On paper, the AFC South has some of the more talented rosters in the NFL. Teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars surprised last season, and they hope to prove 2025 wasn’t a fluke. Others, like the Indianapolis Colts, battled injuries throughout 2025, but in 2026, they hope health can be on their side, and with the upgrades they made in the offseason, a real run at the division title is a possibility. The Houston Texans have one of the best defenses in the league, and it somehow got better this offseason. With the offensive line upgrades the team made, the Texans have a real shot at winning the division. Even the Tennessee Titans, while unlikely, have hopes of competing for a division title with Cam Ward in his second NFL season.
The AFC South is one of the NFL’s more chaotic divisions and will no doubt have some surprises this season. Let’s take a look at how each team did in the offseason.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Most improved position group: Offensive guard
The Jaguars didn’t make many roster additions outside the draft this offseason. They didn’t need to; the roster is in a good spot and should be ready to make another run at the AFC South title in 2026. One player they drafted is a clear upgrade, and it’s Emmanuel Pregnon, who was taken in the third round of the draft. General manager James Gladstone received a lot of criticism on the internet for how he handled the draft and the consensus board, but a pick he got value on in everyone’s eyes was Pregnon.
Jacksonville’s offensive line gave up a quaterback pressure rate of 33.3 percent last season, ranking 16th in the NFL. When it came to running the ball, the team had a rushing success rate of 40.1 percent, ranking 26th in the NFL. Both of those numbers have to improve if the Jaguars want to make a deeper postseason push in 2026. The current starters at guard are Ezra Clevleand and Patrick Mekari. Both gave up at least 25 quaterback pressure seasons, leaving a younger, stronger player to step in. Pregnon is a stiffling 6-foot-4 and 314 pounds, acelling in pass pro. He’s a bully in the run game, giving Jacksonville an option if the interior of the offensive line struggles in 2026.
Position needing improvement: Linebacker
The Jaguars didn’t re-sign Devin Lloyd in free agency. The Carolina Panthers signed him to a three-year, $45 million contract, averaging $15 million per year. The team is paying linebacker Foyesade Oluokum $10 million per year, so in a way it makes sense not to pay two linebackers, and it seems clear Lloyd wasn’t in the team’s future plans.
The projected starters are Oluokun and Ventrell Miller. Mjiller is getting his shot to start at linebacker, so the Jaguars are taking a gamble on the former fourth-round pick. Miller missed his rookie year with an Achilles injury and saw plenty of playing time in 2024. In 2025, he totaled 220 snaps, but with Lloyd gone, Miller will have all the opportunity in the world to make his presence felt.
If it doesn’t work out for the Jaguars, some could question the decision not to pay a second-team All-Pro linebacker who was in the building.
Houston Texans
Most improved position group: Offensive line
For the past two seasons, the Texans have needed to improve their offensive line to help their young quarterback, CJ Stroud. General manager Nick Caserio finally attacked the position group this past offseason, signing Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith in free agency. Neither is a long-term option, but for the foreseeable future, they are quality starters who can raise the unit’s floor.
Caserio added young depth with starting upside in Keylan Rutledge and Febechi Nwaiwu in the NFL draft, with Rutledge potentially starting at center for the team. Stroud didn’t have the end of the season anyone young quaterback wants, but with the added protection up front, along with the weapons surrounding him, 2026 is looking up.
The run game has to find improvement for the Texans. Last season, the team gave their backs 1.1 yards before contact per rush, ranking seventh-worst in the NFL. The hope is that these additions can improve that number in 2026.
Position needing improvement: Running back
Another way to improve the running game? Add an explosive back to your backfield, and the Texans lacked that type of athlete in 2025. Woody Marks is a quality back, but doesn’t have the upside to elevate a rushing attack by himself. The team went out and acquired former Detroit Lion David Montgomery via trade this offseason, hoping he can add some juice to the backfield.
Montgomery is coming off a 716-yard season, having 175 snaps, which were both career lows for the veteran back. He has his highest yards after contact with 3.17 in his career, so there are still signs he can be an efficient back in the league when it comes to extending runs with his strength.
Still, the reality is the Texans could’ve drafted or gone out and gotten a more explosive back to help out this offense. Marks and Montgomery are a quality duo, but they could’ve used more speed.
Indianapolis Colts
Most improved position group: Linebacker
Sometimes teams just make it easy to pick a group, and that’s exactly what the Colts did. General manager Chris Ballard knew his team needed more playmakers in the middle of its defense. The team traded Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers and didn’t re-sign Germaine Pratt, a midseason addition last season.
Ballard signed Akeem Davis-Gaither while drafting CJ Allen and Bryce Boettcher. Allen, a second-round pick, can bring immediate production in the run game, which is something he did while at Georgia. He wore the green dot in college, indicating he was responsible for calling the defense’s plays. He can make an immediate impact in Indianapolis. Boettcher is more of a depth addition, but he has upside to be a solid rotational player in the NFL.
Position needing improvement: Wide receiver depth
Just looking at the Colts’ roster, it’s hard to pinpoint a specific area of need. Assuming Daniel Jones is healthy, there isn’t an area on the team that’s screaming for improvement. That’s where depth starts to come into play, and edge rusher, along with receiver, were the two biggest ones, but we’ll go with receiver.
The team re-signed Alec Pierce in free agency and signed Miami Dolphins free agent Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. The team drafted Deion Burks in the seventh round, giving some much-needed slot depth behind Josh Downs. With the loss of Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’ll be interesting to see this unit play out during the season.
Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Warren are elite weapons as well, so the depth of the receivers may not matter that much on paper, but if injuries start to pile up, the Colts may regret not doing more in the offseason.
Tennessee Titans
Most improved position group: Defensive line
The Titans were one of the worst rosters last season, despite having a promising future with Ward. The defensive line wasn’t close to being the weakest position on this team last year, but with a new head coach, Robert Saleh, and a new scheme, the team had to adjust.
To prepare for it, the team brought in John Franklin-Myers, Jordan Elliott, Jermaine Johnson II, Solomon Thomas, Keldric Faulk and Jackie Marshall. Add Jeffery Simmons on top of it, and the Titans have the makings of an elite front-seven being led by Saleh. Ward needs talent alongside him, but the next important thing is having a defense that can keep him in games, and that’s exactly what this defensive line can do.
Position needing improvement: Secondary
The Titans gave up 230.5 passing yards per game last season, ranking 10th-worst in the NFL, and 5th-worst in points per game allowed at 28.1. The defensive line got upgrades, but the secondary was one area that could’ve used more help.
Tennessee brought in Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott to start at the corner positions in 2026. Taylor is a solid addition, but Flott is more of a gamble. He allowed a passer rating of 72.8 last year, but gave up 440 receiving yards in 798 snaps.
It’s impossible to fill every need in one offseason, and the Titans had plenty. They did what they could, and it’ll be up to the front office next year to address these potential issues. It may work out for the cornerback unit in 2026, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this unit struggles at times.
