AFC Notes: Josh Allen, Ran Carthon, Anthony Richardson, Colts, Jaguars, Titans

Colts

Colts HC Shane Steichen said rookie QB Anthony Richardson had an opportunity to sit and observe after suffering his season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5. 

“Obviously, he got a chance to sit back, watch, and learn,” Steichen said, via ProFootballTalk. “I had some good meetings with him throughout the season, just individually me and him, sitting down talking football. Really just seeing the NFL season as a whole.”

Although Steichen would’ve liked to have Richardson available, he believes the rookie will be stronger because of this year’s circumstances. 

“Obviously, would’ve loved to have him out there for the season to learn that way but there’s always reasons in life I think, why things happen. I think what happened to him was unfortunate but I think it’s going to make him stronger at the end.”

Steichen believes Richardson will be mentally stronger going forward and has a better understanding of defensive systems. 

“Just talking with him individually going through different stuff. Just football 101 stuff — coverages and fronts and going through what do we like versus this look and all that,” Steichen said. “He was soaking it in, and he was wired in all year obviously doing his rehab. Looking forward to his future next year.”

Jaguars

Jaguars HC Doug Pederson said they hope to sign EDGE Josh Allen to a contract extension and prevent him from entering the open market. 

“If we can work it out, gosh, you’d love to keep him,” Pederson said, via JaguarsWire. “You want him to be a Jaguar forever, so these are all the tough decisions and conversations we’ve got to have in the coming weeks. He did his part and put himself in a good position to make it interesting and tough. I’m excited for the future, obviously, and hopefully we can get something done.”

Allen said they will have a conversation about a possible extension but just wants to improve from this season. 

“I’ve always just focused on football and did my part,” Allen said. “If I can do that then everything takes care of itself. The business is the business. We’ll have conversations down that road but at this very moment I’m really trying to get through this situation and grow from it.”

Titans

Titans GM Ran Carthon said they will run an “exhaustive process” in identifying their next head coach.

“We are going to hit the ground running,” Carthon said, via Jim Wyatt of the team’s site. “We are going to run an exhaustive process to find our next head coach, and it’s going to involve a lot of people. Obviously, I’ll be a part of that. Amy (Adams Strunk) will be a part of that, and others. But we want to make sure we are getting the right people in here.”

Carthon said they need to build the team in owner Amy Adams Strunk‘s vision. 

“These things are ultimately Mrs. Amy’s decisions,” Carthon said. “Organizationally structured, we both (reported) to her. … It was about Amy’s long-term vision on what she wants the organization to be, and how she wants to move this organization forward.”

Carthon said there could be candidates he has a previous relationship with but plans on taking an “unbiased approach.” 

“We have to go through league protocols and mandates that we have to meet,” Carthon said. “Once we handle that part of the business, we’ll get started in terms of who we want to sit down with, and (we’ll) start immediately. I will be one of the parts of (the interviewing/hiring process), and there will be areas where I’ll take more of an out-front approach. But this is about the organization, so there will be a few of us in there. I know there are a couple of candidates that will be available that I have relationships with, and I want to be able to run an unbiased process, so that’s going to require more people to be in the room and a part of the process.”