AFC Notes: Colts, Texans, Titans, Ryan Tannehill

Colts

• When asked if there is a quarterback at the top of the draft the team would want, Colts GM Chris Ballard said the team would pull the trigger on making a trade: “Yes. I’d do whatever it takes.” (Zak Keefer)
• Ballard was asked if his desire to stay with the Colts for the long term has changed. After a pause, he said: “…No…I’ve never backed out of anything in my life. I’m not going to back out of this.” (Kevin Bowen)
• As for interim HC Jeff Saturday, Ballard acknowledged that he is a candidate for the head coaching position despite telling owner Jim Irsay about his concerns about him being hired back in November: “He is smart. He is a good teammate and he is a leader.” (Bowen)
• Ballard fielded another question about selecting a quarterback in the first round: “I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s the 4th pick in the draft…we earned that.” (Bowen)
• When asked about RB Jonathan Taylor, Ballard would not rule out a potential ankle surgery: “It was a pretty good high ankle sprain. We will know more in two weeks, but right now it’s trending toward Taylor being able to avoid surgery.” (Joel A. Erickson)
• Ballard was critical of himself when it comes to the team’s shortcomings this season: “Look, I failed. I’m not going to sit up here and make excuses. I failed a lot of people.” (Erickson)
• Ballard on his mistakes: “When you’re changing quarterbacks every year, it’s tough on the team. … And that’s not an indictment on the quarterbacks we’ve had.” (Erickson)
• Ballard continued on the team’s downfall this season: “We live in a[n NFL] world where failure’s not allowed. When you fail in this world you get canceled and everybody wants your head. And rightfully so in some cases. But if you’re able to go through it and learn from it, you can reach your greatest heights.” (Jonathan Jones)
• Ballard noted the following about the team’s quarterback position: “Not getting the QB position settled hurts. I still think Matt Ryan has something left. I underestimated the line…with three really good players I thought we could absorb the issues. We didn’t.” (Chris Widlic)
• Ballard also commented on his relationship with Irsay: “I love working for him. He’s a good man and a good owner. If we’re agreeing about everything, I’m not doing my job.” (George Bremer)

Texans

Texans WR Brandin Cooks admitted that he didn’t want to be a part of a rebuild next year.

“I’m not going into this offseason thinking I want to be a part of a rebuild,” Cooks said, via ESPN.

Cooks plans to meet with the Texans to discuss his future with the team.

“I’m not looking at it as far as being a part of a rebuild, however that looks,” Cooks said. “That’s why I trust my camp and my representation to be able to get a map from here to there and to see what that looks like to be a part of something that has a trusted plan.”

• Texans GM Nick Caserio said whoever the team hires as its next coach will have a say in his staff: “It’s a fluid process. Whoever we hire will have a say in the staff.” (Aaron Wilson)
• Caserio knows that he has to get this head coaching hire right: “Let’s be honest, the clock is ticking. If I don’t do my job well enough, at some point decisions will be made.” (Wilson)
• Texans owner Cal McNair plans to take on a more active role in the team’s head coaching search. (Brooks Kubena)
• McNair reiterated that he has “full confidence” in Caserio. (Wilson)

Titans

Titans QB Ryan Tannehill said he’d love to return to Tennessee and believes that he still has some good years left.

“Of course, I’d love to be back here,” Tannehill said, via PFT. “We’ll just have to see what happens. I definitely have some good years left. I feel really good, even coming off this injury. I feel really good and looking forward to some bright years ahead.”

Tannehill added that he should be jogging soon and his rehab is going well.

“Everything is trending the right way, and rehab is going well,” Tannehill said. “I’m really happy with how things are going, it just sucks I had to go through it. Unfortunately, it’s a part of the game — I was able to stay away from it for a long time, but it finally caught up to me. I am looking forward to being healthy again.”

• Titans pass-game coordinator Tim Kelly and Alabama OC Bill O’Brien are two names to watch for the Titans’ offensive coordinator opening. (Albert Breer)