ESPN NFL

» AFC Scenarios: East | West | North | South

Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Jaguars in 2012.

Dream scenario (10-6): Mike Mularkey’s offensive scheme does for Blaine Gabbert what it did early on for Matt Ryan in Atlanta. Gabbert silences his stable of critics, playing with newfound poise and confidence and finding himself in situations in which he’s comfortable and can show off the arm that was a big reason he was a top 10 pick.

The second-year quarterback is well-protected as he works his way through progressions and spreads the ball around to a much-improved receiving corps headed by Laurent Robinson and Justin Blackmon. With the passing offense faring far better, Maurice Jones-Drew's hammer hits even harder because his carries are less predictable.

Defensively, the team is healthy all season long in karmic payback for last year’s slew of injuries.

Defensive tackles Tyson Alualu and Terrance Knighton put it all together, with middle linebacker Paul Posluszny playing great behind them, and no one can even ponder running up the middle against the Jaguars. Rookie second-rounder Andre Branch provides a serious boost to the pass rush, and the linebackers get involved in pressuring the quarterback. When they don’t get a sufficient push, the coverage holds up.

And rookie punter Bryan Anger regularly hits bombs and pins teams deep, semi-justifying his third-round draft status.

Mularkey wins coach of the year as the Jaguars qualify for the playoffs.

Nightmare scenario (4-12): New coaches, a new system and new receivers don’t make for a new Gabbert, and he struggles in his second season much as he did as a rookie. A rough start means the fan base calls for backup Chad Henne, and Mularkey finds himself in a tough spot with a quick quarterback controversy.

Henne eventually gets the call but doesn’t play much better, so the team is over-reliant on the run game. The defense, meanwhile, can’t overcome the lack of a pass rush. It gives up too many passing yards and too many big plays because quarterbacks have time to wait for targets to break open. Then the Jaguars begin to blitz more to amp things up but pay a price by giving up big plays out of high-risk, high-reward situations.

Owner Shahid Khan, used to life as a businessman who wins, says or does something controversial that makes things even messier. The Jaguars actually finish a game worse than they did in Jack Del Rio’s final season, leaving Denver’s defensive coordinator shrugging and people removing some responsibility for 2011 from him.

Houston Texans

The Texans don't plan to hand the starting kicker's spot to rookie Randy Bullock, drafted out of Texas A&M in the fifth round. Rather, special-teams coordinator Joe Marciano told SportsRadio 610, Bullock will have to beat out veteran Shayne Graham. "He has to compete to make the team first," Marciano said, per the team's official site. "If he can beat Shayne out, then I think he’s going to be very good for us."

Defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo, a free-agent signee from BYU, hopes to impress coaches during upcoming rookie camps. “I’m excited to compete with a top-notch offense and defense,” Fangupo said. “I’m ready to learn all I can from coaches and players, and I believe being able to compete with such great players can help my game tremendously.”

Indianapolis Colts

Owner Jim Irsay, on Twitter, said he sees the franchise "taking shape" and that the Colts' defensive front seven "could impress" in the new 3-4 defensive scheme.

Indianapolis grabbed tight end Andre Smith off waivers from the Bears; he's expected to be part of new coordinator Bruce Arians' five-tight end offense, Brad Wells notes for Stampede Blue. The Colts also waived cornerback Mike Holmes.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Running back Maurice Jones-Drew, absent from the Jaguars' voluntary workouts, wants a contract extension, coach Mike Mularkey said. "I wish he was here. He knows we wish he was here," Mularkey said. "His teammates have talked to him about it. It's a personal decision. There's nothing I can do about it."

Tuesday's first day of organized team activities saw Jacksonville's first-round draft pick, receiver Justin Blackmon, going full speed with quarterback Blaine Gabbert and the first team, according to the Jags' official site. A sore foot that bothered Blackmon during rookie minicamps seems to have been helped by new cleats.

Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton apologized Tuesday for the club incident last month in which he suffered an eye injury that has kept him out of offseason workouts. Knighton said the vision in his injured eye has improved substantially. “It’s progressing a lot faster than they thought it would,” Knighton said. “I plan on being ready by training camp."

Tennessee Titans

A number of players, including quarterbacks Matt Hasselbeck and Jake Locker, have signed on for coach Mike Munchak's "Strikes to Stop Diabetes" charity bowling event, set for June 14. The tournament will pair a Titans player or coach with a four-person team, with proceeds going to the American Diabetes Association, the team's site reports.

Center William Vlachos, a free-agent signee from Alabama, has been impressed with the Titans' O-line after doing some film study. “I've been watching film for a couple days and my jaw's on the floor,” Vlachos said. “They're just so physical, the effort they bring every play is outstanding.”

Earlier this week, Texans owner Bob McNair talked about negotiating contract extensions for coach Gary Kubiak and general manager Rick Smith.

That got me thinking: Who are the AFC South players who need contract extensions before they get anywhere close to an expired contract at the start of the 2013 league year?

Here are my top six:

1) Matt Schaub, Texans quarterback

I understand there are some non-believers. In five seasons with the Texans, Schaub has played a full slate of games only twice. He’s not been consistently clutch in big moments.

Still, I see him as a quality engineer of Kubiak’s offense. I think the team loves him and has faith in him. And although rookie T.J. Yates did some good work while filling in for Schaub last season, I don’t think the Texans would be comfortable handing the team over to Yates after he's been in the league only two seasons, especially if he plays only a little or not at all this season because Schaub is in the lineup.

I’d make sure Schaub’s fully recovered from the serious right foot injury that ended his 2011 season. If he plays well in the first month of the season, I’d talk to his agent. Even if they wait until after the 2012 season plays out, gauging his health and seeing how far he can take them, Schaub is their guy.

He’s not the best player on this list, but as a starting quarterback, he goes to the head of the line. Is he a top quarterback in the league? My count says he’s 13th or 14th among current starters. You’d like better, but can do far worse and I don’t think you can project Yates to rank any higher. The Texans aren't going to be drafting at the top of the first round, and none of the guys better than Schaub are going to be hitting the market. So there is no place to go to upgrade.

2) Connor Barwin, Texans outside linebacker

The Texans projected Barwin could be a quality pass-rusher when they drafted him out of Cincinnati in 2009 with a second-round pick. Last year, in Wade Phillips’ 3-4 defense, Barwin was a consistent pass-rushing force, playing nearly 95 percent of the team’s defensive snaps and recording 11.5 sacks.

Barwin is part of the reason the franchise could afford to let Mario Williams depart as a free agent. The Texans simply cannot allow Barwin to follow Williams out of town. And with the increase in 3-4 defenses around the league, there are a lot of teams that would make a play for Barwin if he came free.

3) Daryl Smith, Jacksonville linebacker

Smith’s known for being an underrated player.

He’s an anchor for the Jaguars, and I expect he’ll shine in a healthy defense in 2012. The unit has a chance to be great, and Smith will shine if the coverage behind him is good and the rush in front of him can be consistent. They have the people for both of those elements to be in place.

The Jaguars would certainly like to keep a starting linebacker corps of Smith, Paul Posluszny and Clint Session together.

4) Duane Brown, Texans left tackle

I don’t think he’s regarded around the league as a premier guy who would draw a ton of interest if he became a free agent. But he is regarded as an excellent player in the Texans' line scheme. The team is moving forward, replacing Mike Brisiel at right guard and Eric Winston at right tackle.

The Texans did what they had to in order to keep center Chris Myers. They will need to do the same with Brown. They must hold together the key pieces of what was an excellent group in 2011. Brown is vital for the success of Schaub, or Yates, as well as running back Arian Foster.

5) Jason McCourty, Titans cornerback

He’s a solid player on the rise. He plays a position where he will have a chance to establish himself as a productive leader who needs to be in place for the long term.

Cortland Finnegan is gone. And the team is weak at safety, where Michael Griffin is getting one last chance under the franchise tag and Jordan Babineaux owns a starting spot at least in part because the Titans don’t have other options.

McCourty is a smart player who should be the best member of the secondary in 2012 and beyond provided they are able to keep him.

6) Terrance Knighton, Jaguars defensive tackle

He suffered a serious eye injury in a bar incident not long ago, but indications are he should be OK for training camp. Knighton has had weight issues since he came into the league. He seems to have gained better control of that, and general manager Gene Smith made it clear to Knighton that if he proves he can remain fit he’ll be taken care of in the long run.

Knighton moves very well for a very large man, and the Jaguars believe if their defense will be good, it will be because Knighton and Tyson Alualu anchor the middle, stuffing the run and moving the quarterback off his spot.

Also not under contract for 2013 and likely worthy of new deals: Texans safety Glover Quin, Colts cornerback Jerraud Powers, Jaguars cornerback Derek Cox, Titans tight end Jared Cook and Colts receiver Austin Collie.

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South


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

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

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

BEST MOVE

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

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

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

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

RISKIEST MOVE

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

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

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

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

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

MOST SURPRISING PICK

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

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

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

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

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

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

FILE IT AWAY

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

The countermeasures?

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

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

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

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

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

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been accused (occasionally by me) of not doing well enough in assessing how the rest of the league's teams value some players the Jags draft.

Some personnel people around the league say the Jaguars simply don’t care about that. In a way, I admire them for it. Don’t be overly concerned and influenced by the forces around you, by the competition. Do your own thing. Bank on your convictions.

But when it comes to taking Cal punter Bryan Anger in the third round, the Jaguars absolutely should care about league context.

I know at least one other team had him rated as a fifth-rounder.

Anger is the first punter to go in the top 100 picks since 1995, when Todd Sauerbrun went in the second round to Chicago, 56th overall.

There is a reason for that.

It’s important that you don’t punt terribly. But it’s not so important that you punt fantastically, certainly not important enough that you sacrifice the chance to improve at a position that could be on the field for three downs a game.

“I think it will be evident when you get a chance to see him punt: He’s got a strong history which I feel will transfer to this level in helping us defensively with the yardage we can gain in field position,” general manager Gene Smith said.

“… He’s the player in that round at your pick that you feel can upgrade your football team. I think that’s an easy decision for me, to get a starter in the third round.”

Calling a punter a starter is beyond a stretch.

The Jaguars' defense played 970 plays in 2011. The Jaguars' offense played 958 plays. The Jaguars punted 99 times.

“I think it’s first downs that you gain,” Smith said in a further defense of the pick. “And I feel like in the third round it’s not a round that you always get proven starters.”

Really?

In Smith’s three previous drafts, he picked four times in the third round. Guard Will Rackley, defensive tackle Terrance Knighton and cornerback Derek Cox are starters. The only nonstarter, defensive tackle D’Anthony Smith, has missed his first two seasons with injuries.

The Jaguars averaged 41.9 yards per punt last season, 31st in the NFL. They averaged 36.5 net yards per punt, 28th in the NFL. Those numbers were, in part, a testament to the team’s foolish conclusion that greybeard Matt Turk was the man to replace Adam Podlesh, who left for Chicago as a free agent.

The Jaguars cut Turk after five games, going with Nick Harris the rest of the way. Harris was 3 yards (and 5.1 net yards) better per punt than Turk had been.

A longer punt is easier to cover, so this is too simple.

Nevertheless, here is my counterproposal to drafting Anger 70th:

Jacksonville uses an average punter and boosts its net average to what was the midpoint for 2011. By my calculations, that would give the Jaguars an extra 15.5 net yards a game. Then use the 70th pick on an offensive lineman who, as part of a better scheme, could help cut the Jaguars’ sack yardage in half. That would give the team an extra 10.3 yards a game, and also help young quarterback Blaine Gabbert not worry so much about getting crunched.

The overall gain from my plan -- not just estimating the average that will come with a big leg, but actually factoring in context -- would be better.

The goal is not to punt, and you drafted a punter. That was the first thing a reporter in Jacksonville said to coach Mike Mularkey after the pick.

“And hold, hold for extra points,” Mularkey said. “If you want to write about him, he’s a really good holder for extra points and field goals, and he just so happens to be a difference-maker when it comes to punting.”

Oh, he holds, too? Well, that changes everything.

No, actually, any guy on offense with good hands, starting with your backup quarterback, should be able to function as a holder.

Maybe Anger is the league’s best punter and holder for 15 years.

Even if he is, it says here there will be at least three dozen players among the picks after Anger who have more impactful careers than he will. And that’s a modest 20 percent of the 183 guys we’re talking about. If the Jaguars missed on him by two rounds, maybe it’s 64 players. It could be more.

Are the Jaguars, coming off a 5-11 season, good enough that they can pass on such potential people? They are not. Perhaps they are expecting Gabbert to be terrible again, knowing they’ll be punting a ton and being proactive?

They need more guys who can score touchdowns or stop touchdowns. Get more guys who can get you first downs and you’ll punt less, kicking more field goals and scoring more touchdowns. Get more guys who can stop a third-down run or break up a third-down pass and you’ll be fielding punts, not covering them.

Do those things, and getting a few additional yards when you have to kick the ball away doesn’t mean so much.

Know where you have a chance to add guys who fit that bill?

With the third-round pick you just used on a punter.

Too often the Jaguars are a punching bag or a punch line.

This time, they deserve it.

Reading the coverage…

Houston Texans

The Texans will play in prime time four times, plus on Thanksgiving, says John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

We won’t really know what the Texans think about Garrett Graham until we see how the team addresses tight end in the draft, says Nate Dunlevy of Bleacher Report.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts, typically all over the prime time schedule, have 15 kickoffs at 1 p.m. says Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

There are going to be season tickets available for the Colts this year, says Chappell.

"This group of (offensive) linemen will be able to accomplish far superior run blocking, should hold up better against the beefier defensive linemen that tended to cause pressue up the middle on the quarterback, and is better-suited to support (an Andrew) Luck-style offense," says Brett Mock of Colts Authority.

Jacksonville Jaguars

“The first practice of the coach Mike Mularkey era Tuesday featured a Brad Meester Super Bowl pep talk, a new haircut for Blaine Gabbert and questions about Maurice Jones-Drew’s absence,” says Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union.

Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton can see out of his injured left eye again, says Tania Ganguli of the T-U.

The Jaguars are not on the Monday Night Football calendar, says Ganguli.

After the top six picks, the draft looks unsettled, says Stellino.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans’ first month of games is full of challenges, says John Glennon of The Tennessean.

Tight end Jared Cook has the perfect pick for the Titans -- another South Carolina guy, defensive end Melvin Ingram. The story from Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.

Set aside whether or not Maurice Jones-Drew is unhappy with his contract, which Pete Prisco of CBS suggests is the case.

The running back is the Jaguars' most recognizable player, best skill player and the face of the franchise.

New coach Mike Mularkey started an orientation series of OTAs today, and MJD was not there.

Mularkey said yesterday that he didn’t know of anyone beyond defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, recovering from an eye injury, and Josh Scobee, unhappy about being franchise tagged, who would not be with the team.

And then his biggest guy is not there.

Per Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union Mularkey said he had an inkling Jones-Drew would be absent, but they hadn't spoken of it. Mularkey had asked players to let the team know if they wouldn't be around.

Given that...

No matter your complaint or your leverage, no matter if you’re just married, what exactly is the reasoning behind not telling your new boss that you won’t be around for the team’s first gathering?

It’s not mandatory. Jones-Drew doesn’t have to be there. But a phone call, text or email giving Mularkey a heads up would have qualified as a common courtesy.

Instead, Jones-Drew winds up making Mularkey look bad.

The coach looks like he’s not influential or respected, and considering he’s just getting started he deserves far better from his star.

It doesn’t enhance MJD's case at being worth more than he’s scheduled to make, if that’s part of what he’s getting at.

It’s a bad start to an important relationship.

Terrance Knighton’s eye injury, suffered in a recently nightclub injury, will sideline him until training camp, coach Mike Mularkey said Monday.

“Terrance, due to the injury and the surgery, is going to miss the majority of this offseason for the next three months,” Mularkey said. “With the injury, his inability to lift, run, or do anything physical, he will not be involved in the offseason for at least the next three months. He is at home trying to heal. The healing process is going to take a while and it’s really not an issue we’d like to talk about because he’s not going to be around here due to the injury. The best place for him is at home right now. …”

“There’s a big concern for his health from this team and his family. The healing process has to answer all of those questions. It’s too early right now to give you an answer.”

But general manager Gene Smith indicated at the same team luncheon that going into the draft the team remains optimistic about Knighton’s recovery, but said nothing is definite and the team doesn’t know where Knighton will be in three months.

Knighton had seemingly done good work since the end of the season to keep his weight in check. But now unable to do physical activity for at least the early stages of his recovery, there is an obvious concern about staying at a good number.

“I know that Josh Hingst, who is responsible for helping the nutrition of the food and diets of the players, is going to make a visit to Terrance in person and go through the diet and hopefully help control those things,” Mularkey said. “I’m sure Terrance is aware of the situation. He’s been aware of it the whole offseason.

“He came in here about a week ago when our phase one kicked off and he was in good shape for this time of the year. So I think it’s been something that he’s addressed already early on in this offseason and I think he knows what he has to do. We’re going to try to help him along in that process with a hands-on approach.”

If Knighton can be at the right weight when he returns, it will be a huge boon. He’ll have the resources to help him. He needs to use them. A difficult thing will now be more difficult. But he’s a pro a year away from a new contract and he needs to maximize his chances to play the way he’s capable of playing and to turn it into a financial payoff.

Smith and his top personnel man, Terry McDonough, both said defensive tackle is the deepest spot in the draft. The team also gets back 2009 second-rounder D’Anthony Smith after two seasons lost to injury.

Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

The Texans' offseason program starts Monday, says Nick Scurfield of the team’s website. While plenty of guys have been around team headquarters, players will start to get a feel for the group minus the free-agent losses, cuts and trades.

Cornerback Kareem Jackson is on the hot seat, but he may just be a bad fit for the Texans' defense, says Nate Dunlevy of Bleacher Report.

Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck met with the Colts in Indianapolis and was then the subject of an interesting tweet from team owner Jim Irsay, says Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

Indianapolis intends to push for another Super Bowl soon, says Brad Wells of Stampede Blue. It should.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Terrance Knighton’s eye injuries are serious, says Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union, but they are not expected to be career threatening or have long-term consequences. That’s got to be a giant relief for everyone close to him. As he heals, we’ll find out about what it means for his offseason and for the start of the season.

Receiver Cecil Shorts says he knows exactly what he needs to do in his second season, according to the team's website. He's a guy the Jaguars could really use a jump from.

Tennessee Titans

Middle linebacker Colin McCarthy aims to continue to make splash plays for the Titans, writes John Glennon of The Tennessean. He was a great find, and if he can play like he did last year, the Titans are more than set at the spot.

Tom Gower of Total Titans examines the Titans' remaining depth-chart holes. One we haven't touched on: long-snapper.

Reading the coverage…

Houston Texans

John McClain’s third mock draft gives the Texans Stephen Hill from Georgia Tech.

Indianapolis Colts

Former Colts quarterback Blair Kiel passed away, says the AP.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The outlook on defensive tackle Terrance Knighton after eye surgery is still vague, says Tania Ganguli.

Cornerback Will Middleton signed his restricted free agent tender, says Ganguli.

Tennessee Titans

Saints restricted free agent linebacker Jonathan Casillas was scheduled to visit the Titans Monday, according to John Glennon of The Tennessean.

We don’t know how seriously injured Terrance Knighton is.

The Jaguars defensive tackle had eye surgery Sunday following an incident at or near a Jacksonville nightclub.

Any interpretation of the details is pure speculation at this point.

Any eye surgery sounds serious. But Knighton was released from the hospital Sunday, which would seem to be a good sign. Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union writes that Knighton has a doctor’s appointment Monday afternoon.

Knighton is a very likeable guy who’s heading into the final year of his rookie contract. He's a giant with very quick feet who's battled weight issues but seems to have gotten things under control this offseason. The team has assured him that if he manages his weight and plays the way he's capable of, he’ll get a big contract.

Hopefully those are still things we are talking about and tracking. Hopefully this development is not something that puts his vision, his career or his season in jeopardy.

The Jaguars are strong on defense, and it starts up the middle. When healthy and fit, Tyson Alualu and Knighton make a formidable duo at defensive tackle.

The team is hopefully that 2010 third-rounder D’Anthony Smith will be a contributor as depth, and he’d be the guy expected to do more if Knighton misses action.

Smith missed his rookie year with a ruptured Achilles suffered early in training camp. Year 2, he tore a toe ligament at the end of the preseason and landed on injured reserve again.

His redemption story could take on even more importance if Knighton is out.

Houston Texans

The Texans re-signed Quintin Demps on Thursday to a one-year deal worth $700,000. Demps is a "young player with a huge upside," according to defensive backs coach Vance Joseph.

ProFootballWeekly.com identifies the Texans' top three needs heading into the 2012 NFL draft.

Indianapolis Colts

The team signed free agent defensive tackle Brandon McKinney, who had been with the Ravens since 2008.

ProFootballWeekly.com identifies the Colts' top three needs heading into the 2012 NFL draft.

Jacksonville Jaguars

After struggling to recover from the three concussions he suffered during the 2011 season, linebacker Clint Session finally found relief.

Terrance Knighton has taken being in shape more seriously this offseason. "I don’t want to be remembered for the guy who had weight problems, I want to be remembered for the guy who turned it around, is a positive role model for kids," Knighton said in an interview with Florida Times-Union's Tania Ganguli.

Tennessee Titans

The newest Titan, Leger Douzable, said he considers himself "the steal of free agency."

The Titans need more help at defensive end, writes the Tennessean's John Glennon, and with no clear-cut upgrades still available in free agency, the team will likely turn its attention to the draft.

Houston Texans

Arian Foster won't be on the cover of "Madden NFL 13." But that's a good thing, right, Texans fans?

The Texans' home preseason slate includes games against the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers.

Indianapolis Colts

Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star: "Robert Mathis, the Pro Bowl defensive end-turned-outside linebacker, looked around the reconstituted and redecorated Indianapolis Colts practice-facility locker room Wednesday and shook his head. 'I feel like a freshman,' he said with a smile."

There are a lot of new faces as the Colts begin "Building The Monster."

Jacksonville Jaguars

Terrance Knighton is out to prove that his weight won't be an issue this coming season. “It’s not going to change overnight because I came in in good shape today,” Knighton said on Wednesday. “I want to prove to them this year that I won’t be a problem and go above and beyond their expectations and show that I’m committed to it and it’s an area where I’ve matured and changed.”

The Jaguars will host the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants to launch their preseason schedule.

Tennessee Titans

Recently signed Leger Douzable says he likes the Titans' history of developing defensive ends.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will face his former team when the Titans open their preseason schedule at Seattle.

The money isn’t mine. I’m not certain about what you can afford and what the market will pay when free agency opens on March 13. I’m not positive about your plans and schemes.

But I’ve got a good sense of your team. We've looked at the free-agent list.

And here’s what I’d try to do with your major issues:

1) Land at least one premium free-agent wide receiver. I’d stack them something like this: San Diego’s Vincent Jackson, Kansas City’s Dwayne Bowe, Buffalo’s Steve Johnson, New Orleans’ Marques Colston. If you’re bold and will take two, I like Indianapolis’s Pierre Garcon or New Orleans’ Robert Meachem.

2) Re-sign safety Dwight Lowery. Just a year ago, you were a mess at safety. You did fine work signing Dawan Landry and trading for Lowery and shifting him from corner to fix it. You have to keep it fixed. Hopefully he realizes what a great fit he is in a top-flight defense. But there are a lot of safety-needy teams out there, including your AFC South rival Titans. Lowery needs to be in your lineup in 2012.

3) Be a player for Mario Williams. If Houston’s outside linebacker/defensive end becomes a free agent as I expect, you can afford to make a huge splash with him. And you’re a premier pass-rushing defensive end and a cornerback away from being a premier defense. If Williams goes elsewhere and the Colts’ Robert Mathis comes free, he should be the second target.

4) Shop free-agent quarterbacks to upgrade the backup plan for Blaine Gabbert. Chad Henne probably finds a better situation. Kyle Orton too. How about Jason Campbell? The new backup needs to have the right disposition -- sit back, offer guidance, run a good scout team. But he also needs to be able to play, because if Gabbert is bad again, you can’t just sacrifice the season. You have to have a better backup than Luke McCown.

5) Let defensive end Jeremy Mincey explore the market. He’s a supreme effort guy you’d like to have back. But he’s not worth the kind of money I imagine he’s looking for. If the rest of the league agrees, you’ll have a chance at him later. If he gets swept up, then someone likely overpaid.

6) Monitor your defensive tackles closely. Tyson Alualu's knee surgery wasn't said to be major, but the knee kept him from peak performance last season and they need to get it right. And Terrance Knighton's weight cannot continue to be an issue going forward. Ultimately it's on him, of course, but the new staff needs to find the best, most helpful approach.

7) Wait on Rashean Mathis unless he's cheap right away. The corner will be an unrestricted free agent but is coming off a torn ACL. He's a great team guy and can still play, but the end is in sight. You want him on a cheap, short deal and hopefully you draft the guy in April who replaces him in 2013.

8) While you have plenty of cap room, you still want to be conscious of paying reasonable prices. You can wait to decide on them later. But even a healthy Aaron Kampman isn’t worth a $4.97 million base. And fullback Greg Jones played only 38.7 percent of the team’s snaps last season but is schedule to make $3.4 million. Too much.

Brian McIntyre of Mac’s Football Blog has done a tremendous job tracking base salary increases for 2012 triggered by things that happened in 2011. (Hat tip to Alan Burge of the Houston Examiner.)

McIntyre's updated list currently includes 10 players from the AFC South:

Here they are, with their base salary increases:

• Houston LT Duane Brown, $1.3 million
• Houston CB Brice McCain, $693,000
• Indianapolis WR Austin Collie, $693,000
• Indianapolis punter Pat McAfee, $693,000
• Jacksonville CB Derek Cox, $645,000
• Jacksonville WR Jarett Dillard, $645,000
• Jacksonville LT Eugene Monroe, $500,000
• Jacksonville G Uche Nwaneri, $1.926 million
• Jacksonville DT Terrance Knighton, $645,000
• Tennessee CB Jason McCourty, $645,000

Brown did good work establishing himself as a premier left tackle and is now slated to earn $2,081,500 -- still quite a reasonable price. Nwaneri is not quite at that level, but he set the tone for a line that produced the league's leading rusher. Nwaneri will now make $2.775 million.

On the other end of the spectrum, Dillard is now scheduled to make $1,260,000. He’s going to have to have a big offseason and camp to prove he’s worth that.