AFC Notes: Jeff Saturday, Colts, DeAndre Hopkins, Jaguars, Texans, Titans

Colts

Despite a 1-7 record that had the Colts playing like one of the worst teams in football by the end of the season, interim HC Jeff Saturday still wants the full-time head coaching job. He spent his end-of-season presser lobbying for his case. 

“The way I do things is not the way things necessarily have been done (in the recent past here),” he said via the Athletic’s Zak Keefer. “I have my own way … you know, when I came in, I’m thrust into how things have been done, for the past however many years, and I’m appreciative of that and the work that they’ve done and the success that they’ve had, but it will look different.”

Saturday’s record is one of the worst by any interim coach on the job for that long. But he argues it’s not a fair way to judge him as a coach because of the limitations he inherited. 

“Again, like when you say eight-game audition, eight-game audition with half an offensive staff, boundaries when you come in,” Saturday said. “So I mean, it’s an eight-game audition with the hand you’re dealt.”

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler mentions the Colts, as well as other teams, could be waiting until after Wildcard Weekend to request interviews with guys like Bills DC Leslie Frazier, Bengals OC Brian Callahan and Bengals DC Lou Anarumo.  

Jaguars

Dave Burns and John Gambarado of the Burns & Gambo Show noted that the Chargers and Jaguars could be two teams interested in the services of Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins.

“Yeah, I’ve been told several times over the course of the last five or six weeks that it’s very possible that he’s gonna ask out, that he’s not happy, that he’s going to want to go somewhere else,” Gambarado said. “I’ve even heard today from people very close to the situation that, you know, that the preferences for him would be the Jaguars and the Chargers. The Jags because he could be, you know, with Lawrence (QB Trevor Lawrence) and Pederson (Head Coach Doug Pederson). Could be his best shot at a title to go with one of those teams. You know, the problem is that each guy has a highly-paid wide receiver. The Jags have Kirk (WR Christian Kirk), then the Chargers with Mike Williams (WR Mike Williams). Maybe they get off of (WR) Keenan Allen. It’s just a preference I’ve heard from people close to Hopkins that that’s two teams he would like to go to, but we gotta see how it plays out.”

Texans

• ESPN’s Dan Graziano writes Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon is seen as a strong contender for the Texans’ head coaching job, and if he gets it a name to look for as offensive coordinator is Patriots TE coach Nick Caley.

Titans

Titans HC Mike Vrabel is expected to have more power and say in roster moves going forward, working in closer collaboration with the new general manager. He said one of his priorities going into this offseason will be the improve the team’s overall speed. 

“The same thing that I’ve always wanted it to be. I want it to be smart, tough, fast and physical,” he said via the Athletic’s Joe Rexrode. “There is a degree of physicality that is required in this game at every level. Be fundamentally sound, play with technique, but we have got to get faster. We have to be a faster football team. Rarely are we the fastest team out there.”