AFC Notes: Colts, Texans, Titans

Colts

Colts WR T.Y. Hilton is poised to become a free agent for the first time in his career but both he and the team have an interest in making sure he remains in Indianapolis. The catch for the Colts is that has to be at a certain number and it’s unclear if that number will be higher than what Hilton can get elsewhere. 

“It’ll play itself out,” Colts HC Frank Reich said via 1075TheFan.com’s Kevin Bowen. “I’m not going to lie. The discussions we’ve had, I’ll just echo what Mr. Irsay has said and what Chris has said in an interview or two. I think we are all hoping and optimistic that there’s a way T.Y. can end his career as a Colt. He’s a special player. He means a lot to us as an organization, but we all understand there’s a business side to it that has to be right. It has to be right for T.Y., has to be right for the Colts. I’m just hopeful that can play out. T.Y. has been a great player here. He is a leader on this team. Hope the business side of that can get worked out that he can end his career as a Colt.”

Reich also talked about the potential to move G Quenton Nelson out to left tackle to solve the Colts’ major need at the position. Nelson played well in the position in his one appearance there last season but there have been questions about if it’s the best thing long-term for either Indianapolis or Nelson. 

“There’s been lots of discussion between Chris and I,” Reich said. “I think the discussion with Quenton, he wants to do whatever is best for the team. He’s willing to do whatever is best for the team. What I appreciate about Quenton is that he trusts that Chris and I, along with the coaching staff, will make what we believe is the best decision. We want to get the best 5 guys on the field, at the best positions for them. And they can grow into those positions. We are still keeping all options open at this point. Obviously, we have the draft and free agency coming up. We know we have multiple options, multiple good options. But each one of those ends up with the vision of us having a top-5 offensive line. We are going to find the best 5 players to put out there. We know those guys have already expressed, ‘Hey just put us wherever you want us. We will make it work.’”

• Potential first-round Northwestern CB Greg Newsome has met with a host of teams virtually ahead of the draft, including the Colts. (Justin Melo)

Texans

• John McClain of the Houston Chronicle writes that it is time for the Texans to start considering trade offers for Deshaun Watson in order to avoid “making an ugly situation even uglier” for new GM Nick Caserio and HC David Culley.
• McClain feels the Texans waiting things out and trying to force Watson into playing is “not a healthy way of doing business.”
• In the end, McClain believes the Texans acquiring multiple “high draft choices” in exchange for Watson would be enough to find their next franchise quarterback, albeit an unproven one. 
• McClain could see Caserio prioritizing the Jets and Dolphins as the leading candidates for Watson in order to make the AFC East opponents big against each other.
• McClain is skeptical about reports of the Panthers, Broncos, and 49ers having a chance to be in on Watson given that the Texans likely wouldn’t be interested in either of Carolina’s Teddy Bridgewater, Denver’s Drew Lock or San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo.

Titans

• Jim Wyatt of the team’s official site writes that some of the Titans’ impending free agents like WR Corey Davis, TE Jonnu Smith, LB Jayon Brown and DT DaQuan Jones will want to gauge their value on the open market. 
• Although Wyatt adds that the franchise tag is a possibility for some players, he does not expect them to use it on Davis. 
• The franchise tag could be a higher possibility for Smith, but Wyatt believes Tennessee would signing him to a long-term extension would be the “best-case scenario.”
• Regarding Titans’ free-agent K Stephen Gostkowski, Wyatt mentions that HC Mike Vrabel plans to speak with the veteran kicker over his future. However, Wyatt adds that it sounds like the Titans plan on having competition for the job. 
• Potential first-round Northwestern CB Greg Newsome has met with a host of teams virtually ahead of the draft, including the Titans. (Justin Melo)