During the 2013 season, the Indianapolis Colts did not surprise many by winning over ten games and earning a playoff spot. They surprised the entire country, however, by beating several championship-caliber teams, such as the Seattle Seahawks, the Denver Broncos, and the San Francisco 49ers. the Colts are a very solid football team, but have a few key issues. One of the biggest issues concerning the Colts' front office is the ability to protect Andrew Luck. Indianapolis' offensive line allowed 109 quarterback hits and averaged a pedestrian 4.3 yards per rush in 2013. The Colts are expected to loose four lineman this off-season, which only adds more need to this position. The Colts also need an eventual replacement for Reggie Wayne, and a talented receiver to help Andrew Luck will make this offense even more dangerous. Along with these offensive problems, the Indianapolis Colts are expected to lose up to ten defensive players in the 2014 off-season. Of all of the positions on defense that could use improvement, I think that upgrading the front seven is the most important, to improve a bottom-ten ranked run defense in 2013. The Colts should have enough money to fill up any key holes on the roster during free agency, as they have a very healthy $41 million in cap space. I'm expecting the Colts' front office to take advantage of their amount of cap space, and sign several wide receivers, linebackers, and offensive lineman. The Indianapolis Colts are on the edge between being a good team and a great team, and having a successful free agency* period could help this team become a championship contender.
Last season, the Tennessee Titans quietly had one of the best secondaries in the NFL, allowing less touchdown passes than the Seattle Seahawks. Unfortunately, this was one of the few things that the Titans did well, as they were just okay in other parts of the game. Overall, the Tennessee Titans' offense was simply mediocre, ranking 22nd in passing and 14th in rushing throughout pro football. To improve their passing game, the Tennessee Titans could use a talented receiver to help a struggling Jake Locker (or whoever the Titans' starting quarterback will be). The Titans are also expected to lose four receivers, which will hinder their passing game even more. Tennessee is also on track to lose four players along the offensive line, which also did not play very well last season. While most of the Titans' issues are on offense, there are concerns on defense, as well. Replacing star cornerback Alterraun Verner will be another issue for the team, and they could also use more depth along the defensive line. Only adding to their problems, the Tennessee Titans only have an estimated $13 million in cap space, creating a very daunting task for first-year general manager Ruston Webster. During free agency, I am expecting the Titans to save the majority of their money for the NFL Draft in May. But, I am expecting them to make few signings with receivers and offensive lineman. I doubt this team will make the playoffs, but a successful free agency period for the Titans could lead them on the right track to rebuild this team.
Although they only won four games, the Jaguars seem to be on the right track in rebuilding this awful football team. Similar to the Oakland Raiders, this team can improve on nearly every position, especially on offense. With the loss of Maurice Jones-Drew to free agency, the Jaguars are officially rebuilding their offense. The Jacksonville Jaguars' passing offense was possibly the most inconsistent in the league, and is in immediate need for a quarterback and new receivers. And with a very deep group of receivers heading toward the free agent market, I would not be surprised if the Jaguars signed a big-name player. Similar with the Browns and Raiders, I'm not expecting the Jaguars to sign a popular quarterback during free agency, as that problem will most likely wait until the Draft. Jacksonville can also improve on the offensive line, which allowed 50 sacks in the 2013 season. Fortunately, the Jaguars have loads of money to spend on free agents, with about $56 million in cap space. I'm expecting the Jacksonville Jaguars to spend the majority of that cap space during this year's free agency period, and I predict that they will attempt to re-structure this offense, which hopefully will lead to more wins for the team.
At the beginning of the year, I predicted the Houston Texans to defeat the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl. Now, they have the #1 draft choice in 2014's Draft and have many need on their team. I am completely confused as to how this football team lost 14 games, as they have plenty of talent. But, there are some key areas where the Houston Texans need to drastically improve. Most importantly, Houston needs to improve their pass defense and upgrade at the quarterback position. The Texans' quarterback situation was a disaster last season, and I think that will be resolved during the Draft. The Texans' pass defense was by far one of the worst in the NFL, having the fewest interceptions in all of pro football. The secondary was also one of the league's worst pass defenses in regards to yards and touchdown passes allowed. Two other minor issues on the Houston Texans' roster in the loss of six running backs to free agency and a lack of depth at the linebacker position. I'm expecting most of Houston's major issues to be addressed during the NFL Draft, as the organization only has about $9.2 million in cap space. During the 2014 free agency period, I'm expecting the Houston Texans to make a few signings of defensive backs to add explosiveness to this secondary. I believe that with a successful off-season, Houston could easily return to their winning ways and come back into playoff contention.
*The Indianapolis Colts do not have a first-round pick in the 2014 Draft, as it was traded to the Cleveland Browns this season in exchange for running back Trent Richardson.*
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