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

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

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

BEST MOVE

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

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

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

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

RISKIEST MOVE

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

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

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

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

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

MOST SURPRISING PICK

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

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

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

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

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

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

FILE IT AWAY

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

The countermeasures?

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

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

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

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

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

We’ll wait until next week to start building the All-AFC South Team, and you’ll have a big chance to offer input there.

This week we’ll pass out hardware for individual awards.

Drum roll please:

Player of the year: Johnathan Joseph, Texans cornerback. Runner up: Brian Cushing, Texans inside linebacker.

Joseph, Cushing and Antonio Smith were the players I sorted through here, and you can make a case for any of them. While the Texans were a better defense at every level, it was the secondary that had the biggest room for improvement. Joseph’s ability to match up with a team’s best receiver eased the pressure on everyone else in the secondary and helped transform a miserable pass defense into an excellent one. In the Texans’ playoff loss in Baltimore he blanketed Ravens receiver Torrey Smith, rendering him a non-factor.

Offensive player of the year: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars running back. Runner up: Arian Foster, Texans running back.

It’s hard to fathom that Jones-Drew was the NFL rushing champ considering that defenses could regularly key on him without fear of any real threat from the passing offense, which ranked dead last in the NFL. He showed no signs of wearing down and averaged 100 yards a game. It felt like a waste on a five-win team. Foster missed some action early with hamstring issues or he would have likely challenged Jones-Drew in rushing yards. He’s a tremendous combination of power and speed and does excellent work as a pass catcher.

Rookie of the year: J.J. Watt, Texans defensive end. Runner up: Brooks Reed, Texans outside linebacker.

Watt was installed as a starter the moment the Texans drafted him and was an impactful player from his first snap. A relentless player, he was a force against the run and the pass and played beautifully in concert with the rest of the defensive front. His ability to get his hands on balls at the line of scrimmage turned into a monumental interception return for a touchdown in the playoff win over Cincinnati. Reed filled in very well after Mario Williams was lost for the season and may actually help the team decide Williams is expendable.

Best assistant coach: Wade Phillips, Texans defensive coordinator. Runner up, Mel Tucker, Jaguars defensive coordinator.

Phillips was a factor in the personnel decisions that brought Joseph, Danieal Manning, Watt and Reed into the fold for Houston. In his first year as defensive coordinator, he injected a huge dose of confidence into the Texans defenders and wisely drew up schemes that featured guys’ strengths and marked their weaknesses. The sort of turnaround the defense made in one year is practically unheard of. In Jacksonville, Tucker was given a huge boost with new personnel, but as he took over play-calling from Jack Del Rio, he excelled.

Best position coach: Dave Ragone, Titans receivers coach. Runner up, Vance Joseph, Texans secondary coach.

Ragone had no experience working with receivers coming into this job, but did fantastic work. He deserves a great deal of credit for the vast improvement and maturation of Nate Washington and the emergence of Damian Williams as a threat and Lavelle Hawkins as a guy who did some good things with the ball in his hands. In his first season with the Texans, Joseph helped some guys regain confidence while overseeing a successful move of Glover Quin from corner to strong safety.

Executive of the year: Rick Smith, Texans general manager.

He had lots of help, but completely nailed free agency, signing Joseph and Manning rather than Nnamdi Asomugha. And the top of the draft was fantastic, with Watt and Reed. As Houston suffered injuries at running back, receiver, linebacker and even punter, the Texans showed good depth and an ability to fill in holes with quality outsiders.

Best unit: Texans offensive line. Runner up: Texans linebackers.

Led by center Chris Myers, who may be the division’s most unsung player, Houston’s offensive line blocked consistently well for the run game and protected three different quarterbacks well. Left tackle Duane Brown and right tackle Eric Winston both earned mentions on various All-Pro teams. Antoine Caldwell filled in nicely when Mike Brisiel missed time at right guard. The Texans linebackers, even without Mario Williams, did spectacular, work stuffing the run and swarming quarterbacks all season long.

Worst unit: Jaguars receivers. Runner up: Colts cornerbacks.

Mike Thomas might be a No. 2 receiver and can certainly be a good No. 3, though his play in 2011 dropped off after he got a contract extension. But Jason Hill, who started as the No. 2 guy, wound up getting cut and guys like Jarett Dillard, rookie Cecil Shorts, Chastin West and Kassim Osgood did little to show they were NFL-caliber guys. Blaine Gabbert suffered the consequences. The Colts were insufficiently stocked at corner, though Jacob Lacey bounced back well late in the season after he was benched.

Most improved: Nate Washington, Titans receiver. Runner up: Connor Barwin, Texans outside linebacker.

Washington’s maturation was remarkable. An excitable guy really calmed down and settled in working under offensive coordinator Chris Palmer and Ragone and with Matt Hasselbeck. Washington figured to be better with those guys while working as the No. 2 behind Kenny Britt, but Britt was lost for the season early on and Washington wound up with a 1,000-yard season and seven touchdowns. I give him the nod because I didn’t believe he had untapped upside. That was not the case with Barwin, who the Texans have expected to be a pass-rushing force since they drafted him in 2009.

Most disappointing: Chris Johnson, Titans running back. Runner up: Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars tight end.

I don’t care what sort of defenses are offered up for Johnson. He simply did not run as hard after coming out of a holdout with a giant new contract. There were other issues, but too often he appeared to lack fire and desire. In the rare instances he wound up in a one-on-one situation he was hardly the threat he’s been in the past. If he doesn’t bounce back in 2012, the contract will turn out to be disastrous. Lewis was supposed to be transformed by his MMA training during the lockout. If it impacted him, it made him worse. Expecting another 10 touchdowns was unreasonable. Producing none was unacceptable.

Best position revamp: TIE, Jaguars safeties and Texans safeties.

Both teams were terrible at the position a year ago and despite a draft class that was incredibly thin, reshaped the spot with great results. The Texans shifted Quin from cornerback and he was very solid alongside free-agent addition Manning. The Jaguars signed Dawan Landry from Baltimore and traded for Dwight Lowery, shifting a guy who’d played mostly corner to play with Landry. Applause to both teams for fine work addressing a trouble position.

Surprise of the year: T.J. Yates, Texans quarterback.

The finish in the playoff loss to Baltimore was a big disappointment. But Yates took over a good team when Matt Schaub and Matt Leinart went down in quick succession and played beyond what could reasonably be expected from a fifth-round rookie quarterback.

Colt of the year: Pat Angerer, middle linebacker.

As Indianapolis was not mentioned here at all, we create this category for the Colts. Angerer showed himself to be a quality starter who has to be in the lineup going forward. That may mean the end of Gary Brackett, the veteran middle linebacker who was hurt in Week 1 and missed the season. Angerer is a rangy, instinctive player who’s sure to impress new general manager Ryan Grigson.

Two things buzzed around the Jaguars' offense as things fell apart this season, producing a 3-8 record that got Jack Del Rio fired.

The wide receivers were insufficiently coached by the inexperienced Johnny Cox.

Rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert wasn’t getting as much quality, hands on coaching from quarterback coach Mike Sheppard as he needed.

Mel Tucker’s staff move Wednesday suggests both sentiments were correct. The Jaguars’ interim coach let Cox go, and shifted Sheppard to receivers. Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter will take control of the quarterbacks.

Del Rio didn’t really have a lot of options in terms of staff. His assistants only had one year remaining on their contracts. Anyone he added would have had the same, and the best assistant coaches find more security than that.

Quarterbacks coach Mike Shula jumped to Carolina in the offseason, and Del Rio shifted one of his best teaching assistants, Todd Monken, from receivers to quarterbacks. Then Monken bolted for an assistant job at Oklahoma State, and Del Rio had to shuffle again.

Now, Tucker clearly sees the potential for addition by subtraction.

The team also made roster moves at receiver. Jason Hill, who’s been in the No. 2 role all season, was released. That makes room for more playing time for Jarett Dillard, rookie Cecil Shorts and Chastin West.

The Jaguars also signed running back DuJuan Harris from their practice squad, signed cornerback Morgan Trent and put safety Courtney Greene on IR.

Perhaps Harris will have a chance to earn touches in front of the struggling backup to Maurice Jones-Drew, Deji Karim.

Greene is the 18th Jaguars to go on the list, a league high.

Thoughts on the Jaguars’ 17-13 loss to the Steelers at Heinz Field:

What it means: There sure is a hopeless feeling around the Jaguars, who couldn’t really do a thing against the Steelers early on, falling behind 17-0. They rallied only to fall short. They just aren’t able to get a good 60-minute effort, and they now stand 1-5 with a five-game losing streak.

What I didn’t like: Rashean Mathis wound up in a lot of tough situations and didn’t fare well. The cornerback got beat by Mike Wallace on a well-placed touchdown pass. His failures weren’t only in coverage, though. He couldn’t angle to running back Rashard Mendenhall on a touchdown run and then got stiff-armed by the back in what seemed like a half-hearted effort to get to him during a career-best 68-yard run.

What I liked, at times: Blaine Gabbert rarely had time, but he stood in as he got hit and delivered an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jason Hill in the third quarter. It capped a long, time-consuming drive and closed the score to 17-10 despite how badly the Jaguars had been outplayed. He had a nifty scramble to convert one third-and-2. He wound up sacked five times and hurried and hit on plenty of other snaps. Hardly quality conditions for a rookie quarterback to succeed.

Significant stat: The Steelers ran for 185 yards and 5.8 yards per carry.

What’s next: The Jaguars get the national spotlight when "Monday Night Football" rolls in to Jacksonville to see them host the Baltimore Ravens. Will people be compelled to look away?

Thoughts on the Jacksonville Jaguars' 30-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at EverBank Field:

What it means: The Jaguars have lost four in a row and don’t have much reason to hope right now. Their numbers weren't terrible against Cincinnati but they didn’t make the clutch plays they needed, left themselves in a desperate situation at the end and handed away a touchdown on the game’s final lateral-fest that made the losing margin bigger than it needed to be. No matter the margin, a losing streak, a rookie quarterback and a coach under increasing fire is an ugly combination.

What I didn’t like: Beyond Maurice Jones-Drew, who ran for 4.5 yards a carry, and a 74-yard Blaine Gabbert-to-Jason Hill touchdown pass on a busted coverage, there weren’t enough big plays. The Jaguars were unable to translate another reasonably good defensive effort, in which they limited Cincinnati to 77 rushing yards, into a win.

What I liked: Jones-Drew spun and then smashed straight into Bengals cornerback Leon Hall, knocking the defender flat on his back before rumbling into the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown. Beautiful power running.

Battle of the rookie quarterbacks: Statistically, Andy Dalton and Gabbert were almost a wash. Dalton threw a pick, after which he tackled Dwight Lowery near the goal line and saw his defense limit the Jaguars to a field goal. Gabbert lost a shotgun snap he wasn’t ready for from Brad Meester that gave the Bengals the ball back late with a 3-point lead to preserve.

What’s next: The Jaguars draw a trip to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are feeling much better about themselves after a rout of the Tennessee Titans. It’s the last of four consecutive games against the AFC South for the Steelers, who have beaten Indianapolis and Tennessee and lost to Houston.

The Jaguars' offense needs to be better. Receiver Jason Hill can’t fall down. Receiver Cecil Shorts has to be far more definitive with his routes.

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert can’t throw into tough coverage.

He did some good things in the Jaguars' loss to the Saints, but too often he didn’t look to be stepping into throws, and unnatural flat-footed throws weren’t finding the right spots.

What’s supposed to help buy Gabbert the time to learn and grow while keeping the Jaguars competitive? A defense that added a bunch of veterans in the offseason -- three defensive backs, two linebackers and a defensive end.

I know they will not make every play.

But let’s pick on them over just two.

Daryl Smith picked off Saints QB Drew Brees and ran up the right side, where he let Brees “force” him out of bounds. There is no way an NFL linebacker shouldn’t, by nature, cut back inside and go for the end zone. The possession resulted in a field goal, costing the Jaguars four points.

“Yeah I wish that now,” Smith said. “You can't go back and redo it."

Later, linebacker Paul Posluszny let a Brees pass sneak up on him in the end zone and failed to catch it. Rather than taking over possession, the Jaguars yielded a field goal. That cost the Jaguars three points.

If we get four more on the board from Smith and three fewer on the board thanks to Posluszny, where would we have been?

At 20-14.

Do the Jaguars pull an upset from there? Who knows, but they sure should have been in position to find out.

The Jaguars didn’t make the plays they could have. Guys like Smith and Posluszny are the guys they are supposed to be able to count on. Make mistakes like they did against a quality opponent and the chance to compete disappears.

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

FALLING

1. Luke McCown, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback: Pick the synonym for awful and it fits his game against the Jets: dreadful, horrendous, ugly. Four interceptions got him pulled in favor of rookie Blaine Gabbert, and now the Jaguars’ quarterback situation is up in the air. Whichever quarterback is in the huddle will be hoping for the return of tight end Marcedes Lewis (calf) and receiver Jason Hill (hip), who was unwise to question the hype surrounding Darrelle Revis in a week when he didn’t even play.

2. The Colts’ red zone offense: With Peyton Manning at the helm, this is an area where Indianapolis typically excels. Last season the Colts scored touchdowns on 67.9 percent of their possessions that crossed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. But as part of Sunday’s field-goal festival in the loss to Cleveland, the Colts moved four yards in six snaps in the red zone before kicking. Their lone red-zone touchdown came when the game had already been decided. Indianapolis’ defense isn’t good enough to make field goals stand up.

3. Pick a guy, Jacksonville Jaguars: The receivers are certainly candidates, as they did little against the Jets on McCown’s bad day. (And Hill embarrassed himself without even playing.) If safety Courtney Greene can be nudged out of the lineup for Chris Prosinski or Dwight Lowery, Greene may have made a case for the move with a poor game. And defensive end Aaron Kampman, who suffered a setback in his return from an ACL reconstruction, missed his second game and won’t play Sunday. The defense misses his leadership for sure.

RISING

1. Cortland Finnegan, Tennessee Titans cornerback: Finnegan was excellent in the Titans' win over Baltimore with four tackles and three passes defended. He was consistently involved for Tennessee in a rebound effort that can’t be underestimated. And with the praise Mike Munchak has offered Finnegan, it sounds like his play so far is the culmination of his leadership during the lockout and a solid camp that featured a short, failed walkout in a contract dispute.

2. Jacoby Jones, Houston Texans receiver/ punt returner: He had an excellent catch on the sideline, tapping his feet to be in bounds, and three catches for 48 yards. His performance is a good contribution in an offense featuring Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels. He also chipped in with an early 40-yard punt return that helped set the tone. On a day the team was without Kevin Walter, Jones did his part to make sure the team wasn’t lacking. Is he becoming more consistent?

3. Matt Hasselbeck, Tennessee Titans quarterback: He keyed a solid offensive day against a Baltimore defense that teams struggle against. A week after he ended a disappointing loss in Jacksonville with a bad interception, he was very accurate. Though Chris Johnson couldn’t get going, the other elements Hasselbeck counted on when he signed in Tennessee came through. He wasn’t sacked and his pass catchers like Kenny Britt, Nate Washington and Jared Cook made plays for him.

If I’m Darrelle Revis, I’ve got bulletin board material.

Because to hear Jason Hill -- a receiver who’s done very little to prove himself in the NFL -- tell it, Revis and the Jets are no different than anyone else in the league. They just have the biggest hype machine.

Newsflash: If Hill thinks Revis is a media creation, he’s really in for a surprise when he’s covered like a blanket Sunday at MetLife Stadium if Revis draws him.

Here’s what he said to Tania Ganguli:

"This is a league full of great players. I think sometimes they get overhyped. I talked to Drew [Coleman], Drew played there. He says it's just the aura of New York. They got a big media. That's not the Jacksonville paper, that's the big New York Times paper so they get more pub. That's what it is.

"It's a game that we all play. He been playing the game, Revis, just as long as I've been playing. This is a game full of good players making plays. He just made a lot more plays on TV than we've made being here in Jacksonville. He's a good player. We respect him. Hopefully he respects us because we're going to bring it just like they're going to bring it…"

"I think the whole New York is overhyped. Him personally, he's a good player, Pro Bowl player, I'm trying to make it to the Pro Bowl, too. This'll be a good game to put some notches on our belts too. It's the New York Times vs. the Jacksonville paper. New York Times they got a lot more viewers than you got.”

I guess it’s an admirable attitude in some respects. The Jaguars aren’t kowtowing to the Jets. But it’s also dismissive. Revis being a Pro Bowler and Hill wanting to be a Pro Bowler are far from the same thing, just like the newspapers he compared.

Hill probably could have, and should have, negotiated his theme a little more smoothly.

Revis and Antonio Cromartie would probably love a chance to cover Hill. Unfortunately for them, he's got a hip injury, hasn't even practiced this week and may not play.

You see them in headphones, walking into the stadium, heading from the locker room to the field, as they stretch and run and get ready for kickoff.

Before the iPods are turned off and put away, what’s the last song the Jaguars listen to in order to get in the right frame of mind?

Build a playlist based on this if you dare:

Linebacker Paul Posluszny: Korn, “Freak on a Leash”

“It gives you that pre-game chill that makes you feel invincible.”

Safety Dawan Landry: Phil Collins, “In the Air Tonight.”

“That’s universal.”

Defensive end Austen Lane: Korn, “Got the Life” and Linkin Park, “Bleed it Out”

“They are just really loud, fast-paced songs. It just gets me jacked up, puts me in the zone. After I listen to those two songs, I’m good to go.”

Receiver Jason Hill: DMX, “Dogs for Life”

“I play a lot of slow music to begin with, but when Jack [Del Rio] says ‘Hey, we’ve got a couple minutes,’ that’s when I turn on DMX. That song lets me know the guys around me have my back, I’ve got their back and we’re ready to roll.”

Tight end Zach Miller: 2Pac, “Ambitionz az a Ridah”

“It’s game time, it’s time to go. It makes you feel good. It makes you feel nice and cool.”

Linebacker Clint Session: Geopale, “Closer to my Dream”

Quarterback Blaine Gabbert: Eminem, “Lose Yourself”

“I just like to listen to it. Calms you down, gets you in your own little zone.”

Cornerback Rashean Mathis: Chris Tomlin, “Our God”

“Just an awesome song letting you know how great our God is. Also, it says if our God is with us, then who can be against us.”

Receiver Mike Thomas: Meek Millz featuring Rick Ross, “I’m a Boss”

“That one plays pretty consistently in the locker room.”

Right tackle Eben Britton: 2Pac, "All Eyez on Me"

"Always gets me fired up to step on the field and go to work."

Fullback Greg Jones: Phil Collins, In the Air Tonight”

“It just sets the tone and gets you in the right state of mind.”

Punter Matt Turk: “All my Christian music puts things into perspective, takes the pressure off. It calms you but it does get you pumped up at the same time.”

Linebacker Daryl Smith: “Maybe Young Jeezy or some Rick Ross. No steady song. I hit shuffle and just ride. And then if somebody puts something on in the locker room, I’m good with that.”

Cornerback Derek Cox: "I actually don't listen to music before games. My head is clearer that way."

Five of us asked to pick the AFC South have the Jaguars finishing third.

While defensive additions should make them better, I think they’ll have a quarterback issue hanging over their head for much of the season and it will slow them down. If you listen to the podcast with the preview file, you’ll hear me waffle on the Jaguars and Titans and third and fourth place.

Here’s my intelligence report on Jacksonville. You can find it along with the predictions, a draft element from Mel Kiper and a look inside the number from Stats & Information here.

Intelligence Report

Five things you need to know about the Jaguars:

1. Quarterback debate: While David Garrard is in line to start the season, it's almost inevitable that he will be pushed by first-round pick Blaine Gabbert. Consistency has been Garrard's big issue. When he hits a dip, a team that thinks it's good enough to challenge for a playoff spot will likely be tempted to turn to Gabbert, presuming the rookie backup is practicing well. I think it's going to hang over the team's head in an uncomfortable way. No matter how well Jack Del Rio manages it, it's just a complicated deal that can weigh on a franchise.

2. Defense has upgraded: Five of the team's top 12 defenders are free-agent additions -- linebacker Paul Posluszny and Clint Session, safety Dawan Landry, end Matt Roth and nickelback Drew Coleman. That is a lot of change, and it's all for the better. How quickly does this become a cohesive unit? We don't know. But I buy Del Rio's confidence that the defense will be much improved over the one that ranked 28th overall in 2010. The question is whether the additions did enough to address the pass defense. Landry is a good player, but how well can he cover? The pass rush has to be better to help the secondary and ease the strain on corners Rashean Mathis and Derek Cox.

3. Jones-Drew still the centerpiece: The Jaguars were super careful with Maurice Jones-Drew, holding him out of the first three preseason games and severely limiting his preseason practice as he came back from serious knee surgery. I'm not among those expecting him to drop off or become fragile. He'll remain the centerpiece of the offense no matter who's under center. But it's fair to expect that offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter will get some touches for Rashad Jennings and even Deji Karim as he looks to ensure MJD will have a chance to finish the season strong.

4. Coaches on tenuous ground: Del Rio has two years remaining. Wayne Weaver initially declared it a playoffs-or-pink slip season, then backed off and said he just needs to see forward progress. Del Rio's staff is all working on one-year contracts. It's not a good situation in terms of stability. If the team plays well in the first half of the season, Del Rio will make a huge push for extensions for his guys. Without them, his security won't be so important if there is a mass exodus of assistants after the season ends. Stay tuned.

5. Questionable weaponry and protection: Sure, Jones-Drew and Marcedes Lewis are great threats in the passing game. But the quarterback needs production out of the wide receivers. Mike Thomas is a good player, but are Jason Hill and Cecil Shorts sufficient to round out the group that Garrard or Gabbert will be targeting? The team has a lot of faith in Hill and Shorts, but they are hardly proven commodities. And the offensive line needs to be a strength, not an issue, for a team that's been rebuilt by GM Gene Smith with a focus on the foundation.

Three things to look for in tonight’s Jaguars-Bills preseason game at Ralph Wilson Stadium, where kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET.

Jack Del Rio has said David Garrard’s his starter at quarterback. But if he’s bad in this game and rookie Blaine Gabbert is good, there is still room for mind-changing and it will give added volume to Garrard’s critics. Garrard has said he and the Jaguars need to drive to touchdowns and show some rhythm and tempo on offense. He won’t have Maurice Jones-Drew in the backfield, Zach Miller available to catch passes or Eben Britton to block for him at right tackle. It’s a situation where a reliable veteran should ease any concerns. Can he?

The pass rush did OK last week but has only one sack in the preseason. Now one of the most effective rushers, Jeremy Mincey, is out with a concussion and Aaron Kampman also stayed home. If the front can get Buffalo quarterbacks off their spot, great. It would be good to see them get a QB to the ground as well, helping kill drives and possessions.

Young receivers will get chances. The team cut Tiquan Underwood to ensure guys like Jarett Dillard, Armon Binns, Jamar Newsome and Dontrelle Inman will get a solid look. Even if the team is set in going with Mike Thomas, Jason Hill and Cecil Shorts as the top three, it needs to see what it has beyond that.

Andy Benoit’s thorough Fifth Down previews are always a good read, so I thought I’d pass them along and get you started with an with an interesting chunk of each.

Houston Texans

“By constantly changing up [Andre] Johnson’s route tendencies and where he aligns in various formations, the Texans prevent a defense from finding a comfort zone and rhythm in its coverages. Defenses that get brazen and try to defend the 223-pound receiver straight up get burned (Johnson has great wheels and is too strong for most cornerbacks to even think about jamming). Defenses that commit the proper safety help leave themselves vulnerable to other mismatches -- usually involving a linebacker on Owen Daniels.

“Now more than a year removed from reconstructive knee surgery, Daniels will most likely re-establish himself as the smoothest tight end in all the land. He has remarkably soft hands and a natural feel for turning upfield. While Daniels battled the knee in ’09 and a hamstring in ’10, the Texans discovered a second practical receiving tight end in Joel Dreessen. He is used as a blocker, too, and compensates for mediocre power with fantastic technique.

“It’s a surprisingly typical receiving corps outside of Johnson.”

The full preview.

Indianapolis Colts

“Starting outside receiver Pierre Garcon is one of the physically strongest catch-and-run weapons in the N.F.L. The Colts will need a breakout season from Garcon, a fourth-year pro, because, with the exception of center Jeff Saturday, none of their older veterans have shown as stark a decline as Reggie Wayne. This may sound preposterous considering Wayne is coming off a 111-catch, 1,355-yard season. But in an offense as proficient as this, the numbers will always be there (especially when your quarterback attempts 679 passes). What’s more important is how those numbers are obtained. Are they coming against double teams and coverages tilted his direction over the top? Or are they against a lot of soft zones, where a receiver can get by on timing and precision? This is not a rhetorical question -- there’s an answer: zones. Wayne can still feast on zones. But in a private moment with all walls down, the Colts’ brass would probably tell you that Wayne is no longer explosive enough to consistently separate against quality man coverage. (Which may be why he has not received the long-term contract he desires.)”

The full preview.

Jacksonville Jaguars

“We know the Jaguars don’t believe they can be great with [David] Garrard. They’re right. His arm strength is ordinary at best and he’s not a sharp progression passer. Scrambling ability aside, he can only play within the basic confines of an offense, which means just about any big play the Jags strive for has to be deliberately manufactured by [Dirk] Koetter. That’s a caretaking quarterback to a T.

"Exacerbating the passing game’s mediocrity is an underwhelming stash of resources at wide receiver. Jason Hill runs well and can go over the middle, but there’s a reason he has caught only 51 passes in his five-year career. Mike Thomas can admiringly be described as a compressed version of Hines Ward, but stocky 5’8” receivers with good track speed but only decent football speed don’t become stars, no matter how excellent their blocking might be.

The fight for the No. 3 receiving job is uninspiring. In one corner is the oft-injured third-year pro [Jarett] Dillard. In the other is Cecil Shorts, a fourth-round rookie from Division III Mount Union. Possibly in the mix is Kassim Osgood, whose business card has always had ‘special teamer’ written in bigger font than ‘wide receiver.’”

The full preview.

Tennessee Titans

“[Chris] Johnson’s life will be much, much easier now that Matt Hasselbeck is under center. Though the soon-to-be-36-year-old is struggling to learn a new system for the first time in his 13-year career, he’s still sure to be a marked upgrade over Vince Young. Young’s decision-making ineptitude and subpar pocket passing allowed defenses to crowd eight and even nine defenders in the box. Unless Jake Locker -- who, as a fairly inaccurate, run-first quarterback at Washington, is essentially another version of Young only with (Tennessee hopes) thicker skin and more maturity -- gets on the field, defenses will have to at least hesitate before dialing in completely on Johnson.”

The full preview.

Three things to look for in tonight’s preseason game for the Jaguars against Atlanta at EverBank Field, where kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET.

1. QB competition: David Garrard is set for his first preseason action, and it’s become clear that he is in a competition for the starting job with rookie Blaine Gabbert. The Falcons have an established cornerback in Dunta Robinson, but he will be out with a knee injury. Atlanta will deploy the very good up-and-comer Brent Grimes and, probably, Chris Owens. Can Garrard make some plays to Mike Thomas and Jason Hill against them? What the veteran quarterback does here won’t make or break him, but a solid performance could go a long way toward quieting demands for Gabbert.

2. What’s the pass defense look like? Aaron Kampman won’t play, but can they get a rush on Matt Ryan without him? And can the secondary, particularly corners Rashean Mathis and Derek Cox, hold up against receivers including Roddy White and rookie Julio Jones? We’ve been wondering about Courtney Greene and Dawan Landry both being more strong safeties than free safeties. It would be good if they were challenged in coverage so we could see their skills in space.

3. Offensive line depth. It is a question mark. Right tackle Eben Britton is out. Will we see Guy Whimper or Daniel Baldridge in his place? Whoever is there may be spared going against Ray Edwards (knee) as he will be a game-time decision. Can Britton’s fill-in show himself a capable backup, or will Jacksonville come away with concerns and take a look at some veteran free agent help?

Jason Hill struggled with the Jacksonville heat early in camp.

I’m not big on excuses, but I’m leaning toward giving him a pass on it because it can be oppressive to the uninitiated.

He just should have been sure he was initiated before the lockout ended.

This blog entry from Tania Ganguli told me of this heat-related struggle and also told me that Hill has a special feeling about Blaine Gabbert.

One big thing that could happen for that special feeling to turn into special football is for Hill to show himself a special player the way the Jaguars think he can.

This prompted me to circle back to what David Garrard said about Hill when I was in Jacksonville early in camp.

“Jason Hill is a really good receiver that I still don’t understand how is not with the 49ers anymore,” Garrard said. “He’s a quiet guy, but a guy that works. You can count on him being in the right place. He’s learning, picking up everything really fast… We’re going to have a really good tandem with him and Mike [Thomas].”

Ganguli says Hill’s looked better recently. The Jaguars are thin at receiver, particularly at experienced receiver, even if Hill pans out. If he doesn’t, they’re going to have a void.

He's got to be a guy the Jaguars have the right read on.

Three things to watch for in Jacksonville's preseason opener in New England Thursday night. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

Blaine Gabbert makes his debut in an NFL game setting, getting the start with David Garrard (back) out. But the rookie quarterback will be without Maurice Jones-Drew and rookie receiver Cecil Shorts who’s been working as the No. 3 wideout. Marcedes Lewis, who missed the early part of camp in a holdout, is unlikely to play. The Jaguars are hardly loaded with weapons with those guys. Without them, Gabbert will be challenged to find people to make plays for him.

Jason Hill is the No. 2 receiver but he’s hardly been heard from. Given the weapons shortage, this would be a good time for him to show up and be noticed. While he’s got plenty of time, he could soothe some nerves with some production.

The new-look defense will be on display and we’ll get our first look at Clint Session, Paul Posluszny and Dawan Landry on the field together. I expect a big hit or two out of them before they turn things over to the second team.