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Jeff Fisher critics have called for staff shuffling.

They’d have been foolish to want defensive line coach Jim Washburn to go. But Washburn, a free agent like every coach on Fisher’s 2010 staff except for Mike Heimerdinger, may be on the verge of jumping to Philadelphia, reports Jim Wyatt.

Fisher acknowledging the possibility may be an early attempt to start softening the blow.

It would be a terrible development for the organization, which has consistently seen Washburn turn draft picks and free agents, problem children and reclamation projects into productive pass rushers.

The list of guys Washburn got the best out of includes Jevon Kearse, who joined the Titans in 1999, the same year as Washburn as well as Kenny Holmes, Josh Evans, Henry Ford, Carlos Hall, Robaire Smith, Antwan Odom, Travis LaBoy, Albert Haynesworth, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Tony Brown, Jason Jones, Dave Ball and Jason Babin.

In six seasons with four teams, Babin had 17. 5 career sacks before the Titans signed him for $1 million last offseason. Under Washburn’s tutelage, Babin posted 12.5 sacks -- the sixth-best total in the NFL. (Here’s a column on Babin and Ball from early in the 2010 season.)

A screamer, Washburn knows how to find and push buttons for his players, and he’s helped them make them a ton of money. By Wyatt’s count, 11 defensive linemen left the Titans over the past 12 years to sign big free-agent contracts elsewhere at a total value of more than $355 million.

I can think of only two guys who were better after they left. Juqua Thomas, who’s now Juqua Parker of the Eagles and could soon have Washburn as a position coach again, is not part of that big-money departure list. Randy Starks of the Dolphins is.

Virtually everyone who’s played for Washburn has good things to say about what he did for them.

Replacing him would be a huge undertaking for Fisher. A lame-duck coach, he won’t be able to offer his next defensive line coach any more than the one-year deal he was able to offer Washburn.

Add another reclamation project to Jim Washburn’s pile -- provided the Eagles don’t choose to match the one-year, $1 million contract Jason Babin has agreed to with Tennessee, according to Adam Schefter.

Washburn, the Titans' defensive line coach, has had his share of high draft picks – Jevon Kearse, Albert Haynesworth, Travis LaBoy, Antwan Odom, Randy Starks, Jason Jones and Sen'Derrick Marks -- to work with.

But he’s also been given a share of scrap heap guys.

And before people like me jump to say we don’t expect much from Babin, who busted big time as a first-round pick for the Houston Texans in 2004, we’d be wise to review some of those names, too.

Kyle Vanden Bosch and Tony Brown turned into defensive stalwarts and Dave Ball was tendered at a second-round level with a one-year $1.8 million price tag.

So Babin is an extreme case of wait-and-see.

Perhaps he eases the pressure on the team to find a pass-rusher in the first three rounds of the draft. I would think it’d be awfully hard for them to make that assessment before the draft, though, and he won’t change their plans.

If he blossoms under his new position coach, the Titans will take the depth and experience.

Here’s the bonus review from Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc., who returns e-mails with lightning speed.

DE/OLB tweener who has never really found a home or position that best suits him. Had a tremendous Combine when coming out for the draft and I think that has clouded some people into thinking he is a great athlete who can really play coverage (in a 3-4 for example). But that hasn't been the case and he is more or less just an upfield 9 Technique...which is like [Dwight] Freeney or [Robert] Mathis (lining up real wide). He does have speed, but hasn't developed a real repertoire of pass rush moves and when run at, is a liability. Obviously DE is a need area for the Titans, so adding him to the mix isn't such a bad thing, but he isn't an everydown guy and in the end, you would hope that you can do better for a pure specialty pass rusher.

Everyone wants their team to trade down.

I get more e-mails at this time of year asking me about the possibility of the Jaguars trading out of the No. 10 spot in the NFL draft in hopes of getting more. The same kinds of questions come from Titans fans hoping their team will opt out of selecting 16th overall. Texans fans (No. 20) and Colts followers (No. 31) aren’t averse to the idea of trading down, either.

So I am here to tell you, while trading up is often too expensive, trading down is often overrated.

For starters, to get down, you need a team that wants to move up.

“Sitting in the draft room for many years, I think those are conversations that always come up: 'Well, wouldn’t it be nice to move back and pick up a couple other picks?'" Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “Well in that 10 minutes or whatever you have before that pick, if you’re not a hot commodity at that time and nobody wants to talk to you, you better be ready to do business.

“I think it’s probably a hell of a lot easier said than done.”

Said Jacksonville GM Gene Smith in a recent conference call with season-ticket holders: “My mindset is to acquire picks. If we’re able to do that, I’ll have a smile on my face.”

But even if you have a lot of needs, like Smith, is that the right route?

Let’s look at the recent trade-down history of our four teams and then assess. We’re considering just picks-for-picks trades, not moves that include veteran players.

In the last six years, with the help of Jason Vida of ESPN Stats & Information and prosportstransactions.com, here are first-round trade-downs in the division.



Houston

2008 -- Traded with Baltimore

Gave: No. 18 in first round (quarterback Joe Flacco)

[+] Enlarge
Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty ImagesThe Texans drafted Duane Brown after trading down in the first round of the 2008 draft.

Got: No. 26 pick in first round (offensive tackle Duane Brown), a third-round pick (86th overall, running back Steve Slaton) and a sixth-round pick (173rd overall, defensive back Dominique Barber)

Value chart says: Ravens, 900-883.2 points

Assessment: Baltimore got its quarterback and Flacco is clearly the most valuable player of all of these. The Texans got their left tackle (Brown), a skill player who’s had one great year and one terrible season (Slaton) and some shaky secondary depth (Barber).

2005 -- Traded with New Orleans

Gave: No. 13 in first round (offensive tackle Jammal Brown)

Got: No. 16 in first round (defensive tackle Travis Johnson) and a third-round pick in 2006 (66th overall, offensive tackle Eric Winston)

Value chart: Texans, 1,260-1,150. (That link is to an NFL-style draft value chart like the ones teams use to measure trade values.)

Assessment: Brown has been a Pro Bowler twice and an All-Pro once. Johnson underachieved and was traded. Winston is a very solid starter, but the Saints got more bang here, I think.

Indianapolis

Sidenote: The Colts gave up their 2008 first-rounder and their 2007 fourth-rounder to get the 2007 second-rounder from San Francisco they used to draft offensive tackle Tony Ugoh. That can be classified in different ways. I see it more as the Colts going up to get Ugoh, so I don’t use it as a trade-down scenario here.

2004 --Traded with Atlanta

Gave: No. 29 in the first round (wide receiver Michael Jenkins) and a third-round pick (90th overall, quarterback Matt Schaub)

Got: No. 38 in the second round (traded to Steelers for a second-round pick, 44th overall, Bob Sanders and fourth-round pick, 107th overall, linebacker Kendyll Pope), a third-round pick (69th overall, linebacker Gilbert Gardner), and a fourth-round pick (125th overall, cornerback Jason David)

Value chart says: Colts, 845-780

Assessment: A double-trade down netted the Colts Sanders. He may miss way too many games due to injuries, but he won a defensive player of the year award and keyed a Super Bowl team. But Schaub sure proved to have value for Atlanta when Houston came calling a couple years later.

Jacksonville

2007 -- Traded with Denver

Gave: No. 17 in first round (defensive end Jarvis Moss)

[+] Enlarge
Scott A. Miller/US PresswireThe Jaguars' Reggie Nelson had a disappointing sophomore season.

Got: No. 21 in first round (safety Reggie Nelson); a third-round pick (86th overall, traded to Baltimore for a fourth-round pick, 101st overall , a fifth-round pick, 166th overall, and a sixth-round pick 203rd overall); and a sixth-round pick (198th overall, traded to Atlanta as part of package for a fifth-rounder, 149th overall, guard Uche Nwaneri). Punter Adam Podlesh and defensive tackle Derek Landri came out of that trade with Baltimore, with the 203rd pick also going to Atlanta in the trade that got Jacksonville Nwaneri

Value chart says: Jaguars 973.2-950 (not factoring in trades of other picks involved)

Assessment: They did OK, but if Nelson continues on his current course, we'll remember them failing with another first-rounder.

Titans

2004 -- Traded with Houston

Gave: No. 27 in the first round (defensive end/outside linebacker Jason Babin) and a fifth-round pick (159th overall, traded to Jacksonville)

Got: No. 40 in the second round (tight end Ben Troupe), a third-round pick (71st overall, defensive tackle Randy Starks), a fourth-round pick (103rd overall, defensive end Bo Schobel), and a fifth-round pick (138th overall, guard Jacob Bell)

Value chart says: Titans, 860-708.8

Assessment: On draft day, it looked like a monster win for Tennessee and in time, because Babin busted, it still leaned their way. But for the Titans, only Bell was a consistent performer. It’s easy to look back on drafts and play what if, I know, but what if the Titans or the Texans had used No. 27 on Sanders or Karlos Dansby or Chris Snee?

Conclusions:

Let’s emphasize this is not scientific and it's not a very big sample size.

Still, these five deals produced just one player we’d rate as stellar, and Sanders has major injury issues. They also yielded AFC South teams a left tackle who still has to prove himself (Brown), a defensive tackle who busted (Johnson), a free safety whose second year was very poor (Nelson) and a tight end who’s out of the league (Troupe).

Trading down doesn’t always produce the yield everyone imagines. One very good player is better than a couple who rank a notch below. The chance at that player is typically better where you are, not lower than that.

So if the Jaguars see someone they like a lot at 10 or if the Titans see someone they like a lot at 16, they should jump, not dump.

Randy Starks was just a kid, but he was a kid the Titans thought had tremendous upside when they drafted him out of Maryland in the third round, 71st overall in 2004.


They miscalculated his potential to mature and were shocked when, after four years and with no interest in bringing him back, Miami gave him a monster free-agent contract.

In Tennessee after a somewhat promising rookie year, Starks’s interest seemed to wane. I felt there were times he cared as little about playing hard or well as much as any Titan who got consistent playing time I could remember.

Sunday, he’ll be back at LP Field as an effective piece of the Dolphins 3-4 defensive line.

Starks has started every game at right end this season, recording as many sacks as Jason Taylor (six) and 46 tackles, which rank fifth on the team.

“ I know the reasons for his inconsistencies here and it looks like he’s got it behind him,” Jeff Fisher aid cryptically. “… I’m really happy to see him playing as well as he’s playing. We drafted him where we drafted him because we thought he had the potential. Sometimes when you change address the time light comes on, you get in a new environment, new atmosphere and you play well. He’s playing very well this year.

Guard Eugene Amano, a late-round piece of the same draft as Starks, will spend a lot of time trying to a guy who’s very popular with Tony Sparano.

“The guy’s done a tremendous job for us,” Miami’s coach said. “Since the day that he’s walked through the door here he’s got better and better. I can honestly say that the guy has continued to improve each week out here, made great strides from last year as a backup player to this year where he became a starter and took over. Really, I think right now he is just playing at an extremely high level.

“His in-season conditioning right now and strength training has been outstanding. The guy’s done a tremendous job in the weight room right now and keeping himself physically sharp. We got his body weight down and I think he’s really done a nice job that way. So, this guy’s just getting better and better and he’s a young player that I think is arrow up all the way.”

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

I watched the early part of the Jaguars' 12-9 loss in Miami Monday night looking for what jumped out, and one predominant theme wasn't hard to find at the start.

New general manager Gene Smith wants to build inside out and considers the lines the foundation, The Jaguars offensive line has gotten healthy and been reinforced with two high draft picks, tackle Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton. But the initial performance of the starters was not good.

The starting offensive line included Uche Nwaneri at left guard, not the scratched Vince Manuwai, as well as Tra Thomas at left tackle and Tony Pashos at right tackle. The group got pushed back by Miami's top defensive linemen, who also had some blitz help.

Randy Starks beat Nwaneri and hit quarterback David Garrard low on the last play of the Jags' first possession. Garrard limped off after taking the hit. On the second series, fullback Greg Jones stepped over to pick up charging Channing Crowder, but Crowder pushed Jones back into Garrard who threw incomplete before landing hard.

Not long later, under pressure from a blitzing Nate Jones and with Jason Taylor arriving to help bring him down, Garrard tried to flip the ball forward, apparently to Nwaneri, and was lucky it wasn't intercepted by Starks.

In three possessions with Garrard at quarterback, the Jaguars managed just one first down and netted 18 yards. Under fire, he managed just four completions in seven attempts for 22 yards.

The frontline offensive line would appear to have a way to go.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Thomas from parts unknown writes: Kuharsky how do you know that other teams had Derek Cox rated lower on their draft boards. Did you see any teams actual draft boards? Or did you think teams had him rated lower because ESPN Faux-Scouts Kiper and Mcshay figured he was a late round selection because he wasn't invited to the combine. And that they might have overlooked him all together because he was from a small school. You should maybe get off the whole Derek Cox could have been had in a later round shtick, because in reality you aren't a scout and you don't know.

Paul Kuharsky: Here's how I know: I know people with other teams whom I trust and who help set their teams' draft boards.

So I said to them, "Hey, where did you have Cox that Jacksonville spent the 2010 second to take in the third?" And two different people with two different teams said, "Oh, sixth or seventh."

The days when teams don't pay attention to small-school guys and non-combine guys are largely over. People knew who this guy was. And he could turn out to be great. We'll have to wait and see -- the Jaguars will certainly have the last word. But we do have some context for where Cox was valued by other teams and it's hardly unreasonable to say so.

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Larry in Washington, D.C., writes: I know the Colts are going to miss Howard Mudd tremendously, but with the rumors that Tom Moore may follow him into retirement scares me more. What are your thoughts on the transition should he actually retire? We know Peyton had more input in playcalling than most, if not all, QB's in the league. Do you see him actually taking over the full play-calling as opposed to choosing between the 2 or 3 plays Moore would "suggest"? Thanks, and I hope the offseason is treating you well.

Paul Kuharsky: Well, the retirements are official now, though the possibility of some sort of return as consultants hasn't been erased.

I would expect Clyde Christensen (or maybe Jim Caldwell himself) to work with Peyton Manning the same way Moore has. Manning will still need some additional, outside perspective.

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Ross in Brentwood writes: I'm surprised you haven't addressed the Titans bringing in Drew Bennett for a physical yet Paul, I'd be curious to know your thoughts on them potentially bringing him back, especially in the wake of this "weakness" article on their passing game. I do agree with parts of that article, but I do think there's actually going to be improvement this year, and as I've said in my "mythbuster" response, they don't need an air-it-out offense to succeed. I do, however, think Bennett is not the missing piece here. They already tried bringing back a veteran wideout who began with the Titans, and that didn't work out too well for Justin McCareins. At this point they don't need to break the bank and/or trade away multiple draft picks (high ones at least) for a Boldin or Edwards, but Drew Bennett will just be another veteran presence who won't be a game-changer...although with the youngsters now at the position, maybe that is what they need.

Paul Kuharsky: I was away for two days when Bennett passed through Nashville.

If he's the fourth/fifth guy in case Hawkins still can't do anything or someone gets hurt, I could live with that. If he takes any opportunity away from Britt or Hawkins, then no thanks.

He's certainly not the playmaker or speedster they want, but at this stage Washington and Britt are those guys and it's unlikely they will be able to add any more. The question really is, do you want Bennett now as the fifth, or will you take your chances with what will come free at the end of training camps around the league?

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Josh in Memphis writes: Wouldn't the Titans be better off signing Malcolm Floyd RFA S. Diego than Drew Bennett? The two are the same size, Malcolm's younger 27 vs. 30-31, Malcolm's healthier, caught as many balls in SD last year than Bennett in STL in 2 years. Malcolm brother player WR for the Oilers back in the 94-97 years.

Paul Kuharsky: The period for signing restricted free agents to offer sheets ended April 17. Floyd had a second-round pick attached as compensation. Between that and the contract it would have taken to assure the Chargers didn't match the offer, he would have been a lot more expensive. Friday, Floyd signed his one-year deal with the Chargers.

As for where his brother was over 10 years ago, do you really think something like that would factor in to a team's personnel decision? Why?

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Mauricio in Houston writes: If I may, three questions in one. Is the need for help at running back of my Texans real? If it is, would it be worth pursuing Jones from the jets and if so, what would be a reasanoble trade value in draft picks.

Paul Kuharsky: Absolutely it's real. They need someone to complement Slaton and to turn to if he's hurt.

Maybe Jeremiah Johnson or Arian Foster surprise -- I'm in Tennessee so have seen and heard a lot of Foster and don't have high expectations for him. Maybe Chris Brown can stay healthy for a stretch. Maybe they eventually add Ryan Torain or another outsider to the mix.

Thomas Jones from the Jets, I would expect, would be too expensive. If the Texans didn't spend a second-, third- or fourth-rounder on a running back in the draft, would they part with one for a back who will be 31 in August? I suspect not. Running backs over 30 are viewed as huge question marks by most teams.

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Evan in Chattanooga, Tenn., writes: Paul, I enjoy the blog, keep it up. My question is about the Titans defensive line this upcoming season. With the loss of Haynesworth, will the line still have the same potency it had last year, or do you see the Titans having to start blitzing linebackers to keep the pressure on the qb? Kearse and KVB are getting older, do you see any of the Titans young DE's having the potential to be of the same caliber as these guys? I think Tony Brown is a great DT and will be starting this year, will Jovan Haye or Jason Jones be starting as the other DT? Thanks, Evan

Paul Kuharsky: Thanks, pal.

I wouldn't say the same potency. They'll miss automatic double teams and Haynesworth's size.

But a year ago they lost Antwan Odom and Travis LaBoy in free agency -- a tandem that combined fo
r 14 sacks the year before. And I can't remember once in 2007 watching the Titans and saying, "They are really missing Odom and LaBoy." I still expect them to rush the passer effectively with the front four.

I expect Brown and Jones will be the starters, but there is room and time for that to change.

They may blitz more, but I don't think it will be a lot more.

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Weller Ross in Knoxville, Tenn., writes: I was wondering what your thoughts were on Tom Moore and Howard Mudd retiring. How big of a hit do you think this will be to the Colts offense if at all? Thanks, Weller PS: I also blogged about it and thought you might find it interesting.

Paul Kuharsky: I've done several posts on it. I think no matter how ready they were with guys to promote, that this could be a big hit, particularly from an offensive line perspective. Does Tony Ugoh, for example, get better without Mudd? I suspect not.

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Dash in Nashville writes: Paul...love the blog. Who do you think will take the #3 RB roster spot for the Titans? A. Javon Ringer B. Chris Henry C. Rafael Little

Paul Kuharsky: A. I think it would take an upset for Ringer not to be on the roster. Little is an intriguing guy. Henry, in my eyes, has no chance to stick.

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Farris in Nashville, Tenn., writes: Great blog Paul! I wanted to get your opinion on something. With the Titans finally giving Dinger a decent set of WR's that could possibly be a solid 4 deep, that he will open up the passing game and give Collins more opportunities to throw more vertical routes? I've got a gut feeling that Collins could possibly be in store for a 3,000 plus yard season and 20 plus TD's. It could possibly resemble the Co-MVP season of McNair. Dinger loves the deep routes and he finally has the speed to get it done. Thanks and I LOVE the blog and your segment on 104.5 The Zone!

Paul Kuharsky: Thanks very much, Farris.

Better and more open? Yes. Dramatically? I'd say no. The one big difference here is that in 2003 the Titans' 3.3 yards per carry was the worst for the franchise since 1974. Barring major injuries, this year's run game will be far better than that, reducing the need for Tennessee to open things up too, too much.

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Pokerfitz in Jacksonville writes: Im not sure why you dont understand the reason they Jags love Greg Jones so much. When he gets the ball the guy has been productive. Including rushing for over a 100 yards in Pittsburgh when he was subbing for an injured Fred Taylor. He gets tough yards, Breaks tackles and can catch the ball. His only knock has been his health, not his ability.

Paul Kuharsky: Huge scouting bromide -- the best ability a player has is availability.

You know a guy who's even more proven? (And by proven I mean has more than 64 carries a year.) Taylor.

Jones has a 3.4-yard average. For comparison's sake, let's look around the division at secondary running backs: Houston's Chris Brown has a 4.3 average (but has bigger health issues than Jones); Tennessee's LenDale White has a 3.9 average (and gets the ball in extremely favorable situations); Former Colts running back Dominic Rhodes has a 4.0 average (and is now with the Bills).

That's not the be-all end-all, of course. But I'm not, or wasn't, really excited about them either. It's hardly unreasonable to say Jones is unproven as an every game, No. 2 commodity like they plan to make him. I will be interested to see him work.

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Taylor in Murfreesboro writes: Hey Paul, I love the blog! But all I hear about Vince Young is the money the titans will have to be paying him for a back up QB is going to be way too much! So, why not try putting him on the field as a wide receiver, he has the skills, (6'5", athletic, fast) to be a great No. 1 wr if he were trained properly and was willing to "contribute" to the teams success instead of riding the bench, or he could run some Ohio State kinda of sets (Pryor and Boeckman in the fiesta bowl). What do you think about all of this?

Paul Kuharsky: I think it's crazy talk, really.

They spent good money on a free agent in Nate Washington and their top draft pick on Kenny Britt. Why not try to develop actual receivers? I am against anything that would take even a snap away from those two guys.

I can't understand the line of thinking that because Young is a good athlete he'd have to be a good wide receiver. You say he "has the skills" to be a great wide receiver -- then the first thing you list isn't a skill, it's his height, and the second and third things are "athletic" and "fast," qualities a ton of bad receivers possess, too.

Young's a good athlete and he's not a very good quarterback at this point -- and he's been focused on that position for his entire adult football life. But he's going to be a successful receiver?

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cameron from parts unknown writes: Firstly, I want to say i am a huge fan of your blog and i am a constant reader. My question to you is that the texans are ready to make a run to the playoffs, i feel, but do you think trying to add a Plaxico Burress would to far of a reach to compliment andre johnson. Also do you think they should go after a chris mcallister because of his playoff experience and his career numbers.

Paul Kuharsky: Thanks and please keep clicking.

Burress still has legal issues to resolve and from what I've read and seen, he is unlikely to be immediately available. Complementing Andre Johnson isn't a huge issue for Houston. Kevin Walter had 60 catches and eight touchdowns last year.

You fall into a familiar trap with McAlister. He's recognizable so you think he'd help. The Texans, and every team, evaluate a guy like that based more on what he can do going forward than than "playoff experience and career numbers." I don't love their secondary, but I don't feel like McAlister would qualify as an addition that could fix their issues. He only played in six games last year and he's about to turn 32.

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Paul in Iowa City writes: As far as Titans myths go, one I'd like to discuss is something of a non-myth. Its the whitewashing of the 99 draft, where we picked Kevin Dyson over Randy Moss. Dyson of course has a mythical position within the organization because of the MSM, but without that play the refusal to draft Moss stands out as a colossal mistake (which it still should). By and large though, the Titans draft well.

Paul Kuharsky: The posts with responses to AFC South myths are coming soon. This one wouldn't fit there, but seemed good for the mailbag.

By and large they draft well. Unless, of course, botching No. 6 and No. 3 overall picks in consecutive years counts against them.

Did they choose the wrong guy talent-wise for the receiver position at No. 16 in 1998? Absolutely.

But taking your logic and extending it, then I expect you'd absolutely defend their choice of Pacman Jones in 2006. He was, after all, a superior football talent to Antrel Rolle. (As then-Titans GM Floyd Reese predicted at the time, Rolle didn't even stay a corner.)

Now Jones turned out to be far more of a headache and troublemaker than Moss and couldn't keep himself eligible to play.

But if you rip the Titans for not taking Moss, by the same logic you would have had to applaud them for taking Jones.

So how's that stance working out for you?

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Sam in Nashville writes: 2 comments. First, does anyone else but me think that Haynesworth isn't really that important to our defense? While he is a very good player, he is injured often and has a tendency to be unmotivated. Also, Washburn seems to turn everyone into a star DT. Second, Vince has shown that he is not the quarterback of the future through his skills. His skill set does not include good footwork or accuracy. Because of this, do you see the Titans drafting another quarterback soon? And since we'll probably be in the 20-30 pick range, who would you see as a possible fit next year?

Paul Kuharsky: I'm sure there are others who think as you do. I think you are overreaching on Haynesworth not being that important. He was very important, often the best player they had on the field and made life easier for the other 10 guys.

If he took plays off, as a Titans beat guy named Terry McCormick has pointed out, the defenses assigning double teams to him didn't know which ones they would be. Haynesworth looked plenty motivated to me over the last two years. That doesn't make him worth the contract he got, and it doesn't mean he's irreplaceable.

The Titans are now a smallish interior D, at least among their best guys.

Washburn turns a lot of guys into good players, absolutely. You might be overstating just a little to say he turns "everyone into a star DT." Randy Starks ring a bell? Antonio Johnson? Jesse Mahelona? Jared Clauss?

I would expect the Titans will be looking to draft a QB next year. He doesn't have to be a first-rounder, and I can't pretend to know who would fit.

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Nathan in N.Y. writes: How are the Texans going to break .500 if glass-jawed Matt Schaub can't manage to start 16 games and they replaced maligned but halfway decent Sage Rosenfels with a guy last seen running out the back of his own endzone?

Paul Kuharsky: Schaub staying healthy is a must for the Texans. I wasn't big on the Dan Orlovsky signing either -- even if you love him, you overpaid and messed up the backup quarterback market. But ...

The "halfway decent" Rosenfels you mentioned wasn't regarded as much when he arrived in Houston, either. Gary Kubiak is pretty good with signal-callers, and gets the benefit of the doubt here that he will be able to turn Orlovsky into something better and the Texans will still have a chance to win a game if Schaub can't go.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Some readers have already hit my mailbox to ask about compensatory draft picks.

The complex formula that determines who gets what is a bit of a mystery. But not so much to AdamJT13.

He's had success in the past predicting picks the NFL will award to help offset free-agent losses from a year ago. In this blog entry he predicts:

• The Titans will get a fourth-rounder for Antwan Odom.
• The Colts will get a fourth-rounder for Jake Scott.
• The Titans will get a fifth-rounder for Travis LaBoy.
• The Titans will get a sixth-rounder for Randy Starks.
• The Titans will get a seventh-rounder for Ben Hartsock.
• The Jaguars will get a seventh-rounder for Terry Cousin. [Correcting an earlier version where I missed this, thanks to spectre4372.]

Compensatory selections are untradeable, but make it a lot easier for teams to trade other picks.

Our code-breaker doesn't forecast any compensatory picks for Houston. He does have the Jaguars on a list of teams that could get another one if things break differently than he projects.

If these predictions come true, they would give the Titans a grand total of 10 picks, the Colts a grand total of eight picks and the Jaguars a grand total of seven.

A review of what the three teams have before compensatory picks are awarded.

Tennessee -- six picks

First round: 30th overall
Second round: 62nd
Third round: 94th

Also: 30th in the fourth round, 30th in the sixth round, 30th in the seventh round. Their fifth-round pick was traded to Dallas.

Indianapolis -- seven picks

First round: 27th overall
Second round: 61st
Third round: 92nd

Also: 27th in the fourth round, 29th in the fifth round, 28th in the sixth round, 27th in the seventh round.

Jacksonville -- six picks

First round -- Eighth overall
Second round -- 39th
Third round -- 72nd overall

Also: Seventh in the fourth round; eighth in the fifth round; seventh in the sixth round. Seventh-round pick was traded to Tampa Bay.

For a bit more about AdamJT13's track record, see this entry from Mike Sando over in the NFC West headquarters.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

The Titans did it gradually. The Jets had a big swoop.

But the two teams that square off Sunday in Nashville share a quality that has helped set them apart from a lot of teams in the NFL: They have hit on veteran free agents who have been productive and helped shape their team's culture.

The Jets are getting good production out of guard Alan Faneca as well as linebacker Calvin Pace. Right tackle Damien Woody has been OK. (Trades for Brett Favre and Kris Jenkins have obviously been big too, but we're sticking to free agents here.) The Titans are better on the offensive line with Jake Scott at right guard, and made solid additions in the last few years with cornerback Nick Harper and linebacker David Thornton.

Other hits so far from the 2008 free agent class include running back Michael Turner in Atlanta, defensive end Travis LaBoy in Arizona, defensive end Justin Smith in San Francisco, linebacker Kawika Mitchell in Buffalo and center Jeff Faine in Tampa Bay.

But plenty of other teams have swung and missed with significant deals for players they hoped would be cures -- Jacksonville with receiver Jerry Porter and cornerback Drayton Florence, Cleveland with Donte' Stallworth, Miami with defensive tackle Randy Starks and receiver Ernest Wilford and Oakland with receiver Javon Walker.

When a team brings in a guy with a big contract and high hopes and he fails to pan out early on, it hurts a team in multiple ways. A club misses the production, obviously, but can also be deflated by having failed in an attempt to get an immediate upgrade. It's a whiffed tackle or dropped pass that can haunt a team.

Both the Titans and the Jets have put a premium on personalities as they've brought guys in.

"When you bring in free agents it's also a function of how well they fit into the group that's already there," Jets coach Eric Mangini said. "How quickly they can stop being free agents and start being Jets? One of the things that has always been important to us is core characteristics with the people that we bring in and that's smart, tough, hard-working guys, guys that are competitive and selfless, and guys that football is important to."

"That's the draft, that's free agency and those are characteristics that we target before we even talk about their ability to play football."

That could have just as easily been Jeff Fisher talking about what the Titans have managed to do as they've shopped for veteran help.

Do it well as these two teams have and you might end up in one of the best games of Week 12, pitting a 10-0 team against a 7-3 division leader.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

The Seattle Seahawks cut Jason Babin Wednesday. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cut Ben Troupe Tuesday.

Fans of the AFC South know the two are connected by a draft-day trade on April 25, 2004.

So it seems appropriate to look at how Houston and Tennessee did in that deal. Interestingly, Jacksonville was also tied in. Five seasons later, you wouldn't necessarily expect many of the eight picks involved to still be around.

The Texans got the 27th pick of the first round to get Babin, a defensive end from Western Michigan who Houston envisioned as the kind of tweener who could fit on the outside in its 3-4. The Titans moved down to the second round, 40th overall and got a super-athletic tight end.

Both turned out to be busts in terms of securing and stabilizing roles and making consistent long-term contributions. Babin just never found his niche and Troupe just never figured out how to be in the right place at the right time.

The Texans traded the fifth-rounder they got in the trade with the Titans to Jacksonville for two later picks. (Status notes a players' current team, team he was cut by this year or that he's been out of the league for a while.)

Here's Houston's side of the deal Round Overall Player Position School NFL games Status 1 27 Justin Babin DE. Western Mich. 47 Cut, Seattle 6 175 Jammal Lord FS Nebraska 1 Out of NFL 7 210 Raheem Orr LB Rutgers 2 Out of NFL Here's Tennessee's side of the deal 2 40 Ben Troupe TE Florida 57 Cut, Tampa Bay 3 71 Randy Starks DT Maryland 62 Miami Dolphins 4 103 Bo Schobel DE TCU 45 Cut, Jacksonville 5 138 Jacob Bell OL Miami (OH) 56 St. Louis Rams Here's Jacksonville's side of the deal 5 159 Sean Bubin OT Illinois 0 Out of NFL

Eight picks, two guys left in the league five years later. Tennessee got the most out of it as Bell was a solid starter for three years.

Starks (five years, $21 million with $7 million guaranteed) and Bell (six years, $36 million with $13 million guaranteed) got free agent deals well beyond what the Titans felt they were worth. They might have kept Bell at a reasonable price. They were finished with the disinterested Starks.

The lesson in this whole deal?

The only way to win is probably not to play.