Projecting AFC South starting rosters for 2022

Teams have been through the draft and the majority of free agency. So we should be able to see the fruits of their offseason labour.

There are still quality free agents available which will end up somewhere, and camp battles to be won. But in this article series, we will take an early look at what each team’s starting line-up should look like for the season. Are these teams any better? Let’s find out. 

In the third instalment of this series, we take a look at the AFC South, dominated by the Titans for the past two seasons. And the path for a third straight title is clearly there. However, it would not be a shock to see another team atop the standings come the end of the season.

The Texans and Jaguars look to be rebuilding still, and while I like their teams more than others, the main competition comes from the Colts this year. 

Tennessee Titans

Tannehill is the QB this year, and deserves to be. Since joining the Titans, Tannehill has played like a top tier QB and has steered the offense well. Malik Willis looks to be the backup QB this year, but may get the odd snap here and there as the season progresses.

If Tannehill can continue to play well then he should keep Willis on the bench, and next year is when this could become a QB battle – it all depends on Tannehill’s play though. Henry is the life of this offense, and will receive the bulk of the carries with Haskins taking some of the load to keep Henry fresh.

The WR room looks a little concerning at this stage, however they are all professionals for a reason so should be able to get the job done. Woods is a fantastic route runner who will get open and Burks will hopefully be able to play up to his potential.

Burks however is not AJ Brown (who was traded to the Eagles during the draft) and while he might play a similar way, and may even go on to have a better career, it can be dangerous to try and replace a superstar player. The line looks similar to last year, with Brewer and Radunz stepping up permanently to be starters. As a group they did well in the running game, but struggled to pass protect, hopefully they can improve on that this year.

Overall, the Titans game plan looks to be pretty similar to last year, feed the best RB in the game as much as possible and use play action to create favourable match-ups. 

All three starters on the line return and why not, they will continue to be the strength of this team! Three good players who can stop the run with Autry and Simmons also excellent at getting after the passer.

Landry signed a life changing contract this year as the Titans reward him for his excellent play, including leading the team in sacks the last three years. Dupree is an excellent compliment who had a few issues with injuries last year – if he can stay healthy then watch out.

Cunningham was claimed off waivers mid season last year and played well, he looks to start this season and hopefully can continue that level of play. Farley was injured last year, but again should return and play as a starter for the team.

There are a few CB’s not listed above who will also play a lot (Roger McCreary & Elijah Molden), if they all play well then they should have an excellent secondary. Hooker and Byard both return as one of the better safety duos in the league. 

Indianapolis Colts

Matt Ryan is the smartest move of the offseason. And as someone who loves value, this is the move which really got me excited. Upgraded QB play for just a third round pick – yes please!

Look, it’s not a long term solution. But even just two years of decent QB play is worth it – not all 3rd round QB’s would give you that! Look for him to get the ball out quickly, make excellent decisions and rely on the run game – all behind an improved line.

There are two new starters on the line, with Pryor at LT and Pinter at RG, both should improve the unit which had high hopes last season but performed about league average. Taylor is a stud at RB and should stack up yards again this year, but there is also some nice depth this year with Hines and Lindsay – all of which are capable of pulling off some big highlight plays.

The WR’s could see lots of short yardage completions with the expectation they add crucial yards after the catch. Campbell has shown flashes throughout his time in the league, but is yet to really put it together, however with some improved QB play, could this be the year? 

The Colts put a lot of focus on building up an already stellar defense. Upfront the biggest move was trading for Ngakoue, who joins the line alongside the three returning starters.

At linebacker, Okereke led the team with 132 tackles last year and returns alongside Leonard whose eight forced fumbles led the league. Five-time pro bowl corner, and former defensive player of the year, Stephon Gilmore joins the team after showing he can still play at a high level. Overall this is a really solid group and has the potential to be a top five defense.

Last year, the Colts allowed 21.5 points a game, ninth best in the NFL, and 33 takeaways, second best in the NFL. It will be tough to have so many takeaways again this year, even with Gilmore, so I would expect that to drop just by law of average.

Overall though, this defense should take a step forward. The last time Indy had a top five defense was in 2007 – this could be the year to break that spell!

Houston Texans

After years of poor roster management, the Texans finally seem to be heading in the right direction. Mills clearly improved as the year went on, and now he is the unquestioned leader in the clubhouse. It will be interesting to see how he does this year.

I think, with this cast around him, if he does well the Texans will be happy to give him another year. If not, then they will be looking ahead to the draft to target his replacement.

Mills’ play last year certainly shows that he can be the long-term plan. So the ball is well and truly in his hands, just what a QB wants.

I’m listing Mack as the running back here, mainly because when he is healthy he looks like a decent player. But this offense has depth so will be playing the “hot hand” on a week to week basis while looking to develop the rookie Pierce over the year.

Cooks returns to the team as the most talented player on offense, and looks to work with some younger players in Collins and Metchie. The trade for Tunsil may have been one-sided all those years ago, but he is still the most talented player on this line (and would be on some other lines as well). Green was the first interior lineman drafted this year and is a safe bet to play at a decent level right away. 

The youth movement continues on Defense, which has spots open for competition all over the place. This team could look very different in week 17 than it does in week one, as it looks to develop the young talent and find those core players to build around.

Grugier-Hill led the team in tackles last year with 108, despite only playing 14 games. He has bounced around the league for a few years, but if he can stay healthy all season and play solidly again he could find himself a long-term home in Texas.

Third overall draft pick Derek Stingley Jr should step in as the teams best cornerback, if you still haven’t seen him marking Ja ‘Marr Chase at College do it now. I mean stop reading this and do it!

Nelson joins the team this year and should start opposite Stingley. Maliek Collins played well last year and should cement his place in the starting line-up after signing a two year contract. Jalen Pitre is another high draft pick that looks to start early pairing with Murray at Safety. 

Jacksonville Jaguars

Admittedly, as an NFL fan in the UK, I have a soft spot for the Jaguars. However, I am putting that aside to look at this roster.

Lawrence has excellent traits but struggled last year. We know that he was surrounded by suspect coaching and organisational turmoil, so now that is all behind him Lawrence should improve.

This alone makes it unlikely that the Jaguars are picking first overall for a 3rd straight season. I’m listing Etienne as the RB1. But mainly because the Jaguars will want to see him play. James Robisnon has shown he can produce as a RB at this level so expect to see him playing a high number of snaps as RB2.

A LOT has been said about this WR room, and while I am usually a fan of value, in this instance the team just needed to get better. If the Jaguars can improve to a mid-tier receiver room then it has been worth the money, and next year they can look to bring in the superstar players.

Evan Engram is a decent tight end that has shown flashes as a receiver, and the ability to block, but has struggled to stay healthy. Bringing back Cam Robinson to play LT for the next few years is a smart move, he is the most capable player on this line which overall is looking for improvement from last year.

The biggest new addition for the line is Scherff, who should improve the run blocking play. 

On defense, this front seven look sneakily good and should give the team something to build on. The pairing of Josh Allen and 2022 first overall draft pick Walker rushing the passer could be brutal.

Beyond these two though, the Jaguars don’t have a superstar (just yet). But there is plenty of depth to get excited about. The team focussed a lot of attention on the linebacker position while others neglected it – with big resources (cash and draft) spent on Oluokun and Lloyd, so it will be interesting to see the impact they have.

After a big contract was given to Darious Williams, I am listing him above as the starter next to Griffin, but the team will play a lot of 3 CB sets so Tyson Campbell should also be named up there as well really.

Jenkins looks set to return from the broken ankle he suffered in week 15 to take his place as the starting free safety. Next to Jenkins could be open for battle, but I expect Wingard to line-up for the majority of snaps after playing 15 games last season and finishing 3rd on the team in tackles (88).

Overall, this defense looks to improve from the disappointing season last year, and with this pass rush there is definitely something to be excited about.