The AFC South certainly had an argument as the worst division in football last year, but the Houston Texans bounced back from a 2-5 start to win seven of the last nine regular season games and grab the division title. A 9-7 record probably won't be enough to lock down the AFC South in 2016 after an influx of talent in the offseason, though.
The many new faces of the AFC South will make their training camp debuts
The Colts mostly stayed pat in the offseason, but will have the return of Andrew Luck to make them an AFC South favorite.
Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
While the Indianapolis Colts mostly maintained the roster during the offseason, they are the division favorite with the return of Andrew Luck. But the Texans invested heavily on offense by signing Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller in free agency, and adding Will Fuller in the 2016 NFL Draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans also made big changes. The Jags added Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack in the draft, while the Titans revamped the backfield with Derrick Henry and DeMarco Murray.
Training camp will reveal the readiness of all the new faces in the AFC South to contribute and give a first look at some of the most promising young teams in the NFL.
Houston Texans
Location: Houston Methodist Training Center, Houston, Texas
Starting Date: July 31
Complete Coverage: Battle Red Blog
The Houston Texans offense may have been the most discussed offense in the weeks leading up to training camp. The additions of quarterback Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller -- who replaces longtime Texans running back Arian Foster -- were the two most noteworthy moves.
The team also drafted speedy receivers Will Fuller and Braxton Miller, who will join DeAndre Hopkins, a dynamic receiver in his own right. Altogether, this offense should be fun to watch throughout training camp and the season.
On the other side of the ball, you have J.J. Watt looking to potentially secure his fourth Defensive Player of the Year honor. Watt is, however, recovering from back surgery, and his timetable for return is uncertain. Still, Houston’s defense was good enough to help the Texans win the division and get to the postseason last year with essentially a revolving door at quarterback. This season, they’ll look to take a bigger step forward.
Cornerback Kevin Johnson had a broken foot and broken wrist, and offensive tackle Duane Brown has been rehabbing a torn quad.
Indianapolis Colts
Location: Anderson University, Anderson, Ind.
Starting Date: July 27
Complete Coverage: Stampede Blue
Last season wasn't so great for the Colts, largely because quarterback Andrew Luck got seriously injured and missed quite a bit of time. Indianapolis focused on strengthening the offensive line this offseason, drafting center Ryan Kelly in the first round and spending a total of four out of eight draft picks on linemen. The position battles on the right side of the offensive line will be a highlight of training camp for the Colts.
The Colts were also dealing with some significant injuries along the defensive line last season. They'll hope to return Henry Anderson, who tore ligaments in his knee last season, as well as incorporate rookie pass rusher Hassan Ridgeway into the mix.
In addition to Anderson, the Colts have some other key injuries. Wide receiver Donte Moncrief is rehabbing a foot injury, guard Hugh Thornton has an undisclosed injury and safety Clayton Geathers has a broken foot. Cornerback D'Joun Smith is working his way back from a knee injury.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Location: Practice fields at EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Fla.
Starting Date: July 28
Complete Coverage: Big Cat Country
Last year, the Jaguars lost their first-round draft pick, Dante Fowler, before training camp even began. Fans are eager to see Fowler on the field once training camp starts up. Jacksonville added a lot of talent to their defense this offseason via the draft and free agency. So, in addition to Fowler, it will be an opportunity to see how draft picks Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack, as well as free agents like Tashaun Gipson, will fit into the defensive plans.
The Jags offense was solid last season, and the addition of Chris Ivory in free agency should help. Training camp should start to clarify how Jacksonville will plan to use their running back tandem of Ivory and T.J. Yeldon next season.
The biggest concern for the Jaguars heading into training camp has to be injuries. It remains to be seen how Myles Jack's knee will hold up in training camp.
Tennessee Titans
Location: Saint Thomas Sports Park, Nashville, Tenn.
Starting Date: July 30
Complete Coverage: Music City Miracles
There typically aren’t bright spots during three-win seasons, particularly at the quarterback position, but Marcus Mariota showed the skills that made him the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He also validated many of the concerns about his body type by suffering multiple knee injuries as a rookie.
While there are concerns about the wide receiver corps, the response by the Titans was to improve the offensive line with the additions of Ben Jones and Jack Conklin, and bolster the running game with DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry. The receiver doubts stand, but the improved ground attack should absolutely take the pressure off Mariota to make plays.
It’s tough to see improvements to a rushing attack in practice and it’ll take preseason to get the first true glance at the new powerful tandem behind Mariota, but fans can look forward to seeing the second-year quarterback try to take more control of the Tennessee offense that now features Rishard Matthews.
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