NFL Notes: Jaguars, Broncos, Chiefs, Texans

Jaguars

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Jaguars would like to see veteran QB Chad Henne play the entire season, despite using the No. 3 overall pick on Blake Bortles.

“They do not want to put (Bortles) out there at all this season,” Schefter said, via Rotoworld. “They want Henne to play, ideally, this entire season.”

This is definitely a shift in strategy from recent other teams who have drafted quarterbacks in round one and went on to start them Week 1.

Bortles is considered by many evaulators to be a raw prospect, and given that the Jaguars in the process of completely overhauling their offense, it seems to make sense for them to buy him some time until he is ready to command the offense.

Henne signed a two-year deal worth $8 million that included $4.5 million guaranteed back in early March, so Jacksonville has made it clear that they are comfortable starting him again in 2014.

Broncos

Broncos OC Adam Gase confirmed that second-year RB Montee Ball will be the team’s starter next season, but added that he won’t be used in a feature-back role.

“We drafted [Ball] to be a guy that was going to be a big contributor for us,” Gase said, via ESPN.com. “But at the running back spot, it’s hard to just have one guy and say, ‘Hey, we’re going with him for 350 carries.’ It’s really not what we’re looking for. We’re looking for a guy that can start those games out, be consistent all year, make sure that he’s great in pass protection, great in route concepts, which he’s shown us that he has the ability to do. We just need to make sure that he continues that through this season.”

Denver also has C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman on their roster, but based on what we saw in 2013, it seems like Hillman will be their No. 3 option with Anderson working himself into the rotation.

Chiefs

Adam Teicher of ESPN.com isn’t buying the idea of the Chiefs using fourth-round pick De’Anthony Thomas as a running back, despite the fact that he is currently listed as such.

Instead, Teicher believes slot receiver is more likely to be his position with the Chiefs given that it’s going to be very difficult for him to secure carries with Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis as the team’s top-two backs.

Teicher adds that Thomas’ speed is too valuable to waste, so Andy Reid will need to figure out a way to get him involved.

Thomas could very well be asked to fill the versatile running back/receiver role that Dexter McCluster maned for the Chiefs for the past few years.

At Oregon, Thomas scored 46 total touchdowns with 26 of them coming on the ground, 15 as a receiver, one punt return, and four kickoffs taken back.

It was surprising to see him post a forty time of 4.50 at this year’s Scouting Combine given how effective he was at Oregon, but you obviously can’t read too much into a guys forty time as long as it’s within a certain range.

It will be interesting to see if he’s able to make a good impression during training camp and produce during the preseason.

Texans

Texans RB Arian Foster mentioned on Tuesday that he’s “healthy and raring to go under new staff,” per John McClain.

As for playing in Bill O’Brien‘s new offense, Foster says he really likes what he has seen so far.

“So far I really love it,” Foster said, via Mark Berman of MyFoxHouston.com. “It’s very versatile.

“Coach O’Brien has expressed many times how he wants to use me a lot out of the backfield. That’s one of my strengths as a running back. So I’m excited about it.”

Given the Texans current quarterback situation, it seems likely that they will rely on Foster heavily next season. Houston signed Andre Brown in free agency to replace Ben Tate, so it would be surprising in the least to see him get worked into the mix as well considering that Foster is coming off of a back injury that limited him to appearing in just eight games last season.

Foster was able to participate in the Texans OTAs, which is a pretty good sign that he should be 100 percent for the start of the season.