2022 AFC South training camp preview: Storylines for the Colts, Jaguars, Texans and Titans

Players report: July 24 (rookies); July 26 (veterans)

First practice: July 29 (full schedule)

Location: Houston Methodist Training Center | Houston, Texas

Notable acquisitions/re-signings:

• RB Marlon Mack
• WR Chris Conley (re-signed)
• WR Brandin Cooks (extension)
• OL A.J. Cann
• DE Jerry Hughes* (No. 32)
• DT Maliek Collins (re-signed)
• LB Blake Cashman (traded from Jets)
• LB Kamu Grugier-Hill (re-signed)
• LB Christian Kirksey (re-signed)
• LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin
• DB Desmond King (re-signed)

Notable departures:

• QB Tyrod Taylor (Giants)
• QB Deshaun Watson (traded to Browns)
• TE Jordan Akins (Giants)
• LB Jake Martin (Jets)
• CB Terrance Mitchell (Patriots)
• S Justin Reid* (No. 63; Chiefs)
• DB Lonnie Johnson (traded to Chiefs)

Subplots to track:

1. With the Deshaun Watson trade in the rearview mirror, and with the Texans having bypassed other QB options this offseason, all eyes turn to Davis Mills. We don’t yet know if Mills can be a front-line starter, but his strong five-game stretch to close out his rookie season showed a quarterback who improved his efficiency and cut down on mistakes from his first stint as the team’s starter. It appears the Texans will give Mills the 2022 season -- against a fairly robust schedule -- to prove himself, but we can’t assume anything is guaranteed for him after that.
2. Mills needs as many reliable targets as possible. Brandin Cooks, who had 74 more targets last season than any other Texans receiver, signed a contract extension after his name popped up in trade rumors. He’s one clear option, but who are the others? Mills and Nico Collins seemed to develop some chemistry, but the other receivers have plenty to prove while second-rounder John Metchie III continues to recover from the ACL tear he suffered in December. Tight end also remains a big question, especially with Jordan Akins gone, but Brevin Jordan could be one to watch. 
3. The Texans’ ground game was a disaster last season, ranking dead last in rushing yards, yards per carry and rushing scores. Rex Burkhead is back after leading a late-season upset over the Los Angeles Chargers, but he’ll be pushed for the starting role by injury-prone ex-Colt Marlon Mack and fourth-rounder Dameon Pierce. Offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton has said he wants balance on offense to help Mills and Co., but we likely must wait for camp and the preseason to figure out who will emerge in the backfield.
4. Lovie Smith built his Chicago Bears defenses on a fierce pass rush, rangy linebackers and playmaking secondaries. The latter part of that equation will be fascinating to watch develop in Houston, as the Texans likely will thrust first- and second-rounders Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre in as starters at corner and safety, respectively. They’ll need to be ready to be thrown into the fire against a slate of talented offenses on the schedule, but Stingley and Pitre have the chops to be fixtures for years with the proper development.

Players report: July 23 (rookies); July 26 (veterans)

First practice: July 27 (full schedule)

Location: Grand Park | Westfield, Indiana

Notable acquisitions/re-signings:

• QB Nick Foles
• QB Matt Ryan (traded from Falcons)
• RB Phillip Lindsay
• TE Mo Alie-Cox (re-signed)
• OT Matt Pryor (re-signed)
• DE Yannick Ngakoue (traded from Raiders)
• CB Brandon Facyson
• CB Stephon Gilmore* (No. 12)
• S Rodney McLeod

Notable departures:

• QB Carson Wentz (traded to Commanders)
• RB Marlon Mack (Texans)
• WR T.Y. Hilton
• WR Zach Pascal (Eagles)
• TE Jack Doyle (retired)
• OT Eric Fisher* (No. 50)
• OG Mark Glowinski (Giants)
• DE Al-Quadin Muhammad (Bears)
• DE Kemoko Turay (49ers)
• CB Xavier Rhodes
• CB Rock Ya-Sin (traded to Raiders)
• S Khari Willis (retired)
• K Michael Badgley

Subplots to track:

1. The Colts pulled the plug on the Carson Wentz experiment and took a different route to try to fill their biggest team void since Andrew Luck abruptly retired. Matt Ryan is out of Atlanta for the first time since entering the league in 2008 and will use the twilight of his career to try to lead Indianapolis to another title run. Ryan’s leadership, accuracy and toughness all should serve the Colts well, but will it turn out differently than Philip Rivers’ one year there? Rivers was solid to very good for the Colts but couldn’t get them out of the first round of the playoffs in 2020.
2. Michael Pittman Jr. is the unquestioned WR1. After that, the position is rather murky. Second-rounder Alec Pierce, the team’s top draft pick this spring, could end up battling for a starting spot opposite Pittman, but there will be competition. Injury-prone fourth-year veteran Parris Campbell might be on his last shot to prove himself, but a slew of other options -- Dezmon Patmon, Keke Coutee, Ashton Dulin and Mike Strachan among them -- should be in the mix to claim notable roles in the passing game at receiver.
3. The Colts have had pretty good offensive line stability under Frank Reich, but it’s possible they’ll have two positions up for grabs this year in training camp. Left tackle is the biggest question. Matt Pryor, who started five games (one at left tackle) a year ago, is likely to battle third-rounder Bernhard Raimann for starting honors. Right guard also remains undecided; the top candidates to win that job are jack-of-all-trades Danny Pinter, 2021 seventh-round pick Will Fries, veteran Jason Spriggs and possibly the loser of the left-tackle battle.
4. With the abrupt retirement of safety Khari Willis this summer and Julian Blackmon’s continued rehab from an Achilles tear, the Colts’ secondary faces some uncertainty. The most likely candidates to replace Willis are veterans Rodney McLeod and Armani Watts and rookie Nick Cross, but they’ll also be asked to cross-train with Blackmon working his way back. Cornerback should have more stability, as free-agent signee Stephon Gilmore arrives as one starter to join Kenny Moore II, but Gilmore’s workload might need to be managed and Moore’s dissatisfaction with his contract looms. Either Brandon Facyson or Isaiah Rodgers likely must step up.

Players report: July 24 (rookies and veterans)

First practice: July 25 (full schedule)

Location: Episcopal School of Jacksonville | Jacksonville, Florida

Notable acquisitions/re-signings:

• WR Zay Jones
• WR Christian Kirk* (No. 42)
• WR Laquon Treadwell (re-signed)
• TE Evan Engram* (No. 47)
• OT Cam Robinson (franchise-tagged and then signed extension)
• OG Brandon Scherff* (No. 10)
• OL Tyler Shatley (re-signed)
• DE Arden Key* (No. 74)
• DT Foley Fatukasi* (No. 62)
• LB Foye Oluokon* (No. 83)
• CB Tre Herndon (re-signed)
• CB Darious Williams* (No. 43)

Notable departures:

• RB Carlos Hyde
• RB Dare Ogunbowale (Texans)
• WR Tavon Austin (Bills)
• WR D.J. Chark* (No. 57; Lions)
• OG A.J. Cann (Texans)
• OG Andrew Norwell (Commanders)
• C Brandon Linder (retired)
• DE Jihad Ward (Giants)
• DT Taven Bryan (Browns)
• LB Myles Jack* (No. 85; Steelers)
• LB Damien Wilson (Panthers)

Subplots to track:

1. The Jaguars’ offseason spending appeared to be predicated on giving Trevor Lawrence a better pathway to success after a trying rookie year outside of an impressive effort in the Week 18 upset over the Colts. Head coach Doug Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor arrive with mostly good credentials in QB grooming, and the team’s big splash in free agency has improved the talent on the offensive depth chart. How Lawrence adjusts and adapts in Year 2 will be the biggest team storyline and likely the reason why the Jaguars either move up in the standings or remain stuck in neutral.
2. No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker will have pressure to perform immediately, even though he is still only 21 years old and had only one starting season in college. Adding to Walker’s projection is his role; he’s expected to work as a rush linebacker, and though Georgia deployed Walker from a two-point stance at times, there could be an adjustment period. He’s versatile and explosive athletically, and Walker’s best football appears to be in front of him, but how long he takes to develop will be a big storyline for a defense that needs as many stalwarts as it can find -- sooner rather than later.
3. Travis Etienne missed his entire rookie season (and all the drama that ensued) after suffering a Lisfranc injury in the second preseason game a year ago. Now he’s back and ready to display his blurring speed and playmaking ability, assuming Etienne’s foot doesn’t act up. If healthy, he’s special with the ball in his hands and could help make Lawrence’s life easier for years to come as a true complement to hard-running James Robinson, who's making his way back from an Achilles tear. Etienne and Lawrence were a special duo at Clemson and hope to revive that greatness in Duval with a new system and a fresh start in 2022.
4. The Jaguars’ offensive line has been relatively solid in recent seasons. Left tackle Cam Robinson is back, but there are new starters elsewhere. Free-agent signee and five-time Pro Bowl selectee Brandon Scherff will step in at right guard, Tyler Shatley and rookie Luke Fortner are in the mix at center, 2020 fourth-rounder Ben Bartch is the favorite at left guard, while Jawaan Taylor and Walker Little could battle it out at right tackle. How that group performs could be critical to Lawrence’s success, although Pederson always seemed to develop strong blockers in Philly.

Players report: July 23 (rookies); July 26 (veterans)

First practice: July 27 (full schedule)

Location: Saint Thomas Sports Park | Nashville, Tennessee

Notable acquisitions/re-signings:

• WR Robert Woods (traded from Rams)
• TE Austin Hooper
• C Ben Jones* (No. 38; re-signed)
• OL Jamarco Jones
• LB Harold Landry (extension)
• CB Buster Skrine (re-signed)
• K Randy Bullock (re-signed)

Notable departures:

• RB Darrynton Evans (Bears)
• RB D'Onta Foreman (Panthers)
• WR A.J. Brown (traded to Eagles)
• WR Julio Jones* (No. 54)
• TE Anthony Firkser (Falcons)
• OG Rodger Saffold (Bills)
• OL David Quessenberry (Bills)
• LB Jayon Brown (Raiders)
• LB Rashaan Evans (Falcons)
• CB Jackrabbit Jenkins

Subplots to track:

1. Following the surprising A.J. Brown trade and Julio Jones not being brought back, wide receiver might be the most immediate question-mark position on the roster. Help is on the way in veteran Robert Woods and first-round pick Treylon Burks. However, Woods is coming off a torn ACL suffered last November, and Burks got off to a slow start in offseason workouts, battling asthma and not practicing during mandatory minicamp because he was “unavailable,” per head coach Mike Vrabel. There are other WR options in Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, a possible starter, along with recent picks Dez Fitzpatrick, Racey McMath and Kyle Philips, but there are major changes afoot at wideout in Tennessee and a lot of projection along with them.
2. Ryan Tannehill remains the starting quarterback following a rough performance in the Titans’ home playoff loss to the Bengals. But in addition to losing Brown, Jones, tight end Anthony Firkser and some offensive line pieces, Tannehill also now has long-term competition in the building. Malik Willis slipped to Round 3, but he undoubtedly will be one of the must-see players this summer. His preseason performances will be appointment viewing for Titans fans and coaches alike, each group curious whether Willis can one day wrest away a starting spot.
3. The Titans’ defense, which is expected to return 10 starters after finishing in the top half of the league in most of the major statistical categories a year ago, appears to be in good shape. But many eyes will be on 2021 first-round pick Caleb Farley as he attempts to win the starting job that opened when the team let Jackrabbit Jenkins walk. Farley flashed top-10 talent in his final college season in 2019 but hasn’t played much since, opting out of the 2020 college season and playing only 56 regular-season snaps before suffering a torn ACL last October. Injuries have been a problem for Farley, so the Titans must identify other CB options to play outside if he can’t stay healthy. Tennessee did spend a second-round pick on former Auburn CB Roger McCreary this spring.