AFC South Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Titans

Colts

Colts C Ryan Kelly mentioned that the team’s offensive line unit has “come a long way” this offseason.

“I think we’re just a tough, smart group,” Kelly said, via AL.com. “I think where we were from Day One to where we are now, I think we’ve come a long way. [Offensive line] coach [Dave] DeGuglielmo has been incredible for us, just helping us get along.”

Kelly added that he hoping their o-line group can get to the point where they’re seen as an intimidating unit.

“It’s just when a defensive line comes up and they see us walking to the line of scrimmage, they know, ‘OK, these guys are going to pepper us every single time,’” Kelly said. “If it’s that late shove at the end of the game or at the end of the play or whatever it is to protect our wide receivers or our running backs, all that kind of stuff, it just instills a mindset to the entire defense that we’re playing against that ‘Look, these are our guys. We’re going to protect them, and you’re not going to touch them.’”

Jaguars

Jaguars OC Nathaniel Hackett explained that their trust in QB Blake Bortles will allow them to be more aggressive this season.

“We’re in a great situation, because a very good line, and we have very good running backs, which will allow us to run the ball,” Hackett tells Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com. “Now it’s going to allow us to be a lot more aggressive, because you can trust that Blake is going to make right decision more consistently.”

Titans

• Former Titans director of scouting Blake Beddingfield tells Paul Kuharsky of 104.5 The Zone that Marcus Mariota would have been “an easy choice” for them over Jameis Winston back in 2015.
• Beddingfield did say that if the Buccaneers had selected Mariota at No. 1 overall, Winston could very well have wound up in Tennessee. Even so, Beddingfield added that their preference was Mariota.
• Ian Rapoport mentions that the Titans “very badly” wanted Mariota to fall to them at No. 2 overall is essentially why they refused to trade back with teams like the Eagles, who reportedly had interest in moving up for Mariota.