AFC Notes: Colts, Patriots, Jaguars, Bills

While Colts owner Jim Irsay and general manager Chris Ballard might see the team in somewhat of a rebuilding stage, that’s not how newly-hired head coach Frank Reich is going to look at the upcoming season.

“I get that there’s certain positions in the organization where there are different perspectives,” Reich said to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. “And I think it’s mature to be able to say something can be both hands. But as a coach, I’m not both hands. I’m not being paid to (see) both hands. Other guys are being paid to see the rebuilding and have the patience. I’m not being paid for that. There’s not one ounce of me being patient. There’s not one ounce of me that thinks we are in a rebuilding project.

“Every ounce of me feels that we are winning this year.”

The Colts finished at 4-12 last season — their worst finish since 2011 when they were in between the Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck eras — and have missed out on the playoffs the last three years. Luck’s health is certainly a question mark, but the team’s decision to trade back in the first round of the draft should be viewed as a positive sign. Indianapolis has been fairly quiet in the free-agent market, with the additions of defensive end Denico Autry (three years, $17.8MM) and tight end Eric Ebron (two years, $13MM) serving as its biggest splashes.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

• ESPN’s Mike Reiss opines that the Patriots should look at the Eagles and how they handled losing Jason Peters last season to help fill their own question marks at left tackle, with the loss of Nate Solder. Halapoulivaati Vaitai, a fifth-round pick in 2016, stepped in admirably to replace Peters amidst the Eagles’ Super Bowl run. Reiss points to unheralded players like LaAdrian Waddle, Cole Croston and Matt Tobin that could be developed in similar ways. It’s also possible the team will address the position with the No. 31 overall pick in the upcoming draft.
• Mel Kiper Jr. had the Jaguars taking Maryland wide receiver D.J. Moore (Maryland) with the No. 29 pick in his latest mock draft. Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union points out that Moore played for current wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell at Maryland where he was a wide receivers coach for two seasons.
• In his latest mock draft, Peter Schrager of NFL Network projects the Bills to trade up for the Colts’ No. 6 pick in the draft and select Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Bills currently hold the 12th and 22nd overall picks in the draft.