AFC Notes: Colts, Texans, Titans

Colts

• Per the Athletic’s Zak Keefer, Colts LB Darius Leonard commented on his brand-new, five-year, $99 million deal that makes him the highest-paid linebacker in NFL history: “Yes, I got paid. I got paid for what I did. Now I gotta continue to prove it.”
• Leonard’s deal includes a $20 million signing bonus, with $33 million fully guaranteed at signing and $53 million guaranteed for injury. (Jason La Canfora)
• Leonard is eyeing next week for a return to practice after having ankle surgery this offseason. (Keefer)
• With Leonard’s deal done, the next Colts player up for a new deal is RB Nyheim Hines, who the Colts have shown an interest in extending. (Keefer)
• Colts HC Frank Reich on whether sixth-round QB Sam Ehlinger will get first-team reps at any point: “Fair question… But right now our plan is to put Jacob in the driver’s seat. Sam is getting a lot of reps. They’ll keep competing. This is a competition. But right now we’re comfortable with the plan.” (Stephen Holder)

Texans

Texans OC Tim Kelly said veteran QB Tyrod Taylor‘s transition into their offensive system has “been great.”

“I mean, it’s been great,” Kelly said, via Aaron Wilson. “With his professionalism, he comes in, he wants to be great. He wants to come in and know exactly what’s going on. He’s got command of the entire offense. Again, just the way he approaches every single day, it’s been really good for me. It’s been really good for everyone in the room.”

Texans HC David Culley called Taylor a “consummate pro” and is the first player to arrive and last to leave. 

“He’s a consummate pro, and I don’t use that loosely,” Culley said. “He’s the first guy in this building every morning and he’s usually the last guy to leave and that’s every day and that’s just who he is. You’ll never hear him doing a whole bunch of talking about this and talking about that. He just goes about his business.”

Kelly reiterated that Taylor is doing well learning his system and leading the Texans’ offense. 

“Tyrod is doing a good job coming in here and, you know, being professional and getting a good grasp of the offense, how things are shaking out, the different reads,” Kelly said. “For a guy who has played as long as he had, a lot of it ends up just being translation. He understands the plays, just now how we call it and what are kind of specifics from this offense to the different offenses he’s played in. He’s doing a good job with that. He’s got a really good control of the huddle. He’s doing a good job of leading that offense.”

• Texans WR Chris Conley said Culley is the same guy that coached him in Kansas City: “Coach Culley, he’s not shy about telling you how he feels. I had a pre-snap penalty in the scrimmage and he let me have it. That’s no different than the coach Culley I had as a rookie.” (Aaron Wilson)
• The Houston Texans worked out WR La’Michael Pettway and LB Connor Strachan, per Aaron Wilson.

Titans

Titans’ OL coach Keith Carter is optimistic about rookie OL Dillon Radunz and how he can adjust under HC Mike Vrabel. 

“For all of us, Vrabes does a great job of reminding us to give the guys small victories because, naturally, as a coach, the job is to critique, and that’s the first thing you go to,” Carter said, via ESPN’s Turron Davenport. “We need to make sure he knows it’s not doom and gloom; he’s got to get better, and he is, and we’ve all got to be patient and take it one step at a time. In a perfect world, he plays one position and you stick him there and see where you can get him. But, I think in the long run, this will help him because we’re going to need him to play more than one spot. He’s had his struggles but every rookie has his struggles. He has a great attitude. You think about small victories, here are things that are improving, that are getting better every day, and we’ll continue to do that.”

• The Tennessee Titans worked out OL Jack Batho and DB Chris Johnson, per Aaron Wilson.

• Paul Kuharsky notes that Titans’ WR Chester Rogers is making an early case for punt returner heading into 2021.