2011 NFL Team Needs: AFC south

Houston Texans: CB, 3-4 NT, S, 3-4 OLB, WR, OL depth, ILB

Anyone who knows football, plays fantasy football, or has watched a single Texans game knows not only of their elite offensive players, but also that any starting quarterback facing their defense was a must start. They’ve hired Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator and that should put an end to that ugly trend. There are two things to know about his version of the 3-4. He plays more penetration from his defensive linemen and has also been known to switch to the 4-3 on pure pass situations. With that in mind, their transition should include finding an adequate nose tackle to anchor the front. The good news is that this offseason free agent and draft class should be rich in what they need. It remains a bit of a mystery to me as to how they’ll settle on using Mario Williams and Brian Cushing. Early indications suggest that Phillips will use Mario Williams and Antonio Smith as defensive ends and allow them to wreck havoc from out wide. That leaves Brian Cushing. He could be used in one of two ways: either as a pass rusher from the outside or a weakside inside linebacker. Personally, I think he’s a better fit inside, but given their holes at OLB, he may get first crack outside. Regardless, all teams making this transition typically acquire more outside linebackers because that’s what makes the defense run. The wildcard will be former 2nd round pick Connor Barwin who spent the entire year on IR. Adding depth will be important at ILB and may jump up in priority if they do use Cushing outside. Regardless of how Phillips sorts out the front, the secondary will still be as weak as ever, unless some of their youth matures quickly. Glover Quin came on late in the year and the Texans will need to count on the improvement of 1st rounder Kareem Jackson. Still, neither looked like they could be starters on a good defense. Their best bet and biggest priority should be to find an adequate cornerback in free agency, especially considering the talented class. Having a safety that could consistently cover last year would have been enough to win them at minimum one more game, but potentially more. Offensively, the Texans don’t have many needs, but they could address the depth at both wide receiver and on the offensive line.

Indianapolis Colts: OT, CB, OG, DT, S, WR depth

I don’t doubt one bit that Bill Polian will add more offensive linemen to this roster next year after seeing the impact his substandard line has had on the passing game, particularly the deep passing game. Manning’s line has allowed quite a bit of pressure, but has been even worse as a run blocking unit. The tandem of Charlie Johnson and Ryan Diem at tackle is among the worst in the NFL, while the guards aren’t any better. It’s going to take a lot of work in both the draft and free agency to improve this unit considerably by next year. While it’s struggled over the past couple seasons, it’s reached a point where Polian will not let this problem go unaddressed for next season. At wide receiver, there hasn’t been the usual staple of reliable receivers either. The trio of Wayne, Clark, and Collie could be among the best in the league, but with injuries, Garcon has played poorly as have Blair White and Jacob Tamme, the injury replacements. On defense, the Colts still have the issue of stopping the run, which starts with the defensive tackles. The defense relies on elite speed and quickness up front, which is one reason they’ve struggled in this area of the game, but finding a great athlete that could both rush the pass and stop the run would take this defense further than it’s even been. Easier said than done. Jerraud Powers has been good when healthy, but the rest of the Indy’s corners aren’t getting it done. The unreliable Bob Sanders at safety hasn’t helped the secondary much either. Finding new starters at both corner and strong safety is looking like a better option with each passing week.

Jacksonville Jaguars: DE, S, CB, WR, C, MLB

Another year and not much has changed in Jacksonville. Jack Del Rio is still head coach, David Garrard is still quarterback, and the pass rush is still nonexistent. Aaron Kampman provided a great spark for the Jags early in the season before tearing his ACL for the 2nd consecutive year. He’s a tremendous worker and if he can come back from another injury, he would be a big boost to the Jaguars defense. With or without Kampman, finding a better pass rush should be a high priority yet again this offseason. The organization has been committed to the cause the last two years, but need to do a better job hitting on their picks on draft day. Though the weak pass rush has led to the below average production in the secondary, the Jaguars could still use more talent, particularly at safety. They need to find a player of the caliber of what they thought Reggie Nelson would be when they spent a 1st round pick on him several years ago. At cornerback, Mathis and Cox make a good tandem, but Mathis is getting older and the depth at the position is still shaky. At middle linebacker, Kirk Morrison is a free agent and had a rather uneventful season. He’s a decent starter, but doesn’t make many game-changing plays. Offensively, the Jaguars finished 2010 in the middle of the pack, as they have for several years. Finding a great playmaker at wide receiver seems like the next logical improvement to be made on that side of the ball. Mike Thomas is emerging as a nice underneath receiver, but they don’t have a weapon that can consistently stretch the field. While the offensive line could use improved tackle play, the return of Eben Britton should help. At center, Brad Meester is aging and the Jaguars could begin looking for his eventual replacement.

Tennessee Titans: QB ,C, OG, 4-3 NT, S, OLB

With the surprising—or not so surprising depending on the perspective—release of Vince Young, the Titans offense is in disarray. No one will fool me into thinking Rusty Smith is even an afterthought in their plans and Kerry Collins is about to hit an age wall very soon. Otherwise, the Titans have a roster that’s ready to compete for the playoffs. Quarterbacks such as Kolb and Orton will be on the market and potentially capable of getting the Titans competitive, but I’d also look at the X-factor of the QB free agent class in Matt Leinart. The other option would be to start from scratch and look to the draft. Surprisingly, the offensive line went from elite to poor in just a season and it starts in the middle with the loss of Kevin Mawae. Start by sorting out the center position—the second most important line position to me behind LT—and the rest will fall in line. An offense like that could be dangerous with weapons like Chris Johnson and Kenny Britt as threats to score from anywhere on the field. On defense, the Titans need to beef up in the middle. Imagine if they could land the former Titan himself, Albert Haynesworth, and motivate him again. He and Jason Jones would immediately become the best DT duo in the league, which would change the complexion of the defense. That may even lessen the need for a rangy outside linebacker that the Titans have right now. In the secondary, Alterraun Verner was a nice find in the draft; however a small hole has opened up at strong safety now. Chris Hope isn’t a terrible starter, but he could be upgraded.

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2011 NFL Team Needs: AFC South