AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Texans

Colts

Colts’ RB Nyheim Hines has shown growth and maturity in a crowded backfield. He is also hoping to finish out his career in Indianapolis despite being in a contract year.

“I hope to play there my entire career, and I hope to establish a legacy where Indianapolis is always going to have that slasher, scat-back, that little fast guy who’s so versatile,” Hines said, via Joel A. Erickson of IndyStar.com. “I think I’ve grown the most, just by my mindset. Going out there, knowing that we have a lot of good players, not knowing when I’m going to touch the ball but just knowing I’m going to be ready. That’s really why I played a lot better last year, I think.”

Hines also wasn’t shy about putting his contract concerns to the side in order to establish team success this coming season.

“Contract talks will come when they come. Whatever happens with that happens,” Hines said. “My goal is to be the best leader for this team, to be the best player for this team that I can be. I feel like last year I established myself as a leader. Maybe not as much of a vocal leader, but I’m definitely a leader on that team.”

Jaguars

As someone who has been around TE Tim Tebow, former Jets’ GM Mike Tannenbaum does not believe that Tebow can simply exist as a backup tight end due to the media circus that surrounds him.

“Urban has a strong personality. I think he’ll be able to manage all that,” said Tannenbaum, via Albert Breer of SI.com. “I mean, we’re talking about a backup tight end here, from a football standpoint. But he’s going to have a significant presence. There’s no ways about that. That’s just the cost of doing business with Tim.”

• Ian Rapoport reports Jaguars’ new TE Tim Tebow‘s one-year, $920,000 contract includes no guaranteed money and is worth the league minimum. 
• Rapoport notes that this likely means Tebow hasn’t solidified a spot on the 53-man roster. 

Texans

Texans third-round QB Davis Mills‘ high school coach, Tim Hardy of Greater Atlanta Christian School, mentioned that Mills has the potential to make a big impact on the organization. 

“It has the potential to be something different from, ‘Come and sit for four years and we’ll go from there,’” Hardy said, via Aaron Reiss of The Athletic. “It could turn into something. He’s coming in to make as much of an impact as he can, but he understands the complexity of that.”

Hardy said that Mills is eager to earn his teammate’s “trust and respect.” 

“He’s eager to earn — he used that word multiple times — the trust and respect of his teammates,” Hardy said.

Stanford HC David Shaw said Mills was not concerned that he wasn’t ranked among the top quarterbacks in the 2021 class. In the end, Mills felt he was ready for the NFL. 

“He knew from everybody that if he came back he would probably be the first or second quarterback going into the season, but that’s not a big deal to him,” Shaw said. “He doesn’t need that adulation. He doesn’t want to prove anything to anybody. He doesn’t care about that stuff. The biggest thing was: Is he ready? Does he have good film?”

As for the uncertainty in Houston surround Deshaun Watson, Shaw mentioned that Mills is “not an emotional roller coaster” and will bring a presence of consistency. 

“It’s probably being kind to say it’s a chaotic situation in Houston right now, but there are good people there,” Shaw said. “It’s a trying situation with Deshaun Watson and what he’s going through football-wise and non-football-wise. But Davis Mills is mature. He’s steady. He’s not an emotional roller coaster. As things are uncertain and there’s going to be competition and a lot of people’s opinions, Davis is going to show up everyday and be the same guy.”