Colts
- Colts’ interim HC Jeff Saturday said LB Shaquille Leonard is in “good spirits” after undergoing season-ending back surgery: “I feel terrible for him … texted with him last night. He’s in good spirits, but awfully disappointed for him.” (Zak Keefer)
- Saturday declared that Matt Ryan is their starting quarterback going forward: “Matt Ryan is our starting quarterback.” (Zak Keefer)
- According to Colts DC Gus Bradley, the team wants to use DE Dayo Odeyingbo in the inside-outside role that was being filled by DL Tyquan Lewis prior to his injury. (Joel A. Erickson)
- However, the team is still without DE Kwity Paye, meaning Odeyingbo may be required to play more outside at defensive end than on the inside.
- The Colts worked out three long snappers on Tuesday including Joe Fortunato, Cole Mazza and Garrison Sanborn. (Aaron Wilson)
Jaguars
Jaguars WR Christian Kirk said that the season isn’t going how they’ve wanted it but still feels like they are building a strong team.
“It’s all about believing that we can be the best,” Kirk said, via John Oehser of the team’s official site. “You know you’re building something special. We know right now the season hasn’t really gone the way we wanted it to, but you don’t feel anybody giving up or kind of cashing it in. Everybody’s still looking forward to what’s in front of us. Those are the type of people you want to be around and you want to go to work with. It’s a long season. The NFL is hard. It’s hard to win football games. But we’re here to produce championship-level football.”
Jaguars S Rayshawn Jenkins said that they can still finish with a 10-7 record given there are still seven games left in the season.
“We’ve got seven games left,” Jenkins said. “We can finish with double-digit wins but it’s going to be hard. Everyone just needs to be on their stuff and really be dialed [in]. You’ve got to be dialed in this league. The margin for error is small and it’s killing us lately. We do have a young team, but we get paid so you’ve got to come out here and perform.”
Jenkins added that they must become “more consistent” but has seen progress in their defense.
“The thing we need to fix is being more consistent,” Jenkins said. “The consistency is not there. As a unit we make a lot of good plays and you see a lot of flashes throughout most of the game, but when we get in those times that we really need everybody to be on their stuff everyone needs to be conscious of that moment. We’ve gotten after the ball this year. Our defense is much faster and really physical. We just need to do the right stuff all the time.”
Texans
- ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime writes Texans RT Tytus Howard should be an extension priority for Houston this offseason with how well he’s played in 2022. He’ll be entering the final year of his rookie deal on the fifth-year option in 2023.
- ESPN’s Field Yates reports the Chiefs, Saints and Seahawks also made waiver claims on new Texans RB Eno Benjamin.
- Texans HC Lovie Smith is confident Benjamin can be a productive player for them: “He’s a good player in high school, good player in college, been a good pro. Hoping he’ll give us something. We feel like he can catch the ball, has a little bit of size to him.” (Aaron Wilson)
- Smith said second-round S Jalen Pitre is their starter and is “making progress” with his development: “Jalen (Pitre) is our starter, and also he’s our rookie starter. We don’t expect him to be Ronnie Lott right away. Does he need to improve? Yes. But he’s making progress.” (Jonathan M. Alexander)
- The Texans worked out LB Ryan Anderson and RB JaQuan Hardy on Tuesday. (Wilson)
Titans
- ESPN’s Turron Davenport says the Titans know DL Jeffery Simmons doesn’t want to play out 2023 on his fifth-year option and the hope is to have an extension done before then so he doesn’t have to.
- Davenport adds the expectation is for Simmons’ deal to make him the NFL’s new highest-paid interior defensive lineman.
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