Colts

Colts DL DeForest Buckner admitted that he contemplated retirement after suffering multiple injuries.

“Early on, I definitely had questions whether I’d be standing here today,’’ Buckner said, via Fox 59. “I had moments of thinking of hanging up the cleats and everything like that. But that’s just not things roll in the Buckner household. So, I’m obviously having those conversations with people closest to me, mainly my wife. She just was by my side each and every step of the way, just supporting me, taking it one day at a time.’’

Colts HC Shane Steichen added that he’s happy with where Buckner is and considers him one of the team’s leaders.

“I’ve got so much respect and appreciation for him,” Steichen said of Buckner. “He’s one of my favorite players I’ve ever been around. Just the person that he is, the worker that he is, the player that he is, the husband that he is, what he does in the community. “I mean, he’s top-notch. And to see him come back from (surgery) . . . I’m not surprised just because the way he works. Great teammate, great leader, and to see him back at training camp going full speed and going about it, I mean, he looks great right now. I’m really excited for him this year.’’

Texans

Texan QB C.J. Stroud is going to be under the microscope all season given his contract status, his struggles to end last year and Houston’s sky-high expectations for 2026. In a matchup against the Bills in Week 1, a fellow AFC contender, Stroud came up short in the end. He threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns but also lost a pair of fumbles, including on a game-ending sack a few plays after Stroud drove the Texans all the way to the Bills’ 9-yard-line with a chance to get the go-ahead touchdown. 

After the game, Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said his defense, not Stroud, deserved the lion’s share of the blame for a 36-31 defeat. 

“C.J. was very much in control the entire game,” Ryans said via texanscommenter. “Took what the defense gave him. Made great decisions with the football. Proud of the way he played today. He showed what he’s been showing all camp, that confidence, that growth. Was very calm, great demeanor, putting us in a great position to win the game.

“Unfortunately, we lost the football there two times. Don’t want those plays at all, but not going to let that overshadow the game that he had. Offense put up way more points than needed for us to win this game. Could’ve definitely played much better defensively.” 

• Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Texans LB Henry To’oTo’o is likely to miss more than the four-week minimum on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, and Garafolo thinks it could be around an eight-week injury.
• Houston WR Nico Collins was not practicing on Thursday and was diagnosed with a grade one hamstring injury, per Aaron Wilson.

Titans

• Titans DC Gus Bradley implied LB Anthony Hill will likely stay at middle linebacker, with Cody Barton and Cedric Gray at outside linebacker when Gray returns from a concussion. (Terry McCormick)