AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Titans

Colts

While the Colts brought in veteran QB Philip Rivers, their biggest offseason addition was DT DeForest Buckner, who GM Chris Ballard believes will change the face of the defense. Buckner was the biggest need on a team that will not be content unless they are able to make the playoffs in 2020.

“He’s a 26-year-old who has everything we stand for,” Ballard said, via Zak Keefer of The Athletic. “He’s got high character. He’s a producer. All you have to do is put on the Super Bowl. The great players produce in the great games. Just watch the Super Bowl — that guy played his ass off.”

Colts LB Darius Leonard is also excited about the addition of Buckner on defense.

“Very excited to add another monster to our defense,” Leonard said of Buckner. “It starts up front. The D-line is the engine to our defense. … if we got all the dogs up front, there’s no way the (opposing) offense can climb up quickly. That’s gonna allow the linebackers to run free and make more plays.”

On the offensive side of the ball, WR T.Y. Hilton says that his next contract will be his last, and he hopes that it is as a member of the Colts.

“Whatever I sign for on my next contract, that’ll be when I hang it up,” Hilton said. “Whether it’s two years, three years, four years, whatever it is … that’ll be it for me. I missed a lot of games last year, and that’s something that can’t happen. When it’s time to get back out there, everybody’s going to feel me.”

Jaguars

While the Jaguars are hoping to use multiple schemes on defense during the upcoming season, they are mainly expecting to have a bigger impact when it comes to stopping the run.

Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell spoke about what third-round pick DT Davon Hamilton could bring to the table as a rookie.

″We have a young version of Al,″ Caldwell said of Hamilton, via John Reid of Jacksonville.com. ″He is a guy that can hold the point of attack. We wanted to get bigger up front and protect our linebackers and Joe Schobert and Myles Jack.″

Another important figure in the franchise who had high praise for Hamilton was Jaguars HC Doug Marrone.

“We think he is going to get a lot better even though he is really good right now,” Marrone said. “You can see him on the move. He has such great strength at the holding point. I think he is going to help us on the inside.”

• NFL Media’s Gil Brandt thinks the Jaguars make a lot of sense as a potential trade destination for Jets S Jamal Adams, though the first-round pick they’d likely have to give up projects to be fairly high in 2021.

Titans

• Former NFL GM and analyst for the Athletic Michael Lombardi writes the most obvious question for the Titans in 2020 is if RB Derrick Henry can keep up his dominating play. 
• Lombardi adds another question is if the Titans can protect QB Ryan Tannehill well enough to help him be more effective in the dropback passing game. 
• Jim Wyatt of the team website thinks Titans TE Jonnu Smith and DT Jeffery Simmons are two players poised for breakout seasons in 2020. 
• Even though the Titans didn’t pick up WR Corey Davis‘ fifth-year option, Wyatt believes he could still re-sign with Tennessee after the year is up at a lower figure than the $16 million option.