AFC Notes: Colts, Patriots, Ravens

Colts

Colts DC Matt Eberflus pointed out that new CB T.J. Carrie has experience as an outside and slot cornerback 

“T.J. is a guy that’s got experience playing inside and outside,” Eberflus said, via Andrew Walker of the team’s official site. “That’s certainly a piece we were missing at times last year once Kenny went down; we didn’t have the depth there that we thought we needed to develop more, and (Carrie’s) certainly a piece that can slide in and can slide out.”

Carrie believes the Colts’ defense will be able to use many different packages due to the versatility and athleticism of their roster. 

“You have a bunch of different options on how you want to utilize everybody in defensive packages,” Carrie said. “And I think that nowadays in this league, the more talent that you can have, the more exotic things that you can do from a defensive standpoint and confuse offenses, and the more packages that you can put out on the field. And so I think that nowadays offenses are coming out in so many different (looks) — 11 personnel, 10 personnel, 12 personnel, but making it look like an 11-personnel set — that you need that depth and availability from different guys to match up with. So very talented group already, and like I said, I’m fortunate to be a part of it, that we can all bounce ideas off of each other and create something special.”

Patriots

• NFL Media’s Charley Casserly writes Patriots third-round TE Devin Asiasi is expected to compete to start from Day 1 given how barren New England is at tight end. 
• He’ll go against incumbent TE Matt LaCosse and fellow third-round rookie Dalton Keene.
• Casserly adds the Patriots will give second-round LB Josh Uche a chance to fill the role vacated by LB Kyle Van Noy as an all-around linebacker. He’ll compete with LB Ja’Whaun Bentley to start. 
• Casserly notes the obvious major position battle in New England is at quarterback, where Cam Newton becomes the new frontrunner ahead of 2019 fourth-rounder Jarrett Stidham and veteran Brian Hoyer, who were set to compete to start before Newton signed. 
• Casserly says his sources say Newton is healthy but he’ll have to catch up on the offense after missing the entire offseason. He adds the Patriots are still high on Stidham. 

Ravens

Ravens RB Mark Ingram said he is hopeful to play in 2020 but wants to make sure players are safe before returning. 

“I’m basically just listening to the updates from the team, from the [players association], from the league and, I want to play ball, but I think it needs to be in a safe, effective and efficient way,” Ingram said, via Grant Gordon of NFL.com “I know there’s standards and protocols and guidelines and all that to make sure everybody’s healthy and safe. And we’re doing everything to make sure nobody’s at risk. I’m hopeful that we’ll be playing.”

• • Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap says that the Ravens LB Matthew Judon should earn a yearly salary that is slightly higher than former teammate Za’Darius Smith, who earned $16.5 million as a free agent in 2018.

• Additionally, Fitzgerald says that the Ravens would have likely let Judon walk away had it not been for the strong play of young MVP QB Lamar Jackson.