Colts
Colts WR Parris Campbell recalled his recovery from a torn MCL and PCL injury, mentioning that he contemplated retirement after three months of rehabbing.
“I’ve never told anyone this,” Campbell said, via Bob Kravitz of The Athletic. “I walked in there, they were waiting for me, and I said, ‘I genuinely feel like we’ve done all we can do. We’ve literally tried everything. It’s been three months and I still can’t bend my knee beyond 90 degrees.’ Every day was so painful, just push on it and push on it, and it wouldn’t move. I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Where was the light? It’s human nature, I’m wondering if I’ll ever get back to where I was. It’s three months after surgery and I still can’t bend my leg. I mean, what are we doing here? In that moment, I was OK with that (retiring). I had accepted this might be over for me because that’s realistic. I had to look within myself. I wasn’t quitting, because I don’t quit at anything I do, but that was my breaking point. ‘I’m going to accept reality.’”
Campbell added that the Colts’ trainers were extremely supportive of him and pushed him to continue his career.
“They had my back, they were supportive and understood where I was coming from,” Campbell said. “They comforted me. They told me they’d seen guys go through this, and they were honest about the fact that my MCL tear was one of the worst they’d ever seen. So they let me get it out, say everything I wanted to say, but they know the real me. And they know if I would have stopped rehab at that point, I would have regretted it the rest of my life.”
Campbell feels that his career is going to have a resurgence following his lengthy recovery.
“My career thus far hasn’t been what I’ve wanted it to be,” Campbell said. “That’s about to change. In the past, I don’t want to say I took things for granted or didn’t appreciate it, but like now, I appreciate it and the abilities I’ve been blessed with that much more. I had the game taken away from me three straight years. I had to sit at home. Going through all of this has changed my mindset. I’ve been blessed to rehab from some serious injuries that some guys don’t come back from. The opportunity I have now, it’s everything. It’s everything.”
- Colts GM Chris Ballard thinks the addition of WR coach and former Colts great Reggie Wayne has had a huge impact on WR Michael Pittman: “The route running is getting better. Usually he’d just rely on his size and strength to win everything. But where Reggie has really helped him is as a route runner.” (Dan Graziano)
- Colts G Quenton Nelson, who is entering the final year of his contract, wouldn’t comment on his situation or whether he wants to stay in Indianapolis on a long-term basis. (Kevin Bowen)
Jaguars
- Per SI.com’s John Shipley, Jaguars HC Doug Pederson said first-round LB Devin Lloyd is nearing a return from his injury: “I’m hoping to get through this week and hoping to get him on the grass next week, but he’s doing well. You’re seeing him in individual drills now, which is a good sign that he’ll be back out there into full contact stuff maybe next week.”
Texans
- Texans HC Lovie Smith said the team sought out TE Adam Shaheen because of his versatility to play on the line and also function as a receiver: “The tight end position we feel like we need more bodies. We have some move guys, but we’re looking for some kind of wise, in-line tight ends that can also catch the ball a little bit, too, and we feel like Adam will give us that.” (Aaron Wilson)
- Smith’s comments came before a failed physical voided the Shaheen trade between the Texans and Dolphins. (NFLTR)
Titans
Titans S Kevin Byard praised fifth-round WR Kyle Phillips for lining up against him in training camp and thinks he’s a good route runner.
“He (called) me out first,” Byard said, via Jim Wyatt of the team’s official site. “I like the confidence. He has been making a lot of plays. He’s a really good route runner.”
Titans QB Ryan Tannehill said Phillips is a “shifty” receiver and has an ability to quickly change direction.
“He’s a shifty guy,” Tannehill said. “I think that’s what stands out immediately is his shiftiness. He’s able to use his quickness, his lateral quickness and change of direction to get himself open in a lot of different situations, a lot of different routes. He has a good understanding of finding the open areas. He just has a knack for getting open. At the end of the day, that is what you love to see from receivers, one way or the other. Whether it is a big, strong, physical guy or him as a little bit smaller, quicker guy. Using your skill set to find way to get open. He’s shown to do that so far, and he just has to keep progressing and keep making plays.”
Titans HC Mike Vrabel added that Philips is showing that he can get open and is building trust with their quarterbacks.
“He gets open, catches the ball, and he knows where to go,” Vrabel said. “It looks like the quarterback trusts him. I think he does a good job of recognizing whether it’s man or zone, how he wants to run his route, and (he’s) decisive.”
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