Colts
Colts GM Chris Ballard commented on the possibility of the team moving up in the draft, noting that there has to be a player worth the price of a potential deal.
โWell one, and I know this is coming up because I know all the speculation out there, one, to move up, thereโs got to be a guy worthy of it. Okay? I know everybody in America is going to say โ like, this is whatโs great right now. Everybody has just automatically stamped that youโve got to move up to one to get it right. I donโt know if I agree with that, I donโt,โ Ballard said, via ColtsWire.com. โWhen we meet as a staff and we say, okay, this is what we need to do, this is the guy for the next 10-15 years and we think heโs the right guy? Sure, weโll do it, but whoโs to say we wonโt get one at four.โ
- Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post, citing sources, says the Texans, Colts and Seahawks are among the teams who have checked in with the Bears to see what a trade to No. 1 would cost.
- All of his sources still expected Alabama QB Bryce Young to be the first pick. La Canfora added the scouting community is buzzing about the Colts being enamored with Kentucky QB Will Levis.
- Ohio State OT Dawand Jones has scheduled seven top 30 visits so far, including with the Colts. (Ryan Fowler)
Jaguars
Jaguars HC Doug Pederson feels that the team’s window is now and continues to praise QB Trevor Lawrence.
โHeโs constantly wanting to get better,โ Pederson told Jeff Howe of The Athletic. โHeโs constantly wanting to learn. Heโs wanting to grow. He puts in the time. Thatโs what great quarterbacks do in this league, and heโs just getting started.โ
Pederson continued to speak about the roster being put together by GM Trent Baalke, free agency, and the team’s hopes of returning to the playoffs to take on teams like the Bengals, Bills, and Chiefs.
โThe biggest difference is we hit the mark on all our free agents last year,โ Pederson said. โSo now, thatโs the core of your team. The difference this year is weโre still going to look at free agency. Weโre always looking at talent and trying to better our roster, and now we can do it through the draft. Now we can fill the pieces that way. Thatโs where (general manager) Trent (Baalke) and I really align with the things weโre doing. We both see it the same way. Letโs build our team through the draft. A year ago, we had to do it through free agency. We donโt have to do that this year as much.โ
Pederson also acknowledged they are likely going to be giving Lawrence a Brinks truck full of money in a year and a half or so.
โWe know what the future holds,โ he continued. โBut itโs also been proven in the NFL that you can pay your quarterback and still keep a pretty good roster around your quarterback. Itโs been done. Weโve got to be able to look at those models, too. I guess the beauty, too, is weโve got the majority of our guys in long-term deals, so that will also help us when we get ready to redo Trevor in a year or so. I kind of let Trent and (director of roster management) Trip (MacCracken) handle that and all the powers that be over on that side of the equation. My job is to get our team ready right now with the guys we have. Weโll cross that bridge a year from now.โ
โOur window is now, and we understand that,โ Pederson concluded. โIt might be the next three to five years. Weโve got to make sure weโre just focused on the now, getting Trevor better again this year, taking another step in his progression of leading the football team, and see what happens.โ
- NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero notes the going rate for right tackles, good ones at least, is $15-$19 million a year, and Jaguars RT Jawaan Taylor has a chance to come in near the high end of that in free agency.
Texans
- The Athletic’s Matt Barrows expects 49ers LB Azeez Al-Shaair to join DeMeco Ryans and his former position coach Chris Kiffin with the Texans, especially because Kiffin also coached Al-Shaair in college.
- Justin Melo reports South Dakota State TE Tucker Kraft had formal meetings with 15 teams at the combine including the Texans.
- According to Ryan Fowler, Kansas State EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah had a formal meeting with the Texans at the combine.
- Aaron Wilson reports Texans G Kenyon Green underwent arthroscopic knee surgery following the season and is expected to make full recovery ahead of the offseason program.
- Texans LS Jon Weeks‘ one-year, $1.317 million deal includes a $1.165 million base salary with $940,000 of it guaranteed and a $152,500 signing bonus. (Wilson)
- Texans DT Taylor Stallworth‘s one-year, $1.232 million deal includes a $1.082 million base salary with $200,000 of it guaranteed and a $152,500 signing bonus. (Wilson)
Titans
- Justin Melo reports the Titans have had contract extension discussions with impending free agent DE DeMarcus Walker but are still working toward an official offer.
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