Jaguars

Jaguars CB/WR Travis Hunter was limited to just seven games in his rookie season due to a torn LCL in his right knee. Jacksonville HC Liam Coen said they are taking his recovery day by day and wouldn’t put a definite timeline on his return, but feels he’s right on time.

“I mean, one day at a time,” Coen said, via Mike Jones of The Athletic. “We’re truly immersed in the rehab process. I don’t have a clue when he’s going to come back. Like, I know he’s on schedule, I know everybody’s excited about his growth and healing that he’s had. But you know, to me, it’s like, we played half a season without our first-round draft pick at two positions. So it’s like, all right, what can that look like when he actually is in a rhythm and routine, understands it, is fully immersed in it with everybody, and how we got to be as a team? You know? I’m excited about what that looks like.”

Jaguars

After losing RB Travis Etienne to the Saints, Jacksonville signed RB Chris Rodriguez Jr., who played for Jaguars HC Liam Coen at Kentucky in 2021. Coen outlined Rodriguez’s profile and cited his rushing yards over expected and yards after contact as why they wanted him as a complementary back.

“What I always really appreciate about C-Rod when working with him at Kentucky and then following his career over the last few years has been his rushing yards over expected and his yards after contact,” Coen said, via the team’s website. “I think those are the two areas you look at where you say, did you get more or about what the play was blocked for? And are people bouncing off of you? Do you know how to make people miss? Like how do you make people miss, there’s a lot of different ways to do that. And how do you gain yards? There’s a lot of different ways to skin that cat.”

“Ultimately, for me and the style of team we want to be, to be able to punch you in the mouth and get some of those hard yards, getting a guy like Chris to complement that room as it stands right now. We’re just trying to continue to add good football players.”

Titans

• Mike Sando of The Athletic notes the Titans leaned heavily on past relationships in free agency, reuniting OC Brian Daboll with WR Wan’Dale Robinson and CB Cordale Flott, while also signing DE John Franklin-Myers and CB Alontae Taylor. One executive said: “They signed two really high-level players in free agency: John Franklin-Myers, who Saleh did have a relationship with, and they signed Alontae Taylor, who they did not have a relationship with… But then you bring in Wan’Dale Robinson and Cor’Dale Flott for a lot of money, and it’s like, what are you doing? I did not get that.”
• Executives were surprised by Robinson’s salary: “Wan’Dale stepped up for the Giants when Malik Nabers went down… He’s really small, but he is quick, and he’s tough. I liked him, but he is really like a No. 3. He got paid the same as Rashid Shaheed, another small guy who is explosive and competitive. This is the GM giving Daboll what he says he needs to develop the young QB.”
• Franklin-Myers was widely praised for his impact: “I really like John Franklin-Myers. He brings a lot of juice on that defensive line. He’s active, he’s a playmaker, he gets in the backfield, he is very disruptive, and he plays the style that Saleh likes — that attacking, upfield style. It’s a lot of money for a smaller guy, but just like the guy in New England a year ago, Milton Williams, they get overpaid.”
• Executives agreed the defensive additions could support second-year QB Cam Ward by easing pressure on the offense: “Tennessee struck me as impressive. The defensive moves made sense. Jermaine Johnson is an edge rusher Saleh is familiar with. Franklin-Myers was the best interior rusher on the market. The nickel role is important, and Alontae Taylor is a guy with ball skills who can pressure from the nickel position. The defense definitely got better, and that’s a great way to support a No. 1 pick quarterback.”