NFL Betting: AFC South Offseason Changes

After the NFL Draft, the AFC South is a very interesting and uncertain place, for a few very obvious reasons. There are unresolved matters in this division which might not even be taken care of before Week 1 of the regular season. Some big questions won’t have a clear answer until several games are played this season. At any rate, let’s look at the offseason changes for each team in this division.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans won their division but lost in the first round of the playoffs at home to the Baltimore Ravens. The Titans had Derrick Henry in their backfield, but their passing game didn’t help their running game, raising questions about what the Titans will do in the coming season.

Tennessee lost tight end Jonnu Smith to the New England Patriots. The Titans did, however, pick up pass rusher Bud Dupree from the Pittsburgh Steelers. They acquired cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Kevin Johnson to bolster their secondary. They drafted another cornerback, Caleb Farley, and took an offensive lineman, Dillon Radunz, early in the draft.

Another big change for the Titans this offseason did not pertain to players. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith took the open head coaching vacancy with the Atlanta Falcons. He was replaced by Todd Downing, who was promoted within the staff from his previous position as tight end coach. 

Indianapolis Colts

The offseason featured a free-agency scramble at the quarterback position. The Colts took a big risk by bringing aboard Carson Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles after Philip Rivers retired. The Colts took Wentz as opposed to other free-agent quarterbacks because Wentz flourished in Philadelphia when Frank Reich was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator. Reich is of course the Colts’ current head coach. If Reich revives Wentz’s game, the Colts become an instant contender. If Wentz doesn’t pan out, the Colts are stuck.

The Colts drafted pass rusher Kwity Paye in the first round. Paye was rumored to have had a heart condition, but he received a medical clearance after it was learned he had COVID-19 antibodies in his blood, which created the brief alarm about his heart. There are great quarterbacks at the top of the AFC power structure, and the Colts’ pass defense did not hold up well against them. The Steelers and Bills produced key pass plays in victories against the Colts late last year. Paye is an attempt to make it harder to throw against the Colts, who know they needed to beef up their pass rush.

Houston Texans

The Texans hired a new coach, David Colley, which was an outside-the-box hire and not a very splashy one. The Texans did not get a better coach because, at the time, it was expected that quarterback Deshaun Watson would force a trade. He demanded one, having been upset at the organization’s decisions in the offseason. However, Watson then became embroiled in legal troubles. A number of women claimed that Watson behaved inappropriately when being massaged by them. That legal case is unresolved. How it is resolved could affect Watson’s future in the NFL. It remains to be seen if the Texans will have Watson this season, and if he plays. Those are two completely unknown, uncertain matters at this time. It’s hard to say how this will end, but the Texans’ roster surrounding Watson has gotten worse, not better, over time. This drama will affect the overall balance of power in the NFL more than the Texans themselves.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Urban Meyer has won three national championships as a college head coach, but he wanted to see what pro coaching was like. He became the new coach of the Jaguars. He promptly took Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne in the draft. He also brought aboard Tim Tebow for a tryout at tight end. The Jaguars are a radically remade team after all these changes. It’s a new era in Jacksonville.