AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Titans

Colts

Colts’ HC Frank Reich is now reunited with QB Carson Wentz, yet never stopped appreciating him, even when Wentz was benched in Philadelphia.

“You know, I know and love Carson and he’s a close friend of mine,” Reich said, via Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan. “And I think he’s a really good player. You know I have a lot of belief and confidence in him personally.”

Even after leaving the Eagles organization to become the head coach in Indianapolis, Reich was still impressed by his former quarterback.

“Obviously (Wentz) was having a phenomenal year, just a phenomenal year and probably was the MVP and deserved every bit of it,” Reich said of Wentz in 2018. “What you love about Carson is much like Andrew (Luck), is a team-first guy, an explosive player with the right kind of attitude and the right kind of work ethic. It was just fun watching him grow as a player, just in the short two years that we were there together and truly one of my coaching highlights was a chance to work with him. He’s just a class act.”

Jaguars

• Albert Breer of SI notes that Saints’ CB Marshon Lattimore could be a good trade candidate for the Jaguars, as a deal would reunite him with former Ohio State HC Urban Meyer in Jacksonville.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars announced that they’ve hired Karim Kassam as their new senior vice president of football operations strategy. 
• Kassam will oversee the football technology and analytics departments, while also working on salary cap administration alongside HC Urban Meyer and GM Trent Baalke.
• Jacksonville also named Tony Khan as their new Chief Football Strategy Officer. 

Titans

• Terry McCormick reports that despite previously being put on notice by the team, the Titans have no intention of trading or releasing troubled T Isaiah Wilson this offseason.
• Titans’ HC Mike Vrabel on new DC Shane Bowen: “First and foremost, Shane Bowen is qualified and is very intelligent. I am still going to have an input on all three phases. That won’t change. Shane will now have the title that everybody covets.” (Jim Wyatt)
• Vrabel also spoke to the media about new OC Todd Downing calling plays in the past and said that he certainly earned his promotion. (Wyatt)
• Offensively, Vrabel noted that the team needed to play better against the Bears, Ravens, and Steelers defenses in 2020: “We don’t have all the answers offensively. We have to play better against elite defenses.” (Wyatt)
• Vrabel did confirm that the team has weighed the risk versus reward of signing veteran DE J.J. Watt following his release from Houston. (Wyatt)
• He also mentioned the team would focus on re-signing their players, despite the fact that they would likely draw interest from other teams: “We’ll have to make some decisions with the best interest of the team in mind.” (Wyatt)
• Vrabel told the media that the team would likely be looking for edge rushers in free agency, as well as the draft. (Wyatt)
• When asked about the kicker position going forward, Vrabel said he needs to talk to K Stephen Gostkowski about a potential return next season, adding he expects there to be competition in 2021. (Wyatt)