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Bob Sanders is long gone, and injury-prone Melvin Bullitt is not with the Indianapolis Colts anymore.

Indianapolis has a dire need at strong safety, where the Colts platooned David Caldwell and Joe Lefeged last season after Bullitt was lost early on with a shoulder injury.

Even with Tom Zbikowski added, they need an upgrade next to free safety Antoine Bethea, a strong player against both the pass and the run.

According to ESPN Stats and Info, the Colts defense was last in the NFL on throws more than10 air yards inside the numbers in three important categories: completion percentage (72.7), yards per attempt (16.1) and attempts per TD (7.9).

Better defense on short passes over the middle is an absolute necessity for the Colts if they are going to be more effective under first-year coach Chuck Pagano and defensive coordinator Greg Manusky.

Safety is thin in the draft, and strong safety is particularly thin. Possible candidates include South Carolina's Antonio Allen (fourth or fifth round projection), Alabama's DeQuan Menzie (fifth), Arkansas State's Kelcie McCray (fifth), LSU's Brandon Taylor (sixth).

Can one of those guys start on opening day? It'll probably take a good combination of scouting projecting and coaching to make it happen.

It’s ugly in Indianapolis.

At 0-7, the Colts are talking about sticking together, improving and giving themselves a chance to win.

But as they prepare for a trip to Nashville for a Sunday meeting with the Titans at LP Field, they are a severely broken team. Where they would be with Peyton Manning is an interesting hypothetical question, but we’re dealing with realities. And those realities are the sort that will test the franchise’s stitching -- seamwork that might not hold together when this is all over.

Who’s at fault? Everyone’s got a hand in it, but let’s look at the Colts from a couple of angles.

A big cover-up: It’s not a secret that Manning has helped cover up a lot of flaws and allowed the franchise to under-address certain areas.

The Colts during the Manning era have never been much concerned with size, always valuing speed and instincts more. They’ve never worried about stocking special teams with any veteran backups, in part because they spend their money on stars or adding a high-quality return man. They’ve settled for being below average running the ball. And they’ve won despite a general inability to stop the run.

Without their four-time MVP running the offense, all those things are magnified in ways they’ve never been before.

It shouldn’t be a surprise. They’re built to have Manning at the controls, and he’s been there all the time from the very beginning in 1998 until opening day this season.

There are maybe two teams and markets in the league that would not trade for what the Colts have done since 1999. Twelve consecutive playoff seasons followed by one complete dud? Where do I sign up for that?

Construct questions: That said, regardless of a serious neck surgery to the star quarterback, what exactly was the plan in the secondary? Is an evaluation that leaves Jacob Lacey, Terrence Johnson, Kevin Thomas and Chris Rucker as cornerbacks Nos. 2 through 5 good enough? Absolutely not.

The Colts get credit for adding a couple of outside veterans this season -- linebacker Ernie Sims, and defensive ends Jamaal Anderson and Tyler Brayton. But the drafting has dropped off.

Set aside the most recent class, as it’s too early to judge.

The Colts drafted 41 players from 2005 through 2010. I count one star, safety Antoine Bethea, and two guys who can become stars, linebacker Pat Angerer and receiver Austin Collie (if he’s working with Manning). Running back Joseph Addai is a good fit who does more than people think. And receiver Pierre Garcon and cornerback Jerraud Powers have been pretty solid starters.

Sure, the Colts drafted higher in the five years before. Still, those classes produced five guys who rank among the best players of their generation at their positions: tight end Dallas Clark, defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, safety Bob Sanders, and receiver Reggie Wayne. The next tier provided steady starters on the offensive line (Jake Scott, Ryan Diem) and at linebacker (David Thornton).

That list is more than a third of a starting team, a big-time core. As those guys age or disappear, I'm not seeing a core in waiting.

Colts president-turned-vice chairman Bill Polian said recently on his radio show that they needed to have done better recently, particularly at defensive tackle and cornerback.

And there is a domino effect to the problem. Find Tarik Glenn’s ultimate replacement at left tackle in 2007, and you don’t need to use your top pick in 2011 on Anthony Castonzo. Hit on Donald Brown in the first round in 2009, and Delone Carter might not be necessary in the fourth round in 2011.

The Polians: Bill Polian has been pulling back and yielding responsibility to his son, GM Chris Polian. (Chris politely declined to be interviewed for this story.)

We don’t yet have much tape on Chris Polian, so to speak. Bill Polian is a good talent evaluator who has had success in three NFL stops and has done well to build a team with which Manning has won. But Bill Polian also has overseen those recent draft drop-offs.

His strong-willed personality is part of what has made him good at his job, and his big-picture assessment of important league issues is as intelligent as anyone’s. He’s got clout and influence that extend beyond Indianapolis.

Stylistically, he’s a stubborn and demanding boss. There are indications from within that, without the steady stream of personnel hits he provided earlier in his tenure, some inside the building are tiring of the way things are run.

Bill Polian recently talked about how Curtis Painter's play vindicates the team for having faith in him, but failed to mention that faith was so strong that the team signed Kerry Collins to a $4 million contract shortly before the season started and handed him the starting job.

I suspect Bill Polian has the backing of owner Jim Irsay for as long as he wants it. That would ensure safety for Chris Polian, too.

Bill Polian made the Manning-over-Ryan Leaf call in 1998. Because of the way Leaf busted, people forget that was a coin flip at the time, that Leaf was regarded as a big-time prospect just as much as Manning was. Polian called it correctly, built a team that’s been to two Super Bowls and won one, got a new stadium built, and greatly enhanced the value of Irsay’s franchise.

Cryptic messages: Further complicating things is Irsay, who clearly gets a kick out of being the center of NFL attention in the Twitter-verse but has undermined some of his people with it.

He announced the team added Collins while coach Jim Caldwell was conducting his daily news conference. It did Caldwell no favors, as he appeared completely out of the loop.

Most recently, following the 62-7 loss in New Orleans on Sunday night, Irsay provided this gem:

“Titanic collapse, apologies 2 all ColtsNation...problems identifiable;solutions in progress but complex in nature/ better days will rise again”

A day later, he added:

"Just because you perceive problems on the horizon,and you possess solutions..doesn't mean they are avoidable and implementation is instant"

Solutions in progress, but complex in nature. That sounds to me like what would be written in big silver letters on the lobby wall of a consulting company on a TV show. Or a clever, but far-too-long name for a band.

It also sounds like change is going to come.

Coaching questions: While Bill Polian recently said that adding Jim Tressel to the staff as a replay consultant was Caldwell’s idea, it’s a weird-looking move that’s made some of us wonder whether a bigger role awaits the former Ohio State coach.

Caldwell does a nice job managing personalities, looking at things philosophically and staying on message. I believe he’s a good teacher, and his patient, quiet style is generally healthy for a team with a good share of veteran stars.

But he has blind spots, too, and is hardly a strategy master. There are bound to be significant changes at the conclusion of what’s sure to be a dreadful season, and he’ll be at the front of the line.

If he does the best job we can remember at holding a terrible, ineffective team together, is that enough? I’d guess not.

Injuries: This team gets hurt too much. There is a huge element of bad luck to it, of course. But is there something bigger at work as well?

Last season as quality players went down, Manning helped some role players such as tight end Jacob Tamme and receiver Blair White emerge. This season, guys such as linebacker Gary Brackett and safety Melvin Bullitt were lost for the season early, and there's been a revolving door on the offensive line because of injuries.

The Colts are constantly testing their depth and shuffling the back end of their roster. There is only so much shuffling a depth chart can handle.

I believe they need to attempt some change that might have a positive effect on their overall health -- whether it be adopting new training philosophies, altering how they evaluate prospects or changing personnel philosophies.

It's easy to ask them to figure out why they tend to suffer so many injuries, and it's hard to find an answer. But some sort of shift is due, even as we know it comes with no guarantee of better health.

When the current approach is failing, it's OK to try something else. It's not admitting some sort of failure; it's merely part of a necessary process of evaluating and revising operations.

Suck for Luck: Given a chance to draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, I think the Colts would. Bill Polian can give Chris Polian the guy expected to be the NFL's next great quarterback, and Chris Polian's legacy would be built on a fantastic cornerstone.

But there is no losing on purpose to get in position for Luck. You think Wayne or Mathis is interested in such a master plan?

Said veteran center and team tone-setter Jeff Saturday: “I'll steal a Robert Mathis quote: 'I ain't sucking for anybody.'”

The Indianapolis Colts' defense made a strong showing against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night without linebacker Gary Brackett and safety Melvin Bullitt.

Any further strong efforts will also have to come without the two starters, as the team put them both on injured-reserve Wednesday with their shoulder injuries.

One of the roster spots made room for quarterback Dan Orlovsky. The other was used for A.J. Edds, who was signed off the New England Patriots' practice squad. Edds played in the Patriots’ first two games before he was cut and signed to the practice squad.

The Colts are better equipped to deal with the loss of Brackett than Bullitt, even as Bullitt was not off to a good start.

Pat Angerer slid from the strong side to the middle with Brackett out since the opener, and Angerer made 20 tackles from the spot against Pittsburgh Sunday while Philip Wheeler stepped in as the third linebacker.

But David Caldwell, who replaced Bullitt in the starting lineup in Week 3 for his first NFL start, was not as good.

The Colts were depleted at the strong safety spot opposite free safety Antoine Bethea in the center of the defensive backfield last season when Bob Sanders and Bullitt were both lost to injuries. Ultimately they turned to Aaron Francisco, who wasn’t even on the opening day roster.

They released Sanders after the season, and he’s now in San Diego. They re-signed Bullitt, an unrestricted free agent, and now will turn to Caldwell or another player they didn’t draft, rookie Joe Lefeged.

Defensive depth has taken a serious hit just three weeks in. And with Peyton Manning, Brackett and Bullitt all out of action, they’ve got some big dollars out of the lineup.

UPDATE: Ironically, San Diego put Sanders (knee) on IR Wednesday as well.

Reading the coverage…

Join our Pigskin Pick'em pool and prove you can fare better than a coin flip.

Houston Texans

If you like different, Arian Foster is different, and that's not a bad thing in a world of processed, sanitized and approved quotes, says Richard Justice. Amen.

Texans defenders love being coached by Wade Phillips, says Jeffrey Martin.

Indianapolis Colts

Anthony Gonzalez is realistic about the chance of being cut, says Mike Chappell. I understand that his lack of availability is a big issue. But who’s the receiver they’d keep ahead of him?

Safety Joe Lefeged and wide receiver David Gilreath have major opportunities to be returners for the Colts, says Phil Richards.

Bob Sanders has a fresh start in San Diego, says Sam Farmer.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The push for a pass rush continues for the Jaguars, says Vito Stellino.

Blaine Gabbert’s learned a lot about how he reacts to blitzes, says Tania Ganguli.

Question about the health of Rashad Jennings from Gene Frenette. (Look to the bottom.)

Tennessee Titans

The fraternity of former GMs laud Mike Reinfeldt for staying within the parameters of the running back market with regard to Chris Johnson, writes Jim Wyatt.

Expect an early exit for Matt Hasselbeck in New Orleans, says John Glennon.

Seven Titans will sit out the preseason finale, says Glennon.

I don’t see every AFC South game from start to finish.

So I certainly don’t see every NFL game start to finish.

And I think to really have a sense for and to appreciate good safety play, you need to see guys play regularly to have a full understanding of them.

I know Antoine Bethea is a first-rate safety, a dependable guy in the Colts' scheme who could play centerfield on my team. I know Michael Griffin can be really good, but is not consistently dependable enough.

If you’re on the highlights weekly like Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed (when they are healthy), you’re easily identified. Otherwise things can be a lot more subtle.

All of that is my way of saying you can probably find a dozen reasonable arguments with which to shred my ballot.

First though, here’s James Walker’s summary of where we wound up and the safety Power Rankings results.

I’m in that piece talking about Bob Sanders, but my response to a question on Griffin did not make it.

So here's my answer to how he could finish sixth without any points out of his division's blogger:

“Griffin can be very good, but he's very inconsistent. He went to the Pro Bowl in 2008, then had a terrible 2009: Bad angles and missed tackles galore. In 2010, he rebounded, played well during the Titans' good start and seemed to be back on track. Then he was a big contributor to the brutal finish. He can let off-the-field stuff distract him and handles criticism horribly.”

I felt I could find 10 guys who were steadier players, and steadiness in a safety is crucial.

Bethea is certainly one of the 10, and a 10th-place tie is too low for him.

I respectfully ask my peers who they think was spearheading the pass defense for the AFC South-winning Colts last season when the starting corners (Kelvin Hayden and Jerraud Powers) missed 11 games, the starting strong safety (Sanders) missed 15 and the second-string strong safety (Melvin Bullitt) missed 12.

I’m sure, in turn, some of the other bloggers can come at me for not having the full picture on one of their players.

Anyway, here then is the one-eighth of those final results that came from yours truly.

1. Troy Polamalu
2. Ed Reed
3. Nick Collins
4. Ryan Clark
5. Adrian Wilson
6. Antoine Bethea
7. Eric Weddle
8. Eric Berry
9. LaRon Landry
10. Antrel Rolle

It’s the Colts' turn in our pre-draft look at some key numbers that could and should influence what they do in the draft.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, Colts’ opponents didn’t bother to disguise their intentions to the Indianapolis defense. When opposing offenses put multiple running backs into the backfield, the Colts ranked in the bottom five in the NFL in several major statistical categories.

They allowed 4.6 yards a carry (28th), they gave up six touchdowns (tied for 27th), and they allowed 3.7 yards on first down (30th).

As for pass defense, the Colts were solid defending passes 15 yards or more downfield when they were thrown outside the numbers, with opponents averaging 7.6 yards per pass attempt (fourth in NFL). But Indianapolis struggled defending similar passes over the middle.

Opposing quarterbacks completed 67.3 percent of their passes in that area (32nd in the NFL), they averaged 15.5 yards per attempts (29th) and the Colts gave up 34 first downs (32nd). Quarterbacks posted a 110.3 rating (32nd) when throwing deep over the middle.

What do these two areas of trouble mean?

Well, the first could be helped by a bigger, penetrating defensive tackle, which is one of the reasons I think Illinois’ Corey Liuget is an intriguing idea in the first round.

The second has a lot to do with safety play. And while Antoine Bethea did well as the glue of a banged up secondary, the Colts were without Bob Sanders and then Melvin Bullitt due to injuries. A healthy Bullitt might be a free agent, and Colts Vice Chairman Bill Polian has said the team will approach the draft as if Bullitt and other potential Indianapolis free agents will be gone.

It’s a weak draft for safeties, but perhaps Polian sees someone who can fit the Colts' scheme and won’t be valued in the same way by the rest of the league.

Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

If the games are played, the Texans draw two quality opponents to Reliant Stadium for the preseason, says Alan Burge.

Indianapolis Colts

The Bob Sanders banner on Lucas Oil Stadium is coming down and the replacement is ... Mike Chappell spills the details.

Public records confirm Peyton Manning and his wife had twins. They’ve asked for privacy. Unless being a dad has some discernible bearing on his play, then, it’s the last you’ll hear of it here.

A look at the Colts' drafting profile from Brandon Berg.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Director of player personnel Terry McDonough runs down needs as coordinators Dirk Koetter and Mel Tucker talk with fans about their work, all from Vito Stellino.

The St. Augustine Record calls for support for the Jaguars.

Draft-time group think is often wrong at draft time, says Hays Carlyon.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans have had quite a few late-round finds, says Jim Wyatt.

So much for a drama-free offseason for Kenny Britt.

John Glennon thinks it’s more likely the Titans trade down than up.

If Peyton Manning dropped back and looked downfield against the secondaries of the Texans or Jaguars right now, he’d find a safety pool that averages 2.25 years of experience and has an average draft spot of No. 205.

Collectively, Troy Nolan and Dominique Barber of Houston and Don Carey and Courtney Greene of Jacksonville have five interceptions, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble in 31 career starts.

They are nice guys with some promise, but it’s hard to tab any one of the four as a star in the making.

As Houston and Jacksonville head toward a draft where the safeties are not highly regarded, it screams the question:

How can teams trying to catch Manning’s Colts playing in an increasingly quarterback-driven league be so poorly stocked as such a critical position?

It’s hard to figure.

At least the Jaguars have taken a big swing, missing badly on No. 21 overall pick Reggie Nelson in 2007, a feeble tackler who tended to take terrible angles. He was traded to Cincinnati before the 2010 season. Jacksonville was also the first team to have Bob Sanders in for a visit after he was cut by the Colts in February, but he ultimately lined up to go to San Diego.

Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio talked of his desire to add “that guy,” whether he came in the form of Sanders or not.

The Jaguars’ last homegrown safety of influence before Nelson was Gerald Sensabaugh, a fifth-rounder in 2005 whom the team let walk to Dallas as a free agent after the 2008 season and who’s scheduled to be a free agent again.

The team simply asked too much of young guys last season. Carey moved to safety from corner. He had never made calls before, but he was usually responsible for adjusting one half of the pass defense once it lined up, a tall task in games against the likes of Manning and Matt Schaub.

“Even when you crack down on your film study, when you get to a game it’s still very frustrating because they kind of know what you’re going to do in certain situations,” Carey said. “You try hard to hide your coverages; it’s a real chess match.”

Carey said he can’t worry about who’s brought in, he just needs to work to get better. General manager Gene Smith still sees Carey as an “ascending” player. Del Rio said Carey needs “technique clean-up.”

“Will he ascend to the starter we need him to be?” Del Rio asked. “I don’t know that. I think the jury’s still out.”

For a team that wants to build through the draft, Houston has devoted virtually no resources to the safety position. Of the 76 draft selections the Texans have made since they got off the ground in 2002, they've spent eight on safeties, but only one as high as the fourth round.

They relied on veteran castoffs the past few years but released the ineffective Eugene Wilson and made it known the one-dimensional Bernard Pollard will not be re-signed.

One personnel man told me recently that the state of the positions in the league is average, that this draft is thin at the spot, that the options are better at free than strong and that teams may look more than ever to try to convert corners.

Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com thinks these five corners could wind up being NFL safeties: Aaron Williams of Texas (second round), Marcus Gilchrist of Clemson (third), Jalil Brown of Colorado (third or fourth), Chris Culliver of South Carolina (fourth) and Chris Rucker of Michigan State (fourth or fifth).

Many teams are increasingly blurring the lines between the roles and ideally like to have two players who can both run and cover and step up to play the run.

Teams like the Texans and Jaguars would surely be pleased, however, to have one player with a talent on each end of the safety spectrum who could serve as an upgrade and help reduce the stress on the cornerbacks.

Houston may move Glover Quin to free safety, but then it will be playing its best cornerback out of position.

How much could better play from the safeties help a group of young corners that really struggled in 2010?

“I think it’s significant,” Texans general manager Rick Smith said. “I mean you’re looking at a former safety. So I value the position significantly.”

Both Texans coach Gary Kubiak and the Jaguars’ Smith have said they hope to add a veteran at the position as well as examining the draft options.

“You’d always like to have a veteran at the safety position,” Gene Smith said. “Playing safety is like playing quarterback, and you’d always prefer to have a veteran at quarterback. You don’t always have the luxury of being in that position, but that would be a good area to get a veteran player.”

A guy like San Diego free safety Eric Weddle, who could buy a real secondary ownership stake by signing with Houston or Jacksonville, should be an attractive option if he reaches the market. And he or Indianapolis’ Melvin Bullitt could help one of the incumbent kids or a rookie grow into a role quicker. Signing him could also help weaken the division’s top team.

Their values, when free agency arrives, should be high no matter who’s been drafted.

Even if the Colts re-sign Bullitt, they probably will be looking for safety depth. And while Tennessee maintains faith in free safety Michael Griffin, it should be looking for a player to challenge slipping veteran Chris Hope.

That’s just four teams in need of six players at the position in a draft where ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay thinks Rahim Moore of UCLA may be the only guy in the draft capable of stepping in as an opening-day NFL starter.

“He’s a really good player, great angles, ball skills,” McShay said. “The thing that keeps him from being elite is he’s not fluid in man-to-man coverage. But he has good range and is very instinctive.

“After that there is a big drop-off. Jaiquawn Garrett from Temple is a good player, but not elite. Ahmad Black from Florida is a great athlete, quick, and hits hard for a small guy, but he’s really small. DeAndre McDaniel from Clemson is so overrated.”

Those are hardly two paragraphs that will get Texans and Jaguars fans excited.

They may have an entirely different effect on Manning and the quarterbacks slated to throw against those teams if and when we get kickoffs this fall.

Reading the coverage…

Houston Texans

John McClain’s first mock draft gives the Texans Robert Quinn, the North Carolina defensive end/outside linebacker.

Tackling concussions can be jarring, says Richard Justice.

Top 10 draft prospects by position from Lance Zierlein.

Indianapolis Colts

Owner greed deserves to lose, says Bob Kravitz.

The Indy Star polled about which player should replace the Bob Sanders on a banner on Lucas Oil Stadium, said Scott Thien.

Part one of a comparison of Marvin Harrison and Cris Carter, from Nate Dunlevy.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Mike Sims-Walker never made a big impact, says Gene Frenette.

Continuing a discussion of the most important positions on offense, with John Oehser.

Five free agents the Jaguars should be prepared to chase, from Alfie Crow.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans will split their focus Tuesday on pro days for Cam Newton and Ryan Mallett, says Jim Wyatt.

Former Titans Keith Bulluck and Kyle Vanden Bosch had a recent Nashville reunion, says Jim Wyatt.

Houston Nutt is sure Tracy Rocker will be a good NFL defensive line coach, says Terry McCormick.

Starting field position wasn’t as much a cause of the Titans’ downfall as we may have suspected last season, says Tom Gower.

Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

The Texans were active, locking up Owen Daniels, Shaun Cody and Derrick Ward, says John McClain.

It was a good day for Rick Smith, says Richard Justice. Nice context on how Smith has operated.

Justice talks about owners opening books. Interesting that he says the Jaguars are playing in front of “acres of empty seats” when they weren’t blacked out once last season.

A Connor Barwin rehab update from Nick Scurfield.

The ultimate Texans draft guide from John Harris via Stephanie Stradley.

Is the Daniels contract money well spent? Chris Watkins considers.

Indianapolis Colts

Agents told the Indianapolis Star that Clint Session, Daniel Muir and Eric Foster got restricted tender offers. Foster’s is the only one that will stick if free agency reverts to four years.

Mike Chappell on Bob Sanders to San Diego.

Anthony Schoettle thinks Sanders owed the Colts. I disagree.

Colts strategies during CBA uncertainty from Laura Calaway: Part III, Part IV.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Marcedes Lewis signed his tender and Jason Hill re-signed on a busy day for the Jaguars, says Tania Ganguli. They also told Mike Sims-Walker they were moving on from him.

Sims-Walker tweeted a goodbye.

Eben Britton says the Jaguars will be nastier, according to John Oehser.

Tennessee Titans

As the player rep, Jake Scott looks to keep the Titans informed, says Jim Wyatt.

Nashville is on notice with the potential loss of football, says Nate Rau.

Fernando Velasco is recovering from a knee scope, says Wyatt.

Looking at defensive tackles with Andrew Strickert.

Bob Sanders has resurfaced, and the Colts won’t see him in 2011 unless the team plays San Diego in the playoffs.

The Chargers could to pair the oft-injured Sanders with Eric Weddle in what would be a great combination, but Weddle is in line to be a free agent.

Many fans in safety-starved Jacksonville and Houston hope Weddle will eventually be lured to the AFC South to help defend Peyton Manning. The Jaguars were the first team to have Sanders in after he was let go by the Colts, but the Chargers won out over the Jaguars, Bills and Jets.

Houston recently let free safety Eugene Wilson go and didn’t tender Bernard Pollard in case a best-case scenario with the CBA allowed them to maintain his rights. Still, the Texans didn’t so much as sniff Sanders or OJ Atogwe. Atogwe signed a five-year contract with Washington while Sanders got one year in San Diego.

Safety is regarded as one of the two weakest positions in the draft and some judge only UCLA’s Rahim Moore as a prospect who could be an opening-day starter in the right system.

The free-agent pool of safeties is expected to include Weddle and Darren Sharper (New Orleans) at free safety and strong safeties Quintin Mikell of Philadelphia, Dawan Landry of Baltimore, Danieal Manning of Chicago and Melvin Bullitt of Indianapolis.

From chargers.com on Sanders:

GM A.J. Smith: “We are all very excited to add Bob Sanders to our defense. We have always held him in high regard. He’s a smart, physical, instinctive player. His intensity and playmaking ability can make an immediate impact on our defense.”

Norv Turner: “There’s no question I’m excited. The fact that Bob was available and excited about being here and then having it work out is great. Our guys have unbelievable respect for him and what he’s done through the years. Certainly he knows what we’re capable of doing, so it’s a great fit…”

“When you do something like this obviously there’s some risk involved but the upside outweighs that. He’s healthy and he’s excited about the opportunity.”

Reading the coverage ...

Mike Silver is hopeful we’ll see the CBA deadline extended.

Houston Texans

Matt Schaub likes what Wade Phillips brings, says Richard Justice.

John McClain runs down the Texans’ tenders.

Vonta Leach recently had knee surgery.

Surely the Texans don’t really think they are OK at nose tackle with Shaun Cody and Earl Mitchell, says Houston Diehards.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts put tenders on Joseph Addai and Melvin Bullitt, says Mike Chappell. But their service time means they may not stick.

Chappell doubts the Colts are interested in Tommie Harris.

Robert Mathis is one of more than 100 players who are going to have to wait on roster bonuses, says Chappell.

Bob Sanders visited the Jets.

Stampede Blue reviews 2010 and looks ahead.

Colts’ strategies going forward during CBA uncertainty from Laura Calaway: Part I, Part II.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Unsure of his future, Mike Sims-Walker is slimming down, says Tania Ganguli.

What Luke McCown’s return means, says Ganguli.

Even with the uncertain labor situation, the Jaguars will be transparent about ticket sales. He’s a new gauge. Good job by the team here.

When John Oehser says not to get caught up in ESPN stuff, I’m sure he doesn’t mean me.

A talk with Earnest Byner, from Max Strauss.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans offered tenders to potential restricted free agents, says John Glennon.

Fans may not lock out their anger, says Joe Biddle.

Andre Carter played well for Jerry Gray, says Terry McCormick.

Do the Titans play any better in AFC South games? A late look at Tom Gower’s piece.

Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders takes a look at some guys who are free and can sign right now, and sees a match in this Insider piece between former Colts safety Bob Sanders and the Dallas Cowboys.

I’ve spent the morning getting approval from high-ranking editors to share that segment of the article, and here it is:

The Colts signed Sanders to a contract extension in December of 2007; since then, he's missed 39 of the 48 regular-season games he was eligible to play in. It's clear that depending on Sanders to stay healthy is a problem, and with one of the worst injury problems in the league on a yearly basis, Indianapolis probably isn't the place for Sanders. He needs an organization that's exhibited a history of turning injury-prone players into contributors, and there's one that fits the criteria who could definitely use a safety: the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys turned the career of Marc Colombo around after he flopped with the Bears due to injury, and with starting safeties Alan Ball and Gerald Sensabaugh hitting free agency, Dallas could opt to take a chance on their medical staff being able to keep Sanders in one piece. The upside is enormous and the gamble is certainly worthwhile.

That would be an interesting landing spot. Sanders reportedly made four visits. We know the first two were to Jacksonville and Buffalo.

Jack Del Rio said at the combine he and the Jaguars remain very intrigued about the possibility of adding Sanders, and that there is a trade-off where Sanders for X number of games is better than another safety for all 16.

I think Jacksonville is still playing with that equation, but I'd be surprised if it landed Sanders before the CBA expires on March 4.

With the offseason in full swing, let’s take a look at one major question facing each AFC South team as it begins preparations for the 2011 season:

HOUSTON TEXANS

How do they fix the secondary?

New defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is charged with repairing and revitalizing a defense that was 30th overall and dead last against the pass. His 3-4 front will alter a lot of things and the Texans will need to add some personnel to fill it out. Better work up front will ease some of the pressure on the defensive backs, but they will need more than that.

We don’t know when -- or even if -- there will be free agency. But the Texans need to make a big splash with a veteran outsider. Nnamdi Asomugha or Champ Bailey could knock every one down a peg at corner, shut down a side of the field or a primary receiver and help transform things. A veteran free safety like Eric Weddle could provide a big boost as well.

If the Texans think the pass defense can be fixed by coaching and will improve dramatically with a scheme and maturing kids, they’re overestimating what they’ve got, again.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Are they going to take action to address the offensive line?

We’ve heard for years about how the Colts would get better at converting that tough third-and-1 in the run game. We saw Bill Polian drop Ryan Lilja after pointing to the offensive line as a reason for the loss in Super Bowl XLIV. We heard Polian admit Rodger Saffold could have been a solution for the Colts at left tackle.

Now, as Peyton Manning heads into the final stretch of his prime, the Colts need to move from talk to action with regard to the offensive line. After last year’s comments, Polian added middling free agents Andy Alleman and Adam Terry and drafted Jacques McClendon in the fourth round. Only McClendon stuck and he did nothing.

Getting Manning more time for things to develop downfield and creating more of a push for ball carriers means investing at least one premium draft pick and landing at least one quality veteran via free agency or trade when those windows open. The Colts don’t have to find Hall of Fame linemen. But there is a lot of room between some of the guys they’ve been relying on and that level of talent.

They’re overdue to follow through with a real revamping.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

How do they fix the secondary?

With four games a season against Manning and Matt Schaub, the Jaguars are woefully unprepared to face them with what they’ve got at safety. Last season, Jacksonville spent its first four draft picks on defensive linemen. This season, they’d be wise to put a similar emphasis on the secondary, and safety in particular.

Ideally they’d have drafted an up-and-comer to go with a veteran brought in from the outside -- someone like Weddle, Dawan Landry, Quintin Mikell or Donte Whitner. They've already had Bob Sanders in for a look. While depth at cornerback is also an issue, I suspect Rashean Mathis, Derek Cox and William Middleton will all look a lot better if they are playing with safeties who are superior to Don Carey and Courtney Greene.

They’ve got a big question at quarterback, too. It’s time to draft and develop a signal-caller with more upside who can be more consistent than David Garrard. But they contended last season with Garrard. It's possible they can make a playoff push with him under center -- provided they address the secondary.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Who’s the quarterback?

There couldn’t be a worse time to be uncertain at the position, and the Titans’ depth chart at the spot currently has blanks at starter and backup. Blame it on Bud Adams and his love affair with Vince Young.

New coach Mike Munchak and his offensive coordinator Chris Palmer don’t really know what they will be able to do offensively, because they do not know who they will be asking to do it. General Manager Mike Reinfeldt has said the team will find a veteran and use a draft pick. But if the draft comes before free agency and trades, it will be more difficult to be patient and to take more of a project guy out of college. It’s not a good year to need a quarterback in the draft, and the scouting department will have to show it can find someone in the group who will develop into a franchise guy.

Once they do, they could look to make a big move for Kevin Kolb, Carson Palmer, Kyle Orton, Matt Flynn or any number of veteran options they believe could operate an offense that will remain run-centric keyed around Chris Johnson.

The Jaguars pounced and were first to get a visit from former Indianapolis safety Bob Sanders. He’s now off to Buffalo. Smart move by the Jags, because being first has to carry some weight. There also has to be some appeal to Sanders in the idea of playing the Colts twice a season.

A source told Tania Ganguli that Bob Sanders passed a physical in Indianapolis, which means his release by the Colts was likely based on finances and the potential for more injuries.

I would think the Colts offered Sanders a deal with a low base salary and a lot of incentives and he declined it, thinking he can do better. That’s the type of deal any team will want to give him because of his injury concerns.

So the question is should he take something like that before the CBA expires or should he face the likely lockout as an unrestricted free agent?

John Oehser has an interesting perspective on Sanders. Oehser just finished a long stretch covering the Colts and is now working for the Jaguars’ website. Here's a good summary from him:

“First off, forget fit or scheme. When healthy, he ‘fits’ any scheme because he truly is a special talent. It's hard to say he would have been the best safety of the last decade had he been healthy, because Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed are also special players who change games and seasons -- a rarity on defense outside the end position. But from 2005-07, Sanders made more game-changing, momentum-altering plays than any non-pass rusher I've covered. Dwight Freeney and Tony Brackens are the only other defensive players I've covered who compared in terms of consistently altering games, and each played end. When healthy early in his career, Sanders truly altered games and improved defenses. Because he has played so little, it's easy to forget how good he was, but for a brief period, he was a combination of speed and power few at his position have matched. On one level, he's absolutely worth pursuing, because if signed for a reasonable, low-risk price, you're talking about bringing in a player who can improve your team drastically, immediately. Still, he has played nine games in the past three seasons and you've got to believe if the Colts believed that trend would change, they would have re-signed him."