AFC Notes: Colts, Texans, Titans

Colts

• Mike Wells of ESPN writes Colts WR Parris Campbell has been a surprise standout so far this offseason and has been working with the first-team offense thus far opposite of WR Michael Pittman Jr. 
• Wells points out Campbell appears to be “comfortable” practicing with QB Matt Ryan. 

Texans

Texans GM Nick Caserio believes that DL Ross Blacklock has the skillset to thrive at the NFL level despite the changes in coaching in Houston. 

“Ross has shown some things here in the spring,” Caserio said on Sports Radio 610. “Ross is an athletic kid. He’s got good quickness. He runs well. He can kind of create some disruptive plays. So, I would say the most important thing is consistently being on the field, being available, and then just taking advantage of your opportunities when you get them. That’s the most important thing. We’re in a lot of transition that he’s had to deal with, but Ross has some good attributes and I think the most important thing is showing up every day with the right attitude and just committed to getting better as a player, and you have to make the most of your opportunities when you get on the field.”

Caserio also spoke about the team’s outlook on players who have expiring contracts.

“I think really after a couple of years you might start to think, all right, what makes the most sense, how we’re going to handle it,” Caserio said. “But I would say the CBA has been agreed and the way the contracts are structured, there are certain parameters and limitations in place in terms of when you can actually have a negotiation with that player about a contract. Everything will kind of come in due time, but ideally, with younger players, you’d like to have after a couple of years you hope, whatever you think you have in that player, hopefully, you have a pretty good sense and an idea.”

“I would say from our perspective, from the Texans’ perspective, we try to look at things sort of two-year windows and two-year increments,” Caserio added. “So, we’re in the 2022 season. So, 2022, 2023, look at our team, look at our salary cap, look at where are we positioned because if you get too far ahead, there are too many moving parts. You start to talk yourself in circles if you’re not careful. So, just look at it in a two-year window, worry about this year.”

Titans

Titans QB Ryan Tannehill is hopeful first-round WR Treylon Burks will be ready to go when training camp rolls around, after missing practice time this spring due to asthma issues.

“It definitely hurts, right, not to be out there,” Tannehill said, via John Glennon of SI.com. “But I think everyone in the building is trying to do their best to prepare, even the guys that aren’t out there — mentally, making sure they’re staying up on their scripts, and the walk-throughs and the jog-throughs and learning from the full-speed reps on tape. That’s all you can do at this point is to try to learn each and every way you can, and then when the time comes, you’re able to step on the grass and it’s time to go.”