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Mike Reinfeldt’s is going into his fifth draft on the GM job for the Titans.

While we usually have a pretty good sense of a guy as he starts his fifth year on an NFL job, I’m not sure we’re certain on Reinfeldt. Jim Wyatt reports Reinfeldt now has a contract extension that looks to run through 2014.

Reinfeldt’s a well-reasoned consensus builder, for sure. Indications are that he is easy to work with and for, and stays out of people’s way once they are set up to do their job. He’s clearly a favorite of owner Bud Adams, having played for the Oilers and played a role in prompting the owner to make some front-office hires and some big decisions (like the one to part with Vince Young.)

At the same time, Reinfeldt is a reserved guy in a market that still fondly remembers his outspoken, entertaining and often successful predecessor, Floyd Reese.

Reinfeldt’s worked quietly in an organization that up until recently had been fronted by coach Jeff Fisher and where the big operation is overseen by Steve Underwood, the franchise’s senior assistant vice president, general counsel and executive assistant to Adams.

But Fisher's been replaced by first-time coach Mike Munchak and Underwood is set to retire this summer.

Though the team won’t make a big deal of it, Reinfeldt is clearly gaining power and profile. How he handles it will go a long way towards determining his ultimate story as a lead executive.

I think he’s a pretty shrewd drafter who’s learned from mistakes -- two of his worst were in the his first draft, in second-round running back Chris Henry and third-round receiver Paul Williams -- and will get better.

We will get a better idea of that at the end of the month, and as we see how another class pans out.

Matt Maiocco combed through the last five drafts and formulaically broke them down to rank them.

Unsurprisingly, he found the last two Super Bowl winners have fared the best in the last five years of assessing college prospects.

The AFC South results:

• Colts, third
• Texans, 14th
• Titans, 17th
• Jaguars, 23rd

I have no huge dispute with those placements.

Maiocco is on the mark that Houston’s done some good work, but it hasn’t been enough to get the Texans into the playoffs.

Chris Henry was a worse second-round running back than LenDale White, who got Maiocco’s nod as the franchise’s worst pick during the five-year span.

Derrick Harvey isn’t the only draft failure from the previous regime that’s still hurting the Jaguars, who appear primed to shoot up this list with Gene Smith at the helm.

Dig in, it’s a quality read.

Our periodic look at the best and worst draft pick by position for each team begins with running back. We’ll look at draft results since realignment in 2002, since that’s when the Texans came into existence and gives us the most level comparison.

Houston Texans

Best: Arian Foster is the best guy they’ve had, but he was undrafted so he doesn’t qualify. It’s not a great list, but the best of the lot was Domanick Davis, who became Domanick Williams, a fourth-rounder in 2003. (I initially had those names flipped, sorry.) In three seasons, he averaged 4.1 yards a carry and scored 28 touchdowns. That’s pretty solid production for a back during a three-year stretch when his team was 14-34.

Worst: Lots of options here. I remember thinking that 2002 fourth-rounder Jonathan Wells was simply not an NFL back. Vernand Morency (2005, third), Wali Lundy (2006, sixth) and Tony Hollings (2003, second in the supplemental draft) were also not good. The Texans got just one season plus one game out of Morency, who couldn’t get ahead of Ron Dayne, Lundy or Samkon Gado. But the least value came from Hollings, who earned just 49 carries in three seasons. Pro Football Reference says his weighted career average ranks him 10,562nd since 1950.

Indianapolis Colts

Best: He takes a lot of grief because he’s not necessarily a big producer for fantasy leagues, but Joseph Addai (2006, first) is very effective at doing what’s asked when he’s healthy. He’s got a darting style that’s suited for the team, he’s a great pass-catcher and he’s very reliable in protecting Peyton Manning.

Worst: The team spent late picks on backs in 2002 (Brian Allen), 2005 (Anthony Davis) and 2006 (T.J. Rushing) and none of them did much. Hard to grade hard on such low picks, but it’s too early to talk Donald Brown (2009 first-rounder) here. Allen had one kick return in 2003 and Davis didn’t make the team. We’ll declare it a tie, acknowledging a hit with either would have qualified as a nice surprise.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Best: Maurice Jones-Drew is the centerpiece of the team and was a steal in the second round (60th overall) of the 2006 draft. The Jaguars passed on him at No. 28 in the first round, when they took tight end Marcedes Lewis. MJD qualifies as the face of the franchise.

Worst: LaBrandon Toefield and Alvin Pearman made contributions on a team that was in pretty good shape at the position with Fred Taylor and then Jones-Drew. So while it’s unfair to hit them for a seventh-rounder from 2008, it also means they’ve done pretty well. Three years into his career, Chauncey Washington finished 2010 on the practice squad of the St. Louis Rams.

Tennessee Titans

Best: You’d expect the 24th overall pick to be here and Chris Johnson certainly is the selection. He’s coming off a 1,364-yard, 12-TD season that was largely regarded as a failure because he’d set the bar so high with his 2,006-yard rushing season in 2009. He’s as fast as or faster than any running back in the league.

Worst: The Titans fell in love with Chris Henry at the combine and let his measurable outweigh his unspectacular performance at Arizona. The second-round pick the team spent on Henry in 2007 amounted to a waste. The Titans kept him for three seasons to try to justify spending the 50th overall pick on him, which was longer than the needed to know he was a strikeout. He played in just 10 games.

» NFC Draft Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Each Thursday leading up to the NFL draft (April 28-30), the ESPN.com NFL blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: draft rewind -- examining the past five drafts.

Houston Texans

Best choice: The Texans got crushed by just about everyone when they tabbed defensive end Mario Williams as the No. 1 overall selection in 2006. Though he’s dealt with some nagging injuries, time has proved him a more dangerous and valuable player than Reggie Bush or Vince Young, the two players people wanted them to take instead. New defensive coordinator Wade Phillips thinks Williams will be like Bruce Smith in the team’s new 3-4.

Worst choice: Defensive tackle Amobi Okoye shows flashes and maybe he somehow works better in the new 3-4 front. But after four seasons, the No. 10 overall pick from 2007 has hardly been the sort of impact player you hope for from such a big investment. He’s still got a giant chance, but the Texans should have hit a home run in the spot and did not.

On the bubble: Indications are the Texans would like to re-sign receiver/returner Jacoby Jones, a third-rounder from 2007. But he’s hard to figure out. He can be the sort of dynamic player who’s a real bonus for an offense with Andre Johnson and Arian Foster. Or he can disappear and drop the ball when he gets chances.

Indianapolis Colts

Best choice: Antoine Bethea came in with little fanfare as a sixth-round defensive back out of Howard in 2006. But he’s grown into a steady and reliable fixture for the Colts at free safety. He’s a great model of the sort of late-round success that is a key part of how Indianapolis builds. Last season, with defensive backs falling all around him, Bethea held a patchwork secondary together.

Worst choice: The Colts traded up to get offensive tackle Tony Ugoh in the second round in 2007. But he never won the team over as the permanent answer at left tackle, and he was done before last season. It’s a spot the franchise is still looking to fill. Had Ugoh been the guy, Peyton Manning would be working with more time and it would be easier to get the tough yard on the ground.

On the bubble: Anthony Gonzalez can be a very effective receiver in the Colts’ scheme and has done a lot of work to earn Manning’s trust. But he’s appeared in just three games over the past two seasons because of injury. Bad fortune is not in his control, but we still aren’t sure he’s a long-term piece of the puzzle and they could really use him.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Best choice: Running back Maurice Jones-Drew remains well aware that everyone passed on him and he knows all the pundits who said he wouldn’t make it. The Jaguars didn’t pass on him twice, and their second-round pick from 2006 is the centerpiece of their offense, a player they rely on for a very large percentage of their touches on offense.

Worst choice: Defensive end Quentin Groves just didn’t fit the Jaguars' defense. He was even part of the reason they experimented with a 3-4 front for part of 2009. But no matter where the 2007 second-rounder was plugged in, he didn’t produce and didn’t bring much fire to the job. He was traded to Oakland after just two seasons.

On the bubble: Tight end Zach Miller is a versatile talent who played quarterback at Nebraska-Omaha and was supposed to be a wild-card piece of the Jaguars’ offense. But the 2009 sixth-rounder has only 41 catches in 29 games through two seasons and has not forced his way into the plan the way the team had hoped. It would be great for the team if he could still be an X factor.

Tennessee Titans

Best choice: Running back Chris Johnson looked like a third-down specialist, a track guy who was a reach at No. 24 in the 2008 draft. He’s proved to be much more than that, posting a rare 2,000-yard rushing season in 2009 and posing a matchup nightmare even when he’s not made the best choices about where to go.

Worst choice: The Titans completely fell for Chris Henry’s combine work, allowing it to overshadow an unimpressive college career. The second-round running back from 2007 was a physical specimen. Unfortunately he lacked the sort of instincts needed in a runner. He actually stuck around three seasons as Tennessee hoped he’d emerge. It was a wasted roster spot.

On the bubble: William Hayes came in as a raw talent in 2008, and the fourth-round defensive end figures to have his best chance to be a consistent impact player going forward as the Titans look to be bigger up front. But his primary backer, defensive line coach Jim Washburn, has moved on and Hayes has to step forward to prove he can be a force.

Check here for a full list of Houston’s roster moves.

Biggest surprises: At times, the Texans touted running backs Jeremiah Johnson and Chris Henry. But they are both gone now, Johnson likely due at least in part to a toe injury. Veteran Derrick Ward gets the last running back spot, and the Texans will move forward with Arian Foster, Steve Slaton and Ward as they look for a big jump from their running game. Another player that got some early hype from Gary Kubiak, defensive tackle Malcolm Sheppard, didn’t stick.

No-brainers: Considering quality and draft status ahead of them, low-ranking depth chart guys were easy choices for the waiver wire: Receivers Bobby Williams and Derrick Townsel, offensive tackles Steve Maneri, Brett Helms and Cole Pemberton, defensive tackle Mitch Unrein, linebacker Will Patterson and cornerback Mark Parson. Perhaps we will see a few of them who did OK resurface on the practice squad.

What’s next: With the running back issue resolved, the Texans might not have too much waiver-wire surfing to do. They could upgrade over Jesse Nading at their final end spot. While they are quite young with their five cornerbacks, they seemed committed to them all, at least right now. While they put Kris Brown and Andre Davis on IR and Anthony Hill on PUP, they did not announce Brian Cushing is on the suspended-reserve list. So they might still be in line to gain one roster spot.

Some bullet point thoughts on the Texans’ 24-17 loss to the Buccaneers Thursday night:

• Houston sat 29 players.
• Neil Rackers hit a 21-yard field goal while Kris Brown was short on a 56-yarder in the final chances in the kicking competition. Expect the guy who doesn’t stick to find work with relative speed.
• Jeremiah Johnson turned three carries into 20 yards while Chris Henry needed 15 carries for 51 yards as the Texans got a look at their third and fourth backs. I like Johnson as the third.
• After Dan Orlovsky threw two interceptions to Corey Lynch -- one for a 91-yard touchdown -- John David Booty threw two touchdown passes. Gary Kubiak expressed continued confidence in Orlovsky after the game, but what is he supposed to say?
• The Texans went for it on fourth down five times and converted four.
• Even without Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Jacoby Jones, Arian Foster and Steve Slaton Houston managed 417 total yards. The Texans ran 76 plays compared to 49 for Tampa Bay, though time of possession was only 32:55 to 27:05.
• Dorin Dickerson’s one-handed 27-yard reception from Booty was the best catch I remember seeing from an AFC South player in the preseason.
• Rookie linebacker Darryl Sharpton got the start and was credited with six tackles and a sack. Xavier Adibi started on the strong side. The Brian Cushing replacement strategy looks like it will be Adibi in his spot or Sharpton at weakside with Zac Diles moved to strong.

Three things I'll be looking for in Buccaneers at Texans:

A right guard: Antoine Caldwell and Mike Brisiel are still fighting for the last unresolved starting offensive spot on the team. I have no gut feel in handicapping it and can make a case both ways for who they'd like to win it. But coach Gary Kubiak and his staff will have the last bit of film on which to decide once the night is over.

Kickers: The Texans would get killed for it, but on third-and-longs in long field goal range they should send Chris Henry up the middle and get into field goal situations. Then they should urge the crowd to pretend the attempt is to win the Super Bowl with two seconds left. Maybe that would produce something to differentiate Kris Brown and Neil Rackers.

Cushing replacement candidates: Darryl Sharpton's hype has dropped off significantly in short order and Kevin Bentley is getting talked up as the third starter during Brian Cushing's four-game suspension. Who knows if or what they can see from Xavier Adibi (groin) or Danny Clark (knee) in this game. Someone get in, play well, raise your hand and tell the coaches you want it.

ESPN.com NFL Power Ranking (pre-camp): 14

For three years, they’ve been picked as a breakout team. In those three years, the Houston Texans went 25-23 with zero playoff appearances.

So why are the 2010 Texans going to be different? Why do they deserve that sort of faith yet again? What’s changed when the personnel alterations have been pretty minor?

“What’s different? Experience, togetherness,” Amobi Okoye said. “I feel like by the time we will kick off, we will have the full definition of team. If there was a meter of T-E-A-M, we are right at the halfway of M… By the time the season starts, we’re going to completely spell TEAM.”

Said Bernard Pollard, the feisty safety who didn’t arrive until a few games into last season: “We have so much more team chemistry. We know and understand what we are good at. We know and understand that we can’t step out of the box and have to play our game. We’re turning that corner.”

To finally get to the postseason, the Texans have to play more complete games. They have to play better in the red zone. Perhaps above all else, they have to play better in the AFC South, where they were just 1-5 last season.

Catching the Colts is a tall task. The Texans aspire to do it, but they also know there is a route to the playoffs without a division crown. They just have to drive it more smoothly.

THREE HOT ISSUES

Can the pass rush pick it up?

Mario Williams had nine sacks to go with a bum shoulder he’s still reluctant to talk about. He needs more support in chasing the quarterback, and the Texans need to hurry and hit quarterbacks more often to help those three young cornerbacks -- Kareem Jackson, Glover Quin and Brice McCain -- cover.

Connor Barwin should be opposite Williams on clear rush downs, and he might be the most improved player on defense. Inside, there are now alternatives to Okoye, who might just not be a good pass pressure guy. Rookie Earl Mitchell could wind up part of the nickel package along with Antonio Smith, who will shift inside to make room for Barwin.

Will the run game do its part?

Everyone is encouraged about the run game, but what’s changed? Second-round pick Ben Tate is lost with an injury. Guard Wade Smith was the only significant addition to the line, where interior issues were a big part of the problems. Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison is from the same school as predecessor Kyle Shanahan, and line coach John Benton learned under the departed Alex Gibbs.

“We have to get better running the football,” Andre Johnson said. “That helps win games, especially in the fourth quarter when you’re up and you want to kill the time, you have to go on those four-minute drives where you have to get those big fourth downs. We have to get better in that part of our offense.”

They are largely counting on young guys getting better, which begs the question: What if they don’t?

Are the supplementary pieces good enough?

The Texans' stars match up with virtually anyone’s. But beyond Johnson, Williams, Brian Cushing, DeMeco Ryans, Matt Schaub and Owen Daniels, have head coach Gary Kubiak and general manager Rick Smith done enough to unearth the right sort of players on the next tier?

Pollard and Eric Winston certainly fit the bill. Antonio Smith, Kevin Walter and Zac Diles might. That next level of player might be where this team is a little short, and it’s those kinds of guys who might well be the key to transforming a good team into a very good team.

And so we’re watching the likes of Quin, Barwin, Joel Dreessen, James Casey, Jacoby Jones and the offensive line beyond Winston, because they might wind up telling the story.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Linebacker Darryl Sharpton: The Texans figured one of three veteran linebackers would be in the lineup during Cushing’s four-game suspension. But a combination of injuries and ineffectiveness has put Xavier Adibi, Danny Clark and Kevin Bentley on the backburner because rookie Darryl Sharpton's been such a consistent playmaker. He might be short, but he packs a good punch.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Injury to Ben Tate: As the Texans search for the right combination of running backs to help balance their offense, second-round pick Tate figured to be a key piece. But he was lost for the season with a serious ankle/leg injury in the preseason opener. That puts the load on Arian Foster, Steve Slaton and either Jeremiah Johnson, Chris Henry or a back not yet on the team.

OBSERVATION DECK

• The Texans are regarded by some as a finesse team, but the defense is emphasizing physicality. Cushing, Pollard, Smith, Jackson, Quin and Mitchell have all joined the team in the past two years and are physical players.
• Expect Foster to get first crack at the carries closest to the goal line as the Texans really concentrate on running better at close range. Johnson definitely could be heard from in the running game, too -- he might be the best fit for the one-cut and go zone scheme Houston uses.
• [+] Enlarge
  AP Photo/Rick ScuteriKicker Neil Rackers has a chance to beat out incumbent Kris Brown.
  If Kris Brown and Neil Rackers continue to be virtually even in the kicker competition, it makes sense for the team to go with Rackers. Sometimes guys just need a change of scenery. If Brown stays and fails on a crucial long field goal on opening day against the Colts, the thinking will be, “Why didn’t they make a change?” If Rackers does the same thing, I’ll think, “At least they tried someone different.”
• Houston’s defensive tackles are quick, up-the-field types. But they’d sure love if their one big space-eater, Frank Okam, forced his way into action.
• The Texans want to get the ball in the hands of Jones since he averaged 16.2 yards a catch on his 27 receptions. But I am not so sure that means he’s going to nudge ahead of Walter for the No. 2 receiver job. Walter is smart and super reliable, and reliability is awfully important. Jones might displace Walter or get a share of snaps in two-wide formations, but look for Jones most in a heavy dose of three-wide formations.
• Troy Nolan might be a credible alternative to Eugene Wilson at free safety if Wilson gets hurt again. I’ve been critical of the team for not adding to the spot, but Nolan missed his rookie season with an injury and appears to be a high-caliber special-teamer.
• Daniels’ speed is a big part of what helped set him apart. When he returns soon from another ACL reconstruction, will he still have it in the same way? That's the big question with him.
• The offensive line is set with Duane Brown at left tackle, Chris Myers at center and Winston at right tackle. Guard jobs remain up for grabs. It seems to me that Wade Smith, a free-agent acquisition tailored to the system, and Antoine Caldwell, a third-rounder from 2009, would make the most sense.
• It sounds less likely that Trindon Holliday has to be a serviceable receiver to make the team than it did during OTAs. If he convinces the team he can be a consistently special return guy, he’ll stick. He looked good to me when the Texans worked with the Saints.

METAIRIE, La. -- When the Texans called a run play to the right and the ball hit the ground at an afternoon practice with the Saints, every member of the Texans’ press corps strained to see who the back in the middle of the mess was.

And when it turned out to be Chris Henry, not Steve Slaton, we all knew it wasn’t as significant.

Slaton’s fumble issues last year were a big element of Houston’s ground-game struggles. He lost another at the goal line in the preseason opener in Arizona.

Even if Arian Foster is as good as the Texans think, they need Slaton to be a reliable contributor and they cannot accept fumbles. With second-round pick Ben Tate lost for the season with torn ligaments and a cracked bone in his lower leg, Houston’s got one less alternative.

“I think it’s driving the fans crazy, I don’t think it’s driving Slaton crazy,” fullback Vonta Leach said. “It was an unfortunate situation down at the goal line but he knows we can’t do that and he’ll be better.”

Coming off neck surgery Slaton is determined to prove he can still be the back who ran for more yards than Chris Johnson as a rookie in 2008 and is not really the one who struggled last year and went on IR in need of neck surgery.

“My job is to run the ball and the most important thing is not to put it on the ground,” Slaton said. “I’m taking more precautions and doing different little things.”

Slaton will take whatever role he is given, but he knows it’s probably not going to be a full-time job. Bell cow running backs are out of vogue, committees are the more popular way to go and if Foster keeps progressing he’s going to be in the mix.

“I think they would like to divide things up,” Slaton said. “It’s harder on the defenses and the running backs stay strong not having to take the whole thing.”

I don’t have a great read on Slaton yet and my two-practice snapshot Wednesday didn’t help too much. I do think the team will be hard-pressed to improve significantly on the ground without him as a factor.

If you want to do any looking back, I wrote about Slaton in March.

Matt Schaub is very willing to trade passing yards for better balance.

“Yes,” Schuab said, politely cutting me off before I could even finish a question about whether he’s confident the run game will improve. “Yes, I’m confident. It’s been good so far in training camp. We just need to keep running it and stay committed to it.”

Three things I’ll be looking for in Texans at Arizona:

Dan Orlovsky: Last preseason he got passed by Rex Grossman, but Grossman is in Washington now and the Texans have no alternative to Orlovsky as the backup to Matt Schaub. Schaub played an excellent 16-game season last year, but it would be nice if the Texans knew not all would be lost if he went down for a couple games.

Defensive tackles: Gary Kubiak listed rookies Earl Mitchell and Malcolm Sheppard as two players he’ll be very interested to see in action. The Texans need more of an interior pass rush and if these guys can help provide it, their opportunities will only grow. It would be good for Amobi Okoye to play well as he looks to hold them off.

Run blocking: The backs are an obvious theme as the Texans begin to try to sort out Steve Slaton, Arian Foster, Ben Tate and Chris Henry. But interior line blocking may be as big an issue and the team will get its first major read on how things will play out there. Runs in the red zone, a point of emphasis all offseason, will be of particular interest.

Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

Five players Gary Kubiak is anxious to see in preseason action: Chris Henry, Troy Nolan, Trindon Holliday, Earl Mitchell and Malcolm Sheppard, from John McClain.

Joel Dreessen typically stays on the field well after practice is over, says Jordan Godwin.

Tim Bulman is out indefinitely, writes McClain and Godwin.

Brice McCain will start for Kareem Jackson in Arizona, while Jackson attends his grandmother’s funeral, says McClain.

Brian Cushing’s real syndrome is believing we’re dopes, says Mike Freeman.

Indianapolis Colts

Injuries are making for an offensive line scramble, says Mike Chappell.

The defense delivered some hits in practice, says Chappell.

John Oehser’s take on Jim Caldwell talking about Clyde Christensen. I hit on the same stuff in a different way Wednesday.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Criticism motivates Gerald Alexander, says Vito Stellino.

Rookie returners Deji Karim and Scotty McGee get their first big test against the Eagles, says Stellino.

Mike Thomas isn’t too small for anything, says Vic Ketchman.

Tennessee Titans

Chuck Cecil is looking for a second-year jump, says Jim Wyatt.

So many fans wanted Chris Johnson’s autograph, they crushed a chain-link fence and a little boy was injured, say Wyatt and John Glennon.

Damian Williams came off PUP and made a quick impression, says Glennon.

Kerry Collins will get the least work in preseason games of all four Titans quarterbacks, says Wyatt.

LeGarrette Blount is trying to prove reliable, says David Boclair.

Robert Johnson is trying to stand out, says Phil Brame.

Craig Johnson talks about Blount, a player on the fringe, with Steve Wyche.

HOUSTON -- Some quick early impressions after watching the Texans in an organized team activities session that got pushed into their practice bubble by some serious rain.

• As a group the running backs look good –- which they are supposed to. Steve Slaton is in a red shirt to discourage any contact as he gets back from a neck injury. He’s lighter. Further down the depth chart, Chris Henry has bulked up. Ben Tate is still catching up after missing early time. Arian Foster is still at the head of the line and could put me in a spot where I have to give him a bit more credit, though I am weary of banking on much from him off a few good games at the end of 2009. Ryan Moats is the old man of the group and he’s just 27. One OTA practice should tell me little, but I can’t help but feel a little better about their depth.
• This was just the second day of the kicker competition, and after a draw in round one, Kris Brown was a bit better than Neil Rackers. Brown hit five of five from 38 yards, Rackers four or five with a couple narrowly inside the right upright. I love a kicker competition -- because I don’t need a lot of help to see who’s doing better. This should be a good one, but it’s hard to replicate the sort of pressure the Texans need to be sure they can handle in a way Brown didn’t last year. Gary Kubiak is certain the guy who’s not kicking for him will be kicking for another team.
• Brian Cushing is working as the starter. Kubiak said he won’t mess with the lineup through the remainder of the offseason since Cushing is going to be around for 12 games. In camp the coach will start to juggle, and he forecasts a three-way battle to sub for Cushing between Xavier Adibi, Kevin Bentley and Danny Clark for a four-game starting stint on the strongside.
• I don’t know what becomes of young long snapper Ryan Weeks or undrafted tackle Steve Maneri. But I feel sure that they will be telling their children and grandchildren about moments like today, when each had one-on-one coaching from Hall of Fame lineman Bruce Matthews. Matthews, a quality snapper, helped Weeks early and stayed late to work with Maneri on pass-protection drops.
• Matt Schaub looked crisp and confident, and I saw way more of that from backup Dan Orlovsky than I did this time last year. The visual matched up with what I’d read about Orlovsky, who was third behind Schaub and since-departed Rex Grossman the previous year, appears more equipped to play if needed.
• Kubiak said he wanted to bring some chaos to practice, and since the team was inside, he used crowd noise for the first time this offseason. It was loud and ran pre-snap to a second after a receiver caught a pass or a running back was to the second or third level. It left me with a headache. I’m tough and will shake it off as soon as a Diet Coke finds me.

Trey in Atlanta, GA writes: The Texans strategy of being patient in free agency and building through the draft is working since the team has been slowly getting better and seemingly built for continued success. If Haynesworth is available for a second or third round pick, wouldn't this be a great value for them rather than drafting a defensive tackle?

Paul Kuharsky: I simply can’t believe Albert Haynesworth will be available for so little compensation with so little guaranteed money left on his deal. If he is, absolutely Houston should be at the head of the line. I’d give up a second for him in a heartbeat and the pass rush would get just what it needs. I would think the Jaguars would be interested too, and I know the Titans would be. But neither of them have a second-round pick.

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Rashawn Ingram in Dover, Delaware writes: I have a question about Marvin Harrison and his potential HOF induction. If he has been sitting out of the league for two years now, will that count towards his five inactive years for HOF eligibility? Or does he have to officially retire?

Paul Kuharsky: He’s only been out one year. If he goes five years without playing, he’s eligible for the Hall. Officially retiring is about paperwork, and probably some benefits.

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Kyrill in Princeton, NJ writes: A Jaguars draft question for your next mailbag: Assuming the Jags don't trade out of the ten spot, they seem likely to draft a defensive player. I think they'd take Eric Berry in a heartbeat if he's still there, but most mock drafts have him going earlier. Which of the following would you rather have: Joe Haden, Earl Thomas, Rolando McClain, Derrick Morgan, or Jason Pierre-Paul? Those are the names most often linked to Jacksonville, and I'd love to have your take on them.

Paul Kuharsky: I agree there is no chance Berry is there. From your list, I am big on Thomas. But in the blogger mock I know you anxiously await -- you’ll see it Monday -- I might have to go a different direction.

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Dustin in Stanford, CA writes: Hey Paul, It seems that a few people doing projections think that the Titans highly rate workout warriors in the draft. This thought scares me. Anything you can do to alleviate my fears? Thanks for the great work.

Paul Kuharsky: You hope they learned from Chris Henry, but they certainly like some measurables and it helped with Chris Johnson. So it’s not always a bad thing. Film first, all that other stuff should amount to smaller, secondary ingredients.

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Eric Cox in Madison, WI writes: I am curious how the NFL arranges the order of compensatory picks. I see that in the 5th round, Green Bay, San Diego, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta all have extra picks, but they are not arranged according to last season's standings. Do you know?

Paul Kuharsky: The secret formula (sounds like we are talking about Coke) that determines what compensatory picks you get determines if mine is a notch more valuable than yours, etc. The way they stack has nothing to do with the stacking of the non-compensatory picks in the draft.

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Arne Wilson from parts unknown writes: Chris Henry was a Jeff Fisher guy. That the pick was blamed on a since-departed position coach is appalling. That draft was horrible. The Titans badly needed two wide receivers, a corner and a defensive end. The Titans' would up with Michael Griffin (a bust at corner, so they put him at safety where he was good in 2008 with great players around him but struggled in 2009), Henry (bust), Paul Williams (bust), Leroy Harris (good player, but not at a need position) and Chris Davis (bust). Floyd Reese is gone, but the bad draft picks and ineffective free agency approach continues. It is past time to hold the front office accountable.

Paul Kuharsky: I don’t see how it’s appalling to say that Henry had Sherman Smith’s endorsement, as he did. You say Henry was a Fisher guy, then ask for the front office to be held accountable. Well, which?

And did I defend that draft somewhere?

When players want to steer clear of trouble with the bosses, they are fond of saying “players play, coaches coach.”

As the draft approaches, I wonder how often scouts mumble the variation: “Scouts scout, coaches coach.”

Not long ago, the Tennessee Titans had a somewhat distinct division of power along those lines.

Former GM Floyd Reese respected Jeff Fisher’s staff. But Reese believed it was his job to assess the talent and to provide it to be coached up.

There were exceptions, of course. Offensive line coach Mike Munchak was the primary force behind the selection of left tackle Michael Roos in 2005, for example.

The scouts I know respect the opinion of a position coach like Munchak.

How could they not appreciate the track record of a Hall of Fame player in developing quality linemen? Still, in a general scout-assistant matchup where the credentials are more even, scouts should hold the trump card, don’t you agree?

One scout I spoke to this week pointed to nine months of work including all those live visits against four to six weeks of study done primarily with tape.

If a GM needs to lean one way or the other, this scout said he should lean with the scout. And on his team, he said that’s usually the way it goes.

Most often, Reese was making the call with the support of his scouting staff. Position coach input was a relatively small ingredient.

And so, when some of Reese’s players didn’t match expectations, a semi-traditional tug of war commenced: Position coaches might gripe about the talent they were -- or were not -- given; the personnel department could grumble about how coaches were not bringing out a player’s best.

Now the man who replaced Reese in 2007, Mike Reinfeldt, strives for harmony and consent and has drafted several players in part because of large endorsements from assistant coaches with mixed degrees of success.

• Secondary coach Marcus Robertson liked Ryan Mouton, who struggled as a rookie in 2009.
• Defensive line coach Jim Washburn wanted Jason Jones and William Hayes in 2008, and they still rate as works in progress.
• Former running backs coach Sherman Smith endorsed Chris Henry in 2007, and Henry busted and is gone.

Reinfeldt’s counterparts in the AFC South seek to be consensus builders too, though Colts president Bill Polian and Jaguars general manager Gene Smith are more powerful than Reinfeldt and Texans GM Rick Smith when it comes to final decisions.

Retired coach Steve Walters, who worked in New England and New Orleans before wrapping up his career with stops in Tennessee and Jacksonville overseeing receivers, said he agreed with that. Under Reese he rarely did much hands-on work with prospects. Assistants just weren’t used that way much. Under James “Shack” Harris with the Jaguars, dumped after the 2008 season, Walters said he and the assistants played a bigger role in scouting.

I can see some value in a more old-school approach to how things should work. It was often unhealthy to have “Reese guys” and “Fisher guys” on the Oilers and Titans. But a position coach didn’t have any more stake in Player A than he did in Player B and it felt like a system of checks and balances was in place.

Washburn helped turn late-round picks by Reese like Robaire Smith (sixth round, 2000) and Carlos Hall (seventh, 2002) into productive players. More recently, he’s given his blessing to the team’s choice of Jones and Hayes under Reinfeldt .

Might the hard-nosed Washburn, even subconsciously, be inclined to give Jones and Hayes a bit more leeway than a guy previously forced on him despite his protests? Might he, even subconsciously, be rooting for them a bit more, because he stuck his neck out for them?

My initial answer to those questions was that I expected he would, and that such things be detrimental. But in hashing it out with a scout and a former coach, I am no longer as staunch in my opinion.

I do still think it’s an interesting question to consider.

My scout told me the additional accountability that comes with a position coach endorsement is a good thing. Maybe a coach would want to stick with such a player a snap, a series, a game or a season too long, but the cross-checking and co-sign from a GM and his scouts provides the necessary context and cover for such scenarios.

You can take the accountability idea in many different directions, though.

If there is a scouting-coaching split, it’s easier to trace an evaluation mistake back to where it happened. On the consensus side, the saying goes that it’s amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares about who gets the credit. What about the blame?

Ultimately, an owner should want to know who is nailing assessments and who is botching them.

Walters said when an assistant feels he got what he asked for, he is conscious of having endorsed a guy.

“If you stand on the table for a guy and say, ‘I really think this is the guy and these are the reasons why’ and you can build a case for the guy, your opinion may push it over the top for a guy that you want,” he said. “And if you get that guy you’re certainly a little bit on the line for him because they’re going to remember what you said.

“If they just say ‘Here are your guys, like them or not,’ whether you had any input into them or not…”

His voice trailed off and he left that one hanging.

I’d be inclined to finish it: “Well that’s a different deal.”

» NFC Approach: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)

Each week leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Draft approach.

Houston Texans

Gary Kubiak was already on board for the fantastic 2006 draft, but the old front office was also there. General manager Rick Smith was hired after that. I don't have a great sense of the Texans' philosophy. The three drafts since feature some hits -- most noticeably Brian Cushing -- but more guys who still haven’t fully tapped into the potential the team saw in them. They’ve only taken one defensive back as high as the third round, which is part of why they need a few so badly now. They’ve only taken one defensive tackle, and he was a fifth rounder.

Indianapolis Colts

Best player available, regardless of need. That’s how president Bill Polian strives to operate and that’s why the Colts are very unpredictable, especially at the top, when draft days roll around. The Colts still prefer fast and quick to big and super-strong, though they have come to desire more size on their offensive line and interior defensive line. The team’s first pick has been offense the last four years, and providing what Peyton Manning needs to be successful is usually priority one. This time around that would seem to be offensive line, but Polian won’t panic if there is a lineman he loves later and is confident he will be able to land.

Jacksonville Jaguars

General manager Gene Smith has only been on the job for a year, but we still know a good bit about his drafting philosophy. He believes in foundation first, which means offensive and defensive lines. He’s looking to hit singles with every pick, not to swing for the fences. He’s not afraid to stick his neck out as he did last year, trading his 2010 second-rounder for a third-round pick used on corner Derek Cox out of a lesser football school, William & Mary. The Jaguars will strive to get value at every pick while filling out their needs. They will be more likely to trade down than up because of that missing second-rounder and won’t force moves (read draft Tim Tebow) to please the marketing department or a segment of the fan base.

Tennessee Titans

In the three drafts run by general manager Mike Reinfeldt, the Titans have gotten excited over at least one workout warrior early: Chris Henry (bust), Chris Johnson (home run) and Jared Cook (we don’t know yet). The Titans are not afraid to look to smaller programs like Eastern Michigan or Winston-Salem State and some picks in recent years have clearly been favorites of position coaches -- Jim Washburn wanted Jason Jones, William Hayes and Sen'Derrick Marks; Marcus Robertson backed Ryan Mouton. The team doesn’t have big concerns over how other teams or people may value a guy. Sticking their neck out for Johnson made the Titans look great. The jury is still out others like Michael Griffin or Jones.