The AFC South is a tough division to call heading into 2026 and free agency has only made it more difficult. Two teams reached the Play-Offs last season, with the Jacksonville Jaguars winning the division and the Houston Texans qualifying as the #5 seed. The Indianapolis Colts also had a decent year, starting out at 7-1 before unretiring Phillip Rivers and finishing 8-9. After taking Cam Ward with the first pick of the 2025 draft, the Tennessee Titans struggled to 3-14 but will be hoping new head coach Robert Saleh can continue the rebuild. Here’s a brief overview of how the free agency shaped up for the AFC South:
Jacksonville Jaguars
It was a very underwhelming free agency for the Jaguars, who lost key players on both sides of the ball. Travis Etienne has gone and although Chris Rodriguez Jr has signed a two year deal on the back of a career year in Washington in 2025, their backfield feels substantially weaker than last year. Their defence was a major factor in their success last season, but the loss of star linebacker Devin Lloyd will definitely hurt. Their secondary is also expected to struggle in 2026, with the likes of Greg Newsome and Andrew Wingard no longer on the books. The Jaguars will be optimistic that Travis Hunter will have a breakout second season, but they need more than just him to step up if they want to emulate 2025’s success.
Houston Texans
The Texans’ offensive line was the main weak point in what was a strong roster last season, and that’s exactly what they’ve addressed in free agency. Experienced interior lineman Wyatt Teller has joined the Texans after spending the last seven seasons in Cleveland. Former Indianapolis Colts’ tackle Braden Smith is also a new addition to the Texans O-Line. He has been a regular starter for the Colts since being drafted in 2018 and will be optimistic of hitting the ground running with the Texans. Both of the aforementioned newbies will be tasked with protecting quarterback CJ Stroud, but there’s also a new running back in town, with David Montgomery being traded from the Detroit Lions. Houston’s defence was elite last season, so it didn’t really need much work doing to it during the off season. They signed Logan Hall as a depth piece on their already-strong defensive line, and Reed Blankenship will only improve their secondary. The Texans enjoyed an excellent second half to last season, but offensively they just weren’t good enough in the Play-Offs and will be hoping that their work this off-season is enough to turn them into legit contenders.
Indianapolis Colts
The story of the Colts’ free agency is about the players that they lost, rather than those they managed to bring in. Their defence played above the standard that everyone expected from them last year, but a number of key players in that defence have moved on. Safety Nick Cross, line-backer Zaire Franklin and EDGE Kwity Paye have all left Indianapolis, and it’s hard to say that they’ve replaced them with players of equal calibre. Michael Clemons and Arden Key have joined from the Jets and the Titans respectively, but neither are expected to set the world alight. Akeem Davis-Gaither has joined, and will hope to become an instant starter at the heart of Lou Anarumo’s defence. Another former Bengal heading to the Colts is Cam Taylor-Britt, who was disappointing last season and will be hoping to bounce back. Although the players they signed haven’t excited fans much, the Colts did re-sign and pay Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce, locking in their QB1/WR1 duo. The 2025 season ended in disappointment for Indianapolis, and it’s hard to see 2026 being any different.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans have spent more money than any other franchise during this free agency. This was expected, with loads of cap space, and a roster in desperate need of improvement after just six wins across the last two seasons. Wan’Dale Robinson is the biggest name through the door in Tennessee. The former Giants man has been rewarded for a career year in 2025 with a four year deal worth up to $78 million. On the other side of the ball, John Franklin-Myers will help sturdy up the Titans defensive line. That defensive line has seen a few changes in the free agency following the trade that saw T’Vondre Sweat head to the Jets and Jermaine Johnson come the other way. Tennessee have also strengthened their secondary, something that was much needed for new head coach Robert Saleh. Alontae Taylor has joined after spending four seasons with the Saints, while Cordale Flott signed after four years as a New York Giant. It’s going to be a tough task for Saleh to instantly turn this franchise around, but he’ll certainly be hoping to improve on last season’s three wins.
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