AFC Notes: Colts, Texans, Titans

Colts

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes it’s not out of the question the Colts could keep QB Philip Rivers in 2021 and still make an aggressive move up the board for a quarterback. 
• He compares their situation to the Chiefs, where GM Chris Ballard worked before coming to Indianapolis, as Kansas City bided its time with QB Alex Smith before making a move for Patrick Mahomes. 
• Breer adds the rest of the Colts roster is in pretty good shape which could make it easier to part with a future first-round pick to be aggressive toward getting a quarterback as the final piece to the roster. 

Texans

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes that once word got to Texans owner Cal McNair that Nick Caserio had knocked his interview with the Panthers out of the park, he fast-tracked the process to get Caserio to Houston. 

Titans

The Titans boasted the NFL’s leading rusher with RB Derrick Henry, who entered the postseason fresh off rushing for 2,000 yards in the regular season. But the Ravens stymied Henry for just 40 yards on 18 carries, including zero first downs, in their 20-13 win. 

“This game will humble you,” Henry said via Adam Sparks of the Nashville Tennessean. “It will show you that you need to keep working.”

“This is definitely going to sting,” Henry added. “This will probably be on my mind for the rest of this year.”

• Titans QB Ryan Tannehill is hopeful Tennessee can bring back both WR Corey Davis and TE Jonnu Smith, who are scheduled to be free agents this offseason: “They’re great teammates. I would love to have them back. There’s a lot of moving parts. They did a great job of doing what we asked them to do. I would love to play with those guys again.” (Terry McCormick)
• Keeping OC Arthur Smith is probably unrealistic given how much interest he’s generating as a head coaching candidate, but Tannehill thinks the Titans have a good program in place if he leaves: “With the core we have coming back, the foundation we laid, pillars of the program we believe in, leadership, buy-in, we feel strongly no matter who fills that role we can build on what we did this year.” (Paul Kuharsky)
• Titans first-round OT Isaiah Wilson had an absolutely disastrous rookie year with multiple stints on the COVID-19 list and run-ins with the law. Titans HC Mike Vrabel appeared to be following the don’t say anything if you can’t say anything nice rule when asked about him: “I can’t comment on Isaiah, I wouldn’t even begin to eloquently have an answer for you.” (Jim Wyatt)
• Veteran OL Rodger Saffold was able to muster up a comment: “Let’s be real. Being a young athlete, lots of challenges that you go through. You either handle it or not. We have a blue-collar mentality. Everything you get, you earn. Sometimes you have to live w/consequences of decisions you make.” (Turron Davenport)