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The secondary has to cover better. The pass rush has to help by hurrying quarterbacks more often or getting them off rhythm.

Certainly the personnel deserves a lion’s share of blame for what’s wrong with the Houston Texans so far.

The players are the ones who compose the league’s 32nd-ranked pass defense, after all. They are the one’s giving up an average of 329.6 passing yards a game and 8.34 yards per pass attempt. They are the ones quarterbacks are tossing it over and between while mounting a gaudy combined passer rating of 104.0.

Still, they aren’t the only culprits here.

Coach Gary Kubiak and general manager Rick Smith crafted this roster. When they trimmed it on cut day, they decided the Kiddie Corners -- starters Kareem Jackson and Glover Quin, nickel guy Brice McCain and backup Sherrick McManis -- would suffice.

The formula, however, counted on a few things that haven’t happened yet:

• Quick and steady growth by the corners.
• An improved pass rush that would force quarterbacks to hurry.
• A high-scoring offense that would mean it was OK if the opponent could mount yards and points.

After two weeks, I thought it was too early to worry. Now, however, the team still doesn’t get a check-mark on any of those.

This leaves a stand-up guy like Quin saying: “If you can’t stop it, they’re going to continue to do it. That gives us a chance to make a bunch of plays in the pass game and put on film and show the league you can’t just sit there and throw the ball on us. But it’s going to take more than one game to stop the pass until we weather the storm and get out of it.”

Let’s circle back and take on those three issues one at a time.

1) The corners are struggling, with first-rounder Jackson topping the list. It seems the Texans are asking a lot of him awfully soon. Maybe it hardens him quickly and we see a growth spurt.

In the meantime, however, when they want to scale him back as they did Sunday in the home blowout at the hands of the Giants, the alternative is to use McCain as the second corner, with McManis, a fifth-round rookie, in the nickel package.

I had no problem with the team admitting Fred Bennett and Jacques Reeves were no longer useful and letting them go. But at some point after they decided to let Dunta Robinson walk (he wasn’t worth the money) and they failed to land Leigh Bodden (he may have used them to secure a deal in New England), they needed to add a veteran with the potential to be a useful reserve who can at least calm panic and be average.

Who? I don’t know. But players like Walt Harris, Ellis Hobbs, Lito Sheppard and Benny Sapp changed teams and have roles where they are. Rod Hood might have been the same sort of guy had he not gotten hurt.

One of them or someone else could have provided more than Karl Paymah, the current veteran on the bench who’s still learning the system. You need a guy who can fill in if the kids need a break and can be a resource to them -- though Quin said talking to a veteran isn’t such a huge help, that young guys simply need to learn through experience.

Barring injuries, I think it’s an architectural mistake when a team doesn’t have a reasonable mix of youth and experience at a position group. This qualifies as that.

Smith disagrees.

“I can’t tell you that I have ever really sat down and said, ‘Gosh, we’ve got all young guys in this group, we need a veteran,’” he said. “Because if all the young guys are playing well, you don’t need a veteran. It’s difficult to look at it that way. ...”

“When you make a decision to go young, particularly in the secondary, you do that with the full awareness that there are going to be some growing pains. We certainly are experiencing some of those. But you do that because you are betting on the upside. And you know once you learn those lessons and get through some of those tough experiences you’re going to have a group of players that is capable of playing together for a while at a high level. I believe they’ll answer the call and we’ll play good defense.”

Players want to prove that Smith and Kubiak did the right thing, Quin said.

“Those guys see something or saw something that they felt like, ‘We’re going to go in this direction and it’s going to be good for us,’” Quin said. “So I don’t feel like just because we started off the season and we’re last, this was a bad decision. We’ve got to play better and make it a great decision. They stuck their necks out for us, now we have to go out and perform for them.”

2) The rush got only one addition of note, tackle Earl Mitchell, a third-round pick. Connor Barwin, a rush-specialist end, was lost for the season with an injury suffered opening day, which hurt as he was in line to be the most improved player on the team.

But the Kubiak-Smith duo doesn’t appear to have done enough here either, expecting patience would pay off with growth that we simply haven’t seen.

They hope Mark Anderson or Adewale Ogunleye can catch on to what they are doing and ultimately help replace Barwin. A second rushing force to go with Mario Williams is crucial, and a better rush would offer a lot of relief to the defensive backs.

The Texans have faced very good quarterbacks so far.

Still, according to ESPN Stats & Information, they have thrown 147 passes against the Texans when they’ve rushed just four defenders, completing 111 of them for a 75.5 percentage and 1,352 yards. Those are the highest number in the league in each of those categories.

With a four-man rush, the Texans have given up eight touchdowns, a 110.1 passer rating and recorded only four sacks.

For context: The Tennessee Titans have faced 10 fewer pass attempts against their standard pressure and have 10 more sacks than Houston in those situations.

“I think Mario Williams has been great,” said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. “Fulfilling all of his vast and amazing potential. But the rest of the crew is letting him and their terrible pass defense down.”

3) It was reasonable to expect that the Texans, who felt they’d made great strides in balancing out the offense and running in the red zone, would improve from 10th in scoring a year ago. Overly reliant on the pass, the 2009 Texans averaged just more than 24 points a game.

Matt Schaub’s got enough on his plate with his own struggles, which include an adjustment to coordinator Rick Dennison and a balky ankle for Andre Johnson.

Now as the leader of the offense, he sees his counterparts slinging the ball all over the field and has to be feeling more pressure than he should to get some crooked numbers on his side of the scoreboard.

With no major personnel change, the team’s gotten a touch less than that while allowing nearly a touchdown more a game. It’s hit 30 points in three wins.

But in two hard-to-swallow blowouts, the Texans' offense struggled. It didn't get a touchdown against Dallas until under two minutes were left. It didn’t find the end zone against the Giants until the third quarter.

“We’ve hit a couple of rough patches, but that’s expected,” Smith said. “I’ve got total confidence in our guys and that we’ll make plays and continue to play good on offense.”

Houston’s been outscored 78-40 in the first half. The offense can do more to keep the Texans in a tough game.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Titans appear hell bent on maintaining the cornerback slot opposite Cortland Finnegan is open for competition.

And that’s the right approach in June, when you can't win a job and probably can't lose one either.

But through 12 of 14 spring and summer OTA practices, Jason McCourty has run with the first team 11 times. Tye Hill was due to get a shot last week, but suffered a hamstring injury and was out. Ryan Mouton got that day, but then McCourty was quickly back in place.

Still, coach Jeff Fisher says it’s unwise to read too much into who’s getting the reps at the head of the line.

“We’re just rotating,” Fisher said.

But no matter how much he talks about rotating, the team hasn’t been rotating, at least not at the top.

Fisher said Hill, when healthy, can expect reps to come, as can rookie Alterraun Verner.

Rod Hood would have been in the mix as well, but he tore an ACL recently and is out of the mix.

I sought out former Titans safety Marcus Robertson, the defensive backs coach, to get a review of McCourty’s work so far.

Like his boss, Robertson wasn’t especially eager to single out McCourty or differentiate him too much from Mouton -- leaning toward talking of “them” rather than “him.”

Perhaps we need start calling them McCourton?

I think it’s clear that the Titans like Mouton better in the slot and he’s better suited for it while McCourty is better outside. But with Vincent Fuller entrenched there, it’s not an available spot.

Robertson said McCourty has “drastically improved.”

“Both of those guys have the ability,” Robertson said. “The one thing I like about JMac is the simple thing that he’s coachable. He has all the tools to be a good football player, he understands the game. I think for him, the more times he sees it, the better he will be.”

A brutal season for the Titans' secondary last year included too much time for Mouton and McCourty on the field as rookies.

“Although it wasn’t a great thing for us, I think it was a good thing for them,” Robertson said. “Because they got an opportunity to realize that at any given time you can be exposed and that if you don’t do the hard work during the week, you can easily be embarrassed on Sunday.

“That isn’t a good feeling and I know now that they are dedicated to being the best players they can be.”

McCourty said he isn’t concentrating on who’s lining up when, but that all of the team’s corners -- with Nick Harper’s old spot now open -- have to think of themselves as starting material.

“I know the guys behind me are just as good,” McCourty said. “So if I go out there and I slack, one of them is going to pick up on that and hop in front of me.”

Receiver Lavelle Hawkins interrupted to brag about having beaten McCourty on a play late in practice. McCourty didn’t really flinch. Pressed, he said it wasn’t much of a victory for the receiver, who grabbed a short slant.

Reading the coverage…

Houston Texans

Earl Mitchell is full of potential, says Jordan Godwin.

The Astrodome has an uncertain future but a storied past, writes David Barron.

Drew Dougherty of the team’s website reports on the start of Texans minicamp.

Indianapolis Colts

Five reasons to like where the Colts' offense is, from John Oehser.

The true offseason is starting and Indy faces no major issues, says Nate Dunlevy.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kassim Osgood and Scotty McGee are a big part of the Jaguars' special-teams plans, says Vito Stellino.

Vic Ketchman endorses vuvuzelas at Jaguars home games. Kidding I am pretty sure.

Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson told Jim Wyatt he’s not mad at the Titans.

Vince Young apologized, writes Wyatt.

Gerald McRath’s suspension will test the linebacker depth, says John Glennon.

An injury has taken Rod Hood out of the mix for the open cornerback job, say Wyatt and Glennon.

With all the teams that go from bad to great and great to bad from one season to the next, forecasting how things will pan out in the NFL is close to impossible.

It’s another ingredient in why the NFL is the best thing going in sports, another piece of the unpredictability we love.

Generally, I have trouble forecasting big things for teams that are counting on a high number of unproven players to make simultaneous jumps and be productive -- though they can emerge as far better than I expect, of course. Still, it’s why I am not particularly optimistic about the 2010 Tennessee Titans.

I thought I’d go team-by-team in search of less-than-established spots in the lineup to create an AFC South uncertainty index.

Let’s be clear: you may not prefer Amobi Okoye at defensive tackle for the Houston Texans, Kyle DeVan at right guard for the Indianapolis Colts, Brad Meester at center for the Jacksonville Jaguars or Michael Griffin at safety for the Titans. But they are guys who will play and have a degree of faith from the team.

I’m looking at spots where inexperience is a big factor.

We’re not pretending to know the season-opening depth charts here, simply building off last year’s versions. We’ll look a bit beyond starting lineups with significant roles and return jobs included. Here's our look in order of uncertainty. (Starting positions labeled with an asterisk.)

Titans (10, with three starters)

• *Defensive end: Derrick Morgan
• *Outside linebacker: Gerald McRath
• *Cornerback: Jason McCourty, Ryan Mouton, Alterraun Verner, Rod Hood, Tye Hill
• Third outside cornerback: McCourty, Mouton, Verner, Hood, Hill
• Second running back: Javon Ringer
• Blocking tight end: Craig Stevens
• Second receiving tight end: Jared Cook
• Third defensive tackle: Sen’Derrick Marks
• Punt returner: Damian Williams, Alvin Pearman, Ryan Mouton
• Kick returner: Marc Mariani, Damian Williams, Mark Jones

Kuharsky’s take: Sure, young and talented can be exciting and promising, but that’s quite a lot. You’d expect Morgan to be fine. And they went with numbers instead of value at corner, where I’d think one or two guys have to emerge. McRath, Stevens, Cook and Marks all need to contribute. If Jeff Fisher hasn’t found solutions in the return game, they’ve got serious issues.

Jaguars (10 with two starters)

• *Defensive tackle: Tyson Alualu
• *Second and third wide receiver: Troy Williamson, Mike Thomas, Jarett Dillard
• Second and third running back: Deji Karim, Rashad Jennings
• Third or fourth defensive tackle: D’Anthony Smith
• Third or fourth defensive end: Larry Hart, Austen Lane
• Third tight end: Zach Miller
• Nickelback: Don Carey, Scott Starks, Tyron Brackenridge
• Punt returner: Scotty McGee, Thomas, Karim
• Kick returner: McGee, Karim, Thomas

Kuharsky’s take: Alualu, the first rounder, should fare well. Finding playmakers (beyond hyphen guys Mike Sims-Walker and Maurice Jones-Drew) out of the receivers and running backs is a huge issue. McGee or Karim panning out as a returner would help in that department too. With shaky veteran safeties, nickelback will be especially important.

Indianapolis (six, with one starter)

• *Left guard: Tony Ugoh, Andy Alleman, Jacques McClendon
• Third (possibly second) tight end: Brody Eldridge, Tom Santi, Jacob Tamme
• Third defensive end: Jerry Hughes
• Fourth cornerback: Ray Fisher, Mike Newton, Brandon King, Jordan Hemby
• Punt returner: Fisher, Jerraud Powers, Brandon James
• Kick returner: Fisher, Sam Giguere, James

Kuharsky’s take: Potentially they’ve got just one starting spot in question. A season-killing knee injury to third-rounder Kevin Thomas hurts depth options at cornerback, but a lot of teams would be pleased for that to rank as one of its big issues. Eldridge could help upgrade run-blocking and Fisher and James seem to be more exciting return options than they’ve had recently.

Houston (four, with three starters)

• *Running back: Ben Tate
• *Right guard: Antoine Caldwell
• *Cornerback: Kareem Jackson
• Third (possibly second) tight end: James Casey, Garrett Graham

Kuharsky’s take: I’d prefer to have inexperienced guys with upside in the mix at nose tackle and free safety, but they look to be sticking with the status quo in Shaun Cody and Eugene Wilson, respectively. If you’re going to have new starters, let them be high draft picks like Tate (second), Caldwell (third last year) and Jackson (first).

Good morning from Bristol, Conn., where Friday marks the final day of the bloggers’ annual visit.

By day’s end we’ll know if the scheme I hatched to get promoted worked.

Or if I get fired.

Thanks for your understanding this week, when the posting’s been slow. I promise what I’ve gotten out of my time here will pay off in future posts.

So, before plunging back into meeting mode, a quick edition of "Reading the coverage." The Titans had an open OTA Thursday, so we’re a little heavier there.

Houston Texans

Brian Cushing speaks, and says he didn’t ingest or inject anything illegal, writes John McClain.

Cushing “was angry and defiant and thoroughly lacking credibility. He admitted to nothing and spun a story that requires suspending logic and ignoring science,” says Richard Justice.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are one of 17 teams raising ticket prices, says Jarrett Bell.

Reviewing playing time on defense with Stampede Blue.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jack Del Rio rallied students at a local high school, says Dan Scanian.

Kassim Osgood sat down with Ryan Robinson for this piece at the team’s web site.

Tennessee Titans

Vince Young explains changing agents, from Jim Wyatt.

Ryan Mouton and Jason McCourty are fighting for an open cornerback spot, writes Wyatt.

The Titans miss Chris Johnson, says David Climer.

Thursday’s OTA work was unconventional, says David Boclair.

Kenny Britt responded to his wakeup call, says Jonathan Hutton.

Rod Hood is out after sports hernia surgery, says Hutton.

The Titans were hardly outraged by the Brian Cushing developments, says Sports in the 615.

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

Falling

Nick Harper, former Titans cornerback: His name’s not surfaced in any sort of free-agent talks around the league. No one thought he’d resurface with the Titans, and that’s been guaranteed with the addition of free agents Rod Hood and Tye Hill. Harper, underrated in his first two seasons with the Titans, slipped in his third and will be 36 in September. Will he find a team that wants experienced depth?

Rising

Jacques Reeves, Texans cornerback: Consistency has been the question. But with the offseason conditioning program under way, he’s got a chance with Dunta Robinson gone to make a play for a big role. Odds are a rookie corner from high in the draft will be part of things at the end of the month. But good work from Reeves now and through the summer can potentially keep him at the head of the line opposite second-year man Glover Quin.

Is Tye Hill a magic solution for the Titans who have a hole at one of their starting cornerback spots? No.

But if you don’t have a clear-cut starter, the next thing you want is options. And the Titans have done well to supplement second-year corners Ryan Mouton and Jason McCourty with veteran free agents Rod Hood and now Hill.

Hill’s agreed to a one-year deal with the Titans, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

We have a scouting take on Hill here.

Based on that, the question now is how well Chuck Cecil, Marcus Robertson and Tim Hauck are able to coach Hill up to get him in position to be a contributor. But if they do great work with Mouton and McCourty, it may not turn out to matter much.

Some will now extrapolate that the Titans will definitely go defensive end in the first round of the draft. I think their total work in free agency leaves them in a spot where they do not have to address any one spot at No. 16.

But the pool of ends and their two moves at corner certainly leave them the room to go for a pass-rusher if one they love is there.

The Titans are looking at veteran defensive backs, and it seems there are two categories under consideration: corners who can add depth and physical safety types who can add some depth and contribute on special teams.

I asked Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. for his assessment of the four names that have surfaced:

Cornerback Tye Hill

Williamson: “A former first-round pick who is physically gifted, especially from a pure speed perspective, He is the guy with the most upside of the ones you mentioned, but his recognition skills are very suspect and he doesn't offer a lot vs. the run.”

Cornerback Ken Lucas

Williamson: “He was a guy that I was high on. Much bigger than Hill and has at least been successful at this level, but he had a pretty bad year in Seattle -- although he wasn't helped much by a pass rush. Still, he might be done.”

Safety Aaron Rouse

Williamson: “Rouse is a big strong safety type. He had some good (and bad) moments with the Packers and then by default, got a lot of playing time for the Giants last year, where he was a liability in coverage. He needs to be near the line of scrimmage and is tight in the hips and in transition.”

While Williamson was aware of Tra Battle, who played in the UFL, he said he doesn’t have any insight on Battle’s recent play.

If I am the Titans, if I can get Hill or Lucas inexpensively, I’d jump. Neither has the complete résumé the team would want in its second starter, but you don’t find well-rounded players in this stage of free agency. I’d lean toward Hill on youth.

If they has Rod Hood, Hill or Lucas, Ryan Mouton, Jason McCourty and a draft pick, that’s a pretty good pool from which to find a starter to play opposite Cortland Finnegan and to have sufficient options for when (it’s rarely "if," anymore) that starter or Finnegan go down for a stretch.

As for safety, Rouse or Battle is unlikely to line up as Chris Hope’s successor and it would be good if that extra safety was a young guy with more upside. It Titans should have a third safety who could step in if something happens to Hope or Michael Griffin, because pulling Vincent Fuller away from the nickel spot would weaken them there.

We’ll get some good stuff Tuesday morning out of Orlando, where AFC South coaches are having breakfast with reporters at the owners meetings. I’ll be monitoring what comes out through some of my colleagues who are there.

The first thing of note I’ve seen was this from Adam Schefter via Twitter:

"Colts coach Jim Caldwell is thinking about playing some four WR sets with Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie and Anthony Gonzalez."

As if three wides and Dallas Clark isn’t enough of a problem.

I automatically started thinking of secondary depth in the division and how it would stack up against that. Nobody in the league has the kind of corner and secondary depth needed to stand up to that personnel grouping with Peyton Manning at the controls.

The Texans and Titans are definitely in the market for a cornerback, and safety is also in play. The Jaguars likely take a defensive back or two as well in the draft.

Teams could obviously use an additional safety in the sort of dime scenarios this could force. Here’s our take on the depth at defensive back for each of the Colts’ division opponents:

Houston

Nickel: Glover Quin, Jacques Reeves, Brice McCain.

Dime candidates: Cornerbacks Fred Bennett, Antwaun Molden; Safeties Dominique Barber, Troy Nolan.

Assessment: Contemplating this secondary against the Colts’ four-wide lineup is scary right now. Throw Clark in as the fifth skill player and I don’t know how Houston holds up. Corner and free safety are big draft needs.

Jacksonville

Nickel: Rashean Mathis, Derek Cox, Tyron Brackenridge.

Dime candidates: Corners William Middleton, Kennard Cox, Michael Coe; whichever safety isn’t already playing out of Reggie Nelson, Anthony Smith, Sean Considine.

Assessment: Top three are pretty solid, but safety really needs to be sorted out and could have a new piece.

Tennessee

Nickel: Cortland Finnegan, Ryan Mouton, Vincent Fuller.

Dime candidates: Corners Rod Hood and Jason McCourty; safety Donnie Nickey.

Assessment: I am giving the nod as the second starting corner to Mouton right now based on hearing the team is high on him. A draft pick needs to compete for that spot. Overall depth is unproven.

Matt Williamson has a nice running list of team-by-team needs here.

He’s looking at things from a depth chart angle, so his assessment of the Colts at quarterback, for instance, leads him to list the position as a need. To me, since backup quarterback won’t be playing and they just drafted Curtis Painter, I don’t consider it a top four or five priority.

Here’s my free-agency scorecard for the AFC South so far:

Houston Texans

• Free safety
• Cornerback
• Running back
• Interior offensive line: Added Wade Smith, free agent from Kansas City.
• Defensive tackle

Indianapolis Colts

• Offensive line: Added Adam Terry and Andy Alleman, who were not tendered as restricted free agents by their previous teams
• Return man
• Cornerback depth
• Linebacker depth

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Defensive end: Added Aaron Kampman, free agent from Green Bay
• Safety
• Center
• Cornerback
• Receiver: Added Kassim Osgood, free agent from San Diego

Tennessee Titans

• Defensive end: Added Jason Babin, free agent from Philadelphia
• Cornerback: Re-signed Rod Hood
• Linebacker: Added Will Witherspoon, who’d been cut in Philadelphia
• Return man
• Safety

The Titans deserve a bit of credit for their work in free agency.

Defensive end, cornerback and linebacker were their major needs as the offseason commenced.

Now that the Eagles have declined to match Tennessee's one-year, $1 million offer sheet to Jason Babin, the Titans have added a veteran at each spot, easing the pressure on them to draft home runs at all three.

Babin, a journeyman defensive end, joins corner Rod Hood, who was with the team at the end of last season and linebacker Will Witherspoon. Only Witherspoon is in line to start, but Babin and Hood should prove serviceable if the Titans have a handle on what they’ve brought in and don’t find rookies who can go form Day One.

Here’s Mike Reinfeldt on Babin from the team’s press release:

“We’re happy our deal with Jason worked out. He’s a high-energy player and a good pass rusher, and he fits what we do very well. He has all offseason to come in and work with Coach Washburn and become a part of our rotation at defensive end.”

Here’s our previous take on Babin.

Odds are the starting cornerback opposite Cortland Finnegan on opening day for the Titans is a rookie or one of two second-year men, Jason McCourty or Ryan Mouton.

But with such an approach, Tennessee needs a veteran option who could play if none of those guys are ready, or to step in when someone gets hurt.

The Titans secured theirs Friday by re-signing Rod Hood.

It’s a far better plan than last year’s, when Jeff Fisher and the Titans decided a corner they’d burned for years when he was a Texan, DeMarcus Faggins, could fill that role. Faggins didn’t make the roster, and the Titans suffered from lack of depth at corner until they eventually added Hood.

He played well in some situations, OK in others. Fans who wanted to blame everything on a slipping Nick Harper, however, canonized Hood in a way he didn’t deserve.

If he’s the second corner, he’ll be hard pressed to rate as well as Denard Walker, Andre Dyson or Harper did as previous No. 2 cornerbacks.

At their peak, they were all sufficient, even as critics marveled at how opposing offenses actually completed passes in games while perhaps steering away from Samari Rolle or Finnegan.

So the insurance plan is in place.

It’s time now for the Titans to focus on offseason progress for McCourty and Mouton and on drafting a guy in the first or third round who can prove a better alternative than all the existing options.

Houston Texans

Potential unrestricted free agents: CB Dunta Robinson, WR Kevin Walter, RB Chris Brown, DT Jeff Zgonina, G Chester Pitts, S Brian Russell, S Nick Ferguson, LS Bryan Pittman, LB Chaun Thompson, QB Rex Grossman, LB Khary Campbell, G Tutan Reyes, T Ephraim Salaam, P Matt Turk.

Potential restricted free agents: DL Tim Bulman, S John Busing, OT Rashad Butler, TE Owen Daniels, RB Ryan Moats, S Bernard Pollard, LB DeMeco Ryans, G Chris White.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: I don’t think the Texans will jump out and make any monumental moves. But by deciding not to tag Robinson they created another hole and saved themselves big dollars. With needs at corner, running back, free safety, interior offensive line and defensive tackle they may have more than they can address in one draft. That means they could jump out for one significant free agent – like they did last year with defensive lineman Antonio Smith -- and maybe another less expensive one or two.

Indianapolis Colts

Potential unrestricted free agents: MLB Gary Brackett, K Matt Stover.

Potential restricted free agents: WR Hank Baskett, S Antoine Bethea, S Melvin Bullitt, OL Dan Federkeil, CB Aaron Francisco, LB Tyjuan Hagler, CB Marlin Jackson, CB Tim Jennings, DT Antonio Johnson, OT Charlie Johnson, LB Freddy Keiaho, DT Dan Muir, CBPR T.J. Rushing.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: Brackett is priority one and the team has indicated a plan to pay him as an upper-echelon guy. The restricted list includes a lot of key guys who will remain big factors next year. Indy is not a team that looks to bring in many outsiders for big roles and it won’t start now. Bill Polian’s said the Colts will sit back and see how things unfold in the new capless landscape.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Potential unrestricted free agents: DE Reggie Hayward, G Kynan Forney.

Potential restricted free agents: DT Atiyyah Ellison, LB Clint Ingram, DL Greg Peterson.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: The Jaguars are draft-reliant, but will also shop for bargains in free agency, hoping to plug a couple holes with high-character guys with upside who fit what they are doing. As for a big splash, it’s unlikely based on their recent busts with big-name free agents like Jerry Porter and Drayton Florence and the direction they’ve moved since.

Tennessee Titans

Potential unrestricted free agents: DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, C Kevin Mawae, LB Keith Bulluck, TE Alge Crumpler, CB Nick Harper, CB Rod Hood, DE Jevon Kearse, S Kevin Kaesviharn.

Potential restricted free agents: DE Dave Ball, DT Tony Brown, TE Bo Scaife, LB Stephen Tulloch, DT Kevin Vickerson, RB LenDale White.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: The Titans will undergo a youth movement, especially on defense where Vanden Bosch and Bulluck, who’s recovering from ACL repair, are going to be allowed to walk. Mawae been told his only chance to return is as a backup at a backup price. Brown, Scaife and Tulloch are important guys they’ll want to retain. Beyond that, expect mostly bargain shopping.

Projecting the playoff field with Dom Bonvissuto. He has Jags losing two, Titans winning two but not getting in and Texans losing two.

Brian Cushing and Jacob Lacey make Mike Tanier’s All-Rookie Team.

Jim Caldwell’s on Dave Goldberg’s list of the best coaches; Gary Kubiak’s among the worst.

Houston Texans

Arian Foster needs to take advantage, says Jerome Solomon.

Duane Brown (knee) may not be able to play, says John McClain.

The case for Matt Schaub as a Pro Bowler, from Mike Kerns.

Possible courses of action regarding Steve Slaton, from Battle Red Blog.

Rookie ratings from Lance Zierlein put Cushing first, Percy Harvin second and Clay Matthews third.

Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning is looking good in a poll of MVP voters, says Mike Chappell.

Over the past eight seasons, no team has turned the ball over less than Indianapolis, says Phil Richards.

After practicing Monday, Anthony Gonzalez was out Wednesday, says Chappell.

Ryan Diem isn’t slipping, Chappell says.

Adam Vinatieri says it’s a now or never type of thing, says John Oehser.

Seven surprising gifts the Colts got this year, including the development of Pat McAfee and Lacey, from Oehser.

Breaking down the strength of the Colts’ schedule compared to San Diego's, with Deshawn Zombie.

The Colts are the team to beat in the AFC, says Clifton Brown. (Vinnie Iyer says it’s the Chargers.)

Jacksonville Jaguars

History isn’t kind to the Jags against the Patriots or Tom Brady, says Vito Stellino.

Fred Taylor expanded on his remarks about the Jaguars, and said LA may be a better alternative, says Michael C. Wright.

Fearing “the banana cream pie effect” with Vic Ketchman.

Can the Jags finally get by the Patriots, asks Jonathan Loesche.

Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson still thinks he has a shot at Eric Dickerson’s rushing record, says Jim Wyatt.

Rod Hood’s working in the place of the injured Nick Harper, says Wyatt.

Wyatt’s game breakdown.

Gerald McRath and Colin Allred feel ready to step in as the outside linebackers, says Terry McCormick.

McRath’s got the spotlight now, says Estwick.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Lineup alterations in Nashville:

Kenny Britt starts ahead of Justin Gage for the Titans, while Gerald McRath starts for David Thornton, out with a shoulder injury.

Joe Berger starts at center for Jake Grove and Nate Garner starts at right guard for Donald Thomas for the Dolphins.

The full list of inactives:

Titans

• Receiver Dominique Edison
• Running back Javon Ringer
• Corner Rod Hood
• Linebacker David Thornton
• Offensive lineman Troy Kropog
• Tight end Craig Stevens
• Defensive end Jevon Kearse
• Defensive end Eric Bakhtiari

Dolphins

• Quarterback Tyler Thigpen
• Running back Kory Sheets
• Cornerback Evan Oglesby
• Offensive lineman Andrew Hartline
• Tackle Andrew Gardner
• Defensive end Lionel Dotson
• Defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis
• Receiver Patrick Turner