The Jaguars are preparing to flip Anton Harrison back to the left side, and general manager James Gladstone sounds convinced that’s the spot where the tackle belongs. Harrison had been lining up on the opposite side, but Gladstone said Jacksonville views him as a natural fit at left tackle and not someone the team is worried about making the switch.
“I think that he is naturally someone who fits the bill for the left tackle spot,” Gladstone said, via JaguarsWire. “And I think he would tell you that as well.
It’s where he’s most comfortable, naturally. And I don’t think anybody would say that they’re concerned or have some sense of questioning whether or not he can perform at a high level there or any different than he did at right tackle.”
Jacksonville’s Week 1 availability picture is still a little murky on the right side and in the backfield. Head coach Liam Coen said right tackle Cole Van Lanen, who is dealing with a knee issue, is likely to be a game-time decision. Coen also said running back LeQuint Allen Jr., who is dealing with a soft tissue injury, will be a game-time decision as well.
In Houston, Kayshon Boutte is already being asked to carry a bigger load after the Texans lost Jayden Higgins to a season-ending injury. DeMeco Ryans said the new wideout is picking up the offense quickly and handling the mental side of the transition the way the team hoped he would.
“Kayshon is learning the playbook very well and we’re throwing it all at him,” Ryans said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC. “He’s a smart guy.
He’s picked up on what we’ve asked him to do. There was some carryover in the things that he’s learning, so the speed of transition is definitely there.”
Ryans also made it clear the Texans brought Boutte in for a reason and want to see that payoff right away.
“He’s done a great job of being attentive to what we’re asking him to do and we’re throwing him out there, so let’s see. We’re trying to go win a football game. We traded for the guy for a reason, think he’s a really good playmaker, so we want to see that show up on Sunday.”
Boutte said the adjustment has been smooth because he’s staying locked in on the details, and he was direct about wanting this move in the first place.
“It’s been great,” Boutte said. “Focus on all the details, I think that’s big for us. Taking it play by play, understanding the call, understanding what we need to do on that specific play, but just being ready for him whenever he needs me.”
“It’s what I asked for, I asked to be here. My wish was granted, so I’m happy where I’m at.”
In Tennessee, Cam Ward is getting plenty of backing as he heads into the second year of his career after going No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Titans head coach Robert Saleh offered a blunt endorsement of the quarterback’s future.
“This kid’s not going to fail,” Saleh said, via Turron Davenport of ESPN. “Obviously, I put my job on that one, but he’s not going to fail. He’s special.”
Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said he’s had confidence in Ward for a while, pointing to what he saw from the quarterback at Miami and Washington State, along with the year Ward already has under his belt in the NFL.
“I have a lot of confidence in this young man,” Daboll said. “I have confidence in how he played [in college] at Miami and Washington State, and he had a whole year under his belt in the National Football League and getting accustomed to the speed of the game and the timing. That’s not an easy thing for quarterbacks.”
Daboll said the job for Ward is straightforward: run the offense, make smart choices, and steer the team away from trouble when the look isn’t right.
“With Cam, his job is to lead the offense and make good decisions with the football,” Daboll said. “To get us out of bad plays if we don’t have the right look, to make the right decisions on a play-by-play basis.”
In Other News...
Texans Depth Chart Just Revealed Whos Gaining Early Trust
The Texans finally put their first unofficial depth chart on paper for Week 1, and it offered an early snapshot of how the staff is sorting through the roster heading into the regular season. Kayshon Boutte showing up among the starting wide receivers suggests he has earned real trust in a crowded room, while Marlin Klein landing as the third tight end and Kayden McDonald sitting fifth at defensive tackle help sketch out where the team sees its developing pieces right now.
Depth charts are never the final word this early, but they do tell a story about who is getting the first nod when the games start to count. For Houston, the bigger takeaway is less about any one slot than the broader shape of the roster, with several young players already staking claim to defined roles and others still fighting to move up before the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Get Encouraging Week 1 Injury News With One Status Still Looming
The Texans first injury report of the week brought some early good news as they began setting the table for their season opener against the Bills. Linebacker Wade Woodaz and offensive tackle Trent Brown were both full participants despite dealing with minor injuries, while rookie defensive tackle Kayden McDonald was limited because of an ankle issue.
Jake Hansen and Brevin Jordan also appear to be on track to be available for Week 1, which gives Houston a cleaner opening-week outlook than it might have feared. The one name to watch is McDonald, whose status will be worth following as the week goes on, especially with the Texans trying to get their defensive front ready for a tough early test. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Keep Facing The Same Worry Every Time A Season Starts
DeMeco Ryans is once again dealing with a familiar early-season issue after talking through the Texans sluggish offensive starts in season openers at his recent press conference. Since Ryans took over in 2023, Houston has gone 1-2 in Week 1, and the offense has averaged just 15.7 points in those games, a trend that keeps putting the team behind the eight ball before the season has really settled in.
Part of the concern has been the quality of the opponents Houston has faced, but the bigger problem has been getting the run game to click early and keeping key backs healthy enough to establish any rhythm. Injuries to players like Joe Mixon have only added to the challenge, leaving the Texans with a recurring question they still have to answer every time a new season opens. [Read more 🡒]