Rank the AFC South 2025

[TheRealJoker V2]

Tentative depth charts below:

Titans

Tennessee Titans 2024 NFL Depth Chart - ESPN

Check out the 2024 Tennessee Titans NFL depth chart on ESPN. Includes full details on starters, second, third and fourth tier Titans players.

www.espn.com

Colts

Indianapolis Colts 2024 NFL Depth Chart - ESPN

Check out the 2024 Indianapolis Colts NFL depth chart on ESPN. Includes full details on starters, second, third and fourth tier Colts players.

www.espn.com

Jaguars

Jacksonville Jaguars 2024 NFL Depth Chart - ESPN

Check out the 2024 Jacksonville Jaguars NFL depth chart on ESPN. Includes full details on starters, second, third and fourth tier Jaguars players.

www.espn.com

Texans

Houston Texans 2024 NFL Depth Chart - ESPN

Check out the 2024 Houston Texans NFL depth chart on ESPN. Includes full details on starters, second, third and fourth tier Texans players.

www.espn.com

 

[TheRealJoker V2]

Texans are #1. The only category i’d say they aren’t clear best or second best in relative to the rest of the division is OL. And even that category it’s a debate between 2nd and 3rd place (I think Jags have the worst OL in the division).

Texans have the most blue chip talent and overall team depth in the division. As Texans fans we know who they are… if you want to rank the best overall players in the division for further clarity we can do that as well!

So here’s where I start the battle for 2nd place. This is a tight grouping for 2nd-4th place imo:

I think Titans are 2nd in the division. To me, they have the best OL with the additions of Moore and Zietler along with the 1st rounders being coached up under papa Callahan.

Depending how you feel about Lawrence 2nd or 3rd best QB. Now, that QB probably has the worst set of weapons in the division which will hold them back depending how fast the rookie WRs develop.

They have a stout DL. Second or third best in the division but the back 7 on defense is subpar. Especially if Sneed doesn’t return to Chiefs form at CB.

 

[TheRealJoker V2]

Jaguars come in at #3 on my list. Mainly because i’m not sold Coen will be able to “fix” Lawrence playing behind the worst OL in the division. They added Travis Hunter and that’s great for them… but they invested a lot in a guy to fix two positions. There hasn’t been a two-way player who played at the level they need him to in the NFL. Not even Deion himself. I do think their WRs are now best or second best in division depending on how you feel about the Texans top 4 of Nico/Kirk/Higgins/Noel vs BTJ/Hunter/Davis/Brown. I’d lean Texans due to more proven production from Nico/Kirk but can see argument for Jags here.

But just matching Hunter up against the Texans: I like my odds having Stingley or Lassiter covering Hunter. And I like my odds having Nico being covered by Hunter.

Jags have the second best group of edge rushers, but i’m not sold on their DTs. Worst DTs in the division. The cost of trading up for Hunter is they had to skimp on a position they really needed in a very strong DT draft.

They added some LBs in the draft to compensate. I’d rank them 2nd in division to Texans here. Not worried about their DBs. Really the whole division has a below league average secondary besides the Texans. But i’ll give Jags the second best secondary for adding Hunter, a solid nickel in Lewis. Murray played himself as safety 3 back into a starting role this season for another team, but like with the Texans I think he reaches his “Peter Principle” there.

 

[TheRealJoker V2]

Colts take a fall to #4 this year and it costs Ballard/Steichen their jobs. The inability to find a QB finally drops them to the cellar. 4th best QB room in the division.

Best RB room in the division due to Taylor but will he be able to regain top 3 status with these QBs and a now weaker OL with Fries/Kelly exiting and Braden Smith coming back from mental illness being a question mark?

They have a solid group of weapons at the skill positions, especially with Tyler Warren added to the mix, but they don’t have the QB to get much done and the OL is no longer dominant which will limit the run game’s effectiveness.

And that leads us to their defense. Solid DL but Stewart/Buckner are a year older and played like it last season. They have some solid upside on the edges. But the worst LB room in the division arguably (battling with Titans here). Franklin and nobody to replace Speed.

Their two best CBs are going to be 29 and 30 when the season starts. And Ward is a question mark coming off a tough year in SF. I don’t think they’ll have the legs to run with the weapons the Texans and Jags will be running out there this season.

 

[TheRealJoker V2]

Forgot to address ST:

As we know, Frank Ross will coach the best ST unit in the division and one of the best in the league. That being said, they put up their worst performance against the Chiefs in the playoffs in the Frank Ross era.

Lots of changes were made to the ST room this offseason:

Adding a longer more athletic LB in Niemann as ST ace over Hewitt, bringing back Tremon Smith to get rid of Boyd and drafting Jaylin Smith to presumably take D’angelo Ross’s role on ST. Also drafting Jaylin Noel to be primary KR/PR.

Then you factor in Weeks departure and hope whoever you get there can continue to perform as Weeks did. Lots of turnover in the ST room but that’s the nature of the unit aside from the K/P positions.

 

[Lucky]

1) The Texans
.
.
.
2-4) Everyone else. We're talking about teams that ranged from bad to abysmal last season.

The Colts braintrust decided to take 2 of the worst, if not the worst, QBs and have a competition to find out who is really the worst. Let's call them the Scarecrows.

The Jags are counting on another head coach to lead them from the abyss. But this team wilts under pressure and doesn't seem to really care. No heart. The Tin Men.

The Titans aren't worthy of being the Cowardly Lion or even Toto. They are fakes and phonies dressing up as something they're not, nor ever will be. They are Oz.

 

[TheRealJoker V2]

1) The Texans
.
.
.
2-4) Everyone else. We're talking about teams that ranged from bad to abysmal last season.

The Colts braintrust decided to take 2 of the worst, if not the worst, QBs and have a competition to find out who is really the worst. Let's call them the Scarecrows.

The Jags are counting on another head coach to lead them from the abyss. But this team wilts under pressure and doesn't seem to really care. No heart. The Tin Men.

The Titans aren't worthy of being the Cowardly Lion or even Toto. They are fakes and phonies dressing up as something they're not, nor ever will be. They are Oz.

This is a good time to be in the AFC South. Reminds me of the expansion era Texans when Peyton Manning basically padded his stats each division game like he was playing Eastern Kentucky State while waiting for the real season to begin in the playoffs with Brady and the Pats.

 

[Lucky]

This is a good time to be in the AFC South. Reminds me of the expansion era Texans when Peyton Manning basically padded his stats each division game like he was playing Eastern Kentucky State while waiting for the real season to begin in the playoffs with Brady and the Pats.

Yeah, I won't be apologizing for the rest of the AFC South sucking. Did anyone diminish the Patriots run while they clubbed the rest of the AFC South like baby seals?

OK, sorry about the baby seals reference on a Sunday.