AFC Notes: Matt Ryan, Colts, Jaguars, Titans

Colts

Colts HC Frank Reich continues to be blown away by the veteran savvy QB Matt Ryan is bringing to the team. Reich overlapped with Peyton Manning in a previous stint in Indianapolis and says there are a lot of ways in which Ryan is similar from a mental perspective. 

“Matt’s an incredibly smart guy, but one of the things I’ve continued to be impressed by — he doesn’t want to expand things, he wants to consolidate things,” Reich said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “It’s a little bit Peyton–esque like that: ‘Don’t try to overcoach, don’t get too cute, don’t try to overscheme, let’s just run the same things over and over again.’ That’s how I’ve been brought up in this league. In an age where everyone wants to talk about how smart the coaches are, or the quarterback is, and all the ways that you can scheme, and do this and that … and those are all important things, [but] Matt is old school, and I’m a little bit old school like this too. It’s like this, rather than always trying to scheme things up where one guy’s open, the play is designed so if the quarterback can work his progressions, somebody’s going to be open.”

Physically, Reich adds he’s not worried at all about Ryan’s arm strength declining, which is something that seemed to come up in his final season with the Falcons last year. 

“Not even close,” Reich said. “I mean, not even close. He’s made so many throws. The way his throwing mechanics are flawless and it’s so effortless, literally reminds me of a PGA golfer who looks effortless in his swing. Like when the ball comes off the clubhead, the ball just sounds different, looks different, feels different, and then the golfer hits it where he wants to hit it. That’s the way I feel with Matt. He makes every throw look the same, he’s never straining, he’s very disciplined in his mechanics, very sound in his mechanics.”

Jaguars

Jaguars DC Mike Caldwell has now had time to evaluate No.1 overall pick Travon Walker and believes that he belongs as an outside linebacker going against offensive tackles.

“I think his best position is outside linebacker because of his length, his athletic ability going against tackles,” Caldwell said, via the Florida Times-Union. “That is a premium position in this defense. He can play other positions, but his home for us is outside linebacker, where we see him being a force. We are going to try to mold him and let him take off and go.”

“You think about the size — his height, his weight, his speed — it’s like a unicorn,” Caldwell added. “He is unique. He plays that way and you see it on tape. You see the burst, you see the speed, you see the moves he has. We are excited about him, and I think he will be ready to roll.”

Titans