“The plan for him is to continue to develop,” Turner said, via PFT. “He still has a job, a role, a responsibility, which is our backup quarterback, and he has to be prepared to do that. And then my job is to help develop him and continue to grow, because he is so young. We don’t want to give up on him. We want to keep growing, continuing to learn and develop as a quarterback. He’s missed a lot of snaps with injuries — offseason, in-season. You say three years, but really it’s going into Year 3 and with a lot of missed reps. I do want to point out the growth he’s had at the line and the presence and just taking the next step mentally as far as next-level thinking.”

Texans

Texans CB Derek Stingley enters the season after earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections in 2024, recording five interceptions in 2023 and 2024. When asked about cornerbacks he’s seen with as good catching ability as Stingley, HC DeMeco Ryans compared their cornerback to Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. 

“Ooh, that’s a great question. Derek definitely has some of the best hands that I’ve seen,” Ryans said, via NFL.com. “From the corner perspective, you can throw in Coach Prime (Deion Sanders), some great hands as well. But, Derek, he’s a unique player. He’s very talented, very gifted. For me, what I’m most encouraged about is, from when I first got here, to see where Stingley has grown to and what he’s become, it’s very impressive to watch, to see the growth of a player, the development of him. For him to be at the top of his craft, top of the game as a cornerback position, like he’s done an outstanding job.”

Ryans said Stingley and WR Nico Collins are improving by going up against each other every day in practice. 

“With Nico and Stingley, what I see is two guys that compete every day,” Ryans said. “It’s easy, when you’re some of the best players, to take downs off and go a little easy. These guys always, constantly they’re going at it. When I talk about iron sharpening iron, it’s not just a cliché, but it’s truly these guys want to be better and they train each other that way. They work hard when they’re going against each other. … They go hard and that makes each guy better. That’s why those guys have ascended in their careers because they’ve been able to work across from each other. Both of these guys are the top players at their position across the league. When you can work against someone of that caliber, it’s only going to raise your level of game.”

Titans

Titans HC Brian Callahan said first-round QB Cam Ward is voicing his opinion about what the offense needs to do in order to succeed.

“He knows he doesn’t have all the answers,” Callahan said, via ESPN. “He does have opinions, too, and he’s not afraid to voice them, which is good. That’s healthy.”

Callahan is embracing the challenge of being successful and growing with a rookie quarterback.

“I think the old adage is that pressure is a bit of privilege,” Callahan said. “You get a chance to work with a great player when you pick him at the top of the draft. If it so happens to be a quarterback, that doesn’t change anything for me, how I go about my job, what I do on a day-to-day basis, what I believe about the development of the position. None of that changes. It’s exciting. It’s what you hope for.”