Colts

Anthony Richardson was demoted to the Colts’ backup quarterback behind Daniel Jones after being a first-round pick in 2023. Indianapolis HC Shane Steichen said they don’t plan on having a short leash for Jones and declared him their starter for the full season. 

“He’s our starting quarterback for the season,” Steichen said, via James Boyd of The Athletic. “I don’t want to have a quick leash on that.”

Colts GM Chris Ballard doesn’t think that Richardson’s career is done by any means. 

“I know the negativity, and it’s easy to say, ‘Okay, he’s done,’” Ballard said. “And I don’t agree. Overcoming challenges and obstacles along the way are good. … I’m proud of Anthony, of where he is at, how far he’s come. He’s come miles.”

Richardson said the team still has faith in him, and he’s focused on improving going forward. 

“They tell me they believe in me. My teammates believe in me. So, I got no choice but to listen to them and believe that,” Richardson said. “They’re telling me one thing, and I gotta accept that, and I gotta live with it. I just gotta showcase that I’m still here, and I gotta keep growing.”

• Steichen on Jones’ Colts debut: “It was huge. Like I said, we want to stay on schedule and compete balls. That’s the preparation that he puts in. He was ready to roll, and guys went out there and made plays for him.” (James Boyd)
• The Colts scored on all seven of their possessions, led by Jones, becoming the first team to do so since the 1977 season. (Stephen Holder)

Jaguars

Jaguars HC Liam Coen believes that DT Arik Armstead moving back inside will be beneficial not only to himself but the team as well.

“Just his length alone (6-foot-7 and 33-inch arms) is a hard thing to deal with as a guard, especially in the pass rush,” Coen said, via The Florida Times Union. “And then in the run game, (it’s beneficial) when you’ve got a three-technique (lined up outside the guard’s shoulder) that can play with length and kind of shut blockers out.”

Armstead added that he’s hoping to make a contribution for the defense that goes beyond the stat sheet.

“I have an extremely high standard for my game,” Armstead said. “You can definitely dominate a game freeing other people up, putting pressure on the quarterback and doing your job at a high level. A lot about playing in the NFL is not only the highlight plays, but consistency down in and down out.”

Texans

Texans QB Davis Mills said he’s grateful to the team’s ownership for giving him a contract extension and is excited to be a part of a rising franchise.

“It’s exciting,” Mills said, via Click2Houston. “Obviously, very humbling, grateful for the organization and the guys upstairs making the decisions, the McNairs for bringing this organization back to the top of the league. It’s just exciting being a part of it.“

Mills is focused on being the best backup he can be while preparing QB C.J. Stroud to be the starter on gamedays.

“That’s great,” Mills said. “I kind of control what I can control. Come in and put my best foot forward each day. Try to do what I can for the QB room to elevate the guys around me and elevate the rest of the offense. And just come in here and be a good teammate. I’ve always been in the mindset, try to keep things out of your control on the outside and then just come in here and put your head down and get to work. So, I’ve been continuing to do that. Obviously, preparing as hard as I can each week and bringing my best foot forward and try to be successful if I ever get my shot. If not, be successful and try to help the other guys around me be successful.”

Stroud added that Mills has been a great mentor to him and his ownership of the offense and his role within it.

“Me and Davis have created a great relationship when I first came in,” Stroud said. “He’s always been really quiet, but, as time has went on, he’s definitely helped me out a ton. He helps me out not only on the field, but off. We have our little dinners and whatnot and just being able to talk to him and his wife and see where they come from and just really have brotherhood and fellowship has been amazing in that quarterback room, which I think is huge. So, I’m very excited for him, very happy for him. He’s grown as a player in my opinion, just in this offense, of owning it, owning his role and doing the things for the team to get better. I’m very happy and proud of him.”

Mills added that he hopes to eventually be a starter somewhere but he’s happy where he’s at and is excited with what Houston is building.

“I think I’m still young in my career,” Mills said when he signed his last extension. “Hopefully, opportunities down the road will come. As of now, I’m really focused on what’s going on with the Texans organization and what I can do right here to make my teammates around me better and make myself better every day. Houston has been great to be. It’s been a lot of fun seeing how the team has progressed and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

• Mills’ new one-year, $7 million extension includes a new total of $10.25 million in guaranteed money when factoring in the year he already had under contract. Mills got a $3.05 million signing bonus and has base salaries of $1.2 million and $6 million over the next two years. All but $75,000 of those salaries are guaranteed. (Aaron Wilson)
• Mills can also earn up to $300,000 annually in per-game active roster bonuses and had $1.85 million in Pro Bowl and playing time incentives available.