Jaguars
Jaguars DE Josh Hines-Allen is excited about the pieces the team has added on defense, especially the veterans, and feels that DC Anthony Campanile will have him in a good position to succeed.
“I’m excited about our defense,” Hines-Allen said recently on the ‘Rich Eisen Show.’ “I’m excited about our offense. Again, I think we got a good aggressive team and an experienced team now. Adding Jourdan Lewis, I think Jourdan Lewis is a heck of a player. Eric Murray is a heck of a player, so our secondary already got so much better. And then we added guys up front. Veteran guys, Emmanuel Ogbah, getting Dawuane Smoot back, me and Tre is already in there, and then you have Arik moving back to 3-tech. And then our linebacker core has been the same for the last couple years so they have the unity on that unit. Defensively, we got a good solid group.”
“I love Coach Camp,” Hines-Allen added on Campanile. “He’s somebody that you want to play for.” … “This dude is intense but he shows the passion and love that he has for the game and for us. It makes us want to play for him. It makes us want to understand the defense a little bit faster for him. So that’s always a good trait to have in a coach. So that’s what I’m saying, I think we’re in a good position. I’m ready to maximize the value I can bring to this defense and just be the best defensive player I can be.”
Texans
Texans DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson said the Eagles traded him because they were “afraid of a competitor.”
“We had a little scrum at practice,” Gardner-Johnson said, via Around The NFL. “Nothing, just offense versus defense, but who’s the culprit of it? Me. I guess, because we’re competing. Well, you tell me the period is live. You’re telling us not to compete during a live period, but it’s a live period, and we’re getting ready for a playoff game?”
Gardner-Johnson said he’s never been anywhere where he’s had an issue with a teammate.
“You want me to be a leader and outspoken, but then you want me to sit back,” Gardner-Johnson said. “There’s nowhere been a locker room where I had a single issue with a teammate.”
Titans
Tennessee added a handful of rookie receivers this offseason, including Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike and Xavier Restrepo. Titans WR coach Tyke Tolbert has loved the rookie wideouts’ work ethic and on-field speed so far.
“I love their knowledge of the game, they’re up here all the time, I mean, they don’t ever go home,” Tolbert said, via Jim Wyatt. “They’re up here studying with the quarterback early in the morning, five in the morning, they stay here late. And I’m impressed, particularly with Elic and Chim. The speed of the game for them is kind of, they’re really fast, and they’re really strong, and their speed shows out there.”
Although Restrepo was the only undrafted one of the group, Tolbert believes he has no issues creating separation despite his lack of speed compared to other NFL receivers.
“I’m impressed with Xavier’s savviness to get open in the slot. People say he’s not a fast guy, well, you don’t have to be fast to get open. There are a lot of guys who are not very fast who can get open, and he’s been able to get open a lot. So, their knowledge of the game and their understanding, and learning day by day, has enabled them to get open. And I am pleased with that.”
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