in on your keys. I think that’s the biggest thing that’s a difference,” Blackmon told reporters, via ColtsWire.com. “At free safety, it’s more instinctual whereas at strong, it’s much more vocal. I just have to pay attention to my keys and understand what I’m supposed to be looking at pre-snap and I’ll be good from there.”

Jaguars

Some had Jaguars S Antonio Johnson listed as a Day Two draft pick, yet the former Texas A&M standout found himself sliding all the way to the fifth round, which hasn’t taken away any of his motivation. 

“For sure it put a chip on my shoulder,” Johnson said, via the Florida Times-Union. “I just feel like it put that much hunger into me. God works in mysterious ways, and this is how it happened. I’m blessed to be here and I’m going to go out here and prove myself now.”

Texans

Texans QB C.J. Stroud said one of his good qualities is the ability to “throw guys open” and find different areas of the field to attack. 

“I think something I am good at is I throw guys open,” said Stroud, via TexansWire. “I think I have done that in my career where guys aren’t wide open, but I try to throw them that way. I try to throw them down (field), I try to throw them out (routes), I try to throw them over their shoulders. Separation is not always going to be there, so that is something I pride myself on.”

When asked about why he didn’t run more often in college, Stroud responded that he’s always studied ways to read passing routes. 

“Sometimes I get so invested in the read, because you spend eight hours on one play, I guarantee you that you are not going to go, ‘One, two, run,’” said Stroud. “You are going to go, ‘One, two, three, four,’ and really try to figure out who is open. You really want to feed your guys the rock. That is something I pride myself on, but when it is time to dip my shoulder and go get that first down, I am willing to do that too.”