AFC Notes: Jonathan Taylor, Colts, Texans, Dameon Pierce, Titans

Colts

Colts HC Frank Reich commented on the team holding RB Jonathan Taylor out for the rest of the preseason.

“Yeah, that’s likely the case. That’s really what Chris (Ballard) and I talked about. I can’t see that changing for any reason,” Reich said, via ColtsWire.com. “We’ll get good work this week against the Lions, he’ll get to see a different defensive scheme and players. We’ll thud that up a little bit. So, he’ll get some work there and I think that’ll be enough to get him ready.”

Texans

Texans HC Lovie Smith told reporters that he likes what he has seen so far from RB Dameon Pierce.

“He can run with power,” Smith said, via TexansWire.com. “He can make you miss. He can cut on a dime. Catch the ball. There are some things that he can do well that you’d expect a good running back in the NFL to do. So, as far as what we want to do as his first game, we wanted to get him some work. For a lot of the young players, you just want them to get their first NFL game in for them. So, that was big for him.”

• The Texans are also bringing in Jarrod James of the Bill Walsh Coaching Fellowship as an offensive assistant, according to his Twitter account.

Titans

Titans QB Ryan Tannehill said that first-round WR Treylon Burks has been impressive in training camp and has been “consistently making plays.” 

“Treylon, a guy came in and didn’t get a lot of work in the spring — just some things he was dealing with. And now coming out into training camp, from Day One, he’s made plays for me,” Tannehill said, via SiriusXM NFL Radio. “So, it’s been exciting for me. I didn’t really know — [he had] solid college tape, watched the film But didn’t really know because I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, per se. So to come out here and hit a deep ball [on our] first day, and he’s consistently making plays for me.”

Tannehill continued that they must keep making adjustments with Burks and clean up some areas. 

“Is it perfect? No. Are we growing through the process, there’s still adjustments that we’re cleaning up — yeah, of course. But seeing that athleticism, seeing that range and speed, he’s running by some people, too. So a lot of really good things out of him. Hopefully, we can keep the foot on the gas and keep him progressing.”

• The Titans worked out TE Daniel Helm this past week. (Aaron Wilson)