The AFC South was an interesting division in 2025, as all of Indianapolis, Houston, and Jacksonville were either juggernauts at one point or finished the season as one. There is a ton of young talent in this division, too, and we could see some great quarterback play as well.
Given how hard it is to repeat as a division champion in the NFL, there could be a shakeup in the standings, and with how much parity was present in the NFL in 2025, no one truly knows what could happen.
With free agency about over, let's power rank the AFC South.
Updated AFC South rankings as the 2026 NFL Free Agency period rolls on
4. Tennessee Titans
I am bullish on the Tennessee Titans for 2026. Not only is the defense going to be a lot better, but Brian Daboll now working with Cam Ward is going to be outstanding for his development. Ward did get a lot better down the stretch in 2025, and now he'll have one of the best offensive minds for quarterbacks working with him.
The Titans still may be a full year away from actually sneaking into a playoff spot, but the framework has been laid, and if you told me Tennessee finished with a better record than Indianapolis in 2026, I would not be shocked.
3. Indianapolis Colts
If nothing else, the Indianapolis Colts were 7-1 to begin the 2025 season before things went off the rails. While it might be impossible to expect that type of start in 2026, it's not totally out of the question. Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce are both back in the mix, which is awesome, but Indy doesn't really profile as anything more than a 'good' team that might be able to snatch a Wild Card seed if all goes well.
Plus, Jones is recovering from a torn Achilles, so that is a major injury that could keep him from being 100 percent for much of the season.
2. Houston Texans
You have to give the Houston Texans a ton of credit here, as they have addressed their needs in a big way, adding to the backfield with David Montgomery and remaking the offensive line a bit with two stellar signings in Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith.
At this point, Houston's roster is really one of the best in the conference. General Manager Nick Caserio does deserve a lot of credit, but as we saw at times last year, quarterback CJ Stroud just was not playing all that well.
The Texans have all the pieces in place to be a potential Super Bowl winner, but Stroud's play has to elevate in 2026, and since we have not seen Stroud play notably well since his rookie season, we simply cannot rank Houston No.1 in the division.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars broke out in 2025, finishing 13-4 and seeing Trevor Lawrence emerge as an MVP candidate. Not only was Lawrence on fire down the stretch, but the defense's ability to stop the run is also something to note here.
Even though the Jags have not done a ton in free agency, they did enough to win the division in 2025 and are going to remain atop the AFC South until another team is able to pass them up. Houston does have a legitimate chance, but the nod goes to the Jags right now.