Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Four non-quarterback players in the AFC South face pivotal seasons that could redefine their careers and their teams' trajectories.
- Each player must overcome specific challenges — from injury recovery to increased responsibility — to secure a lasting role with their franchise.
- The outcomes will shape depth charts and offensive or defensive strategies across the division before the 2027 season begins.
Every quarterback in the AFC South is heading into a very important season. I know that's true of, like, all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL, but it feels especially true in the AFC South, where any of the four projected starters taking a step forward could redefine the state of the division for the next half-decade.
It would be boring, though, to write about why this is a make-or-break season for four different quarterbacks. Instead, let's focus in on a non-quarterback from each AFC South team whose career hinges on the 2026 season.
WR Tank Dell, Houston Texans
We haven't seen a lot of Tank Dell in the NFL, but what we have seen has been impressive. Unfortunately, injuries have absolutely killed the Houston Texans wide receiver, who has played in 25 games over the first three seasons of his career. That includesmissing all of the 2025 season.
Season | Injury |
|---|---|
2023 | Leg Fibula Fracture |
2024 | Torn ACL |
When Dell's been on the field, he's been an electric player, and I think you can make a very good argument that C.J. Stroud's 2025 regression happened in part because he didn't have Dell to serve as a field-stretching outside threat. We're talking about a guy who had five touchdowns in a four-game stretch as a rookie before his devastating injury one game later.
If Dell's healthy in 2026, the Texans will find ways to get him involved, but there are two big concerns. First is simply Dell's ability to stay on the field. Can Houston count on him to be out there for 17 games? Beyond that, there's the issue of whether or not Dell will still be the same guy. He's an undersized receiver, so if his speed doesn't return, it's hard to see what his role is. You can't stick him in the slot if he's not going to be able to outrun defenders, for example. 2026 could be the year that solidifies Dell's role in Houston, or it could be the end of it.
WR Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts gave wide receiver Alec Pierce a big contract this offseason and traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Steelers, which means that Josh Downs is now the undisputed No. 2 wideout on this roster. Now, he just has to show that he can handle that.
Downs saw his role change a bit last year with the emergence of Pierce as a downfield weapon for the team, which led to career-low numbers in Downs' third NFL campaign.
Receptions | Yards | Yards Per Catch | |
|---|---|---|---|
2023 | 68 | 771 | 11.3 |
2024 | 72 | 803 | 11.2 |
2025 | 58 | 566 | 9.8 |
Trading Pittman is a bet that Downs can be that go-to receiver in the short and medium passing game, while Pierce serves as the top outside guy. So far, Downs has shown enough that if I were an NFL general manager, I'd be willing to make that bet, but I wouldn't yet be confident that the bet is a certainty.
The biggest thing we need to see from Downs is that he's more than just a "catch the ball and then go down" player. He was only 66th among wide receivers in yards after the catch last season, and while he ranked an impressive 25th in contested catch rate, he needs to be able to break away post-catch more than he has.
LB Ventrell Miller, Jacksonville Jaguars
Last season, Devin Lloyd took a big step forward, picking off five passes for the Jacksonville Jaguars and making his first Pro Bowl. His reward for that was a contract with the Carolina Panthers, which means that the Jaguars are now looking for a Lloyd replacement.
One option that's already on the roster is Ventrell Miller. The 2023 fourth-round pick played 46 percent of Jacksonville's defensive snaps as a rookie, but that fell to just 20 percent last season, and he played 299 special teams snaps to 220 defensive snaps. Lloyd's strong play was part of what pushed Miller down the pecking order.
Now, he'll have an opportunity to prove he can be the long-term answer at linebacker for the Jags. The good news for him is that even with Lloyd leaving, Jacksonville didn't see the need to add linebackers this offseason, which suggests at least some level of confidence in the combination of Miller and Dennis Gardeck to rotate beside Foyesade Oluokun.
C Austin Schlottmann, Tennessee Titans
To fix the hole at center, the Tennessee Titans brought in journeyman offensive lineman Austin Schlottmann. This is his best chance to be a full-time starter in the NFL, and it's also likely his last chance, as Schlottmann begins his eighth season in the league.
Schlottmann has never started more than four games in a season, serving mainly as a rotational backup option at guard and center. Last year with the Giants, he played the most snaps of his career, though, stepping out on the field for 362 offensive plays, a little less than one-third of the team's offensive snaps.
Tennessee is betting on what they saw in that small sample, but the team also knew to be a bit cautious here, adding Pat Coogan in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. Spending a sixth-rounder on a center is interesting here, because you don't necessarily expect a sixth-rounder to push for a starting role immediately, but that could be something that happens if Schlottmann can't show he's the right guy in camp.
Add us as a preferred source on Google