ESPN NFL

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Our Sunday morning dip in to the mailbag reveals a lot of intrigue around Chris Johnson, some anxiety about Derrick Harvey and a big prediction about Mario Williams.

Your question could be here soon or even prove to be the fodder for a blog entry of its own. So click here to get in touch.

Errean in Franklin, Tenn. writes: Paul, do you think by the Titans selecting Chris Johnson this year that it was like admitting they missed on last years 2nd round pick Chris Henry? Hopefully they can swallow their pride and be clear-headed when it comes to choosing the 3rd RB on the roster between C. Henry and Q. Ganther. I do not see them keeping 3 RB's. Thanks!

Paul Kuharsky: This seems a popular line of thinking and it confuses me. How does Johnson being way better than Henry put Ganther somehow ahead of Henry?

I don't think Henry is very good right now. But I don't see any way they cut him before his second season. They invested in a guy they wanted to develop. You need more than a year to develop a guy and they are always patient with such things. Ganther had a big half against the third-team defense of a terrible team in the first week of the preseason. He's a good effort guy who could be a decent third back. Henry had significantly more potential.

They'll keep three, I don't think they will keep four. What hurts is that Henry isn't going to be a returner, and he's not going to be tackling people on special teams.

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Adam in Nashville writes: Hey Paul, do you see the Titans pulling the plug on the Chris Henry experiment in favor of a guy like Quinton Ganther? Henry has shown some flashes, but has yet to do anything to merit his 2007 2nd round draft selection.

Paul Kuharsky: Hi Adam. Good teams don't cut second-round guys they drafted on potential after one season. They are way more patient than that. If there was a serious challenger, it'd be open for debate. Ganther works hard and is OK. He lit up the third string of a bad team. Let's not overreact.

See this blog entry for more.

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Ben in Houston writes: Mario Williams looks quicker and stronger than last season. Is there any chance he gets 20 sacks this year?

Paul Kuharsky: Never say never, I suppose. Rosevelt Colvin and the other ends would have to be awesome too and quarterbacks would have to be holding the ball quite a while. I wouldn't run to Vegas with that one.

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Amit in Jacksonville and Atlanta writes: Do you think any receiver on the Jags current roster can step up to take the leading receiving role this team has been lacking since Jimmy Smith left?

Paul Kuharsky: Hi Amit. No, I don't think any of Jacksonville's current receivers will remind us of Smith at his best. But you don't have to have a No. 1 like Smith to win. Jags and Titans both were solid playoff teams without No. 1 receivers last year. The Pats didn't have one before Moss, did they?

Also, 10 TDs on 38 catches for Reggie Williams last year is a pretty good rate of success. Titans had nine TD catches total.

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Dan in Houston writes: Just wanted to thank you for providing such a comprehensive view of the Texans. It is sorely needed among our fans, and you are building quite a fanbase here. We appreciate your openminded view of the direction this team is trying to head in, and please keep up the stellar work. I was curious as to whether you have head anything about other RB's Houston may be targeting. In Kubiak's last press conference, he mentioned that they were talking to people, but no big names were among them (I'm assuming this means no Benson or Alexander -- definitely no Cedric since he laughed at the thought of him). Just wanted your thought. Thanks again!

Paul Kuharsky: You're welcome and thank you.

I don't think they're going to find a back out there who's better than what they have, even beyond Green and Brown. I do think it's shortsighted to depend on two guys who break down so much. I've liked what I've heard about Chris Taylor and he looked good in practices I watched, but he wasn't very good in the preseason opener.

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Richard in Knoxville writes: Paul, I know you probably haven't seen much of him since he's been hurt, but what do you think of Cary Williams? I am worried he may get cut without getting a good look. He would seem to have potential once he fills out, but I think our run of luck on 7th round db's might be coming to an end. I am assuming the tryouts for db's this week are related to his injury and status.

Paul Kuharsky: I wouldn't read too much into the workouts. They have weekly workouts position by position. Leftwich was in and that got attention. Martel Van Zandt was in and that gets attention. That's because those guys are notable for one reason or another. Plenty of times a list of guys who we've never heard of pass through and we don't know about it. The more significant thing was neither of them got a contract.

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Mitch in Sioux Falls, SD writes: Paul, What is it about Mike Walker that makes him such an intriguing yet cautionary option at receiver? Is it the fact that he has the oft-injured tag already or are his practice sessions just that great for them to be so excited if he's healthy???

Paul Kuharsky: He's just got a lot of upside and they are anxious to see him in real games. He's the kind of guy who could do something big and really blossom. Biggest thing is his reputation for not dropping balls, though I watched him drop a catchable ball from Cleo Lemon in the end zone last night in the third quarter.

If you missed it: a blog entry on Walker.

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Damon from parts unknown writes: I've seen reports that Quinn Pitcock has retired but yet the Colts still have them on their active roster. What do you think the strategy is here? Can he not count against the 53 man roster once the season starts and still be tied to the team? Finally, I wonder if the other tackles beside Ed Johnson will be able to hold the point of attack against the run. If not, it could be a rough road to hoe in the AFC South esp w/ J'ville and Tenn. Who do you see stepping up and what type of production do you expect.

Paul Kuharsky: Pitcock is on the reserve-did not report list and does not count against their roster limit.

Raheem Brock is more of an end again, but he'll move in and out. They like the undrafted kid from Rutgers, Eric Foster. But yours is a legitimate concern. Here's the best way Indy defends the run against Jacksonville and Tennessee: it jumps ahead by 14 points and forces David Garrard and Vince Young, respectively, to throw it in order to play catch up.

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Zach in Nashville writes: I will be the first to say that I am pleasantly surprised by how well Chris Johnson looked in that preseason game. I was one of many Titans fans who found himself yelling a rather large amount of obscenities towards my Television when the Titans went after him and then continued to pass on WRs. Even though I am a huge believer in Justin Gage(Underrated Possession Receiver) and Roydell Williams(Great Speed), and think they should've been starting all year last year, I keep wondering why we continue to pass on free agent WRs. DJ Hackett, Berrian, Stallworth...and others were free it was a plethora of WRs yet we pass on them. Why do you feel that we do that year after year?

Paul Kuharsky: Chris Johnson certainly does look good so far.

Beside Randy Moss and Terrell Owens (a league of their own) and after Plaxico Burress, let's put together a list of all the free agent wide receivers who got huge dollars and made a huge impact.

I think I am done with mine, and it's blank.

Are you really that excited about Hackett, Berrian and Stallworth? I'm sure not. I think if there was someone the Titans loved they would have gone after him more aggressively. They did it with David Givens not that long ago, and unfortunately he got hurt. But the fact is this team isn't going to be big spenders in free agency, at any position. They're about the draft and mid-level guys. Thus Lavelle Hawkins and Justin McCareins.

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Charles in Jax writes: How do you see the Derrick Harvey situation playing out? Who caves first, and we'll he be signed before the regular season starts?

Paul Kuharsky: I have no idea who caves. I would think there will be some sort of compromise eventually. But there is no sign of giving in on either side right now. At this point, I'd be surprised in a big way if Harvey is in for the opener. But when something finally happens in a situation like this, it's usually pretty fast. The staff has to move forward planning without him.

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Rob from Orange Park, Fla. writes: Paul, I'm glad the Jags haven't caved on the demands of Harvey & his agents. A reasonable increase over what last year's #8 pick got is to be expected, but the increases (percentage wise) that the Saints & Jets paid over what last years' picks in those spots received is out of line. I know they traded up to get Harvey, but the increases over the last years' draft are crazy!

Paul Kuharsky: I don't disagree. At the same time, they have to know that at that spot what happens around them is going to influence their deal.

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Casey in Boise writes: I just wanna say how cool this blog thing that you're doing is. I'm a big titans fan and don't live near nashville. This by far the best thing I've seen to keep fans up to date on what's going on with their team. I am way more informed this year than I've ever been. Now for my question. In your opinion, as someone who covered the titans and factoring in all the losses and gains, and with training camp almost over, are they overall a better team than last year? What is the feel around the locker room as far as expectations for this season?

Paul Kuharsky: So glad you like it, thanks.

I think they are a bit better, yes. Ten of 11 on defense have been together for a year now. Chris Johnson and Alge Crumpler are upgrades and Mike Heimerdinger is a big addition. But the schedule looks tougher with NFC North and AFC North this year compared to the NFC South and AFC West of last year. And Houston is better and overdue to get a split with Tennessee. Right now I see the Titans neck and neck with the Jags. But Tennessee got a huge break for that 10th win last season and maybe it is due for things to break the other way.

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J.P. in Knoxville writes: Paul do you see the similarities between this Titans team and the surprise team that went to the Super Bowl. To me it looks almost identical except I think Chris Johnson is the dynamic playmaker the late nineties Titans never had.

Paul Kuharsky: Almost identical, huh?

I have to disagree.

Steve McNair was a more proven commodity in 1999 than Vince Young is in 2008. In Blaine Bishop and Marcus Robertson, that Super Bowl team has two wily veteran safeties quarterbacking the secondary. While Michael Griffin is very good, he's not that far along.

I'm with you on Chris Johnson. If he's healthy and continues to progress, he brings a dynamic the 1999 team did not have, that no Oilers-Titans team I have covered since 1996 has had.