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With the second pick in the first round, the Jacksonville Jaguars got themselves a rock of an offensive tackle in Luke Joeckel.

What did they get with the first pick of the second round?

A team in dire need of cornerstones might have found one for the defense in Johnathan Cyprien, the strong safety out of Florida International.

Initial reports out of Jacksonville are very solid. It’s obviously early, but Cyprien could be the linchpin of a young secondary that grows up together, helping slow the run and cover the sort of tight ends who are increasingly posing matchup issues around the league.

“The thing we really enjoyed about evaluating him was his football instincts," said DeWayne Walker, the Jaguars' defensive backs coach. “Some guys, they have that halo effect where they kind of feel the game, and he has a real good feel for the game.

"We’re going to have to smooth him out, and we’re going to have to polish him up a little bit. At the same time, he definitely brings a lot of good tools to the table.”

Not too may years ago, the AFC South had a major dearth of quality safeties. Gradually, the position has gotten better. If Cyprien can be an impact guy, he and free safety Dwight Lowery can make the position one of the Jaguars’ most solid.

Cyprien comes across as a polite, confident young man eager to learn and to prove himself. He grew up admiring Sean Taylor, Troy Polamalu and Detroit Lions safety Louis Delmas, who went to the same high school and ranks as a friend who has offered a great deal of encouragement.

A late bloomer at North Miami Beach (Fla.) High School, Cyprien dreamed of playing at Texas, but had just two scholarship offers -- from Central Michigan and FIU. He stayed in Florida, and a big senior season in college turned him into a borderline first-round pick.

The Jaguars surely could have gotten good value by trading out of the 33rd position in the draft, but stayed put and jumped on him.

“It’s a big position, a big role in this defense,” Cyprien said. “You’re allowed to do a lot of things. You’re allowed to have a lot of fun. I’m planning on having a lot of fun playing that position.

“I guess you could say it could be hard for a rookie to be a leader. I wouldn’t define it as that, personally. I’m just taking it head on.”

Of eight picks in the draft, the Jaguars spent five on defensive backs: Cyprien in the second round; UConn cornerback Dwayne Gratz in the third; Florida free safety Josh Evans in the sixth; and New Mexico State cornerback Jeremy Harris and Appalachian State cornerback Demetrius McCray both in the seventh.

The Jaguars have a handful of guys with experience for the kids to look to.

Marcus Trufant, a 10-year veteran corner, played on coach Gus Bradley’s defense in Seattle, and could be the nickelback. Another free-agent cornerback, Alan Ball, has played five seasons, but struggled in Houston last year. Safety Chris Prosinski, a fourth-rounder from 2011, should be a backup at best with Cyprien on board. Mike Harris could be a nice nickel candidate in his second season.

Given the uncertainty at the position, I rank the Jaguars’ cornerback group as the most competitive unit in the division.

If Jacksonville is going to be any good on the back end, it’s likely to be because of the draft class’ contribution.

“I think it’s fun for all of us,” Walker said. “These guys were needed. We’re going to be pretty young. It’s fun for all of us to get this group and develop it and prove people wrong …

“Being able to talk with them about the league, these guys are pretty mature. Coach Bradley, [defensive coordinator] Bob Babich, all of our coaches do a good job saying the right things to these guys to get them acclimated. So I think all of our rookies, not only the rookies in the secondary, have come into a situation where we are here to help them, we are here to develop them to be competitive football players.”

Walker, who was the head coach at New Mexico State from 2009 to 2012, where he posted a 10-40 record, left in January to join Bradley's staff. Previously, Walker coached defensive backs for the Washington Redskins, New York Giants, New England Patriots and at Cal. He was also defensive coordinator at UCLA.

The assistant coach is a straight shooter who has been telling the rookies about the identity he wants his players to have, Cyprien said. They need to be sound in the techniques they are taught, and they should all look the same on tape.

“I think it’s a challenge for him, I think it’s good for him,” Cyprien said of the influx of youth in the secondary. “I know we have him excited, because we just want to run around, and we’re hungry to learn and we’re asking a lot of questions.”

Reading the coverage…

Houston Texans

In a radio interview, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips offered a bit about the health status of linebackers Brooks Reed and Daryl Sharpton, says Tania Ganguli of the Houston Chronicle.

The Texans added Deji Karim to their roster, and he will compete with four undrafted rookies for the No. 3 running back job, says Ganguli.

A detailed, technical look at D.J. Swearinger’s coverage techniques and capabilities that delves into shuffle vs. backpedal, from Brett Kollmann of Battle Red Blog.

Indianapolis Colts

An update on the Colts and the salary cap from Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

There is no discernable disconnect between Chuck Pagano and Pep Hamilton with regard to using Andrew Luck in read-option situations, says Kyle Rodriguez of Colts Authority. There is an old video of a Hamilton interview that was interpreted as new in one write-up, causing some confusion.

Projecting the impact of draft picks with Tyler Brooke of Stampede Blue.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Veteran safety Dwight Lowery is already doing a lot to help his rookie partner, Johnathan Cyprien, find his way on the field, says Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.

Justin Blackmon is responding to Gus Bradley just the way Bradley hopes he will, says Vito Stellino of the Times-Union.

Undrafted quarterback Jordan Rodgers is out until training camp after having a sports hernia repaired, says Stellino.

Details on what unfolded for Jimmy Smith and landed him in jail, from Stellino.

The Jaguars claimed former Patriots defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick off waivers, says O’Halloran.

Tennessee Titans

Bernard Pollard brings encouraging words to a defense desperately in need of an edge, says David Climer of The Tennessean.

“The Titans waived tackle Matt Sewell, one of two undrafted free agents from Canada on the team’s roster, The Tennessean reports. “The move came with a transaction wire notation that Sewell had left the team.”

What’s the future hold for Karl Klug at a more competitive defensive tackle spot? John Glennon of The Tennessean considers.

To which I say: I don’t see Klug getting a look outside. As Glennon points out, Klug’s best characteristics make him best operating in tight quarters, not out in space.

Some thoughts on Lavelle Hawkins signing with the Patriots from Mike Rodak and Mike Reiss at ESPN Boston. I contributed.

The Jacksonville Jaguars look to have a second quality rookie option at safety.

They drafted Johnathan Cyprien from Florida International in the second round. Now they’ve added Josh Evans of Florida in the sixth round, 169th overall.

Cyprien looks like a lead candidate to start at strong safety. Evans is more of a free safety and played next to strong safety Matt Elam for the Gators. Elam went to Baltimore with the final pick of the first round.

Evans is 6-foot-1, 201 pounds so he gives the Jaguars the sort of secondary height they are trying to add.

I like Dwight Lowery, a cerebral player who’s a couple inches shorter but 10 pounds heavier than Evans. But Lowery only played nine games at free safety last season because of ankle and foot injuries.

Here’s NFL Draft Scout on Evans:

"Lean, athletic build with very long arms. Attacking mentality stands out on film. Isn't afraid to get physical and competes when the ball is in the air and after the catch, always attempting to rip it out of the ballcarrier's grasp. Attacks the line of scrimmage when he reads run or when allowed to blitz. Good balance and lateral agility to break down and make the effective open-field tackle or when avoiding backs as a pass rusher."

The Jacksonville Jaguars have gone from Dawan Landry to Johnathan Cyprien at strong safety, and the move could wind up being an immediate upgrade for the new regime.

It certainly will be more cost effective. Landry, signed to a monster deal by the fired brass, was overpriced. Cyprien will get the contract commensurate with the first pick of the second round, which is where the Jaguars picked him.

Here’s Scouts Inc. in the Jaguars’ new safety, who should start beside Dwight Lowery: “Cyprien may have the best combination of size, range and athleticism in the safety class. He can play near the box and handle middle-of-the-field responsibilities. Cyprien plays fast, and with a physical edge. His instincts are adequate, but he could improve his angles as a tackle.

If he doesn’t beat out Chris Prosinski, it won’t bode well for him. I expect it won’t be difficult for Cyprien to vault Prosinski.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have not been afraid to say they are in a rebuild. It’s a rebuild that will be centered on drafts and be quiet in free agency.

Still, some of their additions have adjusted their needs. Understanding they need just about everything, let’s look at the big question mark positions and how free agency has affected them.

Offensive line -- This remains a giant need. General manager David Caldwell indicated early in the offseason that the Jaguars didn’t have people they thought could start at left guard and right tackle. And they’ve added nothing to address the issue. A tackle is certainly in play with the No. 2 overall pick, and it will be a surprise if the Jaguars don’t draft two offensive linemen.

Cornerback -- Alan Ball didn’t play well for the Texans last year, but perhaps another change of scenery and Gus Bradley’s system will resurrect him. Still, the Jaguars are quite thin at corner, with well-regarded second-year man Mike Harris joined by young Kevin Rutland and journeyman Antwaun Molden. It’s hard to look at this group and feel like it can slow Andre Johnson or Reggie Wayne. Corner is a major need.

Safety -- They cut the expensive Dawan Landry. So aside from Dwight Lowery, they are very thin. Strong safety is a blank spot that needs filling and ranks right there with offensive line and corner in the desperate need category.

Quarterback -- No, I don’t think Blaine Gabbert or Chad Henne is a long-term answer. So if the new regime loves a guy in this draft, it certainly can add a quarterback. But given the holes on this team, it would make perfect sense to build up the infrastructure that would make Jacksonville a better landing spot for a quarterback in a year.

Defensive end -- The Jaguars had fewer sacks as a team last season than Houston defensive lineman J.J. Watt had on his own. They haven’t added an end and absolutely need a dynamic pass-rusher.

Running back -- Justin Forsett was a nice addition as Maurice Jones-Drew's primary relief. But MJD could be in his last year with the team, so a running back of the future could arrive in the draft.

Linebacker -- Geno Hayes could be a starter on the outside as it doesn’t appear Daryl Smith is going to be back. Russell Allen is serviceable, so maybe the team has its two starting OLBs. Not as pressing in the draft as some other areas, but if they see one they like they won’t steer away.

Fullback -- Greg Jones is gone to Houston and indications are the team plans on using a fullback. Maybe a late draft pick. But it’s a niche spot that a lot of teams may fill with an undrafted guy.

Defensive tackle -- They’ve added Roy Miller and Sen'Derrick Marks. Those two and a healthy Tyson Alualu could be sufficient along with competition for a back-end spot between D'Anthony Smith, Jeris Pendleton and an undrafted guy or two. I could see the Jaguars leaving this spot alone now.

The free-agent market for safeties could actually be pretty good.

Among those with expiring contracts are Buffalo’s Jairus Byrd, the Giants’ Kenny Phillips, Atlanta’s William Moore, San Francisco’s Dashon Goldson and Houston’s Glover Quin.

It’s a tantalizing list, but it’s sure to shrink.

That pesky franchise tag is dangling out there, threatening to keep quality players at a position of need for Tennessee and Indianapolis from becoming free agents.

At many positions the tag can be prohibitively high. But the new CBA drove the numbers down. Instead of the tag equaling the average of the five highest-paid players at the position, like it was under the old CBA, the new formula is more complex. It uses the average of the five highest-paid players at the position over the past five years and figures in the salary cap, too.

Long story short: Safeties will have a modest tag number of about $6.798 million. Only tight ends and kickers/punters are slated to be lower.

Should teams keep a quality guy for another year for less than $7 million or try to replace him? For most teams, tagging a safety isn’t a tough call at all. I’d guess Byrd, Goldson and Quin will all get tagged if they don’t get long-term deals. If that’s the case, an intriguing safety pool dries up a good deal. Players such as Moore and Phillips, if they are not tagged, could wind up in advantageous negotiating positions.

That’s one reason George Wilson, recently released by the Bills, might be wise to wait. He has a head start -- free agency begins March 12 -- and is slated to visit Detroit on Thursday, a day after he was in Tennessee. But if supply shrinks before free agency starts, demand for him could go up.

For many years, safeties and guards have been relatively cheap players. Many roster architects put a higher priority on other positions, believing it was easier to find serviceable safeties or guards.

Some franchises believe they can draft corners who come up a bit short at the position and shift them inside. Quin came into the league as a corner out of New Mexico. Jacksonville free safety Dwight Lowery, acquired from the Jets in a 2010 trade, played cornerback for his first two years in New York.

Now, it seems safeties are being viewed as more important, but the price tags haven’t necessarily caught up to any new thinking.

“I don’t think people really understand the importance of safety,” Goldson told me at the Super Bowl in a chat about the low franchise tag. “Safety is definitely like quarterback on defense. Everybody looks at [middle linebackers] as more of the captains, but safeties are pretty much the ones who are running the show.

“They are smart football players, they understand defenses and get guys lined up, make adjustments on the fly and they have to know everything. They have to know as much as quarterbacks do on offense."

In Houston, the secondary was not nearly as good in 2012 as it was in 2011. Still, the Texans like their top five guys -- corners Johnathan Joseph, Kareem Jackson and Brice McCain and safeties Danieal Manning and Quin.

Quin rates as their most significant pending free agent.

He’s a versatile guy, a converted corner who probably still hasn’t peaked. I expect the team will do what it has to in order to retain him, though the Texans don’t have a lot of cap freedom.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Quin said. “What I would hope happens is a good deal, a long-term deal to stay in Houston, obviously.”

The adjustment of the formula for determining the tags in the new CBA is another example of how poorly the players fared in the deal. Most reports of the change in the tag equation suggested the owners had slipped one past the NFLPA.

The positional groupings for tags also make little sense.

Defensive ends and defensive tackles each have their own number. But on the other side of the ball there is simply an "offensive linemen" umbrella that covers tackles, guards and centers despite the differences in the positions and their prices. It's too broad, which is great for interior guys but terrible for tackles who are worth more.

As for the judgment of the worth of a good safety …

In 2011 the Chargers determined Eric Weddle was worth $19 million guaranteed and as much as $40 million over five years. He’s continued to be excellent for them after getting the deal. In 2012, after initially tagging Michael Griffin, the Titans decided he was worth $35 million over five years with $15 million guaranteed. He remains a symbol of their defensive struggles and needs to be surrounded by better people.

To have a chance to make the Griffin deal look OK, the Titans need to pair him with a better player. If they can’t land Moore, Phillips or Wilson, that guy will have to arrive via the draft.

He must show up somehow.

If the Texans want to maximize their chances to play good defense, they need to hold on to Quin. If the Colts want to improve, they should upgrade from Tom Zbikowski.

The AFC South could be part of getting that franchise tag to grow.

Goldson says the number will rise, that safeties won’t be near the bottom of the list forever.

“I think we’ll get to that point eventually,” he said. “I think the market will go up. I would hope I help drive it up.”

Today we look at the biggest issues facing each team in the AFC South and give you an opportunity to assess priority one:

Pending free agents of note: Linebacker Daryl Smith, cornerback Derek Cox, fullback Greg Jones, defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, cornerback Rashean Mathis, center Brad Meester.

Weaknesses: It’s a big list considering the Jaguars were as bad as any team in the league with their 2-14 season. They have no clear answer at quarterback, where Blaine Gabbert will be coming off a couple injuries and Chad Henne didn’t show he’s better. The pass rush generated fewer sacks than Houston’s J.J. Watt had by himself.

Unsettled starting jobs: We’ll turn this category inside-out for Jacksonville and consider guys under contract who should be locked in -- left tackle Eugene Monroe, receivers Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon, running back Maurice Jones-Drew if he’s back, defensive end Jason Babin, middle linebacker Paul Posluszny, strong safety Dawan Landry, free safety Dwight Lowery.

Depth issues: They could be OK at receiver and safety, though I’d like to see an upgrade on Chris Prosinski as the third guy. There are front-line issues everywhere else, so depth is a luxury conversation at this time.

Health concerns: Jones-Drew missed all but six games and had foot surgery after the season, and his recovery will be a big issue. He’s got one year left on his deal a year after holding out for a new deal. Gabbert had left shoulder surgery. Receiver Laurent Robinson had major concussion issues. Defensive end Andre Branch didn’t finish the season and had surgery, believed to be connected to a groin issue. Lowery is recovering from a foot injury.

Unseen issue: Gus Bradley and his staff will try to start off with schemes tailored to what they have, but they’ve not yet been able to dig in and evaluate the roster. Their assessment of the roster is obviously a crucial part of how things pan out going forward.

When new GM David Caldwell decided not to retain Mike Mularkey and set off on a search for a head coach, he spoke of looking for a co-builder of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Caldwell’s guy is hired, and Gus Bradley will be introduced Friday.

Now the two will embark on the toughest job in the league: roster-building for a team that doesn't have much talent.

The Jaguars were technically the second-worst team in the league in 2012. They and the Kansas City Chiefs were 2-14, but Kansas City played an easier schedule and thereby qualified for the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Caldwell and Bradley will be looking to add a blue-chip player at No. 2, a building block.

The list of guys under contract whom I consider pieces they can fill in around isn’t very long:

On offense: Receivers Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon, left tackle Eugene Monroe, tight end Marcedes Lewis (though he’s overpriced), running back Maurice Jones-Drew (who could be dealt with one year remaining on his deal).

On defense: Ends Jeremy Mincey and Jason Babin, middle linebacker Paul Posluszny, safeties Dwight Lowery and Dawan Landry.

That’s not a lot, and we don’t know whether all those guys fit what Caldwell and Bradley will want to do systematically.

While a lot of teams have turned things around quickly, the Jaguars need a major infusion of talent. A quality free-agency class and a good draft can do a lot to help the team make a jump. But this roster needs major revamping, and it’ll take more than a year to turn the Jaguars into a playoff-caliber team.

The one element that can accelerate a turnaround -- a big-time quarterback -- does not appear to be available. The Colts went from 2-14 to 11-5 with a new regime, but the central player in the turnaround was No. 1 pick Andrew Luck. There is no Luck to be brought in here.

Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne are under contract.

Perhaps the Jaguars find a quarterback who’s a revelation like third-rounder Russell Wilson in Seattle, where Bradley comes from. Perhaps they deal for Matt Flynn (also in Seattle) or Alex Smith (San Francisco), and the new veteran is a big upgrade.

But the odds on either scenario are long.

More likely the leadership duo look to build all other areas of the roster while waiting for a chance at a quarterback in a year or two. Caldwell's contract is for five years. We don't know the length of Bradley's deal yet.

But their co-build is very likely going to take time.

I feel badly for Khaled Elsayed today.

Afterall, he picked Andrew Luck as his All-AFC South quarterback. And we know when a certain AFC South blogger recently made that move how Texans faithful reacted.

I suspect Elsayed has a big day of Twitter activity ahead.

But that’s the price he pays for being right.

Our differences are few, and I don't find any of the spots where he went a different direction to be objectionable.

Here's his team. Here’s mine.

He went two-back while I went two-tight. He went 4-3 while I went 3-4.

He has David Stewart at right tackle, but I know Stewart didn’t play to his standard, and downgraded him because he got hurt and missed four games. Winston Justice of the Colts was hardly great, but got my nod.

He picked Derrick Morgan as his fourth defensive lineman where I had Paul Posluszny as my fourth linebacker, and he gave Zach Brown a spot where I had Robert Mathis. He also has Dwight Lowery as a safety, a pick I very nearly made because Danieal Manning was inconsistent.

Finally, PFF liked Josh Scobee as the place-kicker where I tabbed Rob Bironas. Like me, Elsayed gave the nod at punter to Pat McAfee. The tweets protesting the crime of going that direction over Jags’ rookie Bryan Anger won’t match the Schaub defense, Khaled, but they might come close.

PFF liked Alan Ball as its special teamer. He missed a lot of games, and I had his teammate Bryan Braman.

Dig in and enjoy.

» NFC Season Wraps: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five things to know and my all-division team.

Division MVP: J.J. Watt, defensive end, Houston Texans. I’ve never seen someone so disruptive up front. The guy’s got the complete package. He’s incredibly instinctive, knowing when to stop rushing and pull up, looking to bat down a pass. He also understands the lane into which a quarterback might be looking to throw. He simply manhandles some blockers -- swimming past them, bowling them backward, speeding around them or knifing between two guys. Some blockers have had absolutely no answer for him, and even if a team tried to take plays as far away from him as possible, he often tracked those plays and got involved in stopping them.

Early in the season he talked about wanting to redefine the 3-4 end position, which hasn’t traditionally been a stat position. Later Antonio Smith pointed out how often Watt is really lining up at tackle. He’s not likely to win MVP based on what the league’s best quarterbacks and Adrian Peterson (despite my thinking that the running back is not worthy of the award) are doing. But his ability to push an offense backward so often has been a tremendous factor in an excellent season for the Texans. The other three teams would be wise to reinforce their offensive lines, because it’s reasonable to expect Watt will be a handful for protections and run blocking for years to come.

Biggest disappointment: The pass rushes of the Jaguars and the Titans required offseason attention. Neither team did enough to find a way to disrupt opposing quarterbacks consistently. The Jaguars go into the final game of the season with the worst sacks-per-play average in the NFL and a total of only 18 sacks. Jacksonville’s big addition was second-round pick Andre Branch, who couldn’t hold onto a starting job and finished with one sack in 12 games and is on IR. The Jags played nine games in which they produced either one sack or no sacks. Tennessee has 32 sacks and is close to the middle of the pack. But it’s not enough for a defense with a lot of kids in the back seven and bad safety play. Tennessee got better results than Jacksonville from its newcomer, free-agent signee Kamerion Wimbley (five sacks), but he didn’t offer the game-to-game and play-to-play threat Tennessee so desperately needed.

Joe Cullen’s been in place for three seasons as Jacksonville’s defensive line coach. He’s a good coach and motivator, but he did not get the production the defense had to have. His counterpart in Nashville, Tracy Rocker, came from Auburn in 2011 and hasn’t proved to be an effective NFL position coach. Pass-rush coach Keith Millard was brought in to help the rush and the blitz, but it’s hard to see a major difference as a result of his presence. The Titans got shredded by the best quarterbacks they faced, from Tom Brady on opening day to Aaron Rodgers last week.

Offensive player of the year, rookie of the year, fourth-quarter player of the year: Andrew Luck has thrown too many interceptions in his rookie season. His stat line is hardly cause for a parade. He dug himself some holes. But leading his team to 10 wins, seven of them in comeback fashion, and getting into the playoffs does a lot to reduce the importance of those turnovers. He showed a great talent for climbing out of those holes. He was capable of digesting everything the first time around, handling Bruce Arians’ very vertical offense, the absence of coach Chuck Pagano, an often ineffective defense and a less-than-watertight offensive line with aplomb.

Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson have strong cases for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, which may never have been so hotly contested. We may see all three rookie quarterbacks in the playoffs. In the AFC South, Luck is the quarterback who was asked to do the most from the start, and he was the quarterback who did the most. Rookie receiver T.Y. Hilton is already a good player for the Colts. If you took Hilton and put him on the Titans or the Jaguars, how would he fare? Nowhere near as well as he fared playing with Luck in their first years in the NFL, I feel certain.

Worst injuries: The Jaguars really suffered because Daryl Smith and Clint Session were absent from the linebacking corps. Smith just returned last week from a groin injury and Session never made it back from multiple concussions suffered in 2011, his first season in Jacksonville. The corners all took turns missing time, and safety Dwight Lowery played only nine games. The loss of playmakers really dented a defense that plummeted in the rankings from 2011 to 2012.

Tennessee’s offensive line was not good enough, and revamping the interior needs to be a major offseason priority. The Titans lost starting center Eugene Amano in the preseason and right guard Leroy Harris halfway through the year. For the last quarter of the season, they were also down left guard Steve Hutchinson and right tackle David Stewart. It’s hard for them to give Jake Locker a real chance playing behind a line with four reserves. Still, he could have shown far more in his chances when he was healthy.

The division’s two worst teams lost a lot of time with their young quarterbacks, too. Locker missed five games with a shoulder injury, and Blaine Gabbert played through a shoulder injury before adding a forearm issue that ended his season after 10 games. Looking ahead to 2013, the status of each as a long-term answer is not what it once was.

Coaches of the year: Pagano and Arians of the Colts. It's been a storybook season for Indianapolis, which rallied around Pagano. He learned he had leukemia after just three games and handed the team to Arians while he underwent treatment. His fight gave the team a purpose, and it responded by playing better than the sum of its parts. Behind the scenes, Pagano was more involved than many might imagine.

But it was Arians conveying the messages, overseeing the game-planning, leading and, as offensive coordinator, calling the plays. He did a masterful job in overseeing the team, the offense and the rookie quarterback. Now, with Pagano back in place, he’ll drift into the background. He’s 60, which will work against his getting a head-coaching job. His work, however, should earn him consideration for some of the jobs that are about to open. That was quite an audition. And just about every team hiring a coach will need a quarterback developer.

ALL-DIVISION TEAM

I want to emphasize one thing about this All-AFC South Team. Wade Smith is measured against the division’s left guards, not against the rest of the selections. There are miles between Smith as a player and Watt as a player, and if we measure a guard against a defensive end who’s the division MVP, things look askew.

One I’ll get crushed for: Many of you argued with me on Twitter when I wrote that I would take Luck over Matt Schaub as the third Pro Bowl quarterback, so I am sure you won’t like the choice of quarterback here. Luck struggled more than Schaub, for sure. But he was asked to do far more than Schaub and produced seven comeback wins, leading a team that’s really lacking in talent to an improbable playoff spot. There were no expectations for the Colts, and Luck and the team delivered. There were huge expectations on the Texans, and Schaub and the team delivered. My gut continues to prefer Luck’s year. That doesn’t mean I dislike what Schaub’s done.

Just misses: Titans defensive end Derrick Morgan, Texans outside linebacker Brooks Reed, Jaguars cornerback Derek Cox, Texans quarterback Matt Schaub.

The Jaguars are getting a veteran star back for their final two games.

But it’s not running back Maurice Jones-Drew.

It’s linebacker Daryl Smith, a longtime stalwart who has missed the entire season because of a groin injury. The Jaguars had used their one IR designation that allowed a player to return on him. He’s been practicing and was officially added to the active roster today.

Safety Dwight Lowery, who has been dealing with a foot injury, was placed on IR to make room.

Smith has made 122 starts for the Jaguars since being selected in the second round of the 2004 draft out of Georgia Tech. He owns the franchise record with 1,084 tackles. He also has 21.5 sacks, 59 tackles for loss, nine forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and six interceptions in eight seasons. He set a single-season franchise record in 2011 with 15 tackles for loss.

A durable player for the bulk of his career, his injury was really untimely.

Friday the team added running back Jonathan Grimes off waivers from Houston.

Thoughts on the Jaguars’ 24-19 win over the Titans at EverBank Field:

What it means: The Jaguars won for the first time since Sept. 23 at Indianapolis, with Chad Henne leading three touchdown drives while Jacksonville’s defense kept the Titans out of the end zone until there was only 4:52 left in the game. Tennessee came off its bye hoping to go on a run and fight for a playoff spot. Now, at 4-7, it’ll take a five-game winning streak just to finish over .500.

What I liked, Jaguars: They let the Titans pull within two points with just inside five minutes left. Then they went three-and-out. But they didn’t fall apart. After punting it back to Tennessee, they got the play of the game from Russell Allen and Dwight Lowery. Allen leaped to tip a Jake Locker pass intended for Jared Cook and Lowery went down to pick it off. The offense milked the clock to 29 seconds before Josh Scobee boosted the lead to 24-19 with a 41-yard field goal.

What I didn’t like, Titans: On a day when the defense could be rated as OK, the offense didn’t do as much as it needed to. Tennessee was overly reliant on Rob Bironas’ leg, and he hit four of five field goals, missing a 42-yarder wide left that could have made things a lot different. One touchdown against the 31st-ranked defense in the NFL is not winning football.

More involved: The Jaguars did good work getting tight end Marcedes Lewis more involved in the passing game with mixed results. On the Jaguars’ early touchdown drive, he pulled in a well-timed throw into a seam. But later he juggled and dropped a pass with Jordan Babineaux in coverage. Lewis finished with four catches for 56 yards. Meanwhile, receiver Cecil Shorts continued his breakthrough with another 100-yard game as he took four catches 105 yards, including a 59-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown where Babineaux took a bad angle.

Steady pressure: The Titans sacked Henne seven times, with nice extra pressure coming from linebackers Akeem Ayers, Zach Brown and safety Michael Griffin. Griffin’s fourth-quarter sack pushed the Jaguars out of field goal range. Little-used defensive tackle Karl Klug, who had seven sacks as a rookie last season, got his first sack to force a punt that got the Titans the ball back late.

Ouch: A year ago, the Titans lost to the 0-13 Colts. Now they lost to the 1-9 Jaguars.

What’s next: Jacksonville travels to Buffalo for a meeting with the Bills. The Titans host division-leading Houston at LP Field. The Texans won the first meeting 38-14 in Nashville on Sept. 30.

Some things to consider as we approach tonight’s game between the Colts and Jaguars at EverBank Field in Jacksonville:

Coverage issues: The Colts have survived a lot of injuries that too often have been bunched up at the same position. That’s the case now at corner, where starters Jerraud Powers (toe) and Vontae Davis (knee) are out. Blaine Gabbert and the Jaguars' passing offense simply have to push the ball downfield more than they have to try to take advantage of replacements Cassius Vaughn and Darius Butler and third corner Josh Gordy. Andrew Luck is likely to do a better job picking at Jacksonville’s coverage deficiency. Safety Dwight Lowery (ankle) remains out and replacement Chris Prosinski is simply not a starting-caliber player. Corner Rashean Mathis is questionable with a groin injury.

Pressure: Jaguars defensive end Jeremy Mincey said of Luck: “You can make anybody look like a rookie quarterback with a few hits.” That’s a nice sentiment, but it’s not accurate with regard to Luck, who’s taken his share of shots and played just fine after them. The Jaguars rushed the passer pretty well for a couple of weeks, but faded in the loss to Detroit last week. They have just eight sacks in eight games. On the other side, Colts outside linebacker Robert Mathis is a key to maximizing pursuit of Gabbert, but he’s questionable with a back injury. Even if he starts, will his back be a factor? If he can get a sack, it’ll be his ninth consecutive game with a quarterback takedown.

Rematch: Here's a refresher on the teams' first meeting, which is the Jaguars' lone win of the season. The Jaguars rallied back from an 11-point halftime deficit to pull ahead in the fourth quarter. But Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri’s 37-yard field goal with 56 seconds remaining looked like the back-breaker. On the first play after a touchback, Gabbert zipped a pass to Cecil Shorts, who split the safeties and ran to a game-winning touchdown with 45 seconds left. If it weren't for that play, the Jaguars might be winless and the Colts could be 6-2.

Other things to know: The Jaguars have lost eight of their past nine prime-time games, including three against the Colts, but Jacksonville has won its past three against Indianapolis. The Jaguars are 0-4 at home, having been outscored by a total of 92 points in those games. … The Jaguars rank second in the NFL with 46 penalties and they’ve not been called for an illegal contact penalty on defense or a delay of game penalty on offense. They have only one offside penalty, the second-fewest in the NFL. ... The Colts have started the same lineup on offense just twice and the same lineup on defense three times. The Jaguars have had a different starting lineup on offense in all eight games and have started the same defense in back-to-back games only once. ...[The butchered line about results against common opponents is gone. Apologies.]

Reading the coverage…

Houston Texans

Defensive tackle Shaun Cody suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung in Sunday’s game against Miami, says Tania Ganguli of the Houston Chronicle.

After a year out with quadriceps and hip injuries, linebacker Daryl Sharpton is finally back to work, writes Dale Robertson of the Chronicle.

Owen Daniels was having tests on his injured hip, but Gary Kubiak seemed optimistic about Daniels and Kevin Walter (groin) for Sunday night, says Robertson.

To which I say: Daniels would be a major loss for the Bears matchup. Hopefully Kubiak’s optimism is realistic and we’ll see Daniels play at Soldier Field.

Connor Barwin was pleased to see gay rights gains in elections in four states, says Ganguli.

The Elias Sport Bureau awarded Whitney Mercilus an additional sack, says Robertson.

Indianapolis Colts

A team that’s in the playoff hunt cannot afford a letdown tonight at EverBank Field against the lowly Jaguars, says Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

The Colts have only four takeaways this season, and none in the past four games, says Chappell. “The NFL record for fewest takeaways is 11, set by the Colts in 1982 when the strike reduced the season to nine games.”

To which I say: They’ve won three in a row without a takeaway. Imagine what might happen if they get a bounce or make a play on defense.

There is no metric for command, and Trent Dilfer looks at Andrew Luck and sees that quality above all else, writes Phil Richards of the Star in a broad piece looking at how well Luck is doing. "Grit is the best way I can put it," interim Colts coach Bruce Arians said, tapping his chest with his hand. "He has a tremendous grit to him. No matter what circumstances unfold, he can handle it."

Phillip B. Wilson of the Star thinks center Samson Satele (back) won’t be able to play tonight.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Owner Shad Khan’s wide-ranging interview with Gene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union includes this: To me, the worst thing is to have a knee-jerk, emotional reaction. But the simple thing is, let me quote Einstein here. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and expecting different results. If you have a losing season, what are the changes that are being done that will change the organization.

Frenette’s reaction to the Khan conversation: “Khan has to do what his business instincts tell him, not operate on the fans' timetable.”

In 69 career games, Paul Posluszny has been flagged for just four penalties, says Ryan O’Halloran. That’s remarkable.

Maurice Jones-Drew, Greg Jones and Dwight Lowery are out for tonight’s game, says O’Halloran.

Tennessee Titans

Jake Locker should be back in the starting lineup, says Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. The question is whether he is rusty after a long layoff with a non-throwing shoulder injury.

To which I say: I’m amazed at the debate about the Titans playing him the week before the bye, since he could gain that much more recovery time. Isn’t it possible he simply doesn’t need it? Is no injured player allowed to return to the lineup if his team has a bye the next week?

There was nothing violent about the tackle that earned Matt Hasselbeck a $12,500 fine, he maintains, and he’s appealing, say Wyatt and John Glennon. Also, defensive coordinator Jerry Gray moved to the coaching booth Sunday and is going to stay there.

The Titans added defensive end Jarius Wynn, who said they want him to knock the tight end around, says Glennon.

Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

Texans defensive lineman Antonio Smith will look to get under the skin of former teammates Mario Williams as Williams comes to town with his new team, Buffalo, says Tania Ganguli of the Houston Chronicle.

Insider linebacker Daryl Sharpton is very close to practicing, says Ganguli.

Ben Tate rehabilitated his hamstring during the Texans’ bye and they hope he’ll be ready to play against the Bills, says Ganguli.

The Texans added defensive tackle Terrell McClain to the roster, says Ganguli.

The top 10 Texans this season according to Riley Cavanagh of Toro Times.

To which I say: Duane Brown is too low at No. 8, Owen Daniels is too high at No. 3.

Indianapolis Colts

While Chuck Pagano and his wife visited Colts headquarters Monday, he wore a surgical mask and eventually got tired, writes Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

Setting aside whether Dwayne Allen’s forward progress had stopped, the question is why the Colts were throwing at that stage of the game, says Phil Richards of the Star.

To which I say: Richards calls Bruce Arians “an inveterate and unabashed gambler” in the piece. I don’t think he’s been doing much gambling at all, certainly not when it comes to making standard and conventional punting decisions.

Andrew Luck will work with Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health to design a wellness program for kids in one of Luck’s first forays into local public service, says Shari Rudavsky of the Star.

The legend of Luck took a big step forward during the Colts’ win in Nashville, says Nate Dunlevy of Bleacher Report.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The margin for error was not big on Sunday at Lambeau Field, and the Jaguars responded by dropping nine passes, says Ryan O’Halloran. Mike Mularkey said it’s a matter of concentration.

To which I say: This is an awfully basic problem. I’m not sold that the Jaguars have talented enough receivers, but they are NFL-caliber and they didn’t do NFL-caliber work.

Mularkey defended Justin Blackmon’s effort, says O’Halloran. “He could finish blocks a little more,” Mularkey said. “He’ll peek back to see when the ball carrier is coming. Receivers have a tendency to do that.”

Maurice Jones-Drew and Dwight Lowery are out for the Detroit game, says O’Halloran.

The Jaguars made enough gains to keep the Monday conversation positive, says John Oehser of the team’s website.

How the Jaguars kept it close all afternoon against the Packers, from Dunlevy.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans have no plans to trade Jared Cook, Mike Munchak said at his Monday news conference, says Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.

Kenny Britt thinks the Titans could have taken more deep shots in the second half against the Colts since they were without starting cornerback Vontae Davis, says John Glennon of The Tennessean.

To which I say: I want all the playmakers thinking they should get the ball more, so long as it’s not in a disruptive way. It’s the kind of mentality you need when you’ve got the Titans' skill position players.

Matt Hasselbeck will make his fifth straight start Sunday against Chicago, says Glennon.

A snap report for the Colts game from Tom Gower of Total Titans. Fullback Quinn Johnson played the most he has all season.