AFC South Notes: Colts, Texans, Titans

Colts

Colts DC Matt Eberflus said fifth-round LB E.J. Speed is “jumping off the tape” in practice and praised his tackling ability and speed. 

“Coming from a small school, our scouting department did a great job of looking at their measurables and those things were certainly high with him,” Eberflus said, via Andrew Walker of the team’s official site. “He’s jumping off the tape right now in terms of just hitting, speed and those things.”

• Ian Rapoport reports that Colts RB Spencer Ware, who was placed on the reserve/PUP list, is expected to miss 5-6 weeks after undergoing ankle surgery.
• Once healthy, Rapoport expects Ware to be released with an injury settlement and join another team. 
• Colts HC Frank Reich said that QB Andrew Luck is making good progress, but won’t practice this week. (Mike Chappell)
• Some other injuries they’re dealing with right now include: C Ryan Kelly (shoulder), WR Parris Campbell (hamstring), TE Jack Doyle (oblique), LB Ben Banogu (back), and DE Jabaal Sheard (knee).

Texans

Texans HC Bill O’Brien said DE Jadeveon Clowney is “working hard” while he holds out for a new contract.

“I think just from my knowledge of what I know, he’s working hard,” O’Brien said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “We want him back. We need him here, but he’ll come when he decides it’s best for him to come.”

O’Brien said they intend on running Clowney through conditioning tests when he returns to the team. 

“We’re going to have to see when he comes back, see where he’s at, run the conditioning test, see where he’s at just from a baseline conditioning standpoint, and then we’ll go from there,” O’Brien said. “I think a lot of that depends on when he decides to come back.”

• Texans HC Bill O’Brien said C Nick Martin (ankle) is “coming along” with his recovery and will travel with the team to their Week 1 preseason game against the Packers. (Aaron Wilson)
• Although O’Brien said, “we need Nick back out there,” he praised OL Greg Mancz‘s progress while filling in for Martin this offseason. 

Titans

Titans OLB Harold Landry believes the game speed of the NFL has “slowed down” for him and feels “more reactionary” when playing. 

“The game speed has slowed down,” Landry said. “Last year was a big learning experience for me. I am much more relaxed, and it’s much more reactionary; flying off the ball it’s a lot more read-and-react. I am developing these moves so when I am preparing for a game and see a guy that’s a low puncher, that’s good for a chop. When I see a high puncher, that’s good for a dip. I can get under him. I want to go into a game and be able to use more than one move that I know will work. It might not be the best time to go to a dip and corner on him. I might have to stab him or do something else. Building my overall repertoire of moves helps me go against the tackles or tight ends.”

Landry added that he is looking forward to implementing the “new pass-rush moves” he’s learned. 

“It’s time to make those things [new pass-rush moves] my thing,” Landry said. “I’ve worked on them so much, and now it’s time to perfect it and make it ready to go.“