AFC Notes: Travis Etienne, Derek Stingley, Colts, Jaguars, Texans

Colts

Regarding the Colts’ third receiver role, WRs coach Reggie Wayne said Alec Pierce and second-rounder Adonai Mitchell bring different traits to the group. 

“They got different traits,” Wayne said, via James Boyd of The Athletic. “Alec is still a guy that can take the top off a defense and can do all of those things down the field. He can do some things (in the) intermediate also. AD is a kind of a mixture of the same things, but he has a different … way of maneuvering his body. It’s kind of weird looking at times, but it works for him.”

Mitchell said he is focused on taking his game “to that next level” in Indianapolis. 

“It’s the NFL, man. Everybody is good,” Mitchell said. “Everybody got a little something to them and the things that they do well. … At this point, it’s just a matter of taking my game to that next level.”

Jaguars

Jaguars HC Doug Pederson said he plans on reducing RB Travis Etienne‘s workload in an effort to keep him healthy and productive late into the season.

“Yeah, it’s hard to put necessarily a rep count on it but you do want to keep him as healthy as you can throughout the season,” Pederson said, via PFT. “That’s why — we’ve talked about this too as a staff and myself — making sure Tank [Bigsby] gets opportunities to get out there and take some of the pounding off of Travis. Again, just taking another step, Year 3 with us in the offense and just seeing his growth. I think there’s more out there that he can get yard wise. It’ll definitely be an emphasis utilizing him more so in the run game and making sure that those yards that are there that we’re doing the right things, we’re hitting the right holes, we’re anticipating defenders and blocking schemes and all that kind of stuff. Then being able to take the wear and tear off him with Tank.”

Texans

Texans CB Derek Stingley Jr. had a strong finish to the 2023 season and previewed how dominant he can be as a lockdown cornerback. Houston DE Will Anderson and HC DeMeco Ryans spoke on how much Stingley means for their defense.

“Having a guy like that in the back makes our job so much easier just to go hunt, be free and be loose,” Anderson said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. “They throw at Stingley, then they’re crazy, so having a guy back there like that is really a blessing.”

“Throughout the entire year, what’s impressed me is just his confidence and his playmaking ability continues to shine,” Ryans added. “He continues to step up in the big moments and he’s gotten better with the more reps that he’s gotten. He’s truly gotten better and shown why he was drafted where he was drafted because he’s a top talent in the NFL and he’s proven that over these past few weeks. He’s proven that he’s a top corner in this league.”