AFC Notes: Gus Bradley, Trevor Lawrence, C.J. Stroud, Colts, Jaguars, Texans

Colts

Colts GM Chris Ballard and HC Shane Steichen spoke about the team’s plan to retain DC Gus Bradley, despite ranking 28th in points allowed for two straight seasons.

“I know that’s been a hot topic for everybody,” Ballard said, via Kevin Bowen. “Look, it’s an area we have to improve. In a little bit of defense, the year before (Bradley) comes in and we kind of had – I don’t want to say a veteran team, but we had some veteran players. Then I just said, ‘Look, we’re going to go young in some spots.’ We went young in the secondary and there were some rough moments at times in the secondary and I don’t completely put that on them. I put that more on me, but how do you ever develop any continuity, especially with your own guys if you don’t just play them? So I decided to go young. We took our lumps at times, but I think it’s going to pay off down the line for them. I think we had five or six new starters on defense. We did do some good things now. It’s not like it’s all bad. The points do need to come down. We’ll continue to have long discussions about where we’re going and how we’ll get that done. But saying that, we had new starters on defense. We did do some good things, too. We got after the passer pretty good. I think it’s got to be a little better, but 51 sacks is pretty good. Took the ball away, we need to be a little better there in that area and we have to take away the explosives. But I would expect us to take another jump here this year on defense.”

“I worked with Gus for four years at the Chargers so I’ve got a background with Gus,” Steichen added. “Again, I believe in continuity and I’ve got a ton of respect for Gus.”

Jaguars

• SI.com’s John Shipley notes after the Jaguars failed to meet expectations this season, he thinks the team will wait to extend QB Trevor Lawrence, who is eligible for a new deal for the first time this offseason. 
• Shipley expects the Jaguars to easily pick up Lawrence’s fifth-year option but he notes the team decision-makers seem to have a real issue with Lawrence’s turnovers, which could lead them to slow-play a new deal more than they would have otherwise. 
• He adds he expects the Jaguars to radically revamp the offensive line, with LT Cam Robinson and G Brandon Scherff strong possibilities to be released for more than $32 million in cap savings. Jaguars OL Walker Little should get the call at left tackle, per Shipley, but that leaves both interior guard spots in flux. 
• Shipley mentions there could be ways for the Jaguars to keep WR Calvin Ridley and circumvent the terms of the trade with the Falcons that would require them to send a second-round pick if they extended Ridley. 

Texans

Texans HC DeMeco Ryans was asked about what rookie QB C.J. Stroud has been able to bring to the team as a leader, with Ryans mentioning that Stroud is cool, calm, and collected after their win over the Browns. 

“C.J.’s been the same throughout the year. I’ve always spoken about his growth throughout the year — from Day 1 to where we are now — but he’s been consistent,” Ryans said, via PFT. “I think throughout these past — throughout the past month that he’s been back from the injury, he’s just really been very calm. He’s been focused — he’s been laser focused, locked in. He’s been very calm, very confident, and I think everybody feels that around him.”

“[I]t’s important for everybody to see who we are,” Ryans added. “I’m happy we weren’t on primetime earlier when we had some growing pains to deal with there, and learning how to win. But, I think everybody’s just seeing — first off, they see C.J. and how he plays, how prepared he is when he steps on the field. And I hope everyone just sees a team that loves to play football, that finishes the right way, plays with high energy, because we have fun playing ball and I hope that’s what everyone sees and [hope] that everyone is dialed in to watch Houston Texans football.”