AFC Notes: Watt, Glenn, Gordon
Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, who will make approximately $3.6MM this year, should be in line for a four-year deal worth nearly $58MM in the opinion of Jason Fitzgerald at OverTheCap.com. Fitzgerald supplements his proposed contract with a thorough evaluation of all the factors involved.
Here’s some AFC news and notes:
- With the waiving of Brennan Williams, the Texans will get nothing out of two 2013 third-round picks, notes Brian T. Smith in the Houston Chronicle.
- Bills fans hoping for encouraging news about Cordy Glenn didn’t get any on Monday, as head coach Doug Marrone merely told the media he’s not allowed to go into specifics about the illness keeping his starting left tackle on the Active/Non-Football Illness list. “It’s a medical condition,” Marrone told WGR 550’s Joe Buscaglia. “I’m preparing to go on as if he’s not playing, which he’s not. I’m just waiting for the doctors, and I can’t speak about the condition because it’s something that happened outside of football.”
- A disciplinary hearing looms for Browns receiver Josh Gordon, and the team does not seem intent on releasing the troubled receiver at this time, writes ESPN’s Pat McManamon.
- The Titans defensive line is previewed by the Tennessean’s John Glennon, who tabbed defensive lineman Jurrell Casey as the unit’s “offseason star”: “After racking up a career-best 10.5 sacks at defensive tackle in the 4-3, Casey certainly could have been upset about the shift to a 3-4 defensive end – especially in a contract year. But he seems genuinely enthusiastic about the new scheme and new defensive coordinator Ray Horton.” Meanwhile, Jim Wyatt, Glennon’s Tennessean colleague, tweets that the team and Casey are in negotiations for a new deal.
- Patriots second-year linebacker Jamie Collins “clearly added muscle mass as he prepared for 2014, though he wouldn’t admit how much, and he looks much more the part of an NFL linebacker,” reports Boston.com’s Jeff Howe.
Sunday Roundup: Mauga, Peppers, AFC North
More and more beat writers are providing season previews, roster breakdowns, position battles, etc. as training opens (for one team, at least) in just a few hours. So let’s have a look at some links from around the league:
- Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer looks at 10 question the Panthers will face this summer, including what will happen with Greg Hardy and how the team’s receiving corps will shake out.
- Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune looks at five key newcomers for the Buccaneers, including (of course) Josh McCown, Mike Evans, and Alterraun Verner.
- Linebacker Josh Mauga, who played for the Jets last season, will work out for the Chiefs on Monday, tweets Gil Brandt of NFL.com.
- Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean provides training camp previews for the Titans‘ quarterback, running back, offensive line, and tight end positions.
- Troy E. Renck of The Denver Post looks at the Broncos players who are “under the microscope” this season, including Von Miller and Orlando Franklin.
- Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com continues his positional previews of the Packers with a look at the club’s receiving unit.
- Pete Dougherty of PackersNews.com adds a preview of the Packers‘ linebacker corps, noting that Green Bay needs to manage Julius Peppers‘ snaps to get the most out of the aging star.
- Ed Bouchette of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that newcomers like Ryan Shazier will have to contribute on both sides of the ball for the Steelers as the club continues to infuse youth into its roster.
- Bouchette, in a separate piece, provides five storylines for Steelers‘ fans to track, including the aforementioned infusion of youth and increased use of the no huddle offense.
- Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com offers his training camp preview for the Ravens, writing that the performance of right tackle Ricky Wagner and the secondary competition will be among the most critical summer developments to watch.
- Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal still believes Brian Hoyer will open the season as the Browns‘ starting quarterback.
- Speaking of Hoyer and the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer expects Hoyer to be 100% healthy for the regular season opener against Pittsburgh, and she would be surprised if Josh Gordon were to have his indefinite ban reduced.
South Links: Richardson, Phillips, Vaccaro
Despite averaging just 2.9 yards per carry in 2013, Trent Richardson is penciled in as the Colts’ No. 1 running back, writes ESPN’s Mike Wells: “Richardson obviously was behind the rest of his teammates after being acquired just days before the Colts’ Week 3 game against San Francisco, but he didn’t show much progress as the season went on. He actually regressed as the season went on. Richardson has to step up to not only avoid being labeled a bust after being taken with the No. 3 pick in the 2012 draft, but also to help the Colts from looking like they got played by the Browns in the trade.” In exchange for Richardson, the Browns received the 26th overall pick, which they used to trade up for Johnny Manziel.
Here’s some more AFC and NFC South links:
- Shaun Phillips is fitting in well with the Titans thanks to his veteran presence and likable personality, writes Jim Wyatt in the Tennessean. Phillips, 33, has totaled 19.5 sacks the last two seasons with the Broncos and Chargers. He signed a two-year, $5MM deal in Tennessee.
- Second-year Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro brings unique “duality” to the secondary, writes NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal, who identifies Vaccaro as a rising star. Vaccaro’s versatile skill set enables defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to deploy him as a safety, cornerback or linebacker. “Ryan might have asked Vaccaro to do too much as a rookie,” according to Rosenthal. “In the first half of the season, Vaccaro didn’t excel when he lined up as a deep safety. The Saints have spoken this offseason about dialing back Vaccaro’s responsibilities with Jairus Byrd in town. With Byrd taking most of the traditional “free safety” roles, Vaccaro should be freed up to play closer to the line of scrimmage. They should be the best safety tandem east of Seattle.”
- The Panthers turned over their receiving corps this offseason. With the dust settled, first-rounder Kelvin Benjamin is joined surrounded by a few veterans and a few more unproven players vying for jobs. Panthers.com staff writer Max Henson provided a position preview.
- Reid Ferrin of AtlantaFalcons.com did the same for the Falcons receiving corps, which has significantly more star power and significantly fewer question marks.
AFC Notes: Titans, Bortles, Bills, Raiders
Chris Johnson has never rushed for fewer than 1,047 yards in an NFL season, but with his cap number on the rise and the price of running backs around the league on the decline, the Titans decided to release him this offseason. As the new Jets running back tells Brian Costello of the New York Post, Tennessee’s decision will provide plenty of incentive for him to succeed in 2014 and beyond.
“Of course I have a chip on my shoulder,” Johnson said. “It gives me more motivation to continue to work hard and come here and be that guy I’ve been my whole career. I want to prove [the Titans] wrong. They released me and I want to let them know they made a mistake.”
Here’s more from around the AFC, including a couple items related to Johnson’s old team:
- In a piece for the Tennessean, Jim Wyatt surveys the Titans‘ landscape at wide receiver, and looks specifically at the odds of journeyman Derek Hagan cracking the regular season roster. Like fellow Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky, Wyatt suggests it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Tennessee add another receiver to the roster in August or even September.
- No. 3 overall pick Blake Bortles is on board with the decision to sit in his rookie season, with Chad Henne starting at quarterback for the Jaguars. However, as he tells NFL Media’s Bryan Fischer, Bortles will be ready if he’s called upon earlier than expected.
- The Bills will have some decisions to make soon on their running backs, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, who says he thinks Buffalo wants Bryce Brown to develop into one of the team’s lead backs. If that’s the case, the futures of C.J. Spiller or Fred Jackson, who are both eligible for free agency in 2015, figure to be up in the air.
- After an offseason which saw the Raiders add several veteran free agents, including some with championship experience, cornerback Taiwan Jones believes there’s a different feeling in Oakland heading into this season, according to Eddie Paskal of Raiders.com.
AFC Links: Texans, Jets, Ravens, Titans, Bills
The Texans and Jets may have added their starting quarterbacks for 2014 in free agency this offseason, with Houston inking Ryan Fitzpatrick to a two-year deal and New York signing Michael Vick to a one-year pact. Fitzpatrick sits atop the depth chart for the Texans, and Vick figures to push Geno Smith for the starting job in New York. However, both teams made more under-the-radar signings that Lorenzo Reyes praises in his most recent piece for USA Today, with the Texans adding running back Andre Brown and the Jets landing cornerback Dimitri Patterson. According to Reyes, while these moves didn’t receive the same sort of attention that other offseason transactions did in Houston or New York, they could ultimately pay major dividends.
We examined Houston’s offseason activity last night, and will be shifting our focus to the Jets and the rest of the AFC East this week. In the meantime, here are a few more links from across the AFC:
- Albert Breer of the NFL Network takes an in-depth look at the reasons why players should (or should not) hold out, using J.J. Watt of the Texans and Justin Houston of the Chiefs as a pair of examples. As Breer outlines, Watt may have the leverage this offseason to hold out for a new deal, though there has been no indication that he’ll do so. Meanwhile, Houston’s situation is more tenuous, since he could potentially forfeit an accrued season and a chance at future unrestricted free agency if he misses too much of Kansas City’s training camp.
- The NFL shouldn’t punish the Ravens along with Ray Rice by continuing to delay its announcement on a suspension for the running back, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com, who wonders why the league is taking so long to make its decision.
- A pair of offensive linemen receive best and worst contract honors in Jason Fitzgerald’s look at the Titans‘ books at OverTheCap.com. In Fitzgerald’s view, Michael Roos is playing on the most team-friendly deal on the roster, while recently-signed tackle Michael Oher has the Titans’ worst contract.
- As Mike Rodak of ESPN.com details, the Bills are using less than $4MM in cap space on their quarterbacks this season, meaning that even if there are no above-average signal callers on the roster, at least the team isn’t overpaying anyone at the position.
AFC South Notes: Brazill, Titans, Jags, Texans
Our Offseason in Review series has hit the AFC South, and so far we’ve completed reports on three of the four teams in the division: the Colts, the Titans, and the Jaguars. An analysis of 2014’s last-place team, the Texans, will be up soon, but until then, let’s look at some notes from around the South:
- The Colts were put in a tough position following LaVon Brazill‘s suspension for drug usasge, writes Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay’s struggles with drugs and alcohol also came to light this offseason, and the team offered him its full support. Therefore, the Colts must act delicately with regards to Brazill in order to avoid double standard accusations.
- In his latest mailbag, Mike Wells of ESPN.com opines that while Trent Richardson will get the first crack at the Colts’ starting running back job, Ahmad Bradshaw could be in line for ample playing time if Richardson falters.
- The Titans have something of a logjam at running back, writes David Climer of the Tennessean, with holdover Shonn Greene, second-rounder Bishop Sankey, and free agent addition Dexter McCluster among the ball-carrying options. Undrafted free agent Antonio Andrews has also been impressive, and he knows that even if success doesn’t come in Tennessee, it could occur elsewhere. “Every day’s a job interview,” said the Western Kentucky product. “You’re not just interviewing with one team. You’re interviewing for the NFL. You never know when a coach on another team is going to say, ‘Remember that guy with the Titans and how hard he worked? We want him.’ ” ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky recently noted that Andrews has a “nice skill set.”
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union wonders how well second-round receivers Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson will fare for the Jaguars, and takes a look at the recent history of pass-catchers taken in the second round.
- The Texans are shaping up as one of the more interesting teams heading into next season, and Jordan Goodwin of USA Today offers a position-by-position preview of Houston’s squad.
Poll: Who Will Win The AFC South?
No NFL team in 2013 won its division by a more significant margin than the Colts, whose 11 regular-season victories were nearly as many as the combined total of 13 compiled by the other three teams in their division. On the surface, a seven-win Titans squad that didn’t noticeably improve this offseason shouldn’t pose a real threat to Indianapolis in 2014, and the 4-12 Jaguars and 2-14 Texans would both have to pull off massive turnarounds to challenge for the division crown.
Still, as betting site Bovada.lv shows, although the Colts head into 2014 as the frontrunners to win the AFC South again, they’re not massive favorites. Vegas’ oddsmakers appreciated the work done by the Texans this winter and spring — while the team didn’t make many substantial free agent additions, it added No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney to a defensive line that already featured J.J. Watt. It’s safe to say Andrew Luck and other quarterbacks around the division aren’t looking forward to seeing those two fearsome pass rushers on the other side of the ball twice a season. This is also a Houston club that’s only a year removed from an 11-win season and seems poised for at least a moderate bounce back — the performance of new signal-caller Ryan Fitzpatrick may determine exactly how far the Texans can go.
The Titans, meanwhile, shouldn’t be overlooked, even though I think they’ll be hard-pressed to match even last year’s win total. A younger, more diverse backfield could easily be more productive than Chris Johnson was in his last season in Tennessee, and new coach Ken Whisenhunt has done good work with quarterbacks in the past — perhaps his influence will help Jake Locker exceed expectations in a contract year.
As for the Jags, they’re probably at least a year or two from making any real noise in the South, but the team made some nice, under-the-radar veteran additions in the offseason, including defensive ends Red Bryant and Chris Clemons, guard Zane Beadles, linebacker Dekoda Watson, defensive lineman Ziggy Hood, and running back Toby Gerhart. Like so many other teams, their fortunes will likely come down to quarterback play. While Chad Henne‘s upside is limited, No. 3 pick Blake Bortles could put more pressure on defenses if he gets a chance to play in his rookie year.
What do you think? Do any of the division’s other squads have a chance to unseat Indianapolis at the top of the AFC South this year, or will Luck and the Colts repeat?
Previously:
Who will win the AFC North?
Who will win the AFC West?
Extra Points: Titans, Jags, Graham, Broncos
The Titans have a number of veterans that are coming to the end of their contracts after 2014, and Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean gives his opinion of who the Titans should work to extend and who they should wait until after next season to decide on. Wyatt wants the team to extend Jurrell Casey and Brett Kern sooner rather than later, but asks the team to show patience with some of their other veteran players.
Here are a few other stories from around the NFL:
- The Jaguars‘ pass rush is set to be much improved in 2014, and Ryan O’Halloran of Jacksonville.com is absolutely buying into they hype. His reasoning for believing in this unit is simple. The pass rush can’t get any worse, and the key additions should be able to make a difference immediately. Although Dekoda Watson only had three sacks in 60 games for the Buccaneers, the Jaguars believe he has unique pass-rushing skills, and Chris Clemons will be able to provide some pressure as well. While Red Bryant is not known as a sack artist, his contributions in the running game will put the team in better shape on passing downs, another area where they struggled recently.
- While there has not been a lot of positivity surrounding Saints‘ tight end Jimmy Graham since losing his grievance regarding his franchise tag, Drew Brees hasn’t forgotten Graham’s value to the league, writes Julie Boudwin of NOLA.com.“Jimmy Graham has revolutionized the position,” said Brees. “He’s a guy who is so talented at so many things you know and obviously he’s a big part of our offense and I hope that they’re able to reach a long-term agreement here sooner than later. At the end of the day, this is part of the process and I think we all understand that.”
- The Broncos had the best offense in the NFL by a wide margin in 2013, and the only pieces not returning this season are receiver Eric Decker who signed with the Jets, and tailback Knowshon Moreno who is now with the Dolphins. Even still, Sayre Bedinger of PredominantlyOrange.com has highlighted five dark horse candidates to impact the offense in 2014. His top five are tight ends Virgil Green and Gerell Robinson, rookie wideout Cody Latimer, and running backs Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson.
Offseason In Review: Tennessee Titans
Notable signings:
- Michael Oher (OT): Four years, $20MM. $6MM guaranteed.
- Wesley Woodyard (ILB): Four years, $15.75MM. $4.75MM guaranteed.
- Dexter McCluster (WR/KR): Three years, $9MM. $4MM guaranteed.
- Ropati Pitoitua (DT): Three years, $9.6MM. $3.15MM guaranteed.
- Charlie Whitehurst (QB): Two years, $4.25MM. $2MM guaranteed.
- Al Woods (DT): Two years, $4MM. $1MM guaranteed.
- Bernard Pollard (S): Two years, $6.3MM. $850K guaranteed.
- Shaun Phillips (DE/OLB): Two years, $5MM. $750K guaranteed.
- Antonio “Mookie” Johnson (DT): Two years, $2.35MM. $175K guaranteed.
- Leon Washington (RB/KR): One year, minimum salary benefit. $65K guaranteed.
- Chris Spencer (OL): One year, minimum salary benefit. $35K guaranteed.
- Jackie Battle (RB): One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Dorin Dickerson (TE): One year, minimum salary benefit.
- Marc Mariani (WR/KR): One year, $610K.
Notable losses:
- Rob Bironas (K): Released
- Kenny Britt (WR)
- Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB): Released
- Chris Johnson (RB): Released
- Quinn Johnson (FB)
- Kevin Matthews (OL)
- Michael Otto (OT)
- Rusty Smith (QB)
- David Stewart (OT): Released
- Robert Turner (C)
- Alterraun Verner (CB)
- Kevin Walter (WR)
Extensions and restructures:
- Kamerion Wimbley (DE/OLB): Restructured contract. Base salaries and cap hits reduced for 2014, 2015, and 2016. Received $2.55MM in total roster bonuses and workout bonuses (not all guaranteed).
- Craig Stevens (TE): Restructured contract. Base salary for 2014 reduced from $3.4MM to $1.6MM in exchange for $500K guaranteed and up to $100K in roster bonuses.
Trades:
- Acquired a second-round pick (No. 54) and a fourth-round pick (No. 122) from the Eagles in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 42).
- Acquired a sixth-round pick (No. 178) from the Redskins in exchange for a sixth-round pick (No. 186) and a seventh-round pick (No. 228).
Draft picks:
- Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan (1.11)
- Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington (2.54): Signed
- Daquan Jones, DT, Penn State (4.112): Signed
- Marqueston Huff, CB Wyoming (4.122): Signed
- Avery Williamson, LB, Kentucky (5.151): Signed
- Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU (6.178): Signed
Other:
- Hired Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt as head coach.
- Hired Jason Michael and Ray Horton as offensive and defensive coordinators.
- Have discussed extension for Jurrell Casey.
- Declined Jake Locker‘s fifth-year option for 2015 ($14.666MM).
- Signed 13 rookie free agents after the draft.
In the years following the departure of former head coach Jeff Fisher, the Titans struggled to remain relevant, finishing 9-7, 6-10, and 7-9 in three seasons with Mike Munchak at the helm. Tennessee seemed rudderless, especially on offense, and questionable personnel decisions by general manager Ruston Webster only exacerbated the team’s lack of direction. A coaching staff overhaul might be the first step towards determining a team identity, but the Titans’ offseason moves leave much to be desired, as it simply doesn’t appear the team got any better.
Replacing Munchak as head coach will be Ken Whisenhunt, the former Cardinals head coach, who spent 2013 as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator. While he brought former San Diego tight end coach Jason Michael with him to Tennessee to serve as offensive coordinator, Whisenhunt will call the plays himself. In addition to changing the Titans’ scheme (he favors a more spread out attack than the previous regime), the 52-year-old will bring Super Bowl experience to Nashville.
Whisenhunt is known as something of a quarterback guru — he helped develop Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh, and revived the careers of Kurt Warner and Philip Rivers in Arizona and San Diego, respectively. In Tennessee, he faces perhaps his most difficult challenge in reversing the fortunes of 2011 first-rounder Jake Locker. The Titans declined their 2015 option on the fourth-year QB, meaning 2014 is perhaps his best and final chance to prove he is an NFL-caliber starter. If he fails in-season, the team can turn to backup Charlie Whitehurst, who signed a two-year, $4.25MM deal after spending last season under Whisenhunt in San Diego, or sixth-round rookie Zach Mettenberger, who fits the mold of big-bodied quarterbacks that Whisenhunt has favored over his career.
While the Titans are using 2014 as a decision-making year at the quarterback position, they acted more swiftly at the running back spot. They released longtime ball-carrier Chris Johnson, creating $6MM in cap space in the process. Tennessee selected Washington product Bishop Sankey in the second round, and will pair him with holdover Shonn Greene to form a 1-2 punch at RB. Joining them will Dexter McCluster, added on a three-year $9MM pact, who despite playing primarily receiver in his career, is expected to play the Danny Woodhead-role in Whisenhunt’s offense. If McCluster does see time at pass-catcher, he will join an impressive position group, headlined by Kendall Wright, Nate Washington, and Justin Hunter, that hasn’t seen much turnover since 2013 (Kenny Britt left for St. Louis, but he wasn’t a factor last year).
Tennessee’s most questionable roster machinations over the past few months have involved the offensive line. First, the Titans released longtime right tackle David Stewart, a reasonable move both because Stewart’s play had suffered and it cleared over $6MM off the books. However, Stewart is to be replaced in the starting lineup by free agent signee Michael Oher (four years, $20MM), who was even worse in 2013, grading out just the 68th-best tackle in the league, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Compounding that move was another head-scratcher — the drafting of Taylor Lewan at pick No. 11. With stalwart Michael Roos manning the left side, one of Oher or Lewan will have no place to play, meaning the Titans seemingly misused either $20MM or a first-round pick.
While the Titans’ offense might face a learning curve in 2014, the defense, which will also undergo a scheme change, boasts more talent, and should improve upon last season’s 22nd-ranked DVOA. New coordinator Ray Horton ostensibly runs a 3-4 look, but is a major proponent of multiple fronts, meaning versatility will be key. The most visible difference will probably be at linebacker, where Derrick Morgan (entering a contract year) and Kamerion Wimbley will be asked to switch from hand-in-the-ground ends to stand-up outside linebackers. Joining them in the LB rotation will be inside ‘backer Wesley Woodyard, who signed a four-year contract worth $15.75MM, and OLB Shaun Phillips, added from Denver on a two-year, $5MM deal.
Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey, a 2013 breakout star who finished as PFF’s fifth-best DT, will be making the switch to nose tackle in Horton’s front. In a typical 3-4 defense, a NT would be asked to fill two gaps (essentially take up space); in Horton’s modified look, however, Casey will still only be assigned one gap, meaning he will still have the freedom to do what he does best — rush the passer. To help solidify the line, Tennessee re-signed Ropati Pitoitua on a three-year deal, added Al Woods from Pittsburgh, and drafted Daquan Jones in the fourth round. Pitoitua and Woods will help at end, while Jones is more of a classic 3-4 tackle, but all three exhibit the requirement of Horton-coached player — versatility.
The secondary will see some change — while safety will continue to be a three-man rotation between Michael Griffin, Bernard Pollard (re-signed on a two-year pact), and George Wilson, the cornerback position suffered the loss of Alterraun Verner, who signed with the Buccaneers. The Titans selected CB Marqueston Huff out of Wyoming in the fourth round, but Verner’s vacated spot will be filled by the winner of a Blidi Wreh-Wilson/Coty Sensabaugh/Tommie Campbell battle; the victor will play opposite veteran Jason McCourty.
Work is left to be done in Tennessee; extensions for Casey and Morgan are possible, and the offensive line needs to be sorted out. But 2014 will be an important year for the Titans. Failure could result in wholesale changes at key positions like quarterback and offensive tackle, while success could mean a new contract for Locker and praise for Whisenhunt and his staff. A winning season isn’t necessarily expected for the Titans next season, but improvement is — how well new schemes on both sides of the ball fare will determine how much more development is needed.
Spotrac and Over the Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC South Links: Jaguars, Titans, Colts
Our Offseason in Review series has moved on to the AFC South, with Zach Links looking last night at 2013’s division champs, and the roster shuffling done by the Colts this winter and spring. Keep an eye on PFR over the long weekend for the next few installments in the series, as we tackle the Titans, Jaguars, and Texans. In the meantime, here are a few odds and ends out of the South:
- Ken Hornack of Fox Sports Florida takes an in-depth look at new Jaguars wideout Marqise Lee, who is one of four 2014 draftees who remains unsigned. Considering Hornack’s piece doesn’t touch on Lee’s contract situation at all, it seems there’s little reason to be concerned about the two sides reaching an agreement this month.
- Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union believes there should be some optimism for the Jaguars‘ pass rush this season, if only because it can’t be any worse than it has been over the last couple seasons. The club added Dekoda Watson and Chris Clemons in free agency, and expects continued growth from Andre Branch.
- Within his latest Titans mailbag, ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky says he expects there to be a wide receiver on the team in Week 1 or Week 2 that isn’t currently on the roster.
- Kevin Bowen of Colts.com also fields questions in a mailbag today, discussing the Colts‘ starting running back job, the team’s defensive line rotation, and its receiving corps.