There are intriguing rookies, interesting situations, and games that have their own backgrounds and storylines. Welcome to the 2025 AFC South and here are ten questions in the AFC South this season:
1) How does Titans rookie quarterback Cameron Ward handle the ups and downs at quarterback?
When the Titans drafted Cameron Ward number one overall, the thinking was that he would be the starter when they opened the season against the Denver Broncos. And so far, the Titans have done everything possible to prepare Ward for that game. They have thrown the kitchen sink at him in practice everyday in hopes of giving him as many looks as possible. In the preseason, we have seen glimpses of the arm talent and poise of Cameron Ward. However, that was the preseason, where not all the stars were playing and defenses were not yet playing at full strength. It will be interesting to watch and see how he handles different defensive coordinators' schemes against him and the Titans' offense. And more importantly, it will be something to watch how he handles it when things aren’t as successful as he would like.
2) Can the Houston Texans’ offensive line be better this year?
Last season, Texans quarterback CJ Stroud was running for his life behind the Texans’ offensive line. And heading into the offseason, everyone wondered what was going to be done to address the offensive line. They traded tackle Laremy Tunsil and guard Kenyon Green to the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively, in order to make the changes Houston thought they needed to make. But in signing veteran tackle Cam Robinson and guard Laken Tomlinson and center Jake Andrews, along with drafting rookie tackle Aireontae Ersery in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, are those the changes the Texans need to get better up front? Time will tell, but the Texans will have four brand-new starters on their offensive line starting this season, with the only holdover being guard/tackle Tytus Howard. The better they play, the better this Houston running game and offense in general will be.
3) How does the Daniel Jones decision affect the Colts' offense?
Daniel Jones is the starter in Indianapolis after signing a one-year deal to compete with Anthony Richardson for the starting quarterback position this offseason. With him winning the job, people are now wondering what this offense will look like, and more importantly, how Daniel Jones will perform running it. Will he be the Daniel Jones people wanted to forget who makes errant throws and is unable and can look devoid of confidence? Or will he be the Daniel Jones that helped lead the Giants to the postseason in the 2022 season, using his running ability and playing confidently? Only time will tell what we will see.
4) How much will we see L’Jarius Sneed?
Sneed was the best cornerback in football during the 2023 season with the Kansas City Chiefs, keeping opposing wide receivers out of the end zone while playing his physical brand of football. But that seems like years ago that he performed at this level. After being traded to the Tennessee Titans last offseason, Sneed has struggled to stay healthy and even when he was on the field, he was not the same player he was with the Kansas City Chiefs. This offseason, he underwent knee surgery and was recently removed from the Physically Unable to Perform List. after passing his physical. He is aiming to be out there for the Titans in Week 1. Whether that happens or not is up in the air, but it is a legitimate question about how much Sneed will be on the field this year for the Titans.
5) Will Trevor Lawrence flourish under Liam Coen’s guidance?
When Trevor Lawrence was taken number one overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Clemson, he was viewed by many as a generational talent at quarterback. Well, after two coaches and multiple offensive coordinators, Lawrence has not lived up to that hype. With Coen coming in from Tampa Bay after being the offensive coordinator there for Baker Mayfield, the former 2018 first overall pick of the Cleveland Browns, there are Jags fans that are hoping he can have the same effect he had on Baker with Trevor (career-highs in passing yards, touchdowns and completion percentage for Baker in the 2024 season). For the Jaguars organization, they are hoping he is the man to unlock Trevor's full potential.
6) How much will Travis Hunter play both ways?
Travis Hunter was the most talked-about draft pick going into the 2025 NFL Draft. The receiver and defensive back made it no secret he wanted to play both ways in the NFL and the Jaguars, who traded up for him with the Cleveland Browns, are going to give him that opportunity. Travis started out playing offense and then added more defense as we inched closer to the start of the season. Now the question is how much he will play both ways during the entire season. There will be some games in which he probably plays more defense than offense or vice versa, but seeing him do something no one has done in the modern-day NFL and how much he does it is going to be something to watch all year.
7) Who is the number 2 receiving option in Tennessee?
There is no doubt who the number one receiver is in Tennessee. Calvin Ridley has stood out this offseason not only for looking more comfortable in Nashville but also in his relationship with Cameron Ward. The two appear to be on the same page at all times, and because of that, Ward has looked for him often during the preseason and practices. But beyond Ridley, there are many question marks. Veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett has speed, but many wonder what he has left. Van Jefferson has the ability, but has not really been a standout over his career. And rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike are still growing and learning the NFL, along with second-year wide receiver Bryce Oliver. Out of these selections at wide receiver, along with rookie tight end Gunnar Helm and fourth-year tight end Chig Okonkwo, no one knows who's going to step up and be the second option in the passing game. Over the season, we shall find out.
8) How will the change of defensive coordinators help or hurt the Colts?
The Colts were a predictable defense under former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. The two safeties over the top were something everyone expected and knew how to attack. With that being said, Bradley was jettisoned, and former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was brought in to shake things up defensively. Anarumo likes to bring pressure from all angles and frequently matches his corners in man-to-man defense. To aid in the defensive transition, the Colts signed cornerback Charvarius Ward from the San Francisco 49ers and safety Cam Bynum from the Minnesota Vikings. With this defensive overhaul, the Colts are hoping for a defense that can force turnovers and be less predictable. However, it is also worth remembering that Anarumo’s defenses have been torched at times. Which way will this defense lean? We are going to see this season.
9) Will Josh Hines-Allen Rebound This Season?
Edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen is one of the longest-tenured Jaguars on the roster. He is one of the leaders of this team, and it was expected last season that he would lead them not only off the field but also on it. Unfortunately, that did not happen on the field when it came to sack production. His totals fell from 17.5 sacks in 2023 to only 8 in the 2024 season. Part of that was due to the scheme change and the new defense they were running last season. However, overall, the Jags are expecting more from Josh Hines-Allen this season. If he shows up under new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, then the Jags could rival Houston for the best one-two punch rushing the passer in the division, conference, or even the NFL with Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. If not, then more weight falls on former number-one draft pick Walker to be the man up front.
10 ) How does CJ Stroud handle more responsibility this year?
Last season did not go the way Stroud wanted it to. Under offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and an offensive line that underperformed, Stroud was on the run frequently and threw more than double the interceptions he had thrown the previous season. With the issues the Texans had offensively, Houston fired Slowik and brought in Rams tight end coach Nick Caley. With Caley installed and the changes up front, the Houston offense will not only have a new scheme to learn, but it will also place more responsibility on Stroud to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage. With this additional honor for Stroud, it will be something to watch not only how he reads defenses and makes adjustments, but also how he commands the offense when given more power to run it.