AFC South Notes: Colts, Texans, Titans

Colts

Colts WR Deon Cain was starting to draw attention last year for his performance during practice as a rookie sixth-round pick before a torn ACL during a preseason game. Though there’s more competition at wide receiver in Indianapolis this year, Cain is eager to pick up where he left off. 

“I feel like everyone hyped up (what I did) in practice,” Cain said via 1070TheFan’s Kevin Bowen. “Everybody knows that I’m more of a gamer. That’s just totally me. Practice you are supposed to do that and the game you are just supposed to have fun. I’m more excited about the preseason than anyone else to go out there, get my feet wet and make plays. That’s what I’m supposed to do. I’m actually ready for the games. That’s how I know I can really get jiggy.”

Texans

Texans RB D’Onta Foreman has had a rough NFL career so far. After starting his rookie year on the PUP list, the former third-round pick tore his Achilles late in 2017. His recovery stretched into this past season, but Foreman looks like he’s finally ready to contribute. 

“He’s light-years ahead of where he was last year at this time, coming off the injury and everything,” Texans RB coach Danny Barrett said via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I still think he’s continuing to work hard. I think he’s had a good offseason to date. The time away from here, I thought was well spent for himself. Getting ready to go physically, and I think mentally, right now, is what I look at is each and every day. Being consistent mentally as far as being locked in to what we’re trying to do and improve on the little things and trying to get back to that form in which we saw prior to me coming into here, which was the 2017 season, his first year.”

Achilles injuries can be one of the more difficult injuries to come back from, especially as a skill position player. Foreman has heard the doubts about his future and has used them as fuel. 

“It definitely lit a fire under me,” Foreman said. “I feel like people started to count me out and were saying what I couldn’t do coming back, but I’m a very strong-minded person. I’ve been through a lot in my life. This is something I feel like I can overcome and I feel like I have overcame it. I’m ready to put it out there on the field and show people I’m still here.”

With veteran RB Lamar Miller ready for another season in Houston, there’s not as much pressure for Foreman to contribute in a major way immediately. He can work on different aspects of his game, including pass catching, and develop behind Miller. 

“As a coach, it’s obviously good because you don’t have to change up what you’re doing,” Barrett said. “You have an experienced back and you have a young back. They can feed off of each other. I just think D’Onta – again, being the younger back, having a year off has kind of helped his body but also given him a hunger to get back out there. So, I think they’ll complement each other well. We don’t have to change up what we’re doing. They both can catch out of the backfield as well.”

Titans

Titans TE Delanie Walker was already hearing questions about his age before suffering a dislocated ankle in 2018. But former teammate LB Patrick Willis, who played with Walker in San Francisco, says not to count out the 35-year-old veteran.

“He’s going to go out there and do his thing,” Willis said via Jim Wyatt of the official team website. “Delanie, that’s one person that if I had to put a lot of chips on, I’d bet on him every time. There’s something in him that makes him an amazing athlete, and he’s a great person as well. I have no doubt that he’s going to come back and be better than ever.”