AFC Notes: Josh Allen, Will Levis, Jaguars, Texans, Titans

Jaguars

Jaguars LB Josh Allen posted a career-high 17.5 sacks last season and said that he found what works for him as a pass rusher, with a plan to double it up this coming season.

“For me, this year, it’s very personal,” Allen said, via the team’s website. “Last year, I figured out what works for me. So for me, it’s, ‘OK. I’m glad it was at the time where I needed to figure it out, to benefit off of it.’ Now for me, it’s like, ‘You did it because of that.’ No and I’ll show you why. I found out what works for me. I’m going to double up, get better from there and improve mentally, physically and emotionally – and now I can go from there. For right now, I’m more mentally strong at this point of the season. It’s just going to keep building from here.”

Texans

Texans S Jalen Pitre admitted last season didn’t go well after being impressive as a rookie in 2022. 

“That’s a part of life,” Pitre said, via Jonathan Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. “Everything is not always going to be sunshine. I felt like I did a lot of great things in my first year, made some plays, but last year, it was more up and down.”

Pitre said the next step of his career is to bring “calmness” onto the field and a deeper understanding of what the coaching staff wants from him. 

“Calmness,” said Pitre. “I think that’s the next step for me. Just being calm and understanding what the coaches want from me.”

Texans DC Matt Burke said Pitre is showing better communication and knowledge of the system entering the third year of his career. 

“Again, some of it, we’re scrambling last year, obviously, and things are flying,” Burke said. “But banking those hours that Jalen did, it’s showing up now. His levels of communication, his comfort in some of those things. But I think the consistency comes from that. The awareness, knowledge of the system and being comfortable in everything we’re asking him to do.”

Titans

Although QB Will Levis stands firmly as the Titans’ starter for 2024, there will be competition for his top backup between QBs Mason Rudolph and Malik Willis. Tennessee HC Brian Callahan talked about how they will evaluate the two throughout the offseason and training camp. 

“It’s a competition,” Callahan said, via Jim Wyatt of the team’s website. “They’re going to both get a fair shake at the two-job.”

“So, they’ll split reps pretty evenly. They’ll get a chance to play quite a bit in the preseason. That’s usually where it separates is the game action when you really get an evaluation, but happy with where both of those guys are at. Just like any competition, there’s going to be ups and downs. There’ll be days when you guys come out and one looks better than the other, and the evaluation is a totality of all their time in the offseason and training camp and the preseason games.”