AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS
OFF: 22 RUSH: 16 PASS: 19
DEF: 18 RUND: 13 PASD: 22
Cap Room: $28,030,000
1st Need: Start G
2nd Need: Start T
3rd Need: Start DE
Code:
Key Free Agents From Team
Name Pos Exp LY Role Key Stats
Jonathon Wells* RB 3 B-Up RB 598 yd, 3 td, 10 rec, 35 yd
Greg Comella #14 FB 7 Start FB 206 yd, 52 rec, 283 rec yd, 2 rec td, 4 krb
Corey Bradford* WR 7 B-Up WR 25 rec, 364 yd, 2 td
Fred Weary* G 3 Start G 12 krb, 27.9 krb%, 7 ska, 1.6 sk%
Zach Wiegert* G 10 Start G 21 krb, 29.1 krb%, 17 ska, 3.1 sk%
G. Robinson-Randall T 5 Start T 5 krb, 20.8 krb%, 11 ska, 2.6 sk%
Kris Brown* K 6 Kicker 21-26 FG, 28-28 PAT
Chad Stanley P 8 Punter 102 pnt, 37.6 avg, 36 In20
Steve Martin DT 9 Start DT 34 tkl, 2.5 sk, 7 hurr
Seth Payne* DT 8 B-Up DT 8 tkl, 1.5 sk, 11 hurr
Junior Ioane* DE 4 Start DE 19 tkl, 5.5 sk, 15 hurr
Kenny Wright* CB 6 B-Up CB 30 tkl, 2 hurr, 5 defn
*- team released player just prior to free agency
Comments: Considering they are a third-year franchise, the Texans have relatively light patching to do. Of course, they also have little cap room to do it with. Still, this time didn't have any glaring holes this year, mostly just units they needed to do better or improve a little here and there. Although depth in the offense took a huge hit, all the main playmakers return. The big trouble on offense is on the line. The guys they lose weren't all that good, but they were what they had and now they have to be replaced. A step forward on the line could be huge for this team. The defensive line also has some holes that need to be filled, and this will likely be the next need area. A bad pass defense could use some better players in the secondary.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
OFF: 1 RUSH: 8 PASS: 1
DEF: 31 RUND: 31 PASD: 29
Cap Room: $26,850,000
1st Need: Start CB
2nd Need: Resrv DT
3rd Need: Start OLB
Code:
Key Free Agents From Team
Name Pos Exp LY Role Key Stats
Peyton Manning #3 QB 7 Start QB 4803 yd, 64%, 29 td, 8 int, 102.3 QBR
Brandon Stokley* WR 6 B-Up WR 16 rec, 250 yd
Adam Meadows* T 8 Start T 19 krb, 26.7 krb%, 10 ska, 2.0 sk%
Josh Williams DT 5 Start DT 38 tkl, 3 sk, 8 hurr
Marcus Washington OLB 5 Start LB 74 tkl, 1 sk, 4 hurr, 2 int, 6 defn
Walt Harris* CB 9 Start CB 75 tkl, 1 int, 12 defn
David Macklin CB 5 Start CB 66 tkl, 4 int, 13 defn
*- team released player just prior to free agency
Comments: Do I even need to state it? There's an obvious need here, even if it isn't listed under the team needs. This team needs to bring back Peyton Manning, the identity of the team and one of the best quarterbacks in the league. It won't be easy, though, because Manning is probably the top dog of this entire free agent class, and the Colts don't have a lot of cap room to play with. Taking back Manning or some other competent passer is almost secondary to the need to just flat out improve a horrible defense. You have to figure the Colts are going to be looking for all they can get on that side of the ball, since it was the defense's fault this team missed out on the playoffs this year. They also cut a starting outside linebacker and both corners, so those guys will have to be replaced.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
OFF: 5 RUSH: 18 PASS: 4
DEF: 27 RUND: 30 PASD: 19
Cap Room: $44,930,000
1st End: Start T
2nd End: Start C
3rd End: Resrv DT
Code:
Key Free Agents From Team
Name Pos Exp LY Role Key Stats
Mark Brunell* QB 11 B-Up QB 547 yd, 55%, 3 td, 7 int, 53.1 QBR
C. Fuamatu-Ma'afala* RB 7 B-Up RB 263 yd, 1 td
Kyle Brady* TE 10 Start TE 27 rec, 252 yd, 4 td, 3 krb
Jermaine Lewis* WR 9 Start WR 53 rec, 781 yd, 6 td
J.J. Stokes WR 10 PT St WR 38 rec, 556 yd, 1 td
Matthew Hatchette WR 8 B-Up WR 43 rec, 653 yd, 3 td
Brad Meester C 5 Start C 18 krb, 30.5 krb%, 5 ska, 0.8 sk%
Jamar Nesbit G 6 Start G 28 krb, 32.1 krb%, 9 ska, 1.5 sk%
Maurice Williams* T 4 Start T 16 krb, 33.3 krb%, 9 ska, 1.6 sk%
Keith Mitchell OLB 8 Start LB 64 tkl, 1.5 sk, 3 hurr, 6 int, 4 defn
Danny Clark OLB 5 B-Up LB 50 tkl, 1 int, 2 defn
Fernando Bryant #19 CB 6 Start CB 50 tkl, 1 int, 11 defn
James Trapp CB 12 Start CB 53 tkl, 7 int, 9 defn
Donovan Darius SS 7 Start S 62 tkl, 4 int, 11 defn
*- team released player just prior to free agency
Comments: The Jags have the second most cap room in the league, so they are ina good position to improve themselves. Of course, they also have some key holes to fill from free agent losses as well. The most troubled spot seems to be the line, where the Jags lost no less than three effective and solid starters. They will need to be replaced. Other than that, the offense seems fine, except perhaps getting a solid #2 receiver. The defense is plagued by talent deficiencies int he front four and cut free agents in the back seven. The front four might be key, because the Jags were awful against the run last year. Several playmakers were lost in the back seven, so they will need to be replaced.
TENNESSEE TITANS
OFF: 12 RUSH: 2 PASS: 20
DEF: 17 RUND: 27 PASD: 10
Cap Room: $8,160,000
1st Need: Start ILB
2nd Need: Start OLB
3rd Need: Start C
Code:
Key Free Agents From Team
Name Pos Exp LY Role Key Stats
Eddie George* RB 9 B-Up RB 627 yd, 5 td, 17 rec, 99 rec yd
Erron Kinney TE 5 B-Up TE 10 rec, 91 yd, 3 td, 2 krb
Tom Ackerman* G 10 Start G 32 krb, 29.6 krb%, 12 ska, 2.7 sk%
Robaire Smith DT 5 B-Up DT 13 tkl, 2.5 sk, 2 hurr
Jevon Kearse #15 DE 6 Start DE 64 tkl, 16 sk, 25 hurr
Raymond Wells* OLB 3 Start LB 32 tkl, 1 sk, 2 defn
Andre Dyson* CB 4 B-Up CB 59 tkl, 2 int, 3 defn
Mike Echols* CB 3 B-Up CB 27 tkl, 1 int, 1 defn
*- team released player just prior to free agency
Comments: Anyone getting in a bidding war with the Titans will be happy, because the Titans have the tightest cap situation in the league. Fortunately, outside of one player, the Titans are relatively untouched by free agency. Few of the players they lose are irreplaceable. On offense, George's departure just means more carries for Chris Brown, and good-run, poor-pass guard Ackerman is the only starter lost on offense. The big loss, though, is on defense, where the Titans lose the domianting Kearse. Bringing him back or replacing him with quality will be the key to the Titans' offseason. In general, they really need to upgrade their run defense, which they can do mostly by getting some better linebackers.
CR