AFC South Free Agency "Deep Dive"

[sherck]

From MMQB

TENNESSEE TITANS
Added: SS Johnathan Cyprien (JAX), CB Logan Ryan (TEN), DT Sylvester Williams (DEN)
Lost: G Chance Warmack (PHI), TE Anthony Fasano (MIA), WR Kendall Wright (CHI)

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has quietly shifted his philosophy in this, the eighth decade of his life. As last season progressed, LeBeau called more and more man coverage. The reason was twofold. One: The Titans were young at defensive back, and many of their players struggled to digest the complexity of the matchup coverage rules that come with LeBeau’s zone scheme. But two: LeBeau felt that his blitz packages, which featured five or six rushers who were almost always disguising their looks before the snap and criss-crossing paths to the quarterback after it, demanded more press-man on the back end. Adding Ryan will help in this department, but don’t be surprised if the Titans still draft one or two corners in the first few rounds.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Added: CB A.J. Bouye (HOU), DE Calais Campbell (ARI), SS Barry Church (DAL), G Earl Watford (ARI), LT Branden Albert (trade from MIA)
Lost: CB Prince Amukamara (CHI), OT Kelvin Beachum (NYJ), SS Jonathan Cyprien (TEN), G Luke Joeckel, TE Julius Thomas (trade to MIA)

It’s chic to facetiously declare the Jaguars back-to-back champions of the offseason, but boy, at some point the talent they’ve accumulated on defense (last year they signed DT Malik Jackson and S Tashaun Gipson and drafted CB Jalen Ramsey and LB Myles Jack) can’t help but translate into on-field success. This was already a better defense than people realized in 2016. With Bouye opposite Ramsey, it now has the ability to play press-man on the perimeter, which will give dimension to the zone foundation of D coordinator Todd Wash with Campbell paired with Jackson, there are two imposing defensive linemen who can line up anywhere and penetrate gaps or clog them.

HOUSTON TEXANS
Added: none
Lost: QB Brock Osweiler (trade to CLE), CB A.J. Bouye (JAX), S Quintin Demps (CHI), OLB John Simon (IND)

Bouye is gone, but third-year pro Kevin Johnson is expected back healthy. Johnson has outstanding transitional movement skills. Demps is gone, but undrafted third-year pro Corey Moore came on strong late last season, improving markedly in coverage. The unheralded Simon is gone, but this versatile front seven will get back a certain guy named J.J. Watt. Consider this one of the rare instances where a defense loses three quality starters, makes no additions and is still poised to maintain its standing near the top of the league.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Added: DE Jabaal Sheard (NE), OLB John Simon (HOU)
Lost: TE Dwayne Allen (trade to NE), S Mike Adams (CAR)
Re-signed: TE Jack Doyle

No team played with two tight ends as often as Indy last year. Rob Chudzinski has always been one of the most innovative offensive coordinators in football when it comes to multi-tight end sets. Allen was expendable because he’s basically a poor man’s Doyle. Which is to say, he’s more of an H-back than a receiver. Expect the Colts to draft a flexible pass-catching tight end.

HOU has not gotten better (with the exception of getting rid of their QB) and is waiting with all of its cap dollars held tightly in its fist for the Romo game to get underway.

JAX lost a CB, OT, OG and SS in free agency and gained a CB, OT, OG and SS in free agency. Now, you can argue that Bouye, Church, Watford and Albert that they gained are better than Amukamara, Cyprien, Joeckel and Beachum that they lost but it is still just position for position.

However, you can decide that gaining DT Calais Campbell over losing TE Julius Thomas is a net positive for their defense but they have gotten no better on their not very good offense.

TEN? Defensive gains versus offensive losses. They need to score more points in order to win games. Free agency is not helping them do that.

Overall, I am not sure that we have "lost" ground over our divisional rivals in free agency so far.

Cheers,

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by sherck

From MMQB

HOU has not gotten better (with the exception of getting rid of their QB) and is waiting with all of its cap dollars held tightly in its fist for the Romo game to get underway.

JAX lost a CB, OT, OG and SS in free agency and gained a CB, OT, OG and SS in free agency. Now, you can argue that Bouye, Church, Watford and Albert that they gained are better than Amukamara, Cyprien, Joeckel and Beachum that they lost but it is still just position for position.

However, you can decide that gaining DT Calais Campbell over losing TE Julius Thomas is a net positive for their defense but they have gotten no better on their not very good offense.

TEN? Defensive gains versus offensive losses. They need to score more points in order to win games. Free agency is not helping them do that.

Overall, I am not sure that we have "lost" ground over our divisional rivals in free agency so far.

Cheers,

The Colts gained ground if anything. The Jaguars are the offseason champions, but let me know the next time that means anything, Dan Snyder is still waiting for the payoff, here. The Titans lost a lot of their offense and gained a little defense, so they'll likely be worse overall since they struggled to score in the first place. The Texans lost pieces and are desperately waiting for a chance to pay an old, overrated, injury prone QB. The Colts, meanwhile, got rid of a bad contract, kept one of their own good players from hitting the market on a reasonable deal, added much needed pieces to their biggest position of weakness, and still have $30 million to potentially spend ($35 million if Art Jones is cut). Could see a good ILB and NT added with that money.

[falloutboy14]

The lack of pass-rush was crippling for our defense. If becomes just average, we should be much better.

[omahacolt]

Originally Posted by sherck

From MMQB

HOU has not gotten better (with the exception of getting rid of their QB) and is waiting with all of its cap dollars held tightly in its fist for the Romo game to get underway.

JAX lost a CB, OT, OG and SS in free agency and gained a CB, OT, OG and SS in free agency. Now, you can argue that Bouye, Church, Watford and Albert that they gained are better than Amukamara, Cyprien, Joeckel and Beachum that they lost but it is still just position for position.

However, you can decide that gaining DT Calais Campbell over losing TE Julius Thomas is a net positive for their defense but they have gotten no better on their not very good offense.

TEN? Defensive gains versus offensive losses. They need to score more points in order to win games. Free agency is not helping them do that.

Overall, I am not sure that we have "lost" ground over our divisional rivals in free agency so far.

Cheers,

we kept pagano

we lose ground every year that bumbling chimp is on the team

[Indiana V2]

Originally Posted by omahacolt

we kept pagano

we lose ground every year that bumbling chimp is on the team

Truth.

[OneVoice]

That moment when the Colts sign somebody of significance ...but then realize Pagano is still the HC.