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Oakland Raiders receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey tweeted a picture Tuesday of three teammates (including quarterback Carson Palmer) and a fifth man, in what appeared to be in a workout setting.

The man?

Terrell Owens.

Yep, the 38-year-old receiver who has fallen off the radar of NFL teams. Does the group photo mean Owens is on the way to signing with the Raiders?

Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves here. Owens and Palmer played together in the past and are friends. It might have been just a matter of Owens being in Los Angeles and getting together with the group.

Plus, players don’t make personnel decisions in the world of Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie. He has other things to worry about other than signing Owens. And the Raiders have a crowded receiving group. If Owens signs with the Raiders, I would think it would be down the road.

My guess is that Heyward-Bey is sitting back and smiling, knowing his tweet caused a slight ruckus.

In other AFC West news:

Raider Nation is recruiting Indianapolis linebacker Philip Wheeler. Wheeler started 11 games last season and has started 24 of 61 NFL games. He has not been highly sought-after in free agency.

Peyton Manning's mentor said the quarterback has played simulated games and he is ready to go for the Broncos.

Early thoughts on some key Colts scheduled to become unrestricted free agents come March 13.

Thanks to Mac’s Football Blog, where you can find complete team-by-team lists that include exclusive right and restricted free agents.

QB Kerry Collins – He may not have filed paperwork, but he’s retired.

QB Dan Orlovsky – Showed enough to be on a roster in the league as a third quarterback in a crowded situation or a backup somewhere with a sure-fire starter.

WR Pierre Garcon – He’s inconsistent, but this team needs a speed receiver for Andrew Luck and it’s better to keep the one they’ve been developing than going searching.

WR Anthony Gonzalez – Was completely in the doghouse at the end and could not get on the field. Probably needs to sign for a season, in Indy or elsewhere, and prove he can be healthy and contribute.

WR Reggie Wayne – Has said he’d stay and be honored to be part of a rebuild, but they’d have to be fair. Other teams will court him and somebody will pay him better than the Colts would if they pursued him, I suspect.

TE Jacob Tamme – Was quite a good receiving option for Peyton Manning in 2010, but how much of that was Manning? I think Tamme is a valuable piece they should want back and can certainly afford.

OT Ryan Diem – Did well to serve as a veteran example for a young line and was flexible, playing some guard. But his time is going to be up.

OG Mike Pollak – Has played a lot and not gotten a lot better. They got new tackles last year; it’s time for a new guard or two.

OC Jeff Saturday – If Manning is gone, it would make sense to turn the page with Saturday, too. Reportedly the Colts and at least one other team would like him in their front offices.

DE Robert Mathis – Will be a commodity, for sure. Never mind his age. He can help you rush the passer for the next three years. Colts should want to keep him, but will they pay what he costs?

LB Philip Wheeler – If the Colts are getting bigger on defense, they’ll probably move on here. He’s consistently failed to get in or stay in the lineup for extended stretches in a defense for which he’s better suited.

Other UFAs:

• DE Jamaal Anderson
• FB Jerome Felton
• OT Quinn Ojinnaka
• OG Jamey Richard
• DE Tyler Brayton
• DE Eric Foster
• LB Kevin Bentley
• LB Ernie Sims

INDIANAPOLIS -- Matt Hasselbeck will start at quarterback for the Titans as we expected, as he’s worked through the calf strain that knocked him out of last week’s loss to New Orleans.

But with Hasselbeck and Jake Locker (chest) dinged up, third quarterback Rusty Smith is active for the first time all season.

The Colts have two lineup changes.

Jacob Tamme starts at tight end in place of Dallas Clark.

Ernie Sims starts at strongside linebacker in place of Philip Wheeler.

Earlier, this post said Mike Pollak would start at left guard in place of Joe Reitz. But the Colts announced about 20 minutes before kickoff that was an error and that Reitz will start.

Titans:

• RB Javon Ringer
• C Kevin Matthews
• T Byron Stingily
• LB Gerald McRath
• WR Donnie Avery
• DE William Hayes
• DT Zach Clayton

Colts:

• QB Peyton Manning
• DB Mike Holmes
• TE Dallas Clark
• LB Philip Wheeler
• LB A.J. Edds
• T Quinn Ojinnaka
• DE Jamaal Anderson

Quarterback Kerry Collins first game as a member of the Indianapolis Colts was not about the stats as much as it was whether he could show that he was comfortable.

And while five-for-10 for 45 yards hardly made for a big evening, he looked like he knew what to do and where to go with the ball.

Twice he got hit by Michael Johnson. The Cincinnati defensive end got pushed wide by Indy rookie tackle Anthony Castonzo, but kept working and managed to land a meaningful swipe on Collins anyway. The first time hit forced a red-zone incompletion and the second resulted in a lost fumble.

Collins made a great deep throw down the middle for David Gilreath on his first snap and drew a pass interference penalty. And later he hit Chris Brooks deep on the left side, a pass that was dropped.

The quarterback didn’t get a completion or yardage for either.

After Collins yielded to Dan Orlovsky, owner Jim Irsay tweeted: “#5 looked good 2nite,gonna help us if #18 needs a few more weeks getting ready...but Peyton is improving rapidly..steady progress!”

Collins is No. 5 while No. 18, of course, is Peyton Manning.

I think it has to be considered an encouraging start for the backup, He could play in the season opener on Sept. 11 in Houston if Manning isn’t sufficiently recovered from the May neck surgery that kept him out of action until a recent return to limited practice.

And hey, the Colts actually won a preseason game, 17-13. It was their first preseason win since August 20, 2009.

One defensive note: Linebacker Philip Wheeler started with Kavell Conner and Ernie Sims.

Wheeler seemed a prime culprit in the Colts’ struggles against the run, getting run through on multiple occasions. Brian Leonard ranks as Cincinnati’s third back, but got the early work and managed 5.2 yards a carry.

And running back Cedric Peerman stiff-armed Wheeler after a short catch, watched him slip off and ran for more yards.

Wheeler did make a nice play tracking and dragging down Jermaine Gresham after a short catch.

Welcome to the ESPN.com NFL Twindex. Or Twitterdex. Or Twitter Index. (Shall we vote?) No, we’re going Twindex.

This is our periodic look -- I’m thinking twice a month for now, weekly once we’re in a season -- at what players and others who work for NFL teams are saying via Twitter. Because I love being subjective and we all love lists, it’s a subjective list.

I’m following everyone I can find -- 328 people and growing -- and I hope they’ll follow me back. It’s difficult to read every tweet every day, so if you see a great one, forward it to me. I’m @ESPN_AFCSouth and @PaulKuharsky. The Twindex will be built from the best sampling I am able to do while still also fulfilling the obligations of a full-time job.

Each guy who makes the list each week will get a tweet notifying him of his status. We’re fluid. If a guy is interesting this week, he may find himself in the top five. Be boring next week and he may disappear, depending on what his competition is doing. Former players, coaches, owners, equipment guys and mascots are eligible, too. Bring it.

What gets you here? Tweets beyond the ordinary.

You’re scored down for morning greetings (sorry @MikeSimsWalker), birthday wishes, constant song lyrics (sorry @JimIrsay), weather updates and dinner reviews (unless, maybe, you are @PotRoast96).

You are rewarded for witty observations, clever lines and exchanges, smart life advice, amusing family stories, a great re-tweet or picture and, certainly, high-quality football information or commentary. A good week of tweeting can get you a spot. One outstanding tweet can, too.

As I am a positive guy, this is a positive list. Generally, we want to be a place players want to be. Like in our MVP Watch or the best restaurant in town or in unrestricted free agency after a great season. It’s an evolving concept, and whether you’re a candidate or a reader, I welcome your input.

Titans cornerback Jason McCourty and his twin brother, Patriots Pro Bowl cornerback Devin McCourty, combined Twitter accounts and have made a big push to let fans see them.

When I told him about this during their recent ESPN car wash, Jason wasn’t ashamed to say he wanted @McCourtyTwins to get a spot on the initial Index.

“I think guys are so competitive, anything like that with a list and a top spot, guys will get some enjoyment out of it,” he said. “Somebody may post, ‘Hey, check out so-and-so, he’s No. 1 this week on the Twitter poll.’ I think it’ll probably be a cool idea. I’ll check it out.

“Hopefully that gets us to No. 1.”

Maybe next week, Jason.

Here’s the debut list.


Need to point me to a tweet? Have ideas for the NFL Twindex? Find me @ESPN_AFCSouth and @PaulKuharsky.

After being struck recently with how the NFL's labor rift has been cast as billionaires vs. millionaires, I thought I’d look at some players' salaries.

Totaling-up career earnings is quite difficult, and bonus money can be hard to nail down and sort through.

We can still get an interesting snapshot by looking at scheduled 2011 base salaries. I suspect many readers will be surprised that the vast majority of players will earn less than $1 million this fall.

Here, according to the NFLPA, are the players from each AFC South team currently scheduled to make a base salary of $1 million or more in 2011. Keep in mind guys in line for some form of free agency are not part of things here.

Fifty-three of 216 players under contract are slated to make $1 million or more. That’s 24.5 percent of the division.

Houston Texans

• DE Mario Williams -- $13.8 million
• WR Andre Johnson – $7.2 million
• QB Matt Schaub -- $5.7 million
• LB DeMeco Ryans -- $5 million
• DE Antonio Smith -- $4.6 million
• RT Eric Winston -- $4.5 million
• DT Amobi Okoye -- $2.95 million
• C Chris Myers -- $2.75 million
• QB Dan Orlovsky -- $2.75 million
• K Neil Rackers -- $2.15 million
• G Wade Smith -- $1.75 million
• WR David Anderson -- $1.44 million
• RB Steve Slaton -- $1.2 million

Total base salaries of $1 million or more: 13

Total players under contract for 2011: 49

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 26.5

Indianapolis Colts

• DE Dwight Freeney -- $11.42 million
• CB Kelvin Hayden -- $6.105
• WR Reggie Wayne -- $5.95 million
• RT Ryan Diem -- $5.4 million
• FS Antoine Bethea -- $4.745 million
• TE Dallas Clark -- $4.2 million
• DE Robert Mathis -- $2.41 million
• C Jeff Saturday -- $2.4 million
• LB Gary Brackett -- $2 million
• LB Philip Wheeler -- $1.2 million
• WR Anthony Gonzalez -- $1.11 million

Total base salaries of $1 million or more: 11

Total players under contract for 2011: 57

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 19.3

Jacksonville Jaguars

• QB David Garrard -- $7.975 million
• CB Rashean Mathis -- $4.45 million
• LB Daryl Smith -- $4.2 million
• RB Maurice Jones-Drew -- $4.05 million
• FB Greg Jones -- $3.1 million
• DE Derrick Harvey -- $2.8025 million
• DE Aaron Kampman -- $2.45 million
• G Vince Manuwai -- $2.9
• K Josh Scobee -- $2 million
• OL Justin Smiley -- $2 million
• C Brad Meester -- $1.95 million
• WR Kassim Osgood -- $1.475 million
• LT Eugene Monroe -- $1.2425 million

Total base salaries of $1 million or more: 13

Total players under contract for 2011: 51

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 25.5

Tennessee Titans

• QB Vince Young -- $8.5 million*
• SS Chris Hope -- $6.5 million
• WR Kenny Britt -- $5.75 million
• LT Michael Roos -- $5 million
• G Jake Scott -- $4.7 million
• RT David Stewart -- $4.5 million
• DT Tony Brown -- $4 million
• WR Justin Gage -- $3.5 million
• FS Michael Griffin -- $3.3105 million
• WR Nate Washington $3.3 million
• CB Cortland Finnegan -- $3.293 million
• DT Jovan Haye -- $3 million
• C Eugene Amano -- $2.68 million
• K Rob Bironas -- $2.4 million
• DB Vincent Fuller -- $2.06 million
• LS Ken Amato $1.05 million

Total base salaries of $1 million or more: 16

Total players under contract for 2011: 59

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 27.1

*Young will be cut or traded, the Titans have announced.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Halftime thoughts from LP Field where it’s 21-7 Colts over Titans.

• Donald Brown is not the guy to solve the rushing problems for Indianapolis. Spins in the backfield provide time for defenders to tackle him in the backfield. That’s especially ineffective when it’s losing yards inside the 5-yard line. Javarris James is simple better in the red zone.
• My understanding of the Titans use of Randy Moss gets worse and worse. He played minimally in that half, and I don’t think he and Kenny Britt were on the field together for a snap. Meanwhile, a drop for Nate Washington and a good bit of action for Justin Gage.
• Kerry Collins can’t get nearly enough on the ball if he can’t step into it and the pocket rarely holds up. There are quarterbacks in the league who can make quality throws as they retreat. He’s not one of them.
• Rookie linebackers Pat Angerer and Kavell Conner were in the starting lineup, but the Colts are mixing and matching at linebacker beyond Gary Brackett. Tyjuan Hagler has played a lot. Philip Wheeler’s been out there some too.
• Two Tennessee giveaways led to two Colts touchdowns -- Dwight Freeney stripped Britt for one, Brett Kern couldn’t pull in a high snap from Ken Amato for a punt and Taj Smith recovered it for the other.
• Ryan Diem, two false starts. Not good. Manning, no picks, good. Still a couple more bad throws than you’d expect -- one where he missed an open Reggie Wayne on a scramble, one where he had James at the goal line.

PHILADELPHIA -- There was no suspense at all pertaining to the Colts' inactives today. Every one of them is hurt.

There was a bit of suspense about the lineup.

Donald Brown is sill starting at running back, where Joseph Addai and Mike Hart are out. Gijon Robinson starts at tight end with Brody Eldridge out. Tyjuan Hagler will play weakside linebacker for the injured Clint Session and Jacob Lacey will play right cornerback in place of the ailing Jerraud Powers.

Pat Angerer stays at strongside linebacker, ahead of Philip Wheeler, and Kyle DeVan remains at left guard.

The inactives for Indy: CB Justin Tryon, S Bob Sanders, CB Jerraud Powers, RB Joseph Addai, RB Mike Hart, LB Clint Session, TE Brody Eldridge, DT Antonio Johnson.

The inactives for Philly: QB Mike Kafka, WR Chad Hall, RB Joique Bell, CB Ellis Hobbs, DE Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, T King Dunlap, G Reggie Wells, TE Clay Harbor.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 9:

Canceling out Rivers: The odds are good that San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who’s got record passing yardage through eight games, will be able to move the ball against Houston’s porous pass defense. Rivers should succeed even with injuries at receiver and to Antonio Gates, who's doubtful. The Texans' best defense might just be a big offensive day for Houston, too. Matt Schaub was shaky last week, especially in the first half. He needs to carry the Texans and match Rivers.

New venue: The Colts’ game in Philadelphia is their first in the city since 2002 and their first visit to Lincoln Financial Field. In two games in the city with Peyton Manning at quarterback, he’s thrown six touchdown passes and the team has two wins and 79 points. Mike Tanier thinks the Colts’ defensive scheme, with lots of defenders in short zones, is perfect for containing a scrambling quarterback like Michael Vick. But this version of the defense will be missing two or three key pieces, depending on the status of cornerback Jerraud Powers.

Watch first down: San Diego’s offense is the second best in the league this season on first down, while Houston’s is dead last, Aaron Schatz tells us. The Texans have to fare better on first down, and Gary Kubiak has to do better with the play calling there. Last week’s failure in Indy was pinned largely on third-down ineffectiveness. But more yards on first and second down produce more manageable third downs and presto. Well, I guess you can fail to give the ball to Arian Foster enough there, too.

More shuffling: The Colts pulled Philip Wheeler for Pat Angerer at strongside linebacker last week, but they’ll probably shuffle linebackers again this week. This time it wouldn't be by choice, it would be because of Clint Session's elbow/arm injury. It’s a guess as to how he’s replaced if he's out, but the candidates to be the third linebacker include Wheeler, Cody Glenn, Tyjuan Hagler and Kavell Conner. We’re also expecting receiver Anthony Gonzalez to be out, which means Blair White could get work if Austin Collie isn’t ready or is limited.

Hurry up and wait: The arrival of Randy Moss in Tennessee ranks as one of the biggest stories in the division this season. But the Titans are closed up for the weekend and his head start might not begin until Monday or Tuesday. As far as the potential to hear from him about being released in Minnesota and claimed by the Titans, we may not hear from him until Wednesday. We don’t know if he’ll provide both the questions and the answers as he said he would when he last talked as a Viking. The Jaguars, who also have a bye, will have a quieter return.

Philip Wheeler's demotion may have only lasted one week.

With Clint Session's agent, Harold Lewis, confirming his client finished the Monday night win over the Texans after dislocating his elbow and breaking his arm, it’s hard to imagine we’ll see the feisty linebacker in the lineup against the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday.

I asked a couple of medical people about the outlook for Session, and while they couldn’t make a real prediction due to the lack of details, they said most injuries like the one Lewis described would require surgery and several months to recover. But they cautioned that the agent could have overstated the injury. Mike Chappell said an MRI was scheduled.

The Colts have announced surgeries and been quick to declare when players with big injuries would sit out games this season. They’ve said nothing so far about Session except listing him on the injury report with an elbow issue and saying he did not practice Wednesday or Thursday.

Against Houston, rookie Pat Angerer replaced a healthy Wheeler on the strong side while Gary Brackett was in the middle after missing a game. Session manned his usual weakside spot.

Brackett is a certainty to remain in the middle, and Angerer got good reviews. The candidates for the other outside spot, presuming Session is out, are Wheeler, Cody Glenn, Tyjuan Hagler and rookie Kavell Conner, who just resumed practicing after a long layoff following foot surgery.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Philip Wheeler’s healthy but not in the starting lineup, replaced by the active and effective rookie Pat Angerer at strongside linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts tonight against Houston.

Two injured Colts are also out of the starting lineup: Joseph Addai (shoulder/neck) will be replaced as the starting running back by Mike Hart and right cornerback Jerraud Powers (foot) will be replaced by Justin Tryon. Nickelback Jacob Lacey is also out.

Kyle DeVan will start instead of Jamey Richard at left guard for the second straight game.

The Colts also let running back Andre Brown go, adding cornerback Cornelius Brown, who is active.

The Texans have no surprises among their inactives. Antoine Caldwell starts at right guard for Mike Brisiel.

The complete inactive lists.

Colts: Receiver Austin Collie, safety Bob Sanders, Powers, Lacey, linebacker Kavell Conner, guard Jacques McClendon, defensive tackle Antonio Johnson.

Texans: Quarterback Matt Leinart, receiver Dorin Dickerson, cornerback Carl Paymah, linebacker Daryl Sharpton, guard Kasey Studdard, defensive end Jesse Nading, tight end Garrett Graham, defensive tackle Earl Mitchell.

The night of Dec. 10, 2006, the Indianapolis Colts were in a stupor, hoping for a short memory and a quick recovery.

They’d just been gashed for 375 rushing yards by the Jaguars in 44-17 loss in Jacksonville.

It was the Colts’ second loss in a row, their third in four games and the run defense was a critical issue. They finished the regular season dead last in ground yards allowed, yielding an average of 173 yards a game, 44.1 more yards than the next worst team.

Those Colts rebounded from the second-worst rush defense in franchise history. They defended the run well enough to deliver Indianapolis its first Lombardi Trophy just seven games after Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor went crazy against them.

The timing is different now. There is the possibility we saw a blip -- not the start of a trend -- in Houston Sunday. But the theme is similar.

After allowing Arian Foster a Houston Texans' single-game record of 231 yards at Reliant Stadium, the Colts are looking to restore a semblance of order to their run defense in order to get on track.

"We pride ourselves on fixing things,” middle linebacker Gary Brackett said. “And I think that's what we'll get done."

This week’s opponent, the New York Giants, have a good offensive line. Surely they will look to feed running back Ahmad Bradshaw and take advantage of some of the run-defense deficiencies the Texans exposed. But the Colts expect to be a different defense, one closer to last year’s form.

“They are an extremely fast defense and need to get to the football with multiple players -- which they did pretty well last year,” said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. “Their defensive tackles are also bigger than they have been in seasons past. Am I sure that is better? No.

“But I also tend to think that Sunday's performance was about as bad as it can get and that generally speaking, they are a better run defense than what they showed. They also game planned Houston to have [Colts' safety] Bob Sanders [available], who is a terrific fill player. And much of their scheme is designed to funnel the ball in his direction.”

In 2006, Sanders’ return from a knee injury keyed the Super Bowl run. He missed 12 games including the final four of the regular season, but was a giant factor in three playoff games and the Super Bowl. Another part of the solution: moving Rob Morris into an outside linebacker slot to replace Gilbert Gardner.

Sunday in Houston, Sanders went down early. He's out indefinitely after surgery to repair a torn bicep. Without him to fill, the Colts need to be more disciplined and not let their speed become a disadvantage. They don't want their linebackers and defensive backs to overrun plays.

Aggressiveness is good. Overaggressiveness can be deadly.

The outside linebackers, Philip Wheeler and Clint Session, and Sanders’ replacement, Melvin Bullitt, were especially ineffective against Foster and the Texans.

The Colts have to have people in position to snuff out cutback lanes and runs, slowing a back while help arrives.

The team almost can take solace in the fact that it has recovered from this sort of thing before. In those four playoff games in the 2006 season, the defense allowed only an average of 82.8 yards a game, a drop of more than 90 yards from the regular season.

“It is certainly fixable,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “We have gone through spurts like that before, not something you want to revisit every single week obviously. But until you get it stopped, it’s an issue. We had games where Jacksonville ran for I don’t know how many yards, Kansas City torched us for over 500 [total yards], but we were able to come back and get the ship righted in that regard. This is going to take a little work, but we can get it done.”

Unlike many teams, Indianapolis is not built to sell out in stopping the run. The Colts are willing to give up some rushing yards. It fits with their philosophy.

With an offense built around Peyton Manning and some dangerous weapons, the Colts look to build a lead and play from ahead. If a game pans out in that fashion -- and it very often does -- susceptibility to the run becomes less of a factor, because an opponent generally needs to throw to rally. And the Colts defense wants quarterbacks to drop back since Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis get to rush and cause problems.

Freeney said it will be particularly important this week for veterans who’ve been through it to convey those survival instincts to youngsters who were not around in 2006.

Key players on defense like defensive tackles Dan Muir, Antonio Johnson and Fili Moala, linebackers Session and Wheeler and corners Jerraud Powers and Jacob Lacey were not with the team then.

"The veterans have to let guys know, ‘These things happen, this is the National Football League,’” Freeney said. “The other team gets paid, too. You're not going to always have your best game. I just think it's about how you bounce back from those type of games.

“That really defines the character of your team and what kind of guys you have. I don't know one team in the history of football that hasn't had a bad week. I don't care who it is.”

Some bullet-point thoughts on the Colts’ 37-17 preseason loss to San Francisco on Sunday afternoon.

Impressive:

• The starters on offense put together a smooth and efficient 89-yard touchdown drive on their first chance. Peyton Manning hit on 8 of 10 passes for 91 yards, and got to where people want him in these games -- to the sideline with a ball cap on.
• The front-line defense, minus some key guys who were held out, made plays. Philip Wheeler forced a fumble right out of the gate. Robert Mathis pushed rookie tackle Anthony Davis around. Jerraud Powers pounced on a tipped ball for an interception, and scared Ted Ginn into a drop.
• Rookie linebackers Pat Angerer and Kavell Conner were both very productive. Angerer had a couple sacks, and Conner was in on a lot of tackles. Barring injuries, there should not be room for them on defense. But they should be impact special teams guys.

Unimpressive:

• Curtis Painter was incredibly ineffective. Even with protection issues, his performance makes it impossible to say he’s improved on his rookie work. He was 9-for-19 for 64 yards with three interceptions. Yeesh. San Francisco third-stringer Nate Davis was more calm and collected than Painter and the Colts’ third quarterback, Tom Brandstater.
• Everyone was looking for a chance to assess new returners, but we’ll have to wait at least until Game 2. Kickoff returns by Brandon James and Sam Giguere looked like the same old deal, and James only had a chance to field one punt.
• Run defense in the second half against San Francisco’s bulky rookie Anthony Dixon was insufficient. He will head back to the Bay Area feeling very good about himself after 21 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown.

Unfortunate:

• Reserve safety and special teamer Jamie Silva went down with what looks to be a serious knee injury.

The Colts tend to cycle through linebackers, though they locked up Gary Brackett long-term and found a gem in Clint Session.

Second-round choice Pat Angerer could be a candidate to play on the strong side, where Philip Wheeler finished the year after Tyjuan Hagler had beat him out in camp but got hurt.

At Iowa, Angerer played his final three seasons in the middle. Jon Gruden just compared him to Zach Thomas. But Matt Williamson of Scouts is a little surprised about his 4.73 speed: “Angerer makes a lot of plays, but his lack of speed doesn't fit the Colts LB mold.”

He does, however, fit their size mold. He’s just over 6 feet and weighs in around 235 -- numbers right in line with Brackett and Session. Write-ups make him sound like a playmaker who might not have all the measurables, which are just the sort of things Bill Polian isn’t generally concerned with.

The Colts have five picks remaining -- 94th in the third, 129th in the fourth, 162nd in the fifth, 238th and 240th in the seventh -- and the lingering question is about the offensive line.

It’s perceived as a need after Bill Polian complained about the group's play in the Super Bowl and told Ryan Lilja’s agent upon the guard’s release that they were looking to get better. Adam Terry and Andy Alleman have been added, but many expected they’d address the offensive line high in the draft too.

Comments at his pre-draft press conference should have signaled for us to ease up on those expectations.

Instead they’ve gone with edge rusher Jerry Hughes in the first and Angerer in the second.

Each week leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: Under the radar needs.

Houston Texans

While DeMeco Ryans in the middle and Brian Cushing on the strongside are fixtures, the weakside and linebacker depth rate as a secondary issue for the Texans. They could use a pick on the right guy. Gary Kubiak said early this week that Kris Brown can expect competition as the team’s placekicker starting in OTAs. That allows for the possibility the team could use a late pick on a kicker.

Indianapolis Colts

While the team was pleased with the progress of Antonio Johnson and Daniel Muir and expect a second-year jump from Fili Moala, it could still look to add another bigger defensive tackle. Tyjuan Hagler was the starting strongside linebacker at the start of the season, but when an injury ended his season Philip Wheeler took over. That could be a spot Bill Polian addresses. As the team looks for better run-blocking linemen, is Gijon Robinson judged as a sufficient run-blocking H-back/tight end or might there be a better option available than Robinson or injury-prone Tom Santi?

Jacksonville Jaguars

Linebacker hasn’t gotten as much attention as defensive end and the secondary in pre-draft talk so far, but only Daryl Smith is safe from competition. The Jaguars loaded up with three wide receivers in Gene Smith’s first draft, but they lack playmakers and can use a solid guy opposite Mike Sims-Walker if they smack into one during the draft. Indications are the Jaguars will stick with a David Garrard-Luke McCown starter-backup tandem, but Jacksonville needs to develop another quarterback.

Tennessee Titans

Even presuming Michael Griffin bounces back from a very poor third season, Chris Hope will turn 30 early in the fall and the Titans primary depth at safety is Vincent Fuller, who they need playing nickel. Tony Brown, Jason Jones, Jovan Haye, Sen’Derrick Marks and Kevin Vickerson look like a reasonably talented and deep group, but Haye and Marks underwhelmed in their first seasons. Drafting a tackle wouldn’t be a surprise. If Kevin Mawae doesn’t return as a backup center, the Titans will need an interior offensive lineman to back up the three starters.