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NFC South
The following is the second of eight installments that break down team needs and possible strategies as we prepare for the 2003 NFL Draft.
Here's a look at the AFC South where one city continues to build a new franchise, another looks to tweak an AFC Championship Game team and two others look to take that ever-elusive next step.
Houston Texans
Houston does not have the luxury this year of negotiating with their first-round pick before the draft. Oh well, they still aren't far from the top as they sit with the third pick. The only need personnel architect Charley Casserly does not have to fill with that pick is quarterback.
Otherwise, he has the luxury of simply taking the best available player on his board if he decides to stay put at No. 3.
"We are in the second year of a program we are trying to build here," said Casserly. "We need to accumulate good young players and picks to build on our franchise."
Although Casserly says he will not have to force himself to grab a player he doesn't like, there have been rumors inside draft rooms that Houston would like to move up to grab Michigan State wideout Charles Rogers. Casserly uttered the obligatory "no comment" regarding such a trade but did admit the Texans would make a trade if a deal makes sense.
But if he stays put, it's assumed that he will be able to choose between Kansas State CB Terence Newman, who Casserly admitted the Texans like a lot, and Miami WR Andre Johnson, among others.
"If Newman is still there at three, yes, we can take him," he said. "If there is a great trade, we'll take that. At No. 3 you -- and having as many needs as we do -- have a lot of very good options."
Needs: RB, TE, WR, OT, FS, OLB, DE
The Texans can use their second-rounder to grab a potential starting running back. Had Miami RB Willis McGahee not torn apart his knee, he would have been a no-brainer at No. 3. Instead, they may be able to choose between Penn State's Larry Johnson, Virginia Tech's Lee Suggs, USC's Justin Fargas and Oregon's Onterrio Smith in Round 2 if they have one rated as a first-round talent.
The meat of their draft will take place between the 67th and 101st spots as Houston holds four picks in that span. Here they can pick up a solid tight end prospect, free safety and offensive tackle. They can even go wideout, pass rushing LB or RB and still find great value.
When Sunday ends and Mr. Irrelevant has found his relevance:
"We have five picks on the first day, and ideally you would love to get five guys who can start for us in three years," said Casserly. "Percentages say that will not happen."
However, because Casserly will not have to force player grades to increase or decrease to fit specific needs, his chances of hitting increases.
In a utopian world, Casserly would emerge with a play-making receiver, starting running back, starting free safety, starting tight end and a defensive tackle who converts to a solid 3-4 defensive end. Plus, let's not forget about the type of play-making potential star the third pick in the draft could bring.
Jacksonville Jaguars
There's a new sheriff in town. And a new coach, a new personnel chief, a new staff, new, well, you get the idea. The Jaguars will be looking to rebuild a roster decimated by past salary cap purges, injuries and age. They have been aggressive in free agency to dramatically cut down on the must-fill voids Jack Del Rio and Shack Harris need to bolster in the draft.
Needs: QB, WR, CB, OG, C, TE, DE, LB, FS
Mark Brunell needs a man to pass the torch to in the next year but the big question is: do the Jaguars do this with their first pick of the '03 draft? Some believe they will use the pick to get Marshall QB Byron Leftwich or Cal QB Kyle Boller. Others say they will go with an offensive lineman such as Utah's Jordan Gross. Many of Del Rio's peers believe that Jacksonville will go with corner Marcus Trufant of Washington State if he is available or a top-notch defensive end.
When Sunday ends and Mr. Irrelevant has found his relevance:
The Jaguars will come out of this draft with a play-making wideout to team with Jimmy Smith and a man who can throw them the ball when injuries put Brunell into more of a tutorial role. A potential stud defensive end to team with Hugh Douglas and former first-rounders DTs Marcus Stroud and John Henderson would give the defensive-minded Del Rio a Jags line with mighty large claws. Plus, if they come out of this with two or three offensive linemen who can eventually start, the new regime will have gotten off to a terrific start.
Tennessee Titans
Tennessee bruised and bashed its way into the AFC title game only to lose amid a sea of silver and black. They do not have glaring needs but can upgrade in a few areas. Will they find that missing link to push them back into the big game? If they do, it will be pure luck picking 28th in the first round and in the latter parts of the rest of the draft's rounds.
Needs: CB, S, DT, C, G
Considering how low they draft, they have the luxury of drafting for best available player rather than attempt to fill a need.
"I think down there if you draft for need you automatically drop your first pick to a second-round type of player," said Titans general manager Floyd Reese. "Our philosophy is to take the best available guy who is still there."
What if the best player available is at a position the Titans hold absolutely no immediate need for?
"If the best player there is a guy we don't like we'll try to trade out of it," said Reese. "There should be a good player at that spot, and if we start selecting for need, then we'd be getting a lesser player."
When Sunday ends and Mr. Irrelevant has found his relevance:
"You hope to get lucky and the best player available is also a guy who fits a need," said Reese, one of the better drafters. "We did that with Keith Bulluck. We needed a linebacker and happened to hit on him. There will be a good player at that spot."
"When it's over we'd like to have added a lot to our overall depth. We need depth at safety, corner, defensive tackle, receiver and we always get an offensive lineman. We'll probably also end up doubling up at one position on defense."
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts offseason has been marred by Mike Vanderjagt's stinging comments regarding his coach and quarterback. As the Colts build toward next year, the pressure to prove such comments incorrect will only subside if coach Tony Dungy can motivate his team deep into the playoffs and quarterback Peyton Manning has at least one impressive postseason showing. It certainly will not hurt their cause for Bill Polian to have a typical Polian-esque draft class.
Needs: CB, OG, DT, TE, LB, speed WR
Aside from a man to censor their kicker when he gets yipped on the fine elixir of yeast and hops, Polian has areas he needs to upgrade in order to aid improvements. The Colts failed to score a touchdown in last year's postseason and seemed to lose on-field confidence as the season progressed. They need to upgrade the line in front of Manning. The Colts offense can get quite tricky and they need five solid men who all know what they are doing as a base for their star quarterback. Despite the signing of Brandon Stokley, a wideout with terrific speed would be helpful. They also need a complement to the solid TE Marcus Pollard.
Defensively, they are a solid defensive tackle away from fielding a hellacious defensive line. Perhaps their biggest need lies at cornerback, but the Colts may have to reach with the draft's 24th pick to grab one of the available remaining.
When Sunday ends and Mr. Irrelevant has found his relevance:
The Colts will have a starting cornerback and another backup and two interior offensive linemen. Polian also will have grabbed a run-stuffing defender who can collapse the pocket for ends Chad Bratzke and Dwight Freeney and a wideout with blazing speed who can stretch the other side of the field from all-world wideout Marvin Harrison. Depth at linebacker and tight end would also be good value picks. Considering RB Edgerrin James has already begun to work out and is on track to return to pre-injury form, the Colts are already in better shape now than they were a year ago.
Correction note
Last week in a column regarding the owners meeting, I wrote about a dinner that coaches agent Bob Lamonte held and included coach Dave McGinnis as one such client. The Cardinals coach's actual agent is Danny Moore. Sorry, Danny, for the slip. Sorry, Bob, for getting you to think your stable had increased by one.