AFC Notes: Kristian Fulton, Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars, Texans, Titans

Jaguars

Jaguars HC Doug Pederson said QB Trevor Lawrence is excelling in camp and the team will continue to stress the importance of keeping pieces around him to continue his development.

“I’ll tell you what, he’s throwing the ball the best I’ve seen him in the year and a half I’ve been with Trevor,” Pederson said, via PFT. “And just really, the sky is the limit with this guy. And if we just continue to improve and just really keep those pieces around him healthy, this offense could really take off.”

Pederson credited QB coach Mike McCoy for helping develop Lawrence and believes he’s played an integral role for bringing him along to where he’s at today.

“He’s mature above his years. And I’ll tell you this, what he went through his rookie season, to really come out of that last year and shine — he doesn’t get too high or too low, he stays even-keeled. His emotions are that way,” Pederson said. “Mike McCoy has done a great job of just sort of — because Mike coached Peyton Manning, he coached Philip Rivers, he’s coached some Hall of Fame-type quarterbacks. So being able to pour that knowledge and understanding into Trevor, a young quarterback, has been valuable to Trevor.”

• According to Mark Long, the Jaguars currently have three players going through the league’s concussion protocol, including CB Tyson Campbell, OLB Yasir Abdullah, and TE Sammis Reyes.

Texans

Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said rookie WR Tank Dell made some great plays for the team during their first preseason game and is looking forward to him providing much-needed explosiveness to the offense.

“It was good to see Tank make some plays,” Ryans said, via PFT. “We’ve seen him make a lot of plays throughout training camp, some of these same plays, so it was good to see him do the same thing here in a game. He’s going to be an explosive playmaker for us, and we look forward to him continuing to make some of those plays.”

• Texans DT Kurt Hinish made a strong first impression on Ryans: “I saw a guy attacking. He was disruptive. He played on the other side of the line of scrimmage. It was fun to see. He’s battled through a lot. It was great to see him out there having fun.” (Aaron Wilson)

Titans

Titans CB Kristian Fulton, who is entering the last year of his contract, feels like he has something to prove in 2023. 

“I am coming into every season with something to prove, but definitely this year,” Fulton said, via Jim Wyatt of the team’s official site. “I am not really worried about contract talk, but just as a corner I feel like I am one of those top guys in this league, and I have to go out there and show it each and every week, I know that. I feel like my talent is there, and I feel like I can go with the best of them. Whenever I’ve gone up against one of those top receivers in the league, I pretty much held my own since I came into the league. But it is just about doing it consistently.”

Fulton hired a personal trainer this offseason outside of the team facility. He feels like he entered training camp in better shape because of the decision. 

“It was very different, just a different trainer, different setting, different ways to take care of my body,” Fulton said. “(Now) I feel good, like I was in better shape coming into this camp, and I think it shows. I think it has shown with me being out there every day.”

Fulton thinks the work he put in over the offseason is helping him be more physical on the field. 

“I think that has helped me on the field with my play, as far as being physical, whether that’s at the line of scrimmage or at the top of the route, which is where the route is won at mainly.”