AFC Notes: Colts, Texans, Titans

Colts

• Mike Sando of The Athletic mentions that the Colts have an easy decision when it comes to exercising for G Quenton Nelson‘s fifth-year option in the coming weeks.
• The tag will cost the Colts $13,754,000 for the 2022 season for Nelson, who is the only three-time Pro Bowl selection from the 2018 draft class.

• Arizona State WR Frank Darby has met virtually with the Colts. (Justin Melo)

Texans

New Texans’ DC Lovie Smith says that the team will be keeping S Lonnie Johnson at safety, which is the position he was drafted to play in Houston.

“Lonnie has position flexibility,” Smith said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “You’re going to hear that word an awful lot. I think it’s safe to say, we see Lonnie as a safety right now. He feels good about that. He’s got excellent size. He’s got a corner skillset, too. Really feel good about him fitting into our defense. As you look at our roster right, we’ve gone through that evaluation process. And if a guy’s here right now, we think that there’s a perfect role for them to fit within our system.”

• New Texans’ EDGE Shaq Lawson mentioned what it would mean to play for Smith: “It’s great to play for a guy that can relate to his players. The guy that’s had success with a lot of great players. He’s gonna develop me as a better player and a man too.” (Mark Berman)

• New Texans’ LB Jordan Jenkins is coming from New York City to Houston with a desire to join a team that has a winning culture: “I’ve wanted to be a part of a winning team for a while. I’m striving to be part of a winning program and see what it’s like on the other side of things.” (Aaron Wilson)
• According to Sarah Barshop of ESPN, the lawyer of Texans’ QB Deshaun Watson has been granted two emergency hearings regarding the identity of the women who have filed civil suits against Watson.

• According to Justin Melo, UCF WR/TE Jacob Harris has met with the Texans.
• Arizona State WR Frank Darby has met virtually with the Texans. (Justin Melo)

Titans

Titans’ HC Mike Vrabel says that DE Jeffery Simmons is on the right track and good things will continue to happen for him as he keeps putting in hard work.

“Just continue to develop and work the techniques that we feel are best for him,” Vrabel said, via Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. “I think mentally, he took a huge step as a leader, as a presence on our defense and on our football team. Just being able to withstand the rigors of the season. It is a long season, there’s a lot of bodies that bang on him. Those are things that we look at for Jeff. He is always around the football, which tells you he is playing full tilt to the tackle. And that is why he comes up with those fumble recoveries or some tipped passes that have been huge since he’s been here with us.”

• According to Justin Melo, UCF WR/TE Jacob Harris has met with the Titans.
• Arizona State WR Frank Darby has met virtually with the Titans. (Justin Melo)