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The Colts held out too much hope for a Peyton Manning return early on, then didn’t do well enough scaling things down as they went 2-14. That’s the view of the team’s former offensive line coach, Pete Metzelaars, who is now Buffalo’s tight ends coach.

Here’s a snippet from comments he made today in a transcript provided by the Bills.

“We were so dependent on (Manning) and what he did. The whole offensive structure was built upon what he could do and how he did it. The way his injury took place, there was always kind of the thought that, ‘Well, he could come back, he might come back, maybe the recovery time is going to be X.’ So we found ourselves kind of holding out hope, ‘Well, let’s not change everything because there’s a chance he’s going to come back and when he comes back then we’re going to run it this way.’ Unfortunately, he never did come back. So we got stuck with kind of trying to change in midstream and put some things together, and the people we had trying to do some of the things that Peyton did, even then we cut it down, but obviously they’re not Peyton Manning."

Obviously, they should have realized that without Manning -- even for an unspecified time -- they needed to change everything. Doing so might have allowed them a better chance to win.

Not doing so meant the end for Bill Polian, Chris Polian, Jim Caldwell and most of his staff including Metzelaars.

But it also means the franchise is going to get Andrew Luck.

Tidbits from around the division this afternoon:

• Beyond owner Bud Adams’ final say when he wants it, the Titans will be a “GM-driven” team on personnel matters with Ruston Webster in the post, said Mike Reinfeldt, who’s now COO. (I was at the press conference.)
• Archie Manning shot down Rob Lowe’s Twitter “report” that Peyton Manning will retire. From Chris Mortensen: “Archie Manning laughed when he heard @RobLowe said Peyton will retire, "Noooo...he ain't retiring. I think he would've told me."
• Offensive line coach Pete Metzelaars and receivers coach Frank Reich have been let go by the Colts, says Phil Richards.
• The Colts did not have an interest in Jeff Fisher, Irsay tweeted.
• Matt Schaub has joined Twitter.

The Colts could have some big players back in the mix for Sunday’s home game against the Dallas Cowboys. Mike Chappell reports that Colts president Bill Polian said on his radio show that linebackers Gary Brackett and Clint Session, as well as running back Mike Hart, could be back.

Others, including Joseph Addai and Bob Sanders, are likely further off.

But as Chappell points out, while Hart and Addai could provide a boost to the run game, none of the injury returnees is going to help the offensive line, which has been insufficient as a run-blocking group and increasingly leaky in pass protection. (Sacks remain low, but pressure is up.)

“I think oftentimes, you guys are driven by what you see on TV," said coach Jim Caldwell at a news conference Monday. "They can highlight a certain couple of areas, and you think that was the way the entire game went. I think they can sort of prejudice your opinion a little bit.

"What we do is we take a look at it. We think we have the right people in there, but we are always trying to jostle it around, trying to make adjustments, trying to make certain that not only do we have the right people, but also are we doing the right things with the folks that we have in there? That’s up for critique, and we challenge ourselves in those areas and we try to find a way to improve. That’s the important thing.”

Polian identified the offensive line as a position of concern after last season, really singling out the effort in the Super Bowl. They were comments several players bristled at. (Greg Easterbrook hit on some of this here in his weekly Tuesday Morning Quarterback column.)

Longtime line coach Howard Mudd was known for molding players who were not high draft picks or top free agents into effective contributors. He retired and passed the torch to Pete Metzelaars, a transition that seemed smooth.

But in a move that was a stunner then and is baffling now, Polian let right guard Ryan Lilja go. Lilja has received good reviews for his play in Kansas City, while the Colts have played two ineffective right guards.

Mike Pollak was benched in favor of undrafted rookie tackle Jeff Linkenbach three games ago.

Left guard’s hardly been solid either, with Jamey Richard getting displaced by Kyle DeVan.

There should be more options.

After Lilja was released, the Colts brought in a couple low-level free agents in Andy Alleman and Adam Terry. Neither stuck. Fourth-round rookie Jacques McClendon has been inactive or worked on special teams.

Polian and the Colts identified a problem, but they really didn’t do anything to fix it, unless we count the Tony Ugoh resolution and release as addition by subtraction.

In the past five drafts, the Colts have taken eight offensive linemen, five in the fifth round or later.

Charlie Johnson is a scrappy left tackle who’s been better than many expected but still might be ideal as a third, swing tackle. Ugoh, Michael Toudouze and Steve Justice are gone. Pollak has been benched. McClendon is a reserve as are seventh-rounders Jaimie Thomas and Richard.

However this season plays out, the offensive line must be the primary concern in the offseason.

It’s time to hit on value picks -- plural. Quality guys and the team’s draft slots may not line up. The Colts may need to maneuver to change that.

It’s critical to Peyton Manning’s chances for another Super Bowl in his remaining years.

ESPN.com NFL Power Ranking (pre-camp): 1

ANDERSON, Ind. -- They could have made a bid at an undefeated regular season and their hopes for a Super Bowl win were snuffed out by an onside kick and an untimely pick.

So it should concern the rest of the AFC South that the 2010 Indianapolis Colts appear to be better than last year’s version.

They get two high-quality players, who were injured for most of last year, back in safety Bob Sanders and receiver Anthony Gonzalez. The Colts added a third edge rusher and a blocking tight end in the draft.

“Coach [Jim] Caldwell wants us to be a consistent team and not one that plays really well one week and not one that goes into a slump the next couple of games and then comes back,” Peyton Manning said. “I think we have been pretty consistent. Our offseason work, our execution and our attention to detail in training camp make a difference.

“But what has happened in the past doesn’t guarantee you anything for this 2010 season. We have some new players, new coaches and it is up to us to go out and form the identity of his team and to go out and try to win games this season.”

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. Can Sanders stay on the field? The thing that makes him so good is the same thing that makes him so injury prone. He throws himself around like a torpedo, and suffers the consequences. He’s upbeat and happy right now to be spending his time on the field and with coaches and teammates instead of in the training room with medical staff.

“I don’t think you can put yourself in less danger on the field,” Sanders said when I asked if there was any way he could be less reckless to try to preserve himself. “We’re football players so we’re going to be physical. It’s a physical game. I make tackles. You just never know what’s going to happen. You just have to play your best, hope for the best, I pray and put it in God’s hands and just try to do my job.”

When he’s out there, he’ll be more creative than when we last saw him playing consistently. Second-year defensive coordinator Larry Coyer is much more willing to blitz than Ron Meeks was.

As good as Melvin Bullitt's been as Sanders’ replacement, Sanders is a game-altering presence when he’s out there. Sanders is making plays in camp. If he’s out there, the Colts’ defense could be fantastic.

2. Will offensive line changes amount to an upgrade? Left guard Ryan Lilja was let go, so at least one spot will be filled by someone new. Tony Ugoh looked like the early choice, but he’s been pulled back to tackle to work for the injured Charlie Johnson, so Jamey Richard is in play. Richard might shift to center while Jeff Saturday recovers from a knee scope, which could open the door for rookie Jacques McClendon, if he’s healthy, or someone like Jaimie Thomas.

The talent pool now includes McClendon and tackle Adam Terry, but there was no overhaul. Pass protection combined with Manning’s ability to get the ball out quick meant few sacks, but the team needs to run better for balance. Short-yardage bugaboos have been a factor in season-ending losses the past two years.

New offensive line coach Pete Metzelaars has a chance to make minor alterations that could have a bearing, and a quality-blocking tight end like Brody Eldridge could even help revive the once bread-and-butter stretch play.

3. Will secondary depth hold up? Bill Polian purged the roster of some injury-prone corners, then saw third-round pick Kevin Thomas go down shortly after the draft with a serious knee injury. Kelvin Hayden, Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey should be a fine top three, but if one gets hurt, Deshea Townsend or Marcus McCauley, who were available recently, could be the next option.

If the Colts have to go that deep down the depth chart, their pass rush will be even more vital. But how many teams would love for the fourth cornerback to be a primary issue heading into a season?

BIGGEST SURPRISE

It’s hard to find them with a very low-key team that drafts and grooms the bulk of its players. Polian’s harped on short-yardage failures, but then the team didn’t add a sure fire starter to the line with Andy Alleman (already gone), Terry and McClendon.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Before the Colts could start to sort things out, injuries dictated they move offensive linemen around. Saturday is out 2-6 weeks after a knee scope, and Johnson and McClendon are sidelined. It would have been nice to see Metzelaars have a full deck for a long stretch in order to best hold competitions and compare and contrast players. The sooner they resolve the lineup and start to build cohesion, the better. Now it’s probably going to be later than would be ideal.

OBSERVATION DECK

• [+] Enlarge
  AP Photo/Darron CummingsExpect more surprises out of Larry Coyer's defense this season.
  In Year 2 of Coyer’s tenure as defensive coordinator, I expect the Colts will be more exotic with an occasional surprise look or package -- perhaps most often utilizing their depth at safety where Sanders, Antoine Bethea and Bullitt make for three starting-caliber players.
• While the defensive line shows fantastic speed and strength, Mitch King looked the least smooth during the drill in which linemen weave through blocking dummies, turn a corner and try to strip a quarterback. For those excited about him, an adjusted timetable might be advisable.
• As the punter and kickoff man, Pat McAfee is electric. But teams in the market for a kickoff specialist might want to keep an eye on Garrett Lindholm, who looks like he can regularly put the ball in the end zone.
• Powers carries himself exceptionally well. During a break in one practice, as most guys went to the cool-down tent or took themselves out of football mentality for a minute, he picked the brain of Reggie Wayne. Powers already has become a media favorite, too.
• Manning could make good money if his only job was to put on clinics about how to best loft red-zone passes to the pylons in the back corners of the end zones.
• Joseph Addai knows what he’s doing on every play, and Donald Brown is smart enough to follow his lead, though Brown doesn’t shine in pass protection one-on-ones versus linebackers. The Colts will be just fine if the line can block for the runners, and maybe even if it can’t. Brown’s had more than a year to get pass protections down. If that keeps him off the field any this year, it’s no one’s fault but his.
• Better didn’t mean great for the interior defensive line in 2009. Daniel Muir and Antonio Johnson continue to improve, and Fili Moala will make for a third 300-pounder in there. He appears to be comfortable and ready to contribute.
• The Colts haven’t emphasized the return game and, at times, it’s felt almost like they de-emphasized it. But undrafted rookie Brandon James is a miniature speedster who is in position to win at least the punt-return job. He could give Manning and the offense a short field once in a while.
• John Chick, who joined the Colts from the Canadian Football League, could win the fourth defensive end spot if he shows a good learning curve and durability.

We see teams go first-to-worst or worst-to-first all the time in the NFL -- except in the AFC South, where the Colts have won the division crown in six of eight chances since realignment and have won 12 games or more seven years running.

Indianapolis’ successes, and its four-time MVP quarterback, make it hard to predict a dramatic, upside-down season in the division.

The question is more about who can close the gap on Manning and the Colts; how the Texans, Titans and Jaguars stack up; and if one of them can find a door into the playoffs as a wild card.

The Texans and Jaguars begin their push with camp practices Friday. The Titans open Saturday, and the Colts are on the field Monday.

FOUR BIG QUESTIONS

Houston Texans: How does the defense better defend the pass?

Veteran corner Dunta Robinson is gone, first-round pick Kareem Jackson is in as the team’s top corner. Is a secondary of Jackson and Glover Quin at corner, Eugene Wilson at free safety and Bernard Pollard at strong safety enough to slow down opposing offenses? Not without two other major developments.

The defensive front must apply more consistent and effective pass pressure. A monster season from Mario Williams, a big second year from Connor Barwin and more toughness from Amobi Okoye could do the trick. Okoye in particular needs a big camp or he could lose reps to rookie Earl Mitchell. Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson and a better run game could help a great deal, too -- if Houston is able to put up big points, some opponents won’t be able to take advantage of that secondary enough to keep up.

Indianapolis Colts: How do the receivers shake out?

If Anthony Gonzalez is healthy and back to form, the Colts could be stacked at receiver. Provided Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie can build on what they did with Gonzalez out for all but the first game last season, the Colts should be four-deep at receiver with those three behind Reggie Wayne. With Wayne leading the way and tight end Dallas Clark also coming off a 100-reception season, Peyton Manning could have his best group of pass-catchers ever.

I think if everyone is healthy, everyone will get chances. Perhaps certain games and certain matchups will call for certain guys to be used more. But I can’t see Gonzalez, Garcon or Collie with a significantly minimized role unless one of them plays his way to the bench or is injured.

Jacksonville Jaguars: How will the defensive line rotation develop?

New line coach Joe Cullen will want his best guys on the field the most, but he’s also going to have to get them some rest so they can play fresh. Presuming Aaron Kampman and Derrick Harvey start at end and Terrance Knighton and Tyson Alualu start at tackle, who will be the guys behind them that ensure minimal drop-off?

Rookie ends Larry Hart and Austen Lane and rookie tackle D'Anthony Smith will all have opportunities as the Jaguars try to get to the quarterback a lot more often a year after collecting just 14 sacks. If the rush is better, watch the linebackers and secondary become better, too.

Tennessee Titans: Have the Titans cured their return game woes?

Things were so bad a year ago that when the Titans found guys who could fair catch punts while backing inside the 10-yard line it was considered a moral victory. Coach Jeff Fisher considers himself a return expert because of his own experience as a player. To his credit, he confessed he botched it last year by being overly reliant on unproven rookies. The solution? The Titans hope it’s unproven rookie Damian Williams, a third-round receiver out of USC.

If he’s muffing punts and kicks in camp, we should also see rookie Marc Mariani fielding punts, and we could see Kenny Britt back to fetching kickoffs. Merely being able to avoid mistakes shouldn’t be good enough. The Titans should expect to make plays in the return games.

HOTTEST SEATS

Colts: Offensive line coach Pete Metzelaars: He’s got the confidence and full backing of president Bill Polian and coach Jim Caldwell. But replacing legendary coach Howard Mudd is a large charge. And it’s widely held that the group he’s working with isn’t composed of great run-blockers and benefits a great deal in the passing game from Manning’s propensity for getting the ball out quickly. During summer workouts, players said that Metzelaars had already tinkered with some technique and re-energized the group.

Jaguars: David Garrard. Jacksonville’s quarterback is 32 years old, and while his term as a starter began relatively late, he’s at a point where a lot of people give him the underwhelming description of “he is what he is.” If things unfold according to how a play is drawn up, he can be good. But things rarely unfold like that. He can be too inaccurate and doesn’t execute in the clutch often enough. Good season or not, the Jaguars are expected to look to draft a first-round quarterback in 2011.

Texans: Kareem Jackson. You hate to be overly reliant on a rookie, but the Texans have put themselves in that spot. First-rounder Jackson has to be able to cover tightly and find the ball if Houston stands a chance to so much as split with the Colts while Manning is dropping back and looking into the Texans’ secondary. They could have eased the pressure on their new No. 1 corner with an option beyond Eugene Wilson at free safety, but failed to address the position at all.

Titans: Michael Griffin. Tennessee is counting on a lot of young guys who are taking on bigger roles to be productive. But even if they are all good, it may not matter if Griffin, a Pro Bowl safety in his second season, plays as poorly as he did in his third. Distracted by off-the-field personal issues, he bit on play-action, took terrible angles and missed tackles he has to make while the Titans' pass defense fell apart. That won’t work with two games against Manning, two against Matt Schaub and matchups against Eli Manning, Tony Romo, Philip Rivers and Donovan McNabb.

SECRET WEAPON

Colts TE Brody Eldridge. The Colts did not make a major addition to their offensive line mix after Bill Polian called the group out for its Super Bowl performance. The stretch play, once a staple of their run game, has largely disappeared without edge blockers who can lead it effectively. But fifth-round pick Eldridge can be a big influence in this department. Expect him to displace Gijon Robinson. And watch him work effectively as a pass-catcher as well.

INTERIOR DESIGNS

All four AFC South teams could look different on the interior offensive line on opening day. The Colts are looking at busted left tackle Tony Ugoh as a guard. The Jaguars brought in Justin Smiley, could be finished with aging Brad Meester and haven’t been wild about Vince Manuwai’s play since he returned from a 2008 knee injury. The Texans added veteran Wade Smith and would like second-year man Antoine Caldwell to seize a spot. Those three lines need sorting out.

The Titans, who had a 2,000-yard rusher and gave up only 15 sacks, have also made changes, shifting left guard Eugene Amano to center to replace Kevin Mawae, an unsigned free agent, while inserting Leroy Harris in Amano’s old spot.

It’s possible all four teams run better up the middle and shield their signal-callers from the inside rush better than they did a year ago.

What I think they are thinking at the headquarters of the four AFC South teams as the first practice of training camp kicks off…

Houston Texans

This is the year. People are sick of picking us as a breakthrough team only to see us fall short. Fewer of them are jumping on us now, and they’ll regret it. Our running backs and interior line will be a lot better, and that balanced offense means you’re going to have to score a lot of points to stick with us. We’ll be better in the red zone, our pass rush will be better, our young defensive backs will surprise. Those things and our readiness to show resolve -- to hold a lead against a tough team, to finally beat the Colts for a second time -- mean this will be the breakthrough year.

Indianapolis Colts

Name a position we’re not better at than we were a year ago. You may not be sure the offensive line is enough, but we’ll pull the right mix out of what we’ve got. Our corner depth may be a question, but whose isn’t? Did you see the new life Larry Coyer breathed into our defense last year as a new coordinator? Well now you’ll see a similar effect from Clyde Christensen as offensive coordinator and Pete Metzelaars as offensive line coach. The three teams in the AFC South have done good offseason work, but they aren’t catching us.

Jacksonville Jaguars

We’ll get more bang out of our No. 1 pick, defensive tackle Tyson Alualu, in the division as anyone and he will be a central piece in a defensive line transformation that will reinvigorate a sluggish pass rush. We did more than our three rivals in free agency with Aaron Kampman and Kassim Osgood. We’re determined to get back to being a physical team, and you’ll have your hands full when we arrive on your schedule. Win or lose, we will make sure your training room is crowded the Monday after you play us.

Tennessee Titans

We’re going young at a lot of key spots, which leaves a lot of people questioning how we fill in leadership gaps. Here’s how: Guys will emerge on the field and in the locker room, and these guys are younger, faster and with more upside than the older guys they are replacing. They are all quality players, and they will collectively surprise the league as we rise up to challenge the Colts. Vince Young will continue to grow, and with more steady play the passing offense will have a lot of plays to make as teams gear up to stop Chris Johnson.

INDIANAPOLIS -- We dig and scrap to find issues with a team that was a league best 14-2 and went to the Super Bowl a season ago.

And we often end up hitting on third-and-short offense.

It’s not that the Indianapolis Colts were bad in such situations. They converted overall third downs at a league-best clip of 49.2 percent.

Still, in a couple of big situations in the past two postseasons -- the end of a loss in San Diego two seasons ago and the end of the first half of Super Bowl XLIV -- failures on third-and-short had a big bearing.

“You get that first down, it’s probably never spoken about,” center Jeff Saturday said. “… A lot of [third-and-one] is you’ve got nine and 10 guys in the box, you have a single safety back behind it, your corners are up either in press or man-to-man. You have a lot of players up in there filling gaps.

“We’re a one-back offense so we don’t have somebody really leading through. So if you don’t get a clean block or they are blitzing and somebody steps in the gap, it’s tough to always get it. It’s a definite mindset. We actually did improve last year compared to the year before. But those are the things, when 10 guys are in the box, there are 2 minutes left on the clock and you can run it and eat up their last timeout, that’s what you’ve got to get done.

“… Anytime you’re extending drives with runs, you’re solving a lot of people's problems.”

Three factors are at play as the Colts look to improve at clutch conversions:

(Read full post)

INDIANAPOLIS -- Minicamps and OTAs produce free positive publicity. Everyone is happy. No one’s lost a game.

Writers warn readers about reading too much into anything, and some players who shine at this time of year annually disappear come training camp and end up among the football unemployed.

Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian hates getting caught up in things with minimal meaning.

So ask about two young offensive linemen trying to get back into the lineup, Tony Ugoh and Mike Pollack, and he offers only this:

“Thus far OK,” Polian said. “We’re not playing now. There is a tendency in the parallel universe to want to judge everybody. The first thing I tell the coaches is, ‘Don’t make any judgments until after the first two weeks of training camp, it’s not fair to the players.’ So thus far, they’ve had good offseasons. But that’s all they are. We’ll see.”

The line could be just one man different than last season’s, with guard Ryan Lilja gone, or there could be a bigger shakeup. Long-time position coach Howard Mudd retired and Pete Metzelaars has taken over.

I wondered if guys like Ugoh, who’s moved from tackle to guard and is getting first look at left guard, and Pollak, who had fallen out of favor, could benefit from a clean slate with Metzelaars, new coordinator Clyde Christensen and new assistant offensive line coach Ron Prince.

Polian downplayed that idea, but veteran center Jeff Saturday thinks there is something to it.

“Everybody gets a clean slate every year,” Polian said. “Every year is a new year, each team writes its own story… The past means nothing. Everybody starts with a clean slate and, you hope, good health."

Said Saturday: “We’ve had a lot of changes in our offensive staff, and those [two] guys are getting new life. They have an opportunity to take advantage of it. Both those guys were high draft picks for us. Obviously from the team’s perspective, they want them on the field. When you draft guys that’s what you want to happen.”

Polian talks about throwing the whole group into a pot and sorting through it during training camp. Even with Mudd gone, the team president looks for the same process to unfold.

“Our history here has been that every year we throw 14 or 15 offensive linemen into the pot and Howard has taken out his ladle and worked around for the five weeks of camp and out of it comes an offensive line that’s in the top three or four in the league in giving up sacks and that plays exceptionally well,” Polian said. “I don’t doubt that will be the case this time around even though Howard is retired.

“Who that will be I have no idea at this point.”

Be it running up the middle or stifling pass-rushers coming that way, the AFC South’s looking for change on interior offensive lines heading toward the 2010 season.

The Tennessee Titans, who blocked for just the sixth 2,000-yard rusher in league history, have made an alteration. The Indianapolis Colts, the defending AFC champs who allowed a league-low 13 sacks, are auditioning interior candidates. The Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars both identified the interior line as an area in need of improvement, too.

Yet of 32 draft picks by the four teams, just two were used on offensive linemen -- a fourth-rounder by the Colts for guard Jacques McClendon and a sixth-rounder by the Texans for guard Shelley Smith. And only three veteran additions seem like they can influence the mixes -- Justin Smiley in Jacksonville, Wade Smith in Houston and Andy Alleman in Indianapolis.

Said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.: “Didn't anyone in this division address the interior offensive line during the draft with any pick of substance? That seems odd.”

So here’s a team-by-team look at what’s going on inside, with some thoughts from Williamson:

Jacksonville

The Jaguars appear willing to have true competitions to hash things out.

Last year’s interior trio of left guard Vince Manuwai, center Brad Meester and right guard Uche Nwaneri is back. But the team is willing to shuffle, and at least two others are in play now as well -- Smiley, a guard acquired recently from Miami in a trade for an undisclosed draft pick believed to be a conditional seventh, and Kynan Forney, a backup guard last year.

At minicamp the weekend following the draft, Jags head coach Jack Del Rio and offensive line coach Andy Heck had flipped Manuwai to the right side, figuring he and right tackle Eben Britton are the team’s best run-blockers. With the aid of tight end Marcedes Lewis and fullback Greg Jones, the Jaguars could send Maurice Jones-Drew that direction and dare people to stop it.

But at organized team activities (OTAs) this week, Manuwai wasn’t working with the starters and Del Rio was talking about how the torn ACL the guard suffered back in the season opener of 2008 was still a factor for him.

“I think he’s still a little bothered by that but at some point you’ve got to get beyond that and go and he knows that,” Del Rio said. “I think Vinny still has a ways to go. I think Vinny’s working at it. He’s got his weight down. He’s trying but he needs to play better. I think he knows that. He’s working hard it and trying …

“We clearly [come] out of last year saying, ‘Look, we’ve got to have better play with our line, period,’ and our two young tackles [Eugene Monroe and Britton] we know are going to grow and get better but our interior line needs to pick it up as well. And they are working at it and they are challenging and competing and we expect them to play at a much higher level for us.”

I honestly think it’s wide open, but I’d be very surprised if Manuwai, who can be a very effective run-blocker, isn’t in the starting lineup for the opener against Denver.

Williamson says: “Adding Smiley could pay dividends, as this offensive line (especially on the interior) really was a problem area last year. Their protection up the gut was really poor. While I have some real doubts any more about Meester, I do like Manuwai quite a bit and expect more from him this year.”

Houston

The Texans' run troubles were in large part because of their backs. But they lost guards Chester Pitts and Mike Brisiel early and it’s a tough order for any team to replace 40 percent of its line and keep plugging. Steve Slaton had a miserable year as he tried to deal with a neck injury, couldn’t hold onto the ball and wound up on injured reserve.

Pitts is a free agent who won’t be back and Brisiel has been working as a backup so far in OTAs. The team’s lined up with Kasey Studdard at left guard, Chris Myers and at center and Antoine Caldwell at right guard. But Smith’s been rotated in some early at center.

With offensive line guru Alex Gibbs gone, the team will still be using his principles. But the three remaining coaches who oversee the position -- John Benton, Frank Pollack and Bruce Matthews -- may have fresher eyes and a willingness to shuffle. And odds are it's second-round pick Ben Tate getting many of the carries behind that line.

We should see some real competition for all three slots. I’ve repeatedly hear good things about Myers. And because Caldwell was a third-rounder, I expect the team would probably like to see him stake a claim.

Gary Kubiak said Studdard and Caldwell have earned the right to say they are starters “right now.”

“We are as competitive in there as we’ve ever been as a team,” Kubiak said. “It’s going to be hard to hold a job, and it’s going to be very competitive to get one. So that makes the team better.”

Williamson says: “I thought Myers played real well and he is an excellent fit in this system. Their interior offensive line is loaded with no-name guys, but overall they are well coached and effective enough. Still, an upgrade at one of the starting guard spots would have been a real nice addition. … Smith is an ideal sixth guy, but not a liability as a starter.”

Indianapolis

The Colts paid him a bonus, but still cut Ryan Lilja who seemed pretty effective to me at left guard last season. Team officials have worked hard to deflect the idea the Colts made the move because they want to be bigger on the line. But it’s a sensible time for a change with Pete Metzelaars taking over for Howard Mudd as line coach and the team looking to be more effective in clutch third-and-short situations and the like.

Tony Ugoh, who lost out at left tackle, has worked at left guard in recent offseason practice sessions. Jeff Saturday is entrenched as Peyton Manning's guy at center. Kyle DeVan is the incumbent right guard, who came out of nowhere last season.

Presuming no other tackles are shifted inside and that left tackle remains Charlie Johnson's job, Ugoh and DeVan face their competition from Alleman, McClendon and 2008 second-rounder Mike Pollak.

Bill Polian has talked about throwing everybody out there and seeing what happens. With a new position coach, the fight for roles may not start with any true favorites. While they have to continue to favor pass blocking above all else, I do think it’s in their best interest to be a bit more determined to be able to call for and execute runs in key situations with more success.

Williamson says: “Saturday is obviously the leader and his symbiotic relationship with Peyton carries a ton of weight. He is smart and very technically sound. I do think his game is falling off ever so slightly though. I was shocked that they let Lilja go and thought he was far and away their best guard. Now, they really need to count on youngsters and those youngsters still have a lot to prove.”

Tennessee

The Titans had the least concern here as they considered their roster, but with Kevin Mawae getting older and Leroy Harris on the bench and ready to play, they decided to go with youth and size. So last year’s left guard, Eugene Amano, is replacing Mawae at center, with Harris taking over at left guard.

Tennessee loses leadership and experience in the equation, but gains significant strength. Harris is very much an interior guy, but he’s athletic and smart enough that he played effectively at right tackle in a win at San Francisco last season.

A Hall of Famer as a player, line coach Mike Munchak knows when a guy is ready, and he’s fully endorsed this plan or the Titans wouldn’t be going with it. Whether Chris Johnson or someone like LeGarrette Blount is running up the middle, I think they’ll find a bit more daylight. And Vince Young should feel less inside rush closing in on him.

Williamson says: “You have to wonder how much Mawae will be missed. It isn't that he played great -- and clearly he isn't what he once was -- but just from the standpoint of making the calls and especially from a leadership perspective. So, this interior line is in transition. Right guard Jake Scott probably hasn't quite lived up to what Tennessee was expecting to get from him when they signed him in free agency, but he is a quality starting guard. I think Harris has a good amount of ability and could surprise with more playing time.”

» NFC Big Question: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

What will the Colts’ offensive line look like in 2010?

Straight answer: We don’t know and only can speculate. There will be a new left guard, as Ryan Lilja was let go. Beyond that…

The team has added three players: sixth-year tackle Adam Terry, fourth-year guard Andy Alleman and fourth-round draft pick Jacques McClendon. They also added three undrafted tackles (one who was on the practice squads in Cincinnati, San Diego and Philadelphia last season) and an undrafted guard.

Team president Bill Polian recently said the intent is to toss all 15 offensive linemen on the roster into the OTA, minicamp and training camp mix and see what shakes out. That leaves a lot of room for a lot of scenarios including a tackle like Charlie Johnson kicking inside.

It’s my feeling that of the four remaining incumbents, only center Jeff Saturday is a lock to return in the spot he was in last season. But I also wouldn’t be at all surprised if all four -- Johnson at left tackle, Saturday at center, Kyle DeVan at right guard, Ryan Diem at right tackle -- were in place on opening day in Houston, with only Lilja’s replacement a newcomer. The group, after all, was good enough to get the Colts to a second Super Bowl in four years.

Pass protection is going to remain priority one with Peyton Manning taking the snaps, but more effective run blocking in some crucial scenarios is a factor that can help the Colts.

They need to lock in a left tackle and go from there. Charlie Johnson could remain in the spot, though some think he’s best as the sixth man who can fill in for a few games here and there at tackle or guard. Tony Ugoh needs to make his claim to the job now, and could get a clean slate with Pete Metzelaars taking over for longtime offensive line coach Howard Mudd.

A scout from another team told me recently that he thought Polian wanted to see Ugoh developed at the spot while the decisive Mudd had determined Ugoh couldn’t be effective enough for the Colts last year. We’ll likely never know if that’s the case, thought the results of the competitions could give us some degree of information.

Whoever the tackles are, they and the run game should get a boost from Brody Eldridge. He's the big blocking tight end the Colts drafted in the fifth round out of Oklahoma. He’s not going to hurt the Colts while getting in the way of an extra pass rusher either.

In honor of Tim Graham’s idea to honor Cinco de Mayo with five random thoughts, here are five random thoughts on the AFC South:

1) I wonder how much Pete Metzelaars will carry over Howard Mudd’s thinking about offensive linemen, and how much he will stray from it. Mudd was way down on Tony Ugoh, who may get a whole new second chance after Mudd’s retirement. Metzelaars replaces a legendary assistant, but is going to have leeway to put his stamp on things. Four of five incumbent starters are back, but I feel like only one is absolutely assured of being in the same spot: center Jeff Saturday.

2) There are a lot of great Twitter guys in the AFC South rookie classes, but I think the Texans’ Ben Tate (@BenTateRB) is the early leader for his combination of quality and quantity. He’s shown confidence and a lot of respect at the same time in what I’ve read, reaching out to several NFL guys to introduce himself or connect. If he’s the productive running back the team expects, adding his personality to that is going to make him very popular in Houston very quickly.

3) The ability of the Texans, Titans and Jaguars to close the gap on the Colts could come from new special-teams sparks. I’m anxious to see Trindon Holliday, Damian Williams and Scotty McGee at work. The Colts downplayed their own attempts to address the return spots, by Ray Fisher may be an answer. How those four stack up comparatively could have a correlation to the standings.

4) Titans sixth-round quarterback Rusty Smith could create a lot of buzz in training camp. He’s the fourth guy now, but will wind up third unless he implodes. I saw him in a very limited window at a small, all-rookie practice. But between that and what the Titans have said about him, I expect people who love a drop back, pocket passer with a big arm (I admit I do) are going to fall in love with him. And if or when Vince Young struggles, a faction will emerge that prematurely asks about Smith’s potential to get on the field.

5) Pot Roast’s backside is a concern. Jaguars defensive tackle Terrance Knighton had an impressive rookie year and can really stop the run. He’s hard to move, but also has to be able to move. And his backside was huge at Jaguars’ minicamp last weekend. He’s listed at 325. I think they’d like him to be 325. I feel certain he’s well above 325.

After the Colts announced the alterations to their coaching staff Friday evening, Chris Mortensen reported that the changes at the top of the offensive staff aren’t just title alterations.

Tom Moore, the longtime offensive coordinator, is now senior offensive assistant while Clyde Christensen assumes the big title and job. And according to Mortensen, it’s Christensen who will now be in Peyton Manning's ear. Moore has held that role for all of Manning’s time in Indianapolis.

Manning had neck surgery not long ago and hasn’t surfaced yet this offseason to make any public comments.

I’m curious to know how in the loop he was on these alterations, as he vented last year about poor communication when Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd, who retired after the Super Bowl, temporarily retired in order to secure some benefits.

The team also made official the promotion of Pete Metzelaars to offensive line coach to replace Mudd, and announced the additions of wide receivers coach Ron Turner and assistant offensive line coach Ron Prince. Jim Bob Cooter went from staff assistant to offensive assistant.

The announcement came via e-mail at 7:45 Friday night, a time when teams or businesses typically put out news they want to get minimal exposure.

I don’t understand the thinking there. What would be so terrible if coaches you’ve promoted or hired actually got a little attention out of it?

At 6-foot-8 and 335 pounds, Adam Terry is a giant.

The Colts' new tackle is two inches taller and 15 pounds heavier than any Colts offensive lineman from 2009.

At 6-4 and, 310, Andy Alleman qualifies as a big guard.

Clearly Indy’s push to get bigger on the offensive line is underway. And adding two low-cost players when they cannot bring in any true unrestricted free agents because of the final eight rule is a good start.

But while they may be altering their philosophy on size, we don’t yet know if they are changing their philosophy on value. These two acquisitions are underachieving players who were set to be restricted free agents and weren’t rated as tender worthy by Baltimore or Kansas City, respectively.

Pete Metzelaars is expected to be promoted to take the place of the retired Howard Mudd, with Ron Prince added to the staff to also work with the offensive line.

Terry and Alleman have to rate as projects for them -- and this is a team with a good history of plugging in players like this and getting a lot more out of them than other teams could or would.

The Colts need a return man, though there is no assurance based on his history that Bill Polian will draft one. They need to replenish their depth at cornerback. But offensive line is their biggest need, as they look to replace the released left guard Ryan Lilja and upgrade from left tackle Charlie Johnson and right guard Kyle DeVan.

Terry and Alleman give the Colts some bigger options in the mix.

If they are going in that direction, I’d expect they’ll be joined by a bigger draft pick or two.

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

Each Wednesday 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: biggest team needs.

Houston Texans

A potent offense might be one player away from diversifying in a huge way. The Texans need a bigger running back who has third-down/short-yardage/goal-line vision and skill. By pairing that player with Steve Slaton, the Texans could build a run game that sufficiently supplements the pass attack.

Interior offensive line depth is an issue too, but the other big issues are on defense. Free safety and defensive tackle have been issues for too long and corner depth is a concern that turns into an outright need if Dunta Robinson isn’t retained.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts need options on the offensive line, where they are loaded with smart guys but need to have more of a physical presence to ensure they can move people in the run game for a crucial third-and-short. With Howard Mudd retiring as position coach and Pete Metzelaars expected to take over, the Colts will do well to increase the quality options.

It runs counter to how they’ve operated, but because they should be deep at receiver and corner if they are healthy, a return specialist could provide a great boost. Depth at defensive end also rates worth a mention.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars could add people anywhere but offensive tackle, and that’s only because they addressed that position with their top two picks last year in GM Gene Smith’s first draft. Pass-rushers are a giant priority -- if they can hurry the quarterback more often, the backers and secondary will improve.

Interior offensive line and safety are issues too, but everything is trumped by quarterback. The Jaguars have acknowledged that David Garrard's not elite, and you’ll find an elite quarterback or a young guy with a chance to be one on every team from the 2009 playoffs.

Tennessee Titans

Because the Titans have more free agents than anyone else in the division, their needs could change based on who they retain. But no matter whom they might re-sign, they’ve got to get younger on defense and need help at cornerback, defensive end and linebacker.

The return games are major concerns, and they’d be well served to spend a value pick to address it rather than presuming someone will emerge from a field of midrange picks. (How did that work out last season?) They’ll also probably need an interior offensive lineman and could look to add a quarterback to develop.

Bill Polian’s weekly radio show on 97.1 Hank FM in Indianapolis always produces a lot of quality material for discussion, and we always appreciate that John Oehser takes the time to transcribe it. You’ll find it all here.

Let’s touch on a few of Polian’s points:

Polian: “In terms of this particular game, we weren't outplayed. We weren't outhit. We weren't out-hustled. We weren't out-coached. The statistics -- whatever statistics mean or don't mean, they mean nothing. We didn't execute in the critical times and therein lies the story of the game, nothing more, nothing less.”

Kuharsky's take: Polian repeatedly stressed that there was no fault in preparation, that the outcome of Super Bowl XLIV was about the Saints' ability to execute and the Colts' failure to do the same. It must be a coping mechanism for him, because I haven’t heard any criticism about Indy’s preparation.

Polian: “The offensive line, by our standards, did not have a good game. They were outplayed by the Saints' defensive line, I thought, pretty decisively."

Kuharsky's take: Um, didn't that first quote say "We weren't outplayed"? I said Tuesday it’s time to consider revamping the O-line and that as Pete Metzelaars takes over for Howard Mudd, he needs to have more physical options. The Saints D-line isn’t an all-star cast. It shouldn't have been able to win so many plays.

Polian: “Our special teams, in terms of handling the ball -- both in the return game and on the onside kick were outplayed by the Saints. Therein lay the result. It had nothing to do with strategy or preparedness of toughness or effort. All of that was there. We just didn't execute.”

Kuharsky's take: Um, didn't that first quote say "We weren't outplayed"? For too long the Colts have been content with average special teams. I’ve gotten to know Ray Rychleski, the special teams coach who just completed his first year, a bit and I think he’s good at his job. He needs more to work with. Start with some sort of explosive possibility at the return spots. The kicker situation needs resolution so the team has the comfort level there it has with Pat McAfee, the strong young punter and kickoff man.

Polian: “I made it clear to Gary [Brackett] on Sunday night that we very much want him back and will do what is necessary within all reasonable bounds to get him back. It may take a while, as it did with [center] Jeff Saturday last year, because you have to work through budgets.”

Kuharsky's take: The Colts are usually tight against the cap. But we are heading to no cap. If they are fair, they should be able to keep Brackett. His would be a big hole to fill.

A final thought: Out-played, out-executed, out-prepared -- all that stuff is pretty meaningless in the big picture where all that matters is out-scored.