AFC Notes: JC Latham, Anthony Richardson, Colts, Texans, Titans

Colts

Colts QB Anthony Richardson is back healthy and ready to play, with OC Jim Bob Cooter noting that while the team doesn’t want him injured again, they won’t be restricting the play of an exceptional athlete like Richardson.

“Phase One goes to Phase Two and we’re able to get out there a little bit, move around, and work through everything that we’re working through as a team, as an offense,” Cooter said in a press conference, via Pro Football Talk. “I’ll hold all the just absolute, exact details of everybody – what all exactly we’re doing out there. But it’s good to get him back. He’s got good energy and it’s been good.”

“Anthony is an extremely high-level athlete, no doubt about that. But even that, [in college] he’s used to striding into the end zone nice and easy and [now] gosh, that safety is a step faster than he was expecting,” Cooter continued. “Guys are there just a step quicker. That shows up for every young player, every young quarterback. As you’re evaluating pass concepts, those holes close a little bit sooner. I think that thing will slow down for Anthony. He will be able to evaluate how guys are moving around him a little bit better — sort of Year 2. Like every young player, especially at the quarterback position, you learn how to take care of yourself and how important it is that we’re out there for a bunch of games and able to sort of manage how we go through a season because it is a longer season in the NFL than college. Be able to go about our business and learn how to sort of play game after game after game and show up every single game.”

Cooter went on to say that the Colts know they can’t limit Richardson’s athletiscism despite the shoulder injury that cost him a large chunk of his rookie season.

“I mean, he’s got extreme athletic talent like we talked about. You don’t want to restrict that,” Cooter said. “You don’t want to say, ‘Hey, never ever move around,’ because gosh, he’s so special. He’s so special at it and it’s finding that balance, finding that sweet spot of being able to use our athleticism, use his athleticism but like I said, be able to get up, play that next play, play that next game, and that’s what we’re all trying — trying to get this thing done. That’s what the emphasis is for him.”

Texans

Texans GM Nick Caserio said that rookie TE Cade Stover was one of their favorite picks in the draft.

“This is probably one of our favorite football players in the entire draft, regardless of position, because of his mentality, because of his mindset—and he’s still developing as a player,” Caserio said, via Texans Wire. “I mean, two years ago he was playing defensive end in the Rose Bowl against Utah. Now, he’s played tight end for two years, and here he is getting picked in the bottom of the fourth round. He’s [as] blue-collar as they come. From a make-up, traits, toughness, mentality, this is an elite guy.”

Titans

Titans first-round pick LT JC Latham played right tackle at Alabama, yet GM Ran Carthon expects Latham to start at left tackle for the team in his rookie season.

“I have all the confidence in the world in the kid that he’s going to figure it out just because of his makeup, who he is as a human, who he is as an athlete, who he is as a football player,” Carthon said, via Turron Davenport of ESPN.

“I was trained at left all my life, and I get to Bama and Evan Neal, a top 10 pick, he was at left so I went to right,” Latham added, via Jim Wyatt. “Going back to left, I’ve been training all this offseason, so I’m ready to go.”

• According to Paul Kuharsky, the Titans have moved on from scout Tom Roth.