AFC South Notes: Jonathan Taylor, Brian Callahan, Colts, Jaguars, Titans

Colts

Colts RB Jonathan Taylor said he had a little bit of soreness after returning to practice but downplayed its severity.

“Of course, there’s going to be some soreness, you’ve got to work through some of those things, but overall, nothing major,” Taylor said, via PFT. “Nothing that was like ‘That’s a bad deal.’”

Jaguars

Jaguars HC Doug Pederson isn’t ready to throw in the towel on the season after a slow start and still believes the division is within reach.

“I would say this: anything’s possible,” Pederson said, via PFT. “But listen, it’s a one-week-at-a-time mentality as you know, and you just try to go 1-0, you just try to figure out how to win a game this week. But I think we can lean and look back on that time and say, ‘Hey we’ve been here before, we know what this looks like. What did we do well then that we can apply to today?’ There’s a lot of ball ahead of us and yet, I think each week now becomes a little bit more important for us as a team.”

Titans

Titans traded away WR DeAndre Hopkins and LB Ernest Jones following its 1-5 start to the season. Tennessee HC Brian Callahan said they are in the position to cycle players out and build toward the future. 

“It’s the reality of the NFL business, and when you’re in a spot that we’re in — one that we didn’t want to be in — when you get to these juncture points in the season, things like this happen,” Callahan said, via Turron Davenport of ESPN. “That’s just the cycle, how it works. And we’re in a spot right now trying to find a way to dig out.”

Titans S Quandre Diggs is playing under a one-year deal. He understands the nature of the NFL and is focused on his own approach. 

“I’ve been traded before so I understand the business,” Diggs said. “I control what I can control; how I come to work, how I handle my attitude. It’s an expectation when you’ve been doing it for a long time. Come to work and have a standard of play.”

Callahan said they are looking to get a “concrete evaluation” of QB Will Levis and he must find a way to get comfortable with his other targets following Hopkins’ departure. 

“Everything about what we were hoping to get out of the season was a really solid, concrete evaluation of Will as a starting quarterback,” Callahan said. “I know that him and Hop have been a good connection together for the early part of Will’s career and aided in his development for sure. That’s part of that process, and you have to find ways to get comfortable with whoever you’re throwing to.”