Jaguars
Both GM James Gladstone and VP Tony Boselli gave details regarding the team’s plan to trade up to the No. 2 overall pick and select Travis Hunter. Boselli said they figured out early in the process it would be a goal.
“Pretty much immediately,” Boselli said via Jaguars Wire. “At least in my mind, I was like, why not? If we have a chance to go and get a generational talent, a guy who is trying to redefine the game of football, as far as playing on both sides of the ball, I think it’s a great idea.”
“Thoughts surfaced towards the top,” Gladstone added. “One of which was prioritizing Travis and seeing if there would be a potential trade partner. We had the parameters, the framework of the trade in place, hung with that for roughly two weeks until it was executed once Cleveland was on the clock. And obviously, during that window, you’re continuing to work through scenarios if something were to change. Obviously, with a trade of this magnitude, if something were to get out it could impact whether or not it would go through and so you gotta keep a tight circle in that regard and make sure nothing could impact what you think is best for the franchise.”
The Jaguars were one of the stealthiest teams in the league ahead of the draft, aided by their policy of not doing official 30 visits, but about a week before the draft there started to be significant chatter about their plans. Gladstone denied that they were planting any kind of smokescreens.
“We actually try not to have any sort of movement become public knowledge and allow just the natural order of dialogue that exists across the media landscape take its own path,” Gladstone concluded. “There’s no intentional smoke screens that we deployed but rather we didn’t share what we were in fact doing. So the unknown is what creates the natural smoke screen, so to speak. We don’t have to do anything other than that.”
Texans
- KPRC’s Aaron Wilson, citing league sources, reports Texans QB C.J. Stroud was dealing with “shoulder muscle tightness” and has been limited to handing off to running backs in practice.
- According to Wilson, Stroud’s injury is not considered to be serious, and one source indicated he could return to full participation in time for minicamp and is expected to be fully recovered by training camp. Stroud did indeed resume throwing at minicamp.
- Wilson confirmed Stroud has not undergone surgery this offseason.
- As for Houston moving on from former OC Bobby Slowik, Wilson’s sources said Slowik was dismissed because of “lack of adjustments, substandard pass protection, and an unwillingness to listen to input from key players and assistant coaches.”
- Wilson writes RB Joe Mixon has been in a walking boot but is expected to be ready for training camp.
- Texans RB Nick Chubb said he has a lot of tread left on the tires and finally feels healthy again: “I feel good. … That’s all behind me Injuries happen. With what I did, it takes about two years to really get back. So, I’m over the hump. Now, I’m feeling as good as I have been in a long time.” (Jeremy Bergman)
Titans
Titans defensive run game coordinator Travis Smith is entering his first year on Tennessee’s coaching staff following three years as the Bears’ defensive line coach. Smith has been “really excited” about DC Dennard Wilson‘s system.
“When I first met with Dennard, I really loved his energy and his demeanor, disposition,” Smith said, via Jim Wyatt of the team’s site. “I was really excited about what he was doing here. So, it’s been pretty awesome coming here and meeting the rest of the staff and getting to work with everyone.”
Titans HC Brian Callahan highly praised Smith and feels he brings a “good perspective” to their defense.
“Travis is really a unique coach for us and a guy that I’m really happy that we have here,” Callahan said. “He’s been a D-line coach in the league. He’s done a really nice job with the places he’s been. He has been under some really good coaches in his career. He is just a good perspective for us to have. A different set of views as far as the run game goes and the front in general. We’re doing a lot more of the front work together this year with the interior and the outside linebackers, which is I think been really beneficial. And Travis is a really unique voice and perspective who’s got a lot of experience, works really well with Rock (Tracy Rocker) and with Ben (Bloom), just sort of fortified that position for us. Just another set of eyes, experiences and coaching ability that I think can really elevate us and so far, I’ve been really pleased with how those guys have worked, what they’ve done together, and the strides that we’ve made over the course of OTAs.”
Smith wants to see high effort out of their players this offseason and has been impressed by their energy thus far in practice.
“The one thing being new to the team, I love the energy and the enthusiasm,” Smith said. “You feel the work ethic, and you feel the daily grind, so that is what has been really exciting so far. Effort is first, without effort it doesn’t matter how talented you are. That facet of the game, and the consistency of that, is No.1. Once you apply all the other things, the technique, the fundamentals, the hand placement, the pad level, but don’t lose the effort, I think that is what creates value in individual players, and as a group.”
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