AFC Notes: Tank Dell, Doug Pederson, Jaguars, Texans, Titans

Jaguars

Jaguars HC Doug Pederson reflected on a failed goal-line conversion for a touchdown in Week 18’s loss to the Titans and is using their six-game skid to end the season as motivation in 2024. 

“Well for me, it’s not so much that loss as much as it is the last six games,” Pederson said, via JaguarsWire. “When we were sitting there at 8-3 and we had everything going for us and right in front of us. I don’t know if I’ll ever get over it. I think for me it’s going to be my motivation, my fuel, moving forward. I’m not going to let it cloud the vision but at the same time it’s going to be close in my mind as I move forward with the team this spring.”

Pederson reiterated the last month and a half of their 2023 season was not up to their standards and they must find a way to push through adversity. 

“As a coach, you’re hopeful that’s the motivation,” Pederson said. “The way we finished the last month and a half is not our standard and it’s not what we talk about. It goes against everything we talk about, really. We still had opportunities all the way to the 18th week of the regular season. We’re there at the end, we just got to figure out a way to push through that.”

Pederson is confident that the experience in recent additions like DL Arik Armstead, C Mitch Morse, and CB Ronald Darby will help their locker room. 

“These guys have been captains on their teams and they’ve been to Super Bowls, they’ve been to AFC championship games,” Pederson said. “These guys know how to win and that’s the influx of talent that we want to bring onto our young roster. Guys that have been there, done that.”

Texans

• According to Aaron Wilson, Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said WR Tank Dell is doing well in his recovery from a broken fibula and he is on pace to participate in offseason practices. 
• Ryans also mentioned OT Tytus Howard is expected to be back for training camp. (Wilson)
• Houston signed DT Folorunso Fatukasi to a one-year, $5.212 million deal with $4.625 million guaranteed including a $3.125 million signing bonus. (Over The Cap)
• Fatukasi can earn up to $500k in per-game roster bonuses and he also had two void years for salary cap purposes. (Over The Cap)
• The Texans also signed RT Charlie Heck to a one-year, $2.025 million contract with $650k in guarantees including a $400k signing bonus. (Over The Cap)
• The rest of Heck’s guarantees come from $250k of his $1.25 million base salary, and he can earn up to $400k in per-game roster bonuses along with incentives. (Wison)
• The Texans signed CB C.J. Henderson to a one-year, $2 million contract with $500k guaranteed including a $300k signing bonus. (Over The Cap)
• According to Aaron Wilson, the rest of Henderson’s guarantees come from $200k of his base salary guaranteed at signing for skill, injury and salary cap. Henderson can also earn up to $300k in per-game roster bonuses. 
• According to ESPN’s Field Yates, Houston restructured G Shaq Mason‘s contract by converting part of his base salary into a signing bonus which creates $6.4 million in cap space for 2024. 

Titans

Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk touched on Tennesse’s busy offseason. She mentioned how surprised she was to see them being so aggressive but she’s happy the new acquisitions are excited to join.

“I didn’t know quite we were going to head that way, but you know what? I’m super thrilled, super pumped, super excited for our fans about how it’s all going to go down this year,” Adams Strunk said, via Paul Kuharsky.

“That definitely feels good to me. I’m glad that’s the energy, I’m glad they’re excited to be here and I think it bodes well for our season.”