Kyle Shanahan isn’t going to have complete power over the offense in Houston, but he’s being positioned to find himself on a fast track on the coaching ladder over the next few seasons. 

Gary Kubiak remains the primary point man for the Texans’ offense, but Shanahan will be in position to put together game plans and organize the efforts of all the assistants on the offensive side of the ball.  Kyle has a very good working relationship with Kubiak that began through Mike Shanahan.  Kyle is very intelligence beyond his years and is a grinder.  He also has an excellent rapport with players since he’s very young. 

Shanahan will also benefit tremendously from the presence of veteran assistant Alex Gibbs.  Gibbs is an invaluable addition to the Texans’ staff.  He’ll likely be a short-term addition on a full-time basis because he wears down with his intense work ethic.  Gibbs is one of the game’s best teachers along the offensive line and will play a substantial role with in-game adjustments. 

The promotion of Shanahan, the addition of Gibbs, and another year of Kubiak installing his system should continue the rise of the Texans’ offense.  They made a lot of strides last season – especially in the passing game.  They have two solid quarterbacks with Matt Schaub and Sage Rosenfels.  Andre Johnson is one of the league’s best playmakers and they found quality depth in the passing game. 

For the Texans to reach the next level, they must protect the football much better next season and address their run game.  Ahman Green can’t be relied on at this stage of his career with knee problems.  If they can find a running back to build around – it will make their offense very difficult to defend. 

I’ve received a handful of emails lately asking me about a few running backs headed for free agency.  Here are my thoughts on some of the questions I've been asked. 

The most asked about running back has been Oakland’s Justin Fargas.  Fargas picked a good time to emerge as a productive runner this season.  Fargas has always been an intriguing runner due to his burst to the hole and speed.  I like the way Fargas attacks the hole and he’s become a lot more decisive over the past year.  He’s found a good rhythm within the zone blocking attack.  Although he’s tough and runs hard at times, Fargas is not a power runner nor has been very durable.  Unfortunately, his knee sprain to end his season short this month re-opened a lot of significant concerns in the past about his durability.

Fargas may have played his way into a couple teams considering him as a stop-gap in a two-back system as a 10-15 carry a game guy.  It would be too risky to count on anything more over a 16-game season with Fargas. 

I’ve been asked whether Ron Dayne is a starting running back.  My thoughts are no.  He’s found a comfort zone in Houston and played effectively in an expanded role this season, but I wouldn’t invest much into Dayne if I am another franchise.  I give Dayne a lot of credit for battling back from a disappointing situation with the Giants earlier in his career.  He’s matured a little since that time and found a franchise that realizes he’s not Jerome Bettis.  Dayne is neither a true power back nor is he a playmaker.  Dayne does have the power to keep the chains moving – especially in the fourth quarter.  He also has a little short-area quickness, but has no speed or burst to break into the second level of a defense.  Dayne would be best re-signing with Houston as an insurance back. 

What is the future of T.J. Duckett and the running back situation in Detroit?  I believe the Lions must re-sign Duckett – especially after the latest injury to Kevin Jones.  Duckett isn’t the answer as a starter, but deserves to compete for more carries in 2008.  He could be effective with around 10 carries a game.  Duckett is a good power back – especially in the redzone.  He has decent speed for his size, but has very little quickness to the perimeter.  He won’t make plays in the passing game, but is an adequate outlet option.   

As for the long-term running back situation in Detroit, the Lions definitely have some decisions to make following the knee injury to Jones.   This means Jones will miss another year of the off-season program while rehabbing from another injury.  At the same time, he was battling a lot of soreness in his foot since making back to the field earlier this season from a serious Lisfranc injury.  Jones will work hard to overcome another tough break, but the Lions face an uncertain situation at running back for the long-term.  The one situation that favors Jones in the long-term is the Lions need to address several holes on the defensive side of the ball this spring.  That could mean the Lions decide to re-sign Duckett and pair him with another stop-gap option, then evaluate their situation at the running back position a year from now. 

I also have been asked about Jacksonville’s LaBrandon Toefield.  This is an interesting situation because he’s been buried behind Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew the last couple seasons.  Toefield is a very good runner between the tackles.  He can finish runs with his strong lower body.  But Toefield has a lot of limitations because he’s slow and lacks quick feet to make plays in the open field.  There are also a lot of past concerns about Toefield’s durability.  Toefield has a lot of limitations to be projected as a starter – even in a stop-gap situation.  At his best – Toefield could be effective if a starter goes down for a few games.  I believe he wouldn’t be a bad addition to add some numbers in the backfield – especially if you are looking for a short-yardage back. 

The Indianapolis Colts peaked at the right time last season and enter training camp as clear favorites in the division.  The passing game remains deep and dangerous.  Tom Moore has the ability to create a lot of mismatches with various multiple receiver or tight end sets.  Joseph Addai is the perfect fit for Moore’s scheme at running back.  He displays excellent quickness and possesses a natural feel for the passing game.  But what happens if Addai goes down?  The Colts lack experienced depth.  The front four is very active.  Anthony McFarland looks re-energized with the Colts.  Bob Sanders must stay healthy.  Not only does he fill gaps against the run, but his presence takes this defense to another level.  They lose experience at cornerback with the departures of Nick Harper and Jason David, but Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden possess more upside. 

An enigma hangs over the Jacksonville Jaguars.  They have enough talent to contend for the playoffs, but there are a lot of questions and inconsistencies with this team.  It starts at quarterback.  Byron Leftwich is taking a great approach to his off-season and fits perfectly into Dirk Koetter’s offense, but injuries have always been a problem and there’s an underlying friction with Jack Del Rio.  David Garrard was exposed in extended playing time last season.  The Jaguars also lack playmakers in the passing game.  Reggie Williams is just a guy.  Matt Jones is a bust.  Mercedes Lewis will be worth watching from the tight end position.  His size could create matchup problems. The defense will again keep the Jaguars in a lot of games.  They’ll get strong production from their front seven.  Reshean Mathis makes a lot of plays at cornerback.  The veteran presence of Donovin Darius will be missed, but the Jaguars have new leaders emerging on defense and Gerald Sensabaugh displays good physical skills and flashes the ability to make plays.  Rookie Reggie Nelson should also make an early impact as a playmaker. 

Matt Schaub helps the Houston Texans develop a fresh identity at quarterback.  Schaub displays a good presence in the pocket and brings stronger leadership from the quarterback position.  The offensive line remains a question with Charles Spencer trying to come back from a horrific knee injury.  Eric Winston shows promise though and looks like a solid fit in Gary Kubiak’s zone scheme upfront.  Ahman Green brings credibility to the run game, but lacks the same burst that made him a consistent playmaker in the past.  To get out of the AFC South cellar, the defense must step forward.  They have a young trio with Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, and rookie Amobi Okoye to build around among the front seven.  Expect more production from Williams as a pass rusher in his second season.  Dunta Robinson is establishing himself as a leader, but the rest of the secondary struggles to matchup against strong passing teams and struggles to create enough turnovers.

Vince Young has created a buzz around the Tennessee Titans.  Young makes things happen on the field and sets the tone for the offense.  But he’s also erratic in the passing game and needs a lot of work on making better decisions with the ball.  There’s not much support behind Young either.  David Givens faces an uncertain future.  Brandon Jones has shown flashes as a solid intermediate target, but isn’t a playmaker.  The backfield situation is more uncertain.  LenDale White hasn’t shown any responsibility as a pro.  Chris Henry is a phenomenal athlete, but lacks experience.  Chris Brown is a good athlete with experience, but durability has always been a problem.  The defense will play with a lot of effort as always, but there are a lot of limitations across the board.  There’s very little pass rush behind the high motor of Kyle VandenBosch.  Nick Harper will be a quality veteran stepping in for Adam Jones, but he’s not a matchup guy.  The bottom line – the Titans lack playmakers on both sides of the ball.  Only Jeff Fisher’s ability to squeeze wins from this talent base and get timely big plays from Young give the Titans any hope for another .500 finish. 

Houston Texans: They failed to come away with more support to build around new quarterback Matt Schaub, so a lot of pressure will be on Amobi Okoye to become an impact player on the defensive side of the ball.  The Texans are trying to build a strong foundation along the front four of guys who can penetrate and make plays behind the line of scrimmage.  Okoye addresses a thin unit inside and has a lot of upside with his ability to penetrate, but could have a mental and physical adjustment to the league at such a young age. 

Jacoby Jones could make an immediate impact as a return specialist with his speed and athleticism.  He’s a developmental project in the passing game who will need time to learn the pro game and how to run routes, but likely not catch the ball consistently enough to be more than a complement.  Fred Bennett could add some depth in sub packages with his athleticism, but will need to improve his physical skills to develop into a larger role.  Brandon Frye and Kasey Studdard add future depth along the offensive line. 

Indianapolis Colts: Bill Polian again went about finding the best fits for his team.  Anthony Gonzalez has limited upside, but is a very savvy and tough pass catcher.  He’ll be a more durable version of Brandon Stokley working out of the slot.  Tony Ugoh has athletic upside to eventually develop into a left tackle, but must develop more of a football mentality.  He’ll be working with one of the top offensive line coaches in Howard Mudd. 

A couple underrated moves by Polian were the additions of Daymeion Hughes and Michael Coes at cornerback.  Neither was graded high due to below average speed, but both are ideal fits in the cover-2 with good instincts and ball skills.  These are solid additions to replenish depth after losing Nick Harper and Jason David as free agents. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: Numbers at the safety spots were needed after losing Deon Grant and continued worries about the durability of Donovin Darius.  Reggie Nelson has excellent range in the deep areas and isn’t afraid to hit.  The only concern about Nelson is making the adjustment to a pro style defense after free lancing in college. 

Derek Landri could add some depth at defensive tackle in the next year.  He’s a blue-collar guy who relies on hitting gaps.  He’ll be a pesky defender who complements the size of Marcus Stroud and John Henderson.  Justin Durant has intriguing athleticism and should make an immediate impact on special teams.  He displays natural football instincts and could develop into a starter at linebacker within a year or two.  John Gattis should add depth at safety in sub packages with his athletic ability. 

Tennessee Titans:  The success of this class is in the hands of Michael Griffin.  He’s an excellent athlete with tremendous physical skills.  The key for Texas defensive backs is fitting them into a traditional pro defense.  The Titans will try to use his athleticism at cornerback initially with the suspension of Adam Jones.  Teams were all over the board on Griffin because he was inconsistent in college despite his athleticism. 

Chris Henry has excellent size and speed, but never developed into a consistent running back at Arizona.  There are several questions about his mental makeup, similar questions last year with LenDale White.  White and Henry will likely be sharing time in the backfield. 

The Titans have continued to get burned on overrated athletes at the wide receiver position in the draft the past several years.  This class could be no different.  Paul Williams is more of an athlete than football player who doesn’t show much desire for football.  Chris Davis could develop into an adequate backup at wide receiver.  He’s a good athlete, but has inconsistent hands. 

Overall, I have a lot of questions about the Titans’ personnel department over the past few years.  They traditionally have had a strong scouting department of veterans who valued good football players, but have reached and missed on a lot of athletes who lack the passion and instincts to succeed at the NFL level in the past three or four years. 

Bill Belichick has played the market well again with the addition of veteran cornerback Tory James.  

James is coming off a down season with Cincinnati as age is catching up to him, but is an ideal fit in New England as his career winds down.  With uncertainty surrounding Asante Samuels’ contract, James provides experienced insurance and should greatly enhance depth in the secondary for New England, which is much sought here. 

James may lack speed to match up with receivers in man coverage, but is very smart and brings a lot of experience to the Patriots.  Belichick craves that type of experience and intelligence in his complex scheme where he mixes up multiple coverages.  James plays his best when the football is in front of him where his excellent recognition skills and burst to the ball should be well-suited in New England.  James has a knack for creating turnovers and will be in a position to make a lot of big plays for the Patriots.    

More thoughts on some recent moves around the league:

The Rams’ acquisition of punter Donnie Jones raised some eyebrows around the league.  Matt Turk did a tremendous job for the Rams last season, but the Rams were leery about making a long-term financial commitment due to some durability concerns.  The Rams now are turning to one of the league’s worst punters.  Jones has a good leg, but is extremely inconsistent.  

The Houston Texans are the latest team that hopes Andre Davis develops into a big-play receiver.  Davis arrives in Houston with a golden opportunity for a team starving for production at wide receiver behind Andre Johnson.  Davis does have the speed to make big plays downfield, but has never developed any polished skills.  He often is re-routed at the line of scrimmage by stronger corners and drops too many balls to play a significant role on offense.  Davis has found a niche on special teams and that likely will be his biggest role in Houston. 

Stop the presses!  The Raiders made a rare savvy move in the free agent market with the signing of guard Cooper Carlisle last week.  Carlisle isn’t an impact lineman by any means, but is experienced in the zone blocking scheme that Lane Kiffin is looking to install in Oakland.  That should be a big help for younger lineman such as Paul McQuistan and Kevin Boothe.  Carlisle is a good athlete for a guard who relies a lot on technique and has a great feel for playing the proper angles.  Most importantly, Carlisle is a long-time Bronco who will provide the Raiders some insight on the Denver offense.