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Early thoughts on the Texans scheduled to become unrestricted free agents come March 13, with thanks to Mac’s Football Blog, where you can find complete team-by-team lists that include exclusive rights and restricted free agents.

Running back Derrick Ward -- A third-stringer who has good experience and could be important if Arian Foster is lured away with an offer sheet as a restricted free agent.

Tight end Joel Dreessen -- Though largely underrated from the outside, he’s been a nice contributor and certainly has value for the Texans.

OG Mike Brisiel -- A solid starter they’d surely like to keep in order for their very good offensive line to remain intact.

C Chris Myers -- A very valuable cog in the machine and a great system fit, he may have been the best center in the NFL in 2011.

Wide receiver Bryant Johnson -- He was a non-factor as the team’s fourth receiver and they need to upgrade the spot.

Linebacker Tim Dobbins -- Played well when he got on the field, but may find better opportunity elsewhere.

Outside linebacker/defensive end Mario Williams -- If the Texans can’t lock him up before March 13, he will become the biggest prize of the free-agent class. It would be a huge accomplishment to find a way to re-sign him.

Cornerback Jason Allen -- He’s been a virtual “co-starter” with Kareem Jackson and has typically outplayed him. But based on this list, he’s not close to a priority.

Kicker Neil Rackers -- Rackers has been a steady guy for the Texans, who surely would like to keep him rather than shopping for a replacement.

Also UFAs:

• QB Jake Delhomme
• QB Jeff Garcia
• OG Kasey Studdard
• DT Tim Bulman
• S Dominique Barber
• P Matt Turk

HOUSTON -- The Texans’ defense won’t get any major help from injuries today.

Atlanta running back Michael Turner and receiver Julio Jones, who both came into the game as questionable, will play Sunday at Reliant Stadium.

Houston will need to slow both and have a solid defensive effort to maximize the chances for rookie quarterback T.J. Yates to guide the Texans to their sixth consecutive win.

Turner is a load, and sure tackling with quick-arriving support will be a necessity.

The Falcons are without two of their top four cornerbacks in Brent Grimes and Kelvin Hayden, which could mean increased opportunity for Yates to connect with Andre Johnson. Dominique Franks will start at left corner for Grimes.

The full inactives lists:

Texans

• QB Kellen Clemens
• CB Brandon Harris
• FB Lawrence Vickers
• G Thomas Austin
• T Andrew Gardner
• TE Garrett Graham
• DE Tim Bulman

Falcons

• QB John Parker Wilson
• CB Brent Grimes
• CB Kelvin Hayden
• LB Stephen Nicholas
• C Brett Romberg
• OL Kirk Chambers
• DE Cliff Matthews

HOUSTON -- Arrived at Texans practice about halfway through. I thought I’d start out with some straight observational sharing.

1) I watched the offensive and defensive line one-on-ones from a tough angle.

• Chris Myers had a very good snap against Shaun Cody.
• Antonio Smith gained good ground on Wade Smith twice.
• Duane Brown fended off Bryan Braman twice.
• J.J. Watt got good push against Derek Newton, but Newton managed to stay between Watt and his target. Newton also watched Jesse Nading fly right past him.
• Mike Brisiel handled Tim Bulman, but Bulman had a good win against Cody Wallace.
• Connor Barwin went around Pete Hendrickson.

And the highlight for me: Brooks Reed vs. Eric Winston. Reed quickly got inside Winston on the first snap. Then he did it again though he had to go wider. And against Newton, he got steered out real wide, wide enough that he probably couldn’t have recovered to make a play.

Reed’s clearly super-fast off the edge. (Sidenote: He’s got relatively skinny legs. Calves anyway.) On the second snap against Winston, I wondered if he went wide enough that even a clean run might take him too long to get to the quarterback, allowing for the ball to come out. Still, forcing a quick pass with such pressure is a victory.

2) Brian Cushing, who’s been out of action for most of camp as he recovered from knee surgery, was part of team drills. In the very first snap of 11 vs. 11 work I saw, he edged up to the line and weaved his way through the middle very quickly and cleanly, slicing through the line in a way he would have had a pretty good shot at Matt Schaub in a live situation.

3) Schaub found Kevin Walter with a bomb up the right side that fell incomplete only because Kareem Jackson had a handful of Walter’s jersey to prevent him from catching up to it. Jackson made no real effort to hide the foul or recover from it.

4) Owen Daniels slipped open against what had to be a busted coverage for a big play. Reed let him go near the line of scrimmage and Glover Quin wasn’t in range. The culprit is likely unidentified.

5) Trindon Holliday had a nice little catch-and-run, but limped back and found a trainer.

6) Sherrick McManis intercepted Matt Leinart.

7) When I talked to the sidelined Ben Tate after the practice, he indicated that Steve Slaton now has a hamstring issue as well.

The Titans and Texans have doled out their tenders offers to players who could wind up restricted free agents.

But if a new CBA reverts to a formula in which players with at least four years of service and an expired contract are unresticted free agents, only four of 13 contract offers made by the two teams will wind up having any meaning.

Mark Berman says Houston didn't tender linebacker Zac Diles and strong safety Bernard Pollard. That means even in a scenario most favorable to the team in which it could maintain control over their fates, the Texans don't want them.

So Houston doesn't view Diles as a fit in its new 3-4 front and will be looking for two new safeties -- it recently cut incumbent free safety Eugene Wilson.

Among the tenders that would stick in even the players' best-case scenarios, leaving them restricted: Houston guard Mike Brisiel, Titans linebackers Patrick Bailey and Tim Shaw and Titans tackle Mike Otto.

Other Texans tendered who are likely to wind up unrestricted based on service time: tight end Owen Daniels, quarterback Matt Leinart, defensive end Mark Anderson, offensive tackle Rashad Butler and receiver Jacoby Jones. Along with Pollard and Diles, the Texans didn't tender offensive lineman Kasey Studdard or defensive end Tim Bulman.

Other Titans tendered who are likely to wind up unrestricted based on service time: Linebacker Stephen Tulloch, fullback Ahmard Hall, defensive end Jacob Ford and guard Leroy Harris.

John Glennon reports the Titans passed on tendering linebacker Colin Allred, a played they could have held onto.

Reading the coverage ...

Houston Texans

Five players Gary Kubiak is anxious to see in preseason action: Chris Henry, Troy Nolan, Trindon Holliday, Earl Mitchell and Malcolm Sheppard, from John McClain.

Joel Dreessen typically stays on the field well after practice is over, says Jordan Godwin.

Tim Bulman is out indefinitely, writes McClain and Godwin.

Brice McCain will start for Kareem Jackson in Arizona, while Jackson attends his grandmother’s funeral, says McClain.

Brian Cushing’s real syndrome is believing we’re dopes, says Mike Freeman.

Indianapolis Colts

Injuries are making for an offensive line scramble, says Mike Chappell.

The defense delivered some hits in practice, says Chappell.

John Oehser’s take on Jim Caldwell talking about Clyde Christensen. I hit on the same stuff in a different way Wednesday.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Criticism motivates Gerald Alexander, says Vito Stellino.

Rookie returners Deji Karim and Scotty McGee get their first big test against the Eagles, says Stellino.

Mike Thomas isn’t too small for anything, says Vic Ketchman.

Tennessee Titans

Chuck Cecil is looking for a second-year jump, says Jim Wyatt.

So many fans wanted Chris Johnson’s autograph, they crushed a chain-link fence and a little boy was injured, say Wyatt and John Glennon.

Damian Williams came off PUP and made a quick impression, says Glennon.

Kerry Collins will get the least work in preseason games of all four Titans quarterbacks, says Wyatt.

LeGarrette Blount is trying to prove reliable, says David Boclair.

Robert Johnson is trying to stand out, says Phil Brame.

Craig Johnson talks about Blount, a player on the fringe, with Steve Wyche.

We’ve seen little overall action on restricted free agents, and no RFA from the AFC South has signed an offer sheet anywhere.

I think teams should be more active in this department, as I discussed here.

Shockingly, no one in power listened to me there.

It’s news when a restricted free agent signs his tender, sure. I saw several of those from around the league flashing across Twitter during my recent vacation.

But the real news would be one of them not ultimately signing it. I’m not going to devote too many blog posts to RFAs following through on their only real option. We’ll see more and more of these soon.

The deadline for signing an offer sheet with another team is Thursday.

Then, if a guy really wants a chance to be traded during the draft, he’s got to be under contract when calls are made and the paperwork needs to be turned quickly. Think he creates a lot of leverage by not signing the tender?

On June 15, old clubs can pull tender offers to unsigned RFAs and still keep exclusive rights by substituting an offer of 110 percent of 2009’s salary.

Here is the status of RFAs who were tendered in the division.

Houston

• DL Tim Bulman -- Signed tender
• OT Rashad Butler
• TE Owen Daniels
• RB Ryan Moats -- Signed tender
• S Bernard Pollard -- Signed new contract
• LB DeMeco Ryans -- Signed new contract
• G Chris White

Indianapolis

• S Antoine Bethea
• S Melvin Bullitt -- Signed tender (per Scout.com)
• DT Antonio Johnson
• OT Charlie Johnson
• DT Dan Muir

Jacksonville

• DT Atiyyah Ellison -- Signed new contract
• LB Clint Ingram
• DT Montavious Stanley -- Signed tender

Tennessee

• DE Dave Ball -- Signed tender
• DT Tony Brown
• TE Bo Scaife -- Signed tender
• LB Stephen Tulloch
• DT Kevin Vickerson
• RB LenDale White

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.

Restricted free-agent tenders have to be done before midnight ET. Here's what's out so far:

Houston

• DL Tim Bulman – Right of first refusal.
• S John Busing – Not tendered.
• OT Rashad Butler -- Third.
• TE Owen Daniels – First and third.
• RB Ryan Moats – Third.
• S Bernard Pollard – First.
• LB DeMeco Ryans – First and third.
• G Chris White – Right of first refusal.

From John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Indianapolis

• WR Hank Baskett
• S Antoine Bethea – First.
• 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
• CB/PR T.J. Rushing

Bethea info from Adam Schefter.

Jacksonville

• DT Atiyyah Ellison
• LB Clint Ingram
• DL Greg Peterson

Tennessee

• DE Dave Ball – Second.
• DT Tony Brown – First.
• TE Bo Scaife – First at 110% or nearly $4.9 million.
• LB Stephen Tulloch –First.
• DT Kevin Vickerson –Second.
• RB LenDale White –Second.

From Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.

It’s a whole new offseason world starting March 5, and we have no experience from which to predict what happens in an uncapped year. There are enough restrictions on the players’ side to offset the Wild West so many initially projected.

One area I am really curious to see is restricted free agency. Because there are fewer unrestricted free agents (it takes six years to get there now, not four), will teams be more protective of their RFAs and more aggressive in terms of signing RFAs from outside to offer sheets?

I certainly think a creative front office that can go after the right guys can lure them away or at least get a trade conversation going.

Teams must tender their RFAs by the end of March 4. Here are the levels of tags:

With no CBA by March 5, and we aren’t expecting one, here are the RFAs for each team in the AFC South, according to the NFLPA.

Houston

• DL Tim Bulman
• S John Busing
• OT Rashad Butler
• TE Owen Daniels
• RB Ryan Moats
• S Bernard Pollard
• LB DeMeco Ryans
• G Chris White

Indianapolis

• 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
• CB/PR T.J. Rushing

Jacksonville

• DT Atiyyah Ellison
• LB Clint Ingram
• DL Greg Peterson
• DT Montavious Stanley

Tennessee

• DE Dave Ball
• DT Tony Brown
• TE Bo Scaife
• LB Stephen Tulloch
• DT Kevin Vickerson
• RB LenDale White

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Sunday game conversations shouldn’t spill beyond Tuesday. That’s an AFC South Blog rule.

We apologize we didn’t get to see the bulk of Jaguars-Texans until late Tuesday. But having seen it, we’re compelled to hit just a few points before our deadline:

Texans:

• Kevin Walter is the sort of deceptive and crafty receiver a lot of teams would love to have, and he’s an integral part of the Texans offense when it’s firing on all cylinders. I detailed a costly pass interference call he drew at the end earlier Tuesday. But I loved a lot of his work through this game, and really took note of the fourth-down call that got him the ball with a toss into the backfield. Bravo for that one Kyle Shanahan.
• John Busing can be deadly at the line of scrimmage or as a blitzer. But as the strong safety asked to do things in space, he sure looked like a liability. The team will say it was splitting up work, but don’t you think the door had to be opened for Dominique Barber to get back out there, as he was at least some in the second half? (Remember, he’s the guy who left Chris Johnson uncovered a week ago when he split out wide.)
• Tim Bulman made a phenomenal play in the first quarter on a screen to Maurice Jones-Drew. He read the play, covered ground to close on MJD as he leaked out and batted David Garrard’s pass before it arrived. How often do you see that? We’re hitting the line hard for its failures in pass rush and run defense, but that’s a major flash there.

Jaguars:

• Mike Sims-Walker can be tantalizing. He’s a good enough player to be a significant piece of what the Jags want to do on offense. Consistency and health are the issues. And when he makes a mistake, he can’t try to cover it up. Jack Del Rio’s late challenge didn’t kill Jacksonville, but his booth guy’s got to do better and Sims-Walkers got to have enough of a sense of his late fumble not to try to sell Del Rio that his knee was down. Better scenario all around: hold on to it and help the Jags avoid what JDR called all the “drama” at the end.
• Reggie Nelson worked some as the nickel, with Gerald Alexander and Brian Russell as the safeties. While the Texans feel like they are using additional people in the secondary because they have insufficient players, the Jaguars feel like they are still mixing and matching trying to figuring out what their best combinations are. (Especially once Sean Considine was out injured.) One of the things to like about the young Jaguars is that things are fluid for them.
• I loved what offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter did with Mike Thomas on the end-arounds and on plays that had to be defended as if they were going to be end-arounds. I hope it’s stage one of dressing up – and stretching out – some things that serve as counterbalance to the power running stuff that’s the team’s primary offensive personality. Garrard running with the ball more was a good development as well.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

HOUSTON -- My intended focus was the Texans' young cornerbacks, but Drew Brees has not rejoined the Saints yet after the recent death of his mother.

So at Wednesday morning's Texans-Saints joint practice, I turned to the pass rush with a specific focus on rookie second-round end Connor Barwin, whom I've heard a lot of good things about.

	AP Photo/David J. Phillip
	Connor Barwin (98) could be a force as a pass-rusher for the Texans.

He's technically behind Mario Williams on the right side, and gets in when Williams kicks to the left in pass-rush situations.

In one-on-one pass-rush work and in team periods, Barwin worked against both Jermon Bushrod, listed as the Saints' backup left tackle, and starting right tackle Jon Stinchcomb.

I felt like Barwin got good, consistent push and was high-energy on all his snaps.

He took consecutive snaps against Stinchcomb in one-on-ones, beating him around the left edge to get to the stand-in quarterback on the first, but winding up blocked to the ground on the second.

"I think I did all right," Barwin said. "Obviously you're always going to want to get better and make a couple different plays looking back immediately. But I think I played fast and that's what I need to do every day, I think I ran around a little bit so I was happy with that."

I also asked him about his role:

"They are still sorting it out. It's just about me coming out here and proving myself. I need to prove I can be the fourth best guy to put on the field to rush the passer if I want to play on third down. I need to show that every day. If I do I'll be out there.

"I know I am not going to go out there for Mario or Antonio [Smith] on first down, those are the guys, that's not going to change. But if I can prove I'm the fourth best pass-rusher, they'll move Antonio inside or something else."

Other notes on the pass-rush period:

• Saints highly regarded right guard Jahri Evans stopped Amobi Okoye twice, seemingly with ease.
• Smith went against starting left guard Carl Nicks and didn't do much on his first try, then got around him off the right edge on his second try.
• Williams ran right though Jammal Brown, leaving the starting left tackle flat on his back.
• Tim Bulman lost his footing, then got ridden wide in two snaps against rookie Michael Brown, listed as a third-team tackle.
• Shaun Cody used some furious hand action as he worked against backup guard Jamar Nesbit, getting good push and showing good quickness.
• Frank Okam looked very strong against third-team center Digger Bujnoch, shifting him aside before heading to the quarterback on one snap.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Peter King hits Matt Schaub and Steve Slaton a bit in MMQB and also shares this nugget: The 2008 Colts were the only team of the last decade with no sacks by linebackers or defensive backs.

Houston Texans

Richard Justice believes Brian Cushing can be a quick impact player.

Tim Bulman continues to work hard and search for the right role, says John McClain.

Jordan Godwin considers Mario Williams' work ethic.

Antonio Smith apologized for a heated exchange with Bill Kollar that fans overheard, reports Anna-Meghan Riley. It seems like it took a little longer than it should have, but from a distance it's hard to know what factored into the timing.

James Casey's already filling in at fullback as well as tight end, writes McClain.

Day 3 observations from Alan Burge.

Indianapolis Colts

As he drove to Terre Haute for his first training camp, Jim Caldwell got an encouraging text from Tony Dungy, writes Mike Chappell. From the story on the new head coach: "The inspection of Caldwell -- how he runs practice and interacts with the players, how he commands the sideline during games -- undoubtedly will be an on-going process."

Donald Brown signed in time to be on time, says Chappell.

Reggie Wayne's arrival signals the hard work ahead, writes Chappell.

As he drove to camp, Peyton Manning contemplated Dungy and Marvin Harrison, says John Oehser.

Adam Vinatieri says after hip and knee surgery he'll be ready for opening day, writes Oehser.

Charlie Johnson expects to return from pectoral surgery near the end of camp, according to Oehser. Johnson's key depth they need to have ready.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Maurice Jones-Drew is spearheading a beard-growing drive in the locker room. Great headline here on Vito Stellino's piece.

Looking to freshen things up, Jack Del Rio is moving his team into the visitors' locker room at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium for the first two weeks, says Michael C. Wright.

A look at Mike Walker from Jon Loesche.

Tennessee Titans

Jonathan Hutton puts forth a smart proposal for how to give Vince Young a true preseason test. I like it, but don't expect the Titans to do it.

Kenny Britt starts out on the PUP list, says Jim Wyatt.

Javon Ringer makes the battle for third running back much more interesting,

Jacob Ford's having an MRI on his hamstring, says Terry McCormick.

Titans Radio looks at the offensive line.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Let's play some post-holiday weekend catch up...

Houston Texans

• With Antonio Smith out with a hamstring issue, Tim Bulman manned right defensive end like he owned it last week, writes Megan Manfull.
• Several former Texans remain unsigned free agents, writes Alan Burge. You can always take that as a sign -- the rest of the league didn't place much value on your guys.
• What sort of impact can Brian Cushing have? Jim McCurdy wonders.
• Rashad Butler needs to be ready to back up both offensive tackles, says Burge.
• A look at Houston's late-round draft picks, from Jesse Rios.

Indianapolis Colts

• Hard work and strict discipline paved the way for Donald Brown, writes Phil Richards.
• Among the five topics John Oehser ponders is how the offensive line's embarrassment over last year's performance will spur a big comeback.
• The top five issues still facing the Colts, from Oehser.
• Jim Caldwell talked to Marc Correnti. We found the link via Indyfootballreport.com.

Jacksonville Jaguars

• The offense got a makeover, the defense gets a do-over, writes Vito Stellino.
• Fred Taylor is taking a different training approach as a Patriot, says Stellino.
• A look at the charity Reggie Nelson set up to honor his mom, from Josh Salman.
• Looking at the Jaguars' options behind Maurice Jones-Drew with Daniel Shanks.

Tennessee Titans

• As he tries to regain his starting job, Ryan Fowler admits he became complacent when he lost it, writes Gary Estwick.
• A status report on the rookies after their first three practices with the veterans, from Jim Wyatt.
• Bud Adams talked about founding the Oilers and ultimately moving them to Tennessee in this piece by Joe Biddle.
• Leroy Harris is stuck as a backup for now, says Estwick.
• Jevon Kearse likes it when Chuck Cecil is loud, according to David Boclair.

	Diamond Images/Getty Images
	New defensive line coach Bill Kollar vows to get more out of Houston's defensive line this season.

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Bill Kollar plans to scream, cajole, irritate and pester.

The Texans' new defensive line coach casts himself not just as a coach, but as a button-pusher. He says his style is similar to that of a friend he once crossed coaching paths with briefly at Purdue -- Jim Washburn.

Washburn has coached the Tennessee Titans defensive line with great success -- and at high volume -- since 1999. As the Texans looked to start reinventing their defense, they lured Kollar from Buffalo.

Kollar pledges to do what he needs to squeeze all he can out of a group that features 2006 No. 1 overall draft pick Mario Williams. The Texans didn't produce enough good play around the Pro Bowl defensive end last season. Houston's linemen, then, can expect constant reminders that they are to run to the ball on all occasions and never take a play off.

Kollar will rotate his people. With the free-agent additions of defensive end Antonio Smith (from the Arizona Cardinals) and tackle Shaun Cody (from the Detroit Lions), he should have better depth than his predecessor, Jethro Franklin, did. The Texans are sure to also draft at least one defensive lineman.

"Obviously we're teachers, but we're also motivators," Kollar said. "If you had a whole group of players that were self motivated, that went nuts, you wouldn't have to worry about it. That would be fine. But I've never had a group like that and I don't know how many guys do or if there is a group like that. So I think everybody now and then can be helped to keep going by a little kick in the rear."

Kollar, a 1974-first-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals who played eight seasons as a defensive lineman in the NFL, is still getting to know the Texans. Much of his sense of them still comes more off tape than from his own interaction and experiences.

In a phone chat with the AFC South Blog this week, he was willing to frame each of his linemen, providing his general feelings about each of them -- feelings that can obviously change significantly between now and opening day.

Smith: "A guy who works his butt off, gives you 100 percent all the time. We think he will end up definitely helping us. He's got good technique and knows how to use his hands and stuff. He's not the most agile guy out there that's going to run a 4.5 or something like that. But he really uses his hands well, watching him over the last few years he does a really good job."

Williams: "A heck of a guy, a heck of a player. I've really been impressed with the guy... He works his butt off out there and I think he just wants to keep getting better and better and take the team to the playoffs. And the better your team is, the better accolades your players end up getting.

"People know about the sacks, but he's a hell of a run player too. As long and as strong as he is, he does a heck of a job in both aspects."

	AP/Gene J. Puskar
	The Texans lured Bill Kollar from the Bills and hope Kollar's motivational style is what the defensive line needs to take the next step.

Defensive tackle Amobi Okoye: "I know he had that high ankle sprain [last year] and it's tough to play with. We're obviously hoping that's all past him now and with a young guy like that hopefully by the third year they hopefully kick in and become the player that they are going to be. We're hoping that happens this year...

"He's 22 [in June] and you look at it and sort of feel like the first two years in the league were his junior and senior year of college and he's just sort of had a jump on the guys coming out this year because he's already been playing with the big boys instead of still playing in college. Now you're hoping he's able to take it to the next level, stay healthy, that's always a big factor in anybody's career."

Defensive tackle Travis Johnson: "The guy plays hard, he's more of a run-down player, he's sort of trying to anchor down in the middle compared to a pass rusher. What happens when you end up taking a defensive tackle or a defensive end in the first round, you expect production in both the run and the pass. [The Texans selected Johnson in the first round in 2005.]

"The funny thing is, if you go back over years, very seldom do your nose men turn out to be pass rushers. They are the guys in there getting doubled all the time and anchoring down and then usually -- I won't say all the time, but usually - when it becomes third down, you might take another guy, you might take one of your outside guys and move him inside. And those [nose] guys sort of end up getting their break in passing situations. You can look at it quite a few different ways, but that's how I sort of view it and it really happens that way for a lot of guys."

Cody: "He's been unable to do anything so far here. I remember watching him and liking him coming out of USC. He had some injury problems there in Detroit, we're hoping that all those are past him now and we see him as able to play either spot inside which turns out to be a big plus for him, it turns out to give you more playing time and for us it helps depth-wise."

"We see him probably a little more as a solid player in the run game than he is a pass rush guy. Anytime you get a pass rush guy who can get up the field and go, we'd love to have it. When he was in college and so far at Detroit, he's a little more of a run down player than a pass rusher."

End Tim Bulman: "A real hard worker, a real tough kid when you watch him. I've sort of been impressed so far with what I have seen of him... I know he was down at Arizona when Kyle Vanden Bosch was down there and Vanden Bosch didn't have a lot of success down there, I know he was injured, he blew a couple of knees out and stuff. But I think Tim has see
n what Vanden Bosch was able to do on a new team and I am sure he's hoping that's a possibility that it could happen for him."

Defensive tackle Frank Okam: "He's more of an anchor guy, we're hoping he can end up getting in there and plug up the gap and help with short-line pursuit and stuff... A lot of second-year guys that really didn't play that much their first year, sometimes they make a big step. We'll just sort of see how it ends up going with him."

End Stanley McClover, who spent almost all of 2008 on IR with a right knee injury: "He's still probably not at 100 percent. I really saw no film on him, he got hurt in the first game I think. I really don't know much about him at all."

End Jesse Nading: "Played a little bit last year, mainly in passing situations. Showed a little quickness here and there. Maybe a little undersized but has some good mobility, has pretty good feet."

Defensive tackle DelJuan Robinson: "He's a big stop guy, too, in there."

A final thought:

Prevailing wisdom has been that the Texans need an upgrade inside to play the nose next to Okoye. Kollar sounds pleased with the pool he's already got to choose from, and he could and could get another candidate in the draft.

"We've got quite a few on the inside especially at the nose we should end up having some good competition with Johnson, Cody, Okam and Robinson," he said.

But if one of the ends emerges as a good rusher opposite Williams or the Texans add that guy in the draft, it sure sounds like Smith could be the interior answer on passing downs.

"He's definitely a good inside rusher, I mean he's slippery inside, he uses his hands well," Kollar said. "He ended up playing a lot inside last year on first and second down. He just does a good job, he plays with great leverage, he was able to slip through gaps. He can give you some rush from the inside, that's for sure."

Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

Houston Texans

• The Texans have turned into a big-play offense, Megan Manfull reports.
• "Sometimes a kid comes along that cares so much that almost everyone who knows him is rooting for him." Richard Justice says Tim Bulman is one of them.
• Dunta Robinson looked better Thursday than he did Wednesday, John McClain writes.

Indianapolis Colts

• Analyst Cris Collinsworth thinks Peyton Manning-to-Marvin Harrison looks as good as old, says Phil Richards.
• The Colts are leaning towards activating linebacker Tyjuan Hagler for Sunday, filling the spot they opened for John McCargo before the trade for him fell through, Mike Chappell said.
• This is the Colts' first trip to Lambeau Field since 2000, according to colts.com.

Jacksonville Jaguars

• Jerry Porter's just not healthy enough to go, says Michael C. Wright.

Tennessee Titans

• "Some of the things they call these days take away from the intensity of the game," Keith Bulluck said. Jim Wyatt looks at how the rules limit what can be done to quarterbacks.
• The status of the Titans' two starting receivers is up in the air for Kansas City, says Gary Estwick.
• Tennessee won't see Chiefs running back Larry Johnson, who's suspended for the game, blogs Wyatt.
• It's not official yet, but the Titans will likely be part of a throwback movement to mark the 50th anniversary of the AFL, meaning they will dress as the Oilers for a game next year, reports McClain.
• David Climer takes a look at Vince Young as a second quarterback.
• Mercury Morris says he wants the Titans to go undefeated, writes Terry McCormick.