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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- I came to the Jaguars' headquarters at EverBank Field in search of specifics.

Blaine Gabbert’s terrible rookie year was well-documented. But his new coaches believe he still can become a quality NFL quarterback.

What have they seen that fuels their confidence in him? And can we expect to see improvement in summer camp and fall games?

We’ve heard from coach Mike Mularkey about how he respected the way Gabbert dealt with all the negativity connected to his completion percentage of just over 50.0, the 40 sacks he absorbed, the 12 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions, his 14 fumbles (five of them lost) and 65.4 passer rating.

Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski offered some analysis of what needed fixing in this “Evening with the Coaches” talk early in the offseason.

I wanted to pick up on that.

Enduring early lumps is part of the deal for virtually every quarterback early in his career. Now, with a new start, tell me about what he’s doing better, I asked.

The initial request was a long shot, but I was still disappointed that Gabbert and his coaches were unwilling to show me one play on film -- comparing and contrasting what Gabbert did with it in last year’s training camp or during last season, and what he’s doing now. No, they don’t need to go into that sort of detail or offer that level of information. But what would it have hurt?

Short of that, Bratkowski offered the most detail in discussing Gabbert’s improvements so far, circling back to what he touched on in that chalk talk.

“Fundamentally, there were some times last year in his drops when he was getting a little bit long with his footwork and getting a little too fast,” Bratkowski said. “So what we’ve tried to do is get him to slow his feet down just a little bit, take shorter steps and stand taller in the pocket.

“Those are some things we identified when we first looked at him, and he’s improving on those things out there right now. You can see him carrying it into the actual plays we’re running in team situations.”

After a fast drop that took him too deep, he typically wound up shuffling forward as soon as he completed his drop, and his busy feet hurt his ability to make sound throws.

Gabbert said forming the new habit isn’t hard.

“The biggest thing all the quarterbacks are working on is just calming our feet down, staying in the pocket, not getting too long, not taking too long of a drop,” Gabbert said. “Because at some point in time, the angles get off with our offensive tackles when they’re trying to block a rush end …

“A lot of the footwork is dictated on the route concepts, the type of offense you run, the style of offense you run. And we have a different offense. We have different plays, and the drops go with those types of plays.”

Mularkey said the Jaguars' offense is about half installed at this point. Reporters are dismissed from OTA sessions once the team reaches the installation phase.

So, despite the reportorial desire to be shown, not told, those of us trying to track the team are left to rely more on conversations than observations regarding Gabbert and everything else.

In the handful of team plays I saw, one horrific pass stood out: a short throw over the middle that bounced well behind the intended receiver. At another point, as the quarterbacks threw to a couple of stationary receivers while running through some red zone possibilities, they were aiming for a target at the front left corner of the end zone.

The situation required a high, firm pass. After Gabbert’s first try wasn’t loopy enough, quarterbacks coach Greg Olson assumed the position of a cornerback the pass needed to get over. He stood with his back to the throw, an arm extended. But as he anticipated the ball’s arrival, he jokingly pulled his hands back to cover his head.

“Can I trust you?” he joked as he turned back to Gabbert, whose second attempt at the pass had cleared Olson and landed where it needed to, proving him trustworthy.

It was rhetorically symbolic, I thought.

"It really is about that to me, at any position with any position coach -- there's got to be a trust factor," Olson said. "He's got to feel that everything I tell him is meant to get him better. Three months into the relationship, I think we are developing that trust factor. If there is no trust there, you have no chance to grow."

Gabbert's teammates have big expectations for a big bounce-back after a rookie season that included the team's being sold and former coach Jack Del Rio getting fired during a 5-11 season.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of a situation where a quarterback gets thrown into a starting role that early with the deficiencies in personnel that we had at that time, with a lot of things stacked against him,” said guard Uche Nwaneri.

“I think people kind of teed off on him. There were some things that he did that weren’t particularly the best, but, you know, he was a rookie. There were so many things happening that affect the quarterback as the result of protection, route running, guys getting open.”

Look, it’s somehow fashionable to say that the bad things Gabbert put on display last year serve as indisputable evidence he can’t be a successful NFL quarterback. I understand his footwork isn’t the only thing that gets sped up -- our assessments come faster than ever.

But judging a quarterback on 15 games and 13 starts with a bad team is simply too hasty.

Gabbert is not going to be Peyton Manning or Troy Aikman. But those guys were awful as rookies, too. Manning threw 28 interceptions, and his Colts were 3-13. Aikman threw 18 interceptions and didn’t win a game for the Cowboys.

Two things struck me as I spoke with Gabbert that I think are significant for right now.

Several times he talked about how’s he’s having fun, how football is fun, how the new offense is fun.

And he still looks and sounds the part -- he’s got confidence as he talks, and in the way he carries himself. He doesn’t look like a broken guy. He looks like a kid ready to go give it another try.

The biggest issue is dealing with the rush. Olson said the team is trading some seven-on-seven passing situations (where there are no linemen) for team periods where Gabbert has to feel pressure and sort it out. In drills without defenders, a coach or an equipment guy typically charges at him with flailing arms.

"For a guy coming out of a system in college where he wasn't only in the shotgun, but they had him lined up 7 yards deep, it was new to him last season," Olson said. "We're just hoping he'll be more comfortable with that environment, coming out from underneath center, taking a drop with an oncoming rush. That's all you can hope for right now, is the comfort level gets much greater. And it's been good."

Not having OTAs and minicamps didn’t hurt Cam Newton when it came to posting big rookie numbers for the Panthers, and it didn’t stop Andy Dalton from leading the Bengals to the playoffs.

Gabbert didn’t get off to the same kind of start, and maybe he’ll never earn his way into a conversation about the top quarterbacks of the 2011 draft class.

He’s getting that OTA time now. There is time to build slowly. It’s a different deal.

I wondered if Gabbert was appreciating the pace now, or finding himself anxious to get to the Jaguars' Sept. 9 opener in Minnesota, so he could do something to start to erase the dud of a first season.

“Everybody’s eager,” he said. “When you have a season where things don’t go the way you want them to, you’re always eager to get back out there. But it’s a process.”

The important people are willing to give him the time to go through it. The rest of us will just have to wait.

» AFC Scenarios: East | West | North | South

Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Jaguars in 2012.

Dream scenario (10-6): Mike Mularkey’s offensive scheme does for Blaine Gabbert what it did early on for Matt Ryan in Atlanta. Gabbert silences his stable of critics, playing with newfound poise and confidence and finding himself in situations in which he’s comfortable and can show off the arm that was a big reason he was a top 10 pick.

The second-year quarterback is well-protected as he works his way through progressions and spreads the ball around to a much-improved receiving corps headed by Laurent Robinson and Justin Blackmon. With the passing offense faring far better, Maurice Jones-Drew's hammer hits even harder because his carries are less predictable.

Defensively, the team is healthy all season long in karmic payback for last year’s slew of injuries.

Defensive tackles Tyson Alualu and Terrance Knighton put it all together, with middle linebacker Paul Posluszny playing great behind them, and no one can even ponder running up the middle against the Jaguars. Rookie second-rounder Andre Branch provides a serious boost to the pass rush, and the linebackers get involved in pressuring the quarterback. When they don’t get a sufficient push, the coverage holds up.

And rookie punter Bryan Anger regularly hits bombs and pins teams deep, semi-justifying his third-round draft status.

Mularkey wins coach of the year as the Jaguars qualify for the playoffs.

Nightmare scenario (4-12): New coaches, a new system and new receivers don’t make for a new Gabbert, and he struggles in his second season much as he did as a rookie. A rough start means the fan base calls for backup Chad Henne, and Mularkey finds himself in a tough spot with a quick quarterback controversy.

Henne eventually gets the call but doesn’t play much better, so the team is over-reliant on the run game. The defense, meanwhile, can’t overcome the lack of a pass rush. It gives up too many passing yards and too many big plays because quarterbacks have time to wait for targets to break open. Then the Jaguars begin to blitz more to amp things up but pay a price by giving up big plays out of high-risk, high-reward situations.

Owner Shahid Khan, used to life as a businessman who wins, says or does something controversial that makes things even messier. The Jaguars actually finish a game worse than they did in Jack Del Rio’s final season, leaving Denver’s defensive coordinator shrugging and people removing some responsibility for 2011 from him.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Weapons and protection. Protection and weapons.

In any fair-minded conversation about what around Blaine Gabbert needs to improve for him to fare far better in his second season as the Jaguars' quarterback, those have been the two huge themes.

And the weapons have been upgraded. The team brought in free agent receiver Laurent Robinson and traded up to draft receiver Justin Blackmon fifth overall.

But they did nothing of note on the offensive line outside of adding undrafted free-agent center Mike Brewster, who shouldn’t see the field on offense if he makes the team.

So why are we expecting Gabbert to benefit from better protection when he’ll be operating behind a line made up of the same guys? The one significant change will be the return of right tackle Eben Britton, who missed 12 games last season because of a herniated disk.

“It’s a different offense, it’s a different scheme, it’s different coaches, it’s a different offseason,” coach Mike Mularkey said. “There are a lot of different things going on. We run a different offense here and we will do what we have to do to protect him.”

Right guard Uche Nwaneri said running backs will be more involved in blocking the edges, that the protection schemes are called using numbers instead of words and that there are a lot more small nuances that will allow the Jaguars' offensive line to have more control in reacting to what a defense is doing.

Gabbert took 40 sacks last season and the Jaguars allowed 44. Not all of them were on the offensive line, of course. Placing blame for sacks can be subjective. Gabbert often held the ball too long or moved into trouble.

The progressions in the new offense should give him the ability to get rid of the ball more quickly when he needs to, and his pocket presence should improve. (More on that and Gabbert coming soon.)

Britton’s return and a season of experience for left guard Will Rackley should also help reduce the number of sacks the Jaguars allow.

“It’s about all five guys working in unison,” Nwaneri said. “With injuries and with young talent out there, that can shake up consistency at times and those are some of the things we dealt with last year. This year I think it’s going to be a lot better.

“We’re going to have a healthy line, a young guy like Will will know what’s expected and how to prepare for games. It’s going to give us a better opportunity to succeed.”

» NFC pressure points: West | North | South | East
» AFC pressure points: West | North | South | East

Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Jaguars and why.

Blaine Gabbert can deliver some big-time passes.

In a rookie season when he was on the field sooner than the Jaguars initially intended, the offensive framework a young quarterback needed was not in place. Injuries on the offensive line meant less-than-stellar pass protection. The receivers were a motley crew. Mike Thomas’ play dropped off after he got a new contract. Tight end Marcedes Lewis' play dropped off after he got a fat new contract.

Gabbert played poorly, drawing criticism for being panicky and, worse, scared. It’s too early to brand him. But the Jaguars' efforts now center on maximizing his chances to succeed.

He needs to pull his game up to at least average to justify the faith of Jaguars management and coaches. The Jaguars added Justin Blackmon and Laurent Robinson to the receiving corps. They’ll get Eben Britton back on the offensive line. A healed-up defense will do a better job at getting Gabbert and the offense the ball back and in better field position.

Coach Mike Mularkey, offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski and quarterback coach Greg Olson are spending the offseason working with Gabbert. Come the season, they will craft game plans that give him the best chance at success.

The issues that contributed to holding him back have all been addressed. It’s time for us to see some of those big-time passes.

Houston Texans

Former Texans receiver Jacoby Jones welcomes his move to new surroundings in Baltimore. "Change is good in life," said Jones, whose muffed punt in last season's playoffs led to a Ravens touchdown in a game Baltimore won by seven. "It’s always good to have a breath of fresh air.”

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts appear to be feeling the absence of top draft pick Andrew Luck, who is missing this week's organized team activities and can't report to the team's facilities until after his final exams at Stanford. "For him to be here, taking snaps, building chemistry, the timing with the offense, timing with the receivers, all those kind of things ... it’s days lost,’’ coach Chuck Pagano told the Indianapolis Star's Mike Chappell of the quarterback. “It’s like money you never get back."

The team signed four more draft picks Wednesday: fifth-rounder Vick Ballard, sixth-rounder LaVon Brazill, and seventh-round selections Tim Fugger and Chandler Harnish.

Becoming head coach of the Colts "has been a whirlwind" Pagano says in a Q&A with Chappell.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Though he hasn't been cleared for contact, linebacker Paul Posluszny is participating in this week's organized team activities as he recovers from January shoulder surgery. "As far as working out, being functional, the strength, the stability -- everything is back," Posluszny, who expects to be at full strength for training camp, told the team's official site. "I’m still not allowed to be in contact, but other than that, it feels great. It feels normal to me."

The Jaguars don't mind practicing in the rain, writes Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union.

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert isn't taking his starting job for granted, writes Stellino.

Tennessee Titans

As expected, receiver Kenny Britt had minor surgery on his right knee in an effort to boost his return from torn ligaments suffered in September. The procedure will "probably accelerate his rehab," Titans general manager Ruston Webster told the Tennessean. Also in Jim Wyatt's notebook: The Titans have not had any contract talks with franchise player Michael Griffin, but the safety is working out with teammates. And third-round pick Mike Martin signed a four-year deal.

And after thoroughly examining other options at center, it looks like the Titans will go with one of their own this fall, writes Wyatt. Eugene Amano, the regular starter the past two seasons, will have to hold off Kevin Matthews, Fernando Velasco and rookie William Vlachos for the job, Webster said.

The Titans are in the running for former Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell, writes Terry McCormick.

Picking a starting quarterback can be a difficult proposition, but for the Titans, Webster says choosing between Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker could come down to a simple "gut feeling," writes Elliot Harrison of NFL.com.

Houston Texans

The Texans don't plan to hand the starting kicker's spot to rookie Randy Bullock, drafted out of Texas A&M in the fifth round. Rather, special-teams coordinator Joe Marciano told SportsRadio 610, Bullock will have to beat out veteran Shayne Graham. "He has to compete to make the team first," Marciano said, per the team's official site. "If he can beat Shayne out, then I think he’s going to be very good for us."

Defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo, a free-agent signee from BYU, hopes to impress coaches during upcoming rookie camps. “I’m excited to compete with a top-notch offense and defense,” Fangupo said. “I’m ready to learn all I can from coaches and players, and I believe being able to compete with such great players can help my game tremendously.”

Indianapolis Colts

Owner Jim Irsay, on Twitter, said he sees the franchise "taking shape" and that the Colts' defensive front seven "could impress" in the new 3-4 defensive scheme.

Indianapolis grabbed tight end Andre Smith off waivers from the Bears; he's expected to be part of new coordinator Bruce Arians' five-tight end offense, Brad Wells notes for Stampede Blue. The Colts also waived cornerback Mike Holmes.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Running back Maurice Jones-Drew, absent from the Jaguars' voluntary workouts, wants a contract extension, coach Mike Mularkey said. "I wish he was here. He knows we wish he was here," Mularkey said. "His teammates have talked to him about it. It's a personal decision. There's nothing I can do about it."

Tuesday's first day of organized team activities saw Jacksonville's first-round draft pick, receiver Justin Blackmon, going full speed with quarterback Blaine Gabbert and the first team, according to the Jags' official site. A sore foot that bothered Blackmon during rookie minicamps seems to have been helped by new cleats.

Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton apologized Tuesday for the club incident last month in which he suffered an eye injury that has kept him out of offseason workouts. Knighton said the vision in his injured eye has improved substantially. “It’s progressing a lot faster than they thought it would,” Knighton said. “I plan on being ready by training camp."

Tennessee Titans

A number of players, including quarterbacks Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker, have signed on for coach Mike Munchak's "Strikes to Stop Diabetes" charity bowling event, set for June 14. The tournament will pair a Titans player or coach with a four-person team, with proceeds going to the American Diabetes Association, the team's site reports.

Center William Vlachos, a free-agent signee from Alabama, has been impressed with the Titans' O-line after doing some film study. “I've been watching film for a couple days and my jaw's on the floor,” Vlachos said. “They're just so physical, the effort they bring every play is outstanding.”

1. Houston Texans: Wade Phillips did some great things with this defense a year ago. But he’s not the only member of the Texans’ organization who deserves credit for an incredibly improved defense from 2010 to 2011. Houston’s front office was very aggressive in addressing the defensive side of the ball last offseason. Now, Houston has big-time players at each level of its 3-4 defense.

For those who don’t yet know, J.J. Watt immediately established himself as one of the up-and-coming defensive players in this league. Not only is Watt is a fantastic hustle player, but he has ideal size and length for his 3-4 defensive end position to go with well above-average athletic ability. Watt will be a star. Like Watt, Brian Cushing did everything asked of him really well from his inside linebacker spot last season and has established himself as one of the better second-level defenders in the league.

Before last season, the Texans paid a premium to sign him, but simply put, Johnathan Joseph is one of the very best cornerbacks in the NFL today. He is the total package and probably the best player on this excellent defense -- which is really saying something. The Texans could use one more cover man to step up, though. Overall, Houston is well-equipped in coverage and of course the pass rush helped a lot in that capacity.

Maybe what the Texans’ defense did best in Phillips’ first year was rushing the quarterback -- even without Mario Williams for much of the season. The Texans did add Whitney Mercilus to further enhance their threat off the edge and Connor Barwin could be knocking on the door of stardom.

Besides the first-round selection of Mercilus, who is in an ideal position to learn the outside linebacker position slowly, the Texans mostly stuck to improving their offense in the draft. However, Houston did land an intriguing prospect to play behind Watt and the underrated Antonio Smith in late fourth-round pick Jared Crick, who is an ideal fit for this defensive scheme. Only the Steelers, 49ers and Raves allowed fewer points than Houston last year. Don’t expect much of a drop-off this year.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: The AFC South has a shot to have two top-five defenses in 2012. Mike Malarkey takes over as the Jaguars’ head coach, but his focus will be getting quarterback Blaine Gabbert’s career straightened out and improving a dismal Jacksonville passing game.

The defense will be in Mel Tucker’s hands. Tucker wants a fast-flowing, physical and aggressive defense that doesn’t blitz a lot and gets most of its pressure from the defensive linemen. The Jaguars found a gem in Jeremy Mincey, who’s excelled in all facets of playing defensive end in their 4-3 scheme. But this defense really lacked a complementary end to Mincey, especially as a pass-rusher. Jacksonville used the No. 38 pick in this year’s draft on Andre Branch, who could help immediately on passing downs but offers little against the run.

One guy who let this defense down last season is Tyson Alualu, who really had a down 2011 season in all regards. Still, only three teams bettered Jacksonville in rushing yards allowed per attempt in 2011. A vastly underrated positional group in the NFL is the Jaguars’ linebacker corps, especially Daryl Smith, who does everything well on the second level. Paul Posluszny isn’t much behind Smith and was a fine addition to Jacksonville’s defense in free agency a year ago. The Jags’ secondary lacks star power but it is pretty solid at each position. The Jaguars were 10th in the league in points allowed last year. They could improve upon that in 2012.

3. Tennessee Titans: There isn’t a lot of star power here, but the Titans are very young on defense and could be poised to improve. Youngsters Jurrell Casey, Karl Klug, Alterraun Verner, Jason McCourty and others are much better players than many casual NFL fans know. Third-round pick Mike Martin should be the perfect complement to the run-stuffing Casey and the lighter pass-rushing Klug in the Titans’ defensive tackle rotation.

The Titans’ pass rush was a huge problem last season, as only Tampa Bay recorded fewer sacks than Tennessee, but it should be much better this year, especially with the addition of Kamerion Wimbley. Former first-round pick Derrick Morgan also should finally be healthy. This is a key season for Morgan -- and the Titans need more from him.

On the second level, the Titans are now very young and active. Colin McCarthy is a tackling machine and should quickly establish himself as a leader of this defense. Tennessee lost Cortland Finnegan to the Rams in free agency, but overall, their coverage people were above average last season -- despite that suspect pass rush. Finnegan had an excellent season, though, and will be difficult to replace.

The Titans look to be improved up front in their ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks, but not as strong on the back end in coverage. Only seven teams allowed fewer points than Tennessee during the 2011 season. Maintaining that standard could be difficult, but overall, this is a pretty solid group in just about all areas.

4. Indianapolis Colts: The Colts might have the worst defense in the NFL this season. Their run defense was abysmal last season. Indianapolis has nowhere to go but up in this department and additions such as Cory Redding, Brandon McKinney and Josh Chapman should help shore up the run defense at the line of scrimmage. Still, such a drastic scheme change really leaves Indianapolis in a bind on this side of the ball for 2012.

Although the Colts surely will not be playing with the lead as much as they did when Peyton Manning was behind center, the edge pass-rush presence of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis should still rank among the best in the NFL. Mathis was probably the Colts’ best defensive player last season. He can still get it done. I believe the same is true with Freeney. As good as Freeney and Mathis still are, just the Titans and Buccaneers sacked opposing quarterbacks less than Indianapolis.

Besides Freeney and Mathis, Pat Angerer and especially Antoine Bethea are above-average starters for their respective positions. But outside of these four, the remaining prevalent members of the Colts’ defense are littered with flaws. One player I am very high on is Drake Nevis, but Nevis was drafted to be an upfield disruptive three-technique. The problem here is that if Indianapolis goes with a predominantly 3-4 alignment, Nevis’ great penetrating abilities could be wasted. That is the problem with switching schemes -- players from the former philosophy aren’t well-suited for what the new coaching staff has in mind. This applies to many members of the Colts’ defense, which up until now was a fast-flowing undersized unit built on speed. Now this unit will be building to be much like what Chuck Pagano coached in Baltimore -- and Nevis is one of many examples of the problems with making such a change.

The Colts were not strong at all in coverage last year -- and it doesn’t look as though they will be much improved in 2012. They are particularly weak at cornerback. Indianapolis also had the fewest interceptions in the league last year. Pagano and his defensive staff will be more creative with their looks and pressures, which he hopes will leads to more turnovers created. Getting more Ravens-type of defensive players will be a massive priority for Indianapolis next offseason.

Houston Texans

Houston has signed five members of its 2012 draft class: center Ben Jones, receiver Keshawn Martin, defensive end Jared Crick, kicker Randy Bullock and tackle Nick Mondek.

Coach Gary Kubiak told James Casey that the team plans to use him as both a fullback and tight end this season, reports the Houston Chronicle's John McClain. "He’s going to play everywhere,” Kubiak said. “He’s our starting fullback. He’s a starting [tight end] if we go to two tights. It’s still about versatility with James.”

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts begin organized team activities Tuesday at the Indiana Farm Bureau Complex.

The Colts suffered more than their fair share of injuries in 2011, continuing a trend going back to 2006, writes Stampede Blue's Brad Wells.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Coach Mike Mularkey likes Blaine Gabbert's ability to deal with criticism, something he had to do a lot during his rookie season. Mularkey: "I give him credit for handling the negativity -- I haven't seen it affect him."

With Josh Scobee out in a contract impasse, the Jaguars signed former Georgia kicker Brandon Coutu for a look during OTAs, which begin Tuesday.

Scobee and running back Maurice Jones-Drew are not expected to attend OTAs, reports the Florida Times-Union's Tania Ganguli.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans reportedly hosted veteran safeties Yeremiah Bell and Chris Crocker on Tuesday, reports the Tennessean's Jim Wyatt.

Coach Mike Munchak said receiver Kenny Britt, who's recovering from ACL and MCL surgery, may need a second procedure on his knee before he's ready to play this season, reports Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.

Kicker Rob Bironas, coming off one of his best seasons, credits his consistency on the field to plenty of rest off of it, writes Wyatt.

Marcus from Houston writes: I just wanted to mention that the Texans NEED a better CB. I was so angry with them for not getting Carlos Rogers, or Asante Samuel. Michael Jenkins is available for trade, we need to get SOMEBODY. Kareem Jackson is awful, he is the reason we lost to the Saints last year, Lance Moore was such an easy target for Brees. Jackson gives everyone SO much space. I don't care how good your pass rush is, if Kareem Jackson is your second best CB, then good luck beating guys like Peyton Manning, Matt Hasselbeck, Tom Brady, etc. Jackson is AWFUL. My main focuses were getting rid of Jones (which we finally did),getting a better WR to back up Andre (which we did), getting a corner (got rid of one), aiding the pass rush (which we did), and signing Keenum after the draft (which we did). No one I know is saying we need a CB, I just want to know that I'm not the only guy in this city that realizes this.

Paul Kuharsky: So you had a five-item wish list. Your team gave you four of the five things you wanted (including a third- or fourth-string QB unlikely to be relevant any time soon) and you’re upset?

The Texans think Jackson is a starter. Certainly they can upgrade, but it’s time to come to terms with the fact they aren’t seeking a new starting corner. I’d change your focus to hoping Brandon Harris or Roc Carmichael can become the sort of safety blanket Jason Allen was or that someone else can emerge in that role.

Jackson can still get better. And the Texans aren’t going to brand him a mistake in his third year.

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David from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., writes: I know it's hard but I'd appreciate it if you would continuously research information about each team so you don't have to repeat the same information in each of your blog posts.(Anger and O-line needs) I know the Titans are your exception, but as for the Jaguars no OT would have filled a need except to be a jar on a shelf.(although they did get Brewster from Ohio State) Please take the "jaguars always are an easy target" out of your head because of one mid round draft pick who is going to start next year. If the Jaguars want respect i know it starts with winning but blowing up non important stories based on your own perspective only serves to be a laser pointer to direct others towards your self serving prophecy/laughathon. I like your hard working analysis but would appreciate it if your changed your attitude, so it can change your behavior for the equal balance of all teams in this division blog.

Paul Kuharsky: Themes emerge for teams and get revisited. Blaine Gabbert needs to be better for the Jaguars in 2012 for them to get any better. It’s hard not to hit on that regularly.

Similarly, the choice of a punter such as Bryan Anger in the third round remains a conversation topic. I field questions about it. It comes up in draft review.

I disagree that a third-round offensive lineman would be a jar on a shelf. If Eben Britton gets hurt again -- and he’s been hurt a lot -- you’re looking at Guy Whimper playing again. If you don’t think they could have made a significant upgrade on Whimper with a third-round pick, you and I have a fundamental disagreement.

I think you’re doing what you accuse me of doing and not researching your information if you think I default to the Jaguars being an easy target.

I think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone regional or national who regularly defends the team as I do -- on Gabbert (too soon to call him a bust), on the tarps (EverBank is still bigger than Soldier Field), on the team’s stability (beating down the lazy Jags-to-L.A. talk), on the quality of the defense (which I think can be excellent), etc.

As for the blog being heavy on my perspective ... my own perspective is what is offered here. That’s why my name and picture are on the page, right?

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Josh in Houston writes: I keep hearing a lot of people say that Rashad Butler will be better suited for RT than he was as LT filling in for Duane Brown in 2010. I also keep hearing a lot of people say that he may be an upgrade in pass protection, but a downgrade in run blocking compared to Eric Winston. Do you know what the reasoning is behind these suggestions? Thanks!

Paul Kuharsky: The left tackle is usually the more technically sound tackle. He might be a bit smaller and a bit more finesse than power. The right tackle tends to be more of a physical guy.

Winston fit with that. The hope is that Butler does, too. I am not so sure.

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Gerald Ball from parts unknown writes: Your "the NFC North is better than the NFC East ... look at the QBs" comment was ridiculous. Eli Manning with 2 Super Bowl wins versus Aaron Rodgers with 1. Advantage: NFC East. Michael Vick's 4 Pro Bowls and 2 playoff wins versus Jay Cutler's 1 of each. Advantage: NFC East. Tony Romo's 3 Pro Bowls and 3 playoff appearances versus 0 and 1 for Matt Stafford. Advantage: NFC East. (Romo wins head to head over Jay Cutler also.) And as for Christian Ponder, he'd lose a head to head competition for a starting QB job to Rex Grossman AND for draft position to Robert Griffin III. Granted, the NFC North QBs are generally younger so there is more potential down the line for that group, but the NFC North has a better, more accomplished group of QBs TODAY.

Paul Kuharsky: I’ll take Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Jay Cutler as my divisional quarterback trio over Eli Manning, Michael Vick and Tony Romo or Robert Griffin. Overall they are younger, have more upside and are tougher to defend. (Manning’s excellent, obviously.)

But I’ll take the NFC North over the NFC East. The Giants went on a fantastic run last year and deserve full credit. But the Packers are a better team as we start 2011. Detroit, and probably Chicago, look better to me now than Philadelphia or Dallas.

I can’t help how I feel.

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Rick Grayson from Spring Branch, Texas, writes: How do you keep your job? I just told ESPN to hire bloggers for each individual team instead of biased cue balls like you. Titans this and Titans that.... blah, blah, blah.

Paul Kuharsky: I'll try to be better.

Particularly appreciate how you brought specifics for me to consider.

Thanks, to you and everyone, for reading and taking the time to write.

Rivers McCown of Football Outsiders covers the AFC South in today’s installment of remaining needs around the league.

Here are snippets with my thoughts.

Houston Texans: Right tackle

“[Rashad] Butler, who was actually [Eric] Winston's replacement at tackle at the University of Miami as well, does have a decent pedigree as a former third-round pick with the Carolina Panthers, but he doesn't have much in the way of NFL experience. He saw some snaps in 6-OL sets in 2010 and got four starts on the left side when Duane Brown was suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs. While he wasn't a disaster replacing Brown, and may even offer a slight upgrade on Winston in pass protection, it would be a surprise if he brought quite as much to the table in the running game. The only other in-house options are 2011 seventh-rounder Derek Newton and 2012 sixth-round pick Nick Mondek, both of whom are considered projects. Since Houston is also handing over right guard to Antoine Caldwell, a new right side could lead to some awkwardness as the offensive line learns to work together in game conditions.”

My thoughts: This is the biggest question on the roster in my eyes. Butler played four games at left tackle when Brown was suspended in 2010 and was only OK. Supporters say he’s more suited to playing on the right.

Indianapolis Colts: Cornerback

“Indianapolis left the draft with no new cornerbacks and now has a logjam of unproven mediocrity at the position. Last season, Indianapolis finished 26th in DVOA against No. 1 wide receivers, 27th against No. 2 wide receivers and 31st against other wide receivers. And the only change in personnel from then to now was the exile of Jacob Lacey, who played poorly enough last year to lose his starting job to the guys who are still in town. Jerraud Powers has always done well by our metrics and will be back on the field after being bothered by a hamstring injury and shutting it down following a dislocated elbow in Week 13... As the NFL continues to shift into a passing league, really good defenses are finding that having three credible cornerbacks is a necessity. The Colts are still stuck on one at this point.”

My thoughts: Something had to suffer based on the depth of needs, and the secondary certainly was not covered the way it needed to be. We're going to see a patchwork group and the Colts could be ready to pounce if and when quality options get cut at the end of camp.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Offensive line

“A strong run-blocking unit … did Blaine Gabbert no favors over the course of his nightmare rookie season. Guy Whimper was one of the worst offensive tackles in the league last season -- FO's J.J. Cooper had a scathing column on his play last year -- and the only obstacle to keep him from starting at tackle again is Eben Britton, whom the Jaguars wanted to turn into a guard last season. Will Rackley, a third-round pick in 2011, won the starting nod at left guard. He showed some flash in the running game, but also allowed 6.5 sacks and looked every bit as lost as Gabbert did in a few games. Eugene Monroe is solid at left tackle but lacks the edge speed to match the best rushers in the NFL. Brad Meester is 35, and not the type of 35 that gets you "wily old vet" mentions like Matt Birk or Jeff Saturday. This is a unit that could have used some more solidification rather than the blind hope that Britton's return from a back injury will heal all.”

My thoughts: A great place to find a guy who could be in the mix in a situation like this is the third round. But the Jaguars preferred a punter. (It’s still funny. I’m sure it’ll wear off eventually. Right?)

Tennessee Titans: Defensive end

“[Kamerion] Wimbley isn't a bad player at all -- in fact, he's picked up 42.5 sacks in six years, which is pretty impressive. However, he's never played exclusively as a 4-3 defensive end, and as our own esteemed Tom Gower noted on his Total Titans blog, four of his seven sacks in 2011 came against woefully overmatched Chargers backup tackle Brandyn Dombrowski. Wimbley was a smart signing in light of the other options, but he's not exactly a sure thing. If the Titans can get some production from either Wimbley or third-year end Derrick Morgan, that would go a long way toward shoring up their 31st-place ranking in Adjusted Sack Rate from 2011.”

My thoughts: It’s possible Wimbley and Morgan with veteran Dave Ball and rookie Scott Solomon could be a good enough four pack. But I don’t like the odds for them all staying healthy and I don’t think it’s good enough.

How much better can quarterback Blaine Gabbert be for the Jacksonville Jaguars?

The prevailing national opinion is that, because of how bad Gabbert looked for most of his rookie season, he can’t be a capable NFL quarterback.

But a slew of quality NFL signal-callers played poorly in their first seasons. Gabbert has all sort of new resources, starting with a new coaching staff hired largely because of experience developing young quarterbacks. He got one receiver, Laurent Robinson, in free agency and another, Justin Blackmon, with the fifth pick in the draft. The defense will be healthy, and second-round draft pick Andre Branch, an end from Clemson, could prove to be the final piece of a great group. A great defense is a good friend for a developing quarterback.

Gabbert was skittish at times for sure. But the jump to saying he played scared is too big for me. He’s got a great arm and can fire the ball to spots when he’s given time, and when his targets are in the right spots. He certainly can develop a better pocket presence. Will he?

General manager Gene Smith and many in the Jaguars organization have staked their reputations on Gabbert. The franchise traded up to the 10th spot in last year’s draft to select him out of Missouri. How much he can improve is likely to tell the Jaguars’ story in 2012.

A piece I linked to earlier today calls for more comment.

Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union wrote about how the Jaguars intend to experiment with a Wildcat package in camp and the preseason with Mike Harris, their sixth-round pick out of Florida State in position to throw.

I’ve been saying I think the Jaguars can close the gap on Tennessee if Blaine Gabbert can up his game to average and if the coaching staff lives up to its billing.

Two picks into the draft I was excited about what they’d done with receiver Justin Blackmon and defensive end Andre Branch.

Then they made the controversial third-round punter pick. And now they are talking Wildcat.

Seriously?

You lean on a gimmick when your base stuff won’t work, so looking at Harris’ good arm as potentially providing a change-up doesn’t serve as a great endorsement of Blaine Gabbert.

Harris was a spread option quarterback at South Miami (Florida) High School. I wouldn't bank on that for much beyond an occasional trick play.

My understanding about why Tim Tebow ultimately decided to steer the Broncos to trade him to the Jets instead of the Jaguars -- who made a similar offer -- was because he’d get more chances to play on offense in New York.

Great, I said, no gimmicky stuff for the Jaguars. They want to play and excel largely as a conventional offense.

Now I am wondering why they are pumping up the Wildcat, which is largely dead around the league.

Here’s a piece of Ganguli’s story with Mularkey talking.

“It’s not really the college Wildcat scheme but it is a way to attack defenses with somebody other than your quarterback,’’ he said.

He said his scheme sometimes doesn’t have the quarterback on the field. In some Wildcat formations, the quarterback is spread out as a wide receiver.

He said he always asks players if they’ve played quarterback at some point and how well they throw. Besides Harris, the other player he has identified as a candidate is wide receiver Cecil Shorts, who was a high school quarterback.

“We’re going to see how it looks in camp and maybe experiment a little bit in the preseason,’’ he said.

With anything they run that’s Wildcat-like this season, they are begging more Tebow questions, especially if he has any success in the system with the Jets.

The Jaguars, of course, are upbeat and confident they’ve made the right choices, with the selection of punter Bryan Anger in the third-round, outside linebacker Brandon Marshall at a spot where the roster is well stocked, and Harris and seventh-round defensive tackle Jeris Pendleton out of Ashland.

Every team in the league feels confident now. I just hope Terry McDonough, the team’s director of player personnel, doesn’t wind up regretting this enthusiastic comment:

“The bottom line is that we will win, we will fill the stadium and we are going to talk about the punter at the end of the year.’’

Grading drafts is one of those things -- a ton of people object to the concept, but then they read every word eagerly.

Acknowledging that, we share what we can from the ESPN.com Insider file of Mel Kiper .

Indianapolis Colts

Overall grade: A-

Kiper: "Think the Colts were concerned about building a supporting cast for Andrew Luck? They showed an unbelievable commitment to Luck, adding the top two tight ends in the draft in Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen (Luck is used to two-TE sets), a burner in T.Y. Hilton who could become a gem in the slot and even got a possible late steal with Lavon Brazill way down the board. Josh Chapman hits a big need on the interior of that defensive line, and I've even heard really positive assessments of his health situation after he actually played some games without an ACL in 2011. Colleague Trent Dilfer noted that getting all these pass-catching pieces now is a good way to develop early chemistry and give Luck a chance to succeed earlier than we suspected given the state of the lineup going into the draft. I'd make this grade a good one with Luck alone. But the Colts did that one better. They had a plan and I came away impressed."

Jacksonville Jaguars

Overall grade: C

Kiper: "Give the Jaguars credit for hitting needs with their top two picks. Justin Blackmon isn't a guy you want to have to trade up for, but it didn't cost Jacksonville dearly, and the Jaguars had to find a receiver to complement Laurent Robinson. If they didn't get Blackmon or Michael Floyd, they would have been no closer to knowing if Blaine Gabbert can develop into a franchise quarterback. Andre Branch can start early. He's better when he goes wide -- he won't be able to rush through tackles -- but he's a viable guy for a team lacking any punch in the pass rush. Bryan Anger was the top punter on my board, but taking him in the third round, with several guys who profile as potential starting right tackles available? I didn't like that pick. The Jags also didn't adequately address the secondary. Their only pick at corner or safety was Mike Harris. He was my No. 27 corner prospect."

Tennessee Titans

Overall grade: C+

Kiper: "Tennessee goes into 2012 with a vastly improved group of wide receivers. I didn't see this as a top need, but with Kenny Britt back, the addition of Kendall Wright means Jake Locker has the necessary weapons to succeed if he starts the season. If you know you have the weapons, you can better assess if you truly have your franchise quarterback. I can see the strategy. Wright was no steal, however. I thought it was possible he could fall to Round 2. Zach Brown is an athlete, but he's not physical at all. He's better chasing down plays from the weak side than he will be taking on blocks. Taylor Thompson will be a fun one to watch as he converts to tight end. He caught passes there in high school, so it won't be a foreign concept. Coty Sensabaugh has a chance to stick, but I expected earlier urgency for a cornerback. Markelle Martin might be the best value pick for Tennessee at No. 190."

Houston Texans

Overall grade: B

Kiper: "I had Whitney Mercilus as a good fit at defensive end as high as No. 19 with the Bears, so he's a pretty good value at No. 26. He isn't Mario Williams, but the defense made a huge leap in 2011, and the Texans clearly want to make sure Wade Phillips has the tools he needs. He's not a great value at No. 68 overall, but I'm intrigued by the DeVier Posey pick. He had to sit out so many games last year I don't think scouts saw enough of him. He has really good hands, can create some matchup problems, and might be a little underrated in his ability to stretch the field. I also really like Keshawn Martin. He creates space and should stick with this team. Ben Jones and Brandon Brooks help the interior of that offensive line. I was surprised the Texans didn't get a linebacker. At one time I saw Jared Crick as a second-rounder. If he regains form, that's a good value in the fourth."

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South


Despite talk of grabbing the best player available, it’s funny how often needs and picks seem to line up.

Of 31 picks, I count four that don’t technically qualify as addressing needs: Jaguars fifth-round linebacker Brandon Marshall, Titans fifth-round tight end Taylor Thompson, Jaguars sixth-round cornerback Mike Harris and Colts seventh-round quarterback Chandler Harnish.

We saw the Texans replenish at outside linebacker, on the offensive line and at kicker and add to their options at receiver. The Colts loaded up on help for No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck -- seven of their other nine picks bring offensive players to Indianapolis . Jacksonville addressed its big needs right out of the chute, then made a couple of odd selections. Tennessee didn’t take two players at the same position.

BEST MOVE

The Jaguars came into the offseason in dire need of upgraded weaponry for Blaine Gabbert. They started last season with wide receiver Jason Hill as a starter, and he was cut before the season ended. Mike Thomas was miscast as a top-of-the-group guy when he should be a No. 3. Cecil Shorts showed he needs a lot of time to develop.

Mike Mularkey hired a solid receiver coach, Jerry Sullivan. He’s a tremendous upgrade from Johnny Cox, who was quickly fired after Jack Del Rio was dismissed during the 2011 season. Free agency brought Laurent Robinson, who should help, and Lee Evans, who’d be gravy if he can revive his career.

The Jaguars successfully sold pundits on the idea they’d be trading down, then only gave up a fourth-rounder to move up from No. 7 to No. 5 to draft Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon. He’s a dynamic receiver who can catch balls outside his frame and cause matchup problems.

Outside of Luck, no team in the division got a player who can cure an ill better than Blackmon can fix what ails the Jacksonville offense. Now it’s on Gabbert to show he can effectively get the ball to the new star receiver.

RISKIEST MOVE

The Titans didn’t touch a defensive end until Scott Solomon in the seventh round, and they didn’t add an offensive lineman at all. And pass rush and run blocking were two areas that qualified as weaknesses at the end of last season.

Tennessee hosted Scott Wells, Chris Myers, Jeff Saturday and Dan Koppen and saw all four sign elsewhere. On Saturday, coach Mike Munchak made those meetings sound like information-gathering get-togethers rather than courtships, a stance that’s pretty insulting to veterans who wouldn’t waste time making visits without the possibility of a contract.

The defense of incumbent starters on the interior -- Eugene Amano and Leroy Harris -- has entered a new round now. Munchak said the team felt no “dire need there” and that “we have guys we can win with.” Still, watch for a key undrafted addition or free agent or two.

The Titans added one big piece this offseason to its insufficient pass rush in the form of free-agent end Kamerion Wimbley, who was a cap casualty in Oakland. He may provide a big boost but also probably shouldn’t be on the field for every play. Tennessee’s only attempt to bolster itself on the edges came with the 211th pick, end Scott Solomon from Rice.

The Titans face a pretty good slate of quarterbacks this season. Those passers may have a lot of time to throw.

MOST SURPRISING PICK

We hit it hard Saturday night, but the Jaguars' selection of Bryan Anger in the third round was a baffler. Yes, the team will benefit from a big leg and stands to gain field position.

But Jacksonville overrated special teams’ impact by deciding to draft Anger so early rather than addressing other needs where it could have selected a player with a chance to play.

The Jaguars have a recent history of messing up at the position, and teams that struggle with stability at a spot are prone to overreach in an effort to correct it.

I believe that’s a good piece of what happened here. They could have gotten him or a punter who still would have been a big upgrade later.

The Jaguars found Terrance Knighton, Derek Cox and Will Rackley in the third round in Gene Smith’s previous three drafts. They are all starters who affect games more than a punter can.

They can rationalize this pick. And we can stridently disagree.

FILE IT AWAY

Six receivers came into the division -- Blackmon, Kendall Wright in Tennessee, T.Y. Hilton and LaVon Brazill in Indianapolis and DeVier Posey and Keshawn Martin in Houston. That’s two first-rounders, two third-rounders, a fourth-rounder and a sixth-rounder.

The countermeasures?

Just two incoming cornerbacks -- Titans fourth-rounder Coty Sensabaugh and Jaguars sixth-rounder Harris.

Secondary depth could be severely tested by good quarterbacks and receivers, especially when the division faces the NFC North and the high-powered passing offenses of Green Bay, Detroit and Chicago.

The Colts have no proven corners beyond Jerraud Powers. The Texans lost Jason Allen, who played a reasonable amount. The Titans need to unearth a new nickelback now that Cortland Finnegan is gone. Only the Jaguars have fortified the spot, adding two-time Super Bowl winner Aaron Ross, presumably getting Cox and Rashean Mathis back healthy and drafting Harris.

The AFC South is a big running back division, but it’s become more equipped to sling it and may not have the people needed to cover offenses with a lot of downfield weapons.

“It tells you that this is a wide-open league, the offensive focus is on scoring points probably more than ever,” Titans general manager Ruston Webster said. “It’s becoming more of a quarterback-wide receiver league probably every day.”

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been accused (occasionally by me) of not doing well enough in assessing how the rest of the league's teams value some players the Jags draft.

Some personnel people around the league say the Jaguars simply don’t care about that. In a way, I admire them for it. Don’t be overly concerned and influenced by the forces around you, by the competition. Do your own thing. Bank on your convictions.

But when it comes to taking Cal punter Bryan Anger in the third round, the Jaguars absolutely should care about league context.

I know at least one other team had him rated as a fifth-rounder.

Anger is the first punter to go in the top 100 picks since 1995, when Todd Sauerbrun went in the second round to Chicago, 56th overall.

There is a reason for that.

It’s important that you don’t punt terribly. But it’s not so important that you punt fantastically, certainly not important enough that you sacrifice the chance to improve at a position that could be on the field for three downs a game.

“I think it will be evident when you get a chance to see him punt: He’s got a strong history which I feel will transfer to this level in helping us defensively with the yardage we can gain in field position,” general manager Gene Smith said.

“… He’s the player in that round at your pick that you feel can upgrade your football team. I think that’s an easy decision for me, to get a starter in the third round.”

Calling a punter a starter is beyond a stretch.

The Jaguars' defense played 970 plays in 2011. The Jaguars' offense played 958 plays. The Jaguars punted 99 times.

“I think it’s first downs that you gain,” Smith said in a further defense of the pick. “And I feel like in the third round it’s not a round that you always get proven starters.”

Really?

In Smith’s three previous drafts, he picked four times in the third round. Guard Will Rackley, defensive tackle Terrance Knighton and cornerback Derek Cox are starters. The only nonstarter, defensive tackle D’Anthony Smith, has missed his first two seasons with injuries.

The Jaguars averaged 41.9 yards per punt last season, 31st in the NFL. They averaged 36.5 net yards per punt, 28th in the NFL. Those numbers were, in part, a testament to the team’s foolish conclusion that greybeard Matt Turk was the man to replace Adam Podlesh, who left for Chicago as a free agent.

The Jaguars cut Turk after five games, going with Nick Harris the rest of the way. Harris was 3 yards (and 5.1 net yards) better per punt than Turk had been.

A longer punt is easier to cover, so this is too simple.

Nevertheless, here is my counterproposal to drafting Anger 70th:

Jacksonville uses an average punter and boosts its net average to what was the midpoint for 2011. By my calculations, that would give the Jaguars an extra 15.5 net yards a game. Then use the 70th pick on an offensive lineman who, as part of a better scheme, could help cut the Jaguars’ sack yardage in half. That would give the team an extra 10.3 yards a game, and also help young quarterback Blaine Gabbert not worry so much about getting crunched.

The overall gain from my plan -- not just estimating the average that will come with a big leg, but actually factoring in context -- would be better.

The goal is not to punt, and you drafted a punter. That was the first thing a reporter in Jacksonville said to coach Mike Mularkey after the pick.

“And hold, hold for extra points,” Mularkey said. “If you want to write about him, he’s a really good holder for extra points and field goals, and he just so happens to be a difference-maker when it comes to punting.”

Oh, he holds, too? Well, that changes everything.

No, actually, any guy on offense with good hands, starting with your backup quarterback, should be able to function as a holder.

Maybe Anger is the league’s best punter and holder for 15 years.

Even if he is, it says here there will be at least three dozen players among the picks after Anger who have more impactful careers than he will. And that’s a modest 20 percent of the 183 guys we’re talking about. If the Jaguars missed on him by two rounds, maybe it’s 64 players. It could be more.

Are the Jaguars, coming off a 5-11 season, good enough that they can pass on such potential people? They are not. Perhaps they are expecting Gabbert to be terrible again, knowing they’ll be punting a ton and being proactive?

They need more guys who can score touchdowns or stop touchdowns. Get more guys who can get you first downs and you’ll punt less, kicking more field goals and scoring more touchdowns. Get more guys who can stop a third-down run or break up a third-down pass and you’ll be fielding punts, not covering them.

Do those things, and getting a few additional yards when you have to kick the ball away doesn’t mean so much.

Know where you have a chance to add guys who fit that bill?

With the third-round pick you just used on a punter.

Too often the Jaguars are a punching bag or a punch line.

This time, they deserve it.