Rating the Most Harmful Place Teams within the 2025 AFC South

Within the coming weeks, the Jacksonville Jaguars, together with the remainder of the AFC South, will report back to their respective coaching camp areas to place the ultimate touches on their 2025 offseason. With the rosters, for essentially the most half, set, we check out which AFCS divisional place group, on paper, seems to be essentially the most dominant heading into the 2025 season.

Quarterback

As a lot as many in Duval County would seemingly love to position Trevor Lawrence on this spot, if for no purpose than recency bias, this has to go to Texans QB CJ Stroud. Whereas Stroud could also be coming off of a 3,727-yard, 20 landing, 12-interception “sophomore yr regression” after his electrical rookie season, he nonetheless edges out Lawrence, who ended his second consecutive season on injured reserve. Nevertheless, Stroud’s 2024 season was eerily just like Lawrence’s 2023 (with Stroud’s 2023 rookie season mirroring Lawrence’s first yr underneath Doug Pederson). The hole in play between the 2 quarterbacks will not be as extensive as most consider, nationally.

Working again

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The Indianapolis Colts run away with the beat working again place group class, led by All-Professional RB Jonathan Taylor coming off his 1,431 yard, 11 landing, 2024 season. Backing him up are Khalil Herbert and rookie DJ Giddens. The manufacturing they’ve discovered on the bottom, regardless of being beneath league common in run blocking, is a testomony to Taylor’s capability and their scheme. The Texans, Titans, and Jaguars have a a lot tighter race for second place within the division with their backfields of Joe Mixon, Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, and Woody Marks for Houston, Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby, and Bhayshul Tuten for Jacksonville, or Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears for Tennessee.

Tight finish

On the barren fantasy soccer tight finish place, this would appear to return all the way down to Jaguars TE Brenton Unusual and Colts rookie TE Tyler Warren. As a lot as Texans followers would possibly argue that Dalton Schultz belongs within the dialog, his placing up simply 532 yards and two touchdowns on 85 targets with an injured receiver room simply doesn’t place him within the dialog. Unusual, whereas backing up Evan Engram for a lot of the yr, put up comparable numbers (411 yards and two touchdowns on 53 makes an attempt) whereas being an especially dominant blocker.

The depth behind every of those gamers is at present a coin flip, with Hunter Lengthy seemingly being the first move catching backup TE in Jacksonville and Mo Alie-Cox and Jelani Woods as further choices in Indianapolis. Whereas there’s an argument to be made that Unusual alone could also be a greater possibility than rookie season Tyler Warren, the argument for the general core would appear to lean to the Colts. Sight unseen, within the NFL, Warren, at the same time as a rookie, will seemingly be capable of produce equally to Unusual whereas having identified choices as depth in case of harm.

Huge Receiver

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The extensive receiver dialog is popcorn worthy within the AFC South, with the Houston Texan’s revamped core of Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, Tank Dell, and Christian Kirk making a splash. Nevertheless, Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, and Dyami Brown would appear to be a bunch with much less depth, however the next ceiling. The Colts’ core of Michael Pittman Jr, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, and Adonai Mitchell would even be creeping into the dialog; nonetheless, who’s throwing them the ball and the way correct are they issues right here, sadly.

With Lawrence and Stroud each having no lack of weapons in 2025, I lean towards going with the extra explosive room on the high finish, with BTJ, Travis Hunter, and Dyami Brown being schemed open by a identified Liam Coen. Conversely, the Texans will similarily be working a brand new “Sean McVay-style” offense underneath former Los Angeles Rams passing recreation coordinator Nick Caley. Will probably be Caley’s first season as an NFL offensive coordinator, versus Coen’s fourth calling performs. In different phrases, we have now proof of idea with Coen and BTJ, with questions on the incoming Houston rookies and their OC.

Offensive Line

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With the Colts returning three of their 5 2024 starters in LT Bernhard Raimann, LG Quenton Nelson, and RT Braden Smith, Indianapolis is in prime place to have above common to dominant play up entrance with little or no turnover. Nelson led the way in which for this unit, along with his 81.3 ProFootball Focus total grade in 2024, as mentioned by ColtsWire.

Nelson ranked fifteenth amongst all guards in pass-blocking effectivity, and he was fourth in run-blocking grade. Based on PFF’s monitoring information, Jonathan Taylor averaged 4.8 yards per rush when working to Nelson’s direct left and 5.3 yards per rush when working to his direct proper.

Second-year inside offensive linemen Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini spherical out the group. With Goncalves shifting from sort out to proper guard after solely practising at guard in 2024, that can seemingly stay an early season query. Bortolini appeared in eight video games with 5 begins in 2024, whereas Bortolini ranked fifteenth in pass-blocking effectivity and twenty second of all NFL facilities in run-blocking, per PFF.

Whereas the Jaguars additionally technically have three returning starters in RT Anton Harrison, LG Ezra Cleveland, and LT Walker Little, it could be a stretch to think about that unit “above common,” based mostly on their 2024 movie. The Titans have a fairly stable argument on their future potential; nonetheless, the addition of Dan Moore and Kevin Zeitler will not be sufficient to raise a line that was beneath common in PFF run blocking, yards earlier than contact, and run-block win fee in 2024. They’re additionally hoping for enchancment from JT Latham after flipping him from left to proper sort out. Sadly, this second place OL was the most effective alternative for a win for the Tennessee Titans in in the present day’s record of division-best place teams.

Defensive Line

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This may increasingly have been essentially the most troublesome class to guage as a result of main strengths and weaknesses of a number of divisional groups at both the DE or DT spot. The Houston Texans and the Jacksonville Jaguars every have reputable arguments to make to be high of the league duos on the edge place with Danielle Hunter (12 sacks) and Will Anderson Jr (11 sacks in 14 video games) or Josh Hines-Allen (8 sacks in 16 video games) and Travon Walker (10.5 sacks). Nevertheless, each groups’ inside line of defense at present has severe questions on what enchancment they may see of Tim Settle Jr, Folorunso Fatukasi, Sheldon Rankins, and Mario Edwards Jr in Houston and Arik Armstead, DaVon Hamilton, Maason Smith, and Jordan Jefferson in Jacksonville.

In the meantime, the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans have the other concern, with dominant defensive sort out play from All-Professional DT DeForest Buckner (6.5 sacks in 12 video games) and 2022 Professional Bowl snub Nost Deal with Grover Stewart (3.5 sacks). Nevertheless, Indianapolis’ edge play doesn’t rise to the league main stage of Houston or Jacksonville, with Kwity Paye (8 sacks) and Laiatu Latu (4 sacks). The Titans, equally, have dominant play from Jeffery Simmons (5 sacks in 16 video games), with about league common or much less efficiency from T’Vondre Sweat (1 sack) and Sebastian Joseph-Day (2.5 sacks).

The general edge right here has to go to Indianapolis, with Tim Settle Jr (5 sacks) and Mario Edwards Jr (3 sacks in 13 video games) giving barely much less within the move rush division than the Colts duo. Jacksonville’s main move speeding DTs, Arik Armstead (2 sacks) and Maason Smith (3 sacks in 11 video games), will look to enhance there underneath Anthony Campanile. The arrow can even seemingly be pointing up for Indianapolis with a brand new defensive scheme added to that dominant DT play. Shut name, however I’m going with the 2 dominant inside D-linemen over the query marks with good edge play.

Linebacker

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With each the Jaguars and the Texans having subpar DT play in 2024, it makes this determination barely harder to gauge at LB. If gauging potential, the arrow would seemingly go in the direction of Jacksonville, with their shift of Arik Armstead inside seemingly elevating the ground for his or her inside line of defense and linebacker unit. However, manufacturing issues, and the Texans core of Christian Harris, Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o, and EJ Velocity has proven the power to wreck video games even with common to beneath common DT play. So as to add, they may proceed in 2025 enjoying the identical defensive scheme, led by Head Coach DeMeco Ryans. That makes this determination simpler, because the Texans LB core will get the sting from me. Devin Lloyd, Foye Oluokon, Ventrell Miller, and Jack Kiser, enjoying in a brand new Anthony Campanile scheme, must show they deserve this title on the sphere in 2025.

Cornerback

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After getting paid this offseason, Derek Stingley Jr (5 ints, 18 passes defensed) and sophomore CB Kamari Lassiter (3 ints, 10 passes defensed) spherical out this dominant Texans CB room. With lots of the different AFC South defenses both working by means of accidents in 2024 or just falling off the cliff, questions stay for lots of the AFC South CB rooms not coached by DeMeco Ryans.

Colts CBs Kenny Moore and free agent addition Charvarius Ward are arguably high 5 CBs within the division, stabilizing that secondary. The Titans CB room of L’Jarius Sneed, Jarvis Brownlee Jr, and Roger McCreary is a fairly stable unit – in case you assume that 2024 was a season of rehabilitation and harm. In any other case, the query might exist of if we have now seen the most effective of Sneed throughout his Kansas Metropolis Chiefs days. Solely time will inform there.

The Jaguars CB room, just like the Titans,’ shares promise, however accidents in a number of seasons to Tyson Campbell add vital threat to this room. Wholesome, Campbell could also be one of many high two CBs within the division. However a wholesome Tyson Campbell has solely been seen as soon as in his four-year profession. With the addition of Jourdan Lewis, the group kicking Jarrian Jones outdoors, and the nationwide dialog of how a lot CB Travis Hunter performs creates excessive potential volatility on this room. They might finish 2025 as simply the most effective grouping, or finish the yr with essentially the most holes remaining to fill.

Safeties

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The wealthy get richer because the versatile Texans’ security core of Calen Bullock and Jalen Pitre moved off of Eric Murray whereas including C.J. Gardner-Johnson and rookie Jaylen Reed. In what most contemplate a high 5 security group within the league, AFC South offenses will seemingly have their fingers full in 2025.

The Colts’ addition of Cam Bynum with Nick Cross can even seemingly pay dividends, particularly with Gus Bradley not coordinating the protection in Indianapolis. For the Titans, the underrated Amani Hooker, Xavier Woods, and rookie Kevin Winston Jr may find yourself being a powerful pairing finally, however there’s no technique to challenge that as the most effective in division pairing previous to seeing it on tape. Heading into the season, the Jaguars’ security group is more likely to be checked out as one of many worst within the division, with Eric Murray, Darnell Savage, rookie Caleb Ransaw, and Andrew ‘Dewey’ Wingard – who primarily performs on particular groups, in previous seasons.

Particular Groups

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The Jaguars take this class with flying colours, rostering one of many league’s greatest (and highest paid) punters in Professional Bowler Logan Cooke, Professional Bowl Lengthy Snapper Ross Matiscik, sophomore Kicker Cam Little, and returning Particular Groups Coordinator Heath Farwell. Little, in his rookie season, was 27-29 on subject objectives with an extended of 59 yards. Whereas making 100% of his kicks inside 40 yards, he additionally was 5 of 6 from 50-plus. Jacksonville will, nonetheless, look to enhance within the punt and kickoff return recreation the place Indianapolis paces the division, as Anthony Gould averaged 29.4 yards per kick return and 9.5 per punt return.

Teaching

This one isn’t extraordinarily troublesome. The one right reply is DeMeco Ryans. After successful the division in consecutive seasons and increase a dominant protection that’s anticipated to once more produce in 2025, his main query is: did he hit along with his offensive coordinator rent after shifting on from Bobby Slowik? With the one divisional coaches not on a heat or sizzling seat in 2025 being Ryans and Liam Coen, this determination was simple.

AFC South Scoreboard

QB: Texans

RB: Colts

TE: Colts

WR: Jaguars

OL: Colts

DL: Colts

LB: Texans

CB: Texans

S: Texans

ST: Jaguars

Teaching: Texans

TLDR: Abstract

Texans – 5

Colts – 4

Jaguars – 2

Titans – 0

The Texans ended up having the most effective place teams in three of the 4 classes on protection whereas carrying fairly huge questions into the season offensively, totally on the offensive line. The Colts are strongest throughout the trenches and at RB, whereas having questions at QB and at head coach. The Jaguars have power at WR, TE, and particular groups with wide-ranging questions elsewhere. The Titans, basically, are an enigma, with many vital questions throughout the roster, together with at head teaching spot.

What say you, BigCatCountry? Did we hit it on the top? The place do you suppose we might have missed the mark? Tell us within the feedback!