Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - PREVIEW: Can Cam Ward take the Tennessee Titans to the top of the AFC South in 2025?

Episode Date: August 28, 2025

AFC South shakeup looms as 2025 NFL season approaches. Will the [Houston Texans] maintain their grip on the division crown?Hosts dissect each team's offseason moves, debating the [Texans]' offensive line concerns and [Jacksonville Jaguars]' potential to dethrone them. C.J. Stroud and Trevor Lawrence take center stage as the division's top quarterbacks. The conversation heats up over NFL Top 100 rankings, with Derek Stingley Jr. and Travis Hunter sparking fierce debate. [Tennessee Titans] and [Indianapolis Colts] vie for most improved team status, while final standings predictions reveal surprising twists.Tune in for expert analysis on how coaching changes and key additions could reshape the AFC South landscape in 2025.

I'm going to tell you why the Houston Texans are not going to win the AFC South this season. The 2025 Locked-on NFL season previews continue right now. This is the 2025 Locked-on NFL season preview. Only on the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome in everybody to the 2025 Locked-on NFL season previews on this episode. we are going to be focused on the AFC South. And we don't care what you have to say is the best division in the NFL.

Today's episode is brought to you by Fandall. Football season is right around the corner. Make sure you visit the Fandle app today and start planning your futures bets. Now, I'm Tyler Rowland, host of Locked on Titans. I'll be your host for the divisional preview. Joining me are my colleagues from the Locked On podcast network. Of course, we have the OG Tony Wiggins

from Locked on Jagrars, one half of the excellent Locked on Colts podcast, Zach Hicks, a resonant film nerd. And then, of course, we have our main man from the Locked on Texans podcast, Showtime. Joe Higman, everybody. Always great to get all the fellas together to break down the season ahead. Today, we're going to take a look at the contenders in the division. We're going to talk about which teams present the biggest challenge in the division, the most improved squads, the best players on all.

of these teams and we're going to give you our division finishing predictions as well. Let's start at the end everybody. The Houston Texans are the obvious favorites to win the AFC South this year. But I got to tell you guys straight out of the gate and anybody who's been watching any of our shows know I don't like to pull my punches. John, I don't think the Texans are going to win the South this year because the offensive line got significantly worse and I think that's the most important thing in football outside of quarterback right. now. So I think the Texans are the clear favorite, but I'm going to say they take a step back this year because the offensive line isn't good enough. What do you think, John?

Well, you know, this is a part of the show where I have to kind of duck some of those punches that you're not going to pull and throw some back. And to that offensive line point, I would say to the people who have not watched, locked on Texan podcast or, you know, may have not seen how I've talked about the offensive line. Listen, I know that they lost Lambert Tussel and the off season, which, by the way, was absolutely needed in terms of the culture that they wanted to set in an offensive line, wanted to be mean and wanted to be more physical. Lamontas is one of the top-love tackles in the league, but he ain't that, right? Not disrespecting the man at all.

I call him soft. I'm just saying his play doesn't resemble what the head coach is looking for. Now, they brought in some guys that have either been a journeyman or just hadn't paned out in the NFL. They've drafted Arionte Urstery. All of that being said, Titus Howard back at right? tackle. This offensive line is much better than 24. The names are not sexy. I get it. It's kind of like you don't see a Beyonce, but you still see a bad one out there. Do I think that they're going to be a top 10 unit? I'm not going to say top 10 because top 10, you got some teams that

are bringing back their entire offensive line. We don't know what they had last year. But they're playing with more togetherness, cohesiveness. They're playing physical. This won't be a year, then we'll see somebody hit C.J. Stroud, the offensive line, let it happen. They won't get in your face about it this year. They're playing together. They're playing physical. And the scheme fits what they can do well. Won't see a lot of zone runs this year, more dual-gap runs. And I think that's going to make it easier for the offensive line to be better than they were in 2024. Does anybody agree with me? Are you guys seeing Houston or anybody seeing Houston get knocked off this year? Yeah, I see them get knocked off. And you know who I think's

going to do it. It's going to be the Jaguars, and I'm dead serious about that. I'm not being biased. Don't think for one minute. I'm just saying this because I'm the host of Locked-on Jaguar. I'm being-I think that's what we're thinking. Yeah, okay. But I will say that there's a lot of newness to the Jaguars,

and there's sort of some newness, too, as John alluded to, to the offense and the things that they're going to do. I think those things kind of mitigate each other a little bit. And if you have a champion or two-time champion that did not make a bar, a bunch of wholesale changes on their staff and with personnel, that familiarity would scare me because it's like a dude that doesn't have to shed weight before a boxing match because that's the natural weight that he has all the time. But because they're so new and because they are trying to regain their footing,

I know what that feels like. That looks like the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022 and 2023. It's the same situation. And you keep trying to get back to this thing, this high, when that high was built on shaky ground as it was. because the offensive line ended up going away. And Bobby Sloat ended up being kind of shown as not being that dude that was the next guy like Ben Johnson. So I really do believe that it's all things being even between those two teams.

I think the Colts, because of the uncertainty of quarterback, as well as the youth of the Titans, I think it's all about the Jaguars and the Texans. Yeah, I will kind of give some credence to what you guys are thinking about, like the Houston Texans here, where like John said, I think this offensive line is a little bit better, what people are expecting, but I think it's more so going to come in the run game than the past game. I don't really believe them in the past game yet. I got to see it to believe it when it comes to these guys performing as pass blockers. Because like John said, I mean, Tunsell, for all of his warts, he was still one of the best left tackles at football on that blind side

when he was playing. So I do got to see them in past protection. I think one thing we're not talking about enough to with the Texans is defense is highly regressible from year to year. And even if you have everything on paper to be a dominant defense for four or five years straight, or even just two years straight, like you're trying to look at with the Texans, things happen and defenses regress and change so much from year to year. And it can be just to random luck. It can be too sporadic things. It's hard to count on defense being a top five unit back-to-back seasons.

But I will be the one who says that the Texans are probably winning this division. And at the end of the day, it just comes down to quarterback. It really comes down to quarterback here, where Tyler's team has the young kid who's probably not fully ready yet unless he goes on some Jaden Daniels magic run, which might happen. Who knows? We'll see this season. The Colts certainly don't have that guy who can go toe to toe with the quarterbacks in this division. No, we don't, I mean, we're going to, we'll see how many quarterbacks play for the Colts this

year will be the big thing here. And C.J. Stroud's been there, done that. I know Trevor Lawrence has had some good moments in the past, but recently it just hasn't been at the level of C.J. Stroud. and because of that, and because even if I think the Texans defense takes a slight step back this year, it's still like a top 10 defense in football still. I mean, their peak is number one. Their floor is probably still like top 12.

Like, they're not going to fall that far off. So I think the Texans are a pretty good team. I think they're going to be the team to beat. Jaguars are probably my number two team in the division right now. But I do think it's Texans by a little bit of a margin over the Jaguars. John, let me ask you, since your Texans are the favorite in the division, If you had to pick one of the other AFC South teams that you think

may win if the Texans don't win, would you stick with Jacksonville like everybody else? Are you going off the board a little bit? I'm going with Jacksonville simply based on, they got the quarterback that at at this junks, we have to trust more than Cam Hoard, who I like, by the

way, and also the two guys that's up in Indy. And also, I look at Indy and I think that there may be some internal turmoil going on this is from the outside looking in and as much as cam war like to say he has one of the best receiving chords in the NFL well we know cap when you see jacksonville though they made some moves in the offseason you get a player like Travis hunter I think that he brings

an immediate boost to whatever side of the ball he's playing on their drive I think that they have a little bit more competency as a head coach in the head coaching department so I like Jacksonville to be better than what they were in 2024. And also, I would say, I think in a couple of years, this division, the coach can get right at a quarterback, this division will be a lot better than where it is right now. But it's Houston and it's Jacksonville to come take it. You know what I like to bet John did, John,

and we always talk about here on Locked on NFL, how local, how you know more stuff and because you're in tune. The benefit that John had with Trevor, And I know y'all used to me joking, but I'm going to be dead serious. In CJ Stroud's rookie year, he was the rave of the league. Yes. The Jaguars went to Houston. John, you saw the game.

And Trevor Lawrence said, hold my beer. And I think what John probably saw in that one game. And I've seen it more because obviously we watch our own teams every week. But in a game like that where they were talking about this is C.J. Stroud, the hot shot rookie. This is Trevor, the dude that had all of his promise. Trevor Lawrence went in there and slung that thing that day. And so when you've seen someone do that in that type of situation, you kind of tell yourself, I don't care what everybody else says.

I saw it with my own eyes. Well, I think we're talking about probably the two best players in the division. And if they aren't the two best players in the division, I certainly think they're probably the top two MVP candidates in the division. We'll talk about that. Top 100 NFL talk. We're just getting started again. going to talk about the best players in the division.

There's some omissions in there and at least one guy who I think is going to be on that list next season. It's the 2025 Locked-on NFL season preview of the AFC South. Do want to let you guys know that today's episode is brought to you by prize picks.

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All right, let's continue the 2025 AFC South preview here. Do want to remind you that you can get daily coverage of your favorite NFL team by subscribing to their Locked-on podcast. We also have the entire NFL covered nationally with Locked-on NFL, which me and Tony host, Locked-on NFL Scouting, Peacock and Williamson, locked-on fantasy football, locked-on dynasty football, and you can get 24-7 coverage of the NFL with our brand-new Locked-on NFL stream free on YouTube and on Amazon Fire TV.

But the Locked-on NFL, Top 100, came out this off-season, very, very interesting, but we have quite a few members of the AFC South present. We got Derek Stingley Jr., cornerback from the Texans at 23, Chavarius Ward, cornerback from the Colts at 50, Jeffrey Simmons from the Titans at 55, Quentin Nelson from the Colts at 56, C.J. Stroud for the Texans at 58, Nico Collins for the Texans at 61.

Will Anderson for the Texans, again, at 66. Travis Hunter, what, at 67, and then DeNeil Hunter, edge for the Texans at 99. Guys, I got to come out of the gate right here, right away. Please, I'm going to say, and I got to say, Travis Hunter making it into the top 100 when Brian Thomas Jr. isn't there over DeNeil Hunter. Tony, I like Travis Hunter. I like the move from the Indianapolis Colts. Do you have any defense of this ranking, or do you think this is a little too,

too much too early for the Star Roo? rookie cornerback wide receiver. I have no defense for it, and I didn't do it, and I wouldn't have done it. Okay. I did it. I didn't do it either. Yeah. I do have a policy.

We're all looking for the guy who did this. Yeah, I have a policy. I just don't put rookies in top 100. You just got to see on the end. But I will tell you this, from what I know, from what I've seen close up, there ain't five people that's going to shake his. I'm confident to say he's one of the five best athletes, not only in the division, but in the conference.

He has this athletic confidence about him, dog, and when you watch him, that stuff is real. It is not, and when you've been to camp and you've seen it, and I've done this for two decades, I'm telling you, out of all the people I've ever seen, probably Jimmy Smith and Fred Taylor, that I can say, Antonio Bicelli, that I could say athletic-wise, in that teal and black, nobody's been like that so i will say that uh but brian thomas junior in my opinion should have

been there and i think he should have been in the top 50 yeah i don't think that's crazy let me just say just a little side note i just want to say a lot of people credited the browns for that trade they made to give up travis hunter to trade back not get Travis hunter take a a guy in mason graham who i wasn't that high on to be picked that high i don't think he's a difference maker and you need to be taking difference makers in the top five they trade back and say they're getting picks so they could take their quarterback of the future in 2026, and then they use three picks in this draft to take two other quarterbacks. None of it makes sense. I think Jacksonville won that trade, and I'm just tired of people acting like the Browns were big winners for the draft.

I don't buy that. I mean, look, at any time that you could even debate that, you know, if a player was worth trading all of that capital for, and he's not a trench player or a quarterback, and it's a conversation either way, or even going the way that you said there, Tyler, where you think the Jaguars won it. That's just how special. is as a player. So, yeah, I need to see it for a whole season, especially with the two-way thing. I just, I don't know how sustainable that is. That scares me a little bit. Yeah, it does scare me because the NFL is just a different animal in general. But like Tony said, this is just a different player, you know. So I'm not going to doubt him

whatsoever. I just need to see it first before he's the 67th best player. I won't, I won't worry about the two-way player part of it in terms of the number of plays steady plays. But I will be concerned that I don't know if you can ever be the best receiver you can be while you're doubling as a corner. And I don't know if you can ever be the best corner you can be while doubling that receiver. That's the only thing that I that I'm concerned with the two-way aspect of it. But I'm not concerned about the number of plays. I don't think you're going to see him do what he did at Colorado. I think he'll play 7580 snaps. John, let me ask you this. There are multiple Texans on this list. We have Derek

Stingley Jr. as the highest ranked one and then Stroud and Nico and they're so do you think that the order of those players is correct that that Derek Stingley Jr. is the best player on the Texans and then Stroud and then Collins and then Anderson and then Hunter or would you order them differently than that? No, Derek Stingley is absolutely the number one player not only for the East and Texas but I think in this entire division. I think you can make the case to swap out 99 and 66, DeNeil Hunter and Will Anderson, though I believe as of right now,

Will Anderson is the second best player on the Texan's team. But I think the time in the NFL matters. 58 at C.J. Stroud, again, I probably would look at having Will Anderson over Stroud right now. He does a great job of getting out of the quarterback, but also what people overlook is how will he sets the edge, which is

extremely it blows my mind at times because he never loses a gap discipline and he never jeopardizes the second or third level of a defense. And sometimes when you got guys that chase sacks, that may jeopardize the secondary or they may jeopardize the linebacking group.

He doesn't do that. But I think for the most part, it's okay. Maybe you look at swapping out or maybe bringing up the Nile Hunter. I think at 99 is extremely low for the Nile Hunter, considering again, Travis, or 100 being that 67, which is, you know, crazy.

But the guys that should be on there for Houston are on there, and Derek Steeley should absolutely be number one. He's the best player in the division. That brings up a great next question, because I go to Zach, you say the guys that are on there for the Texans should be on there. Zach, I'm looking at Quentin Nelson, who has constantly revered and gets the respect that he deserves.

But a guy like DeForest Buckner, really good player. I know it, you know, not getting as much love, is, do you think he should have made this list? I think he was certainly one of the guys that is like an honorable mention or could have been around where Daniel Hunter was like, I would take Daniel Hunter over to Forrest Buckner as of right now. So if Hunter is sitting at 99, it's tough to make the case for DeForest Buckner. But yeah, I certainly think he's in the conversation there.

It's just defensive tackle players take it off in the NFL. Like defensive tackle play is at such a high level that a player like Buckner might be the ninth best defensive tackle in football, 10th, 11th best defense tackle in football. football and he's still like a pro bowl or maybe 10 years ago this caliber that he's playing at would be like an all pro level guy right but it's just the caliber of defensive tackle but like john said i think the two colts guys who got on there are pretty deserving traverius ward i could have seen an argument for lower because of last year was a down season for him even though the year before was a truly dominant season and you don't want to punish a guy too much for i mean he went through

so much last year with the family and with the right with the injury that happened to him so it's hard to punish the guy too much for it so i think that's fine for him i mean if i had any complaint it would just be offensive linemen never get enough love and anything like this and like a quentin nelson being at 56 when he's going to be i mean he's going to finish his career with like ten whole pros like he's going to be a hall of famer and he's a fantastic player and sometimes we just you know it's kind of like the zach martin thing too it's like you kind of neglect players like that over time but i'm not going to be too pushy here i mean quentin nelson got on there ward got on there. That's the best I could hope for the Colts right now.

Hopefully, y'all can please, Quentin Nelson. He wasn't too happy about their quarterback change, man. Yeah, yeah, we'll see. We'll see what happens with that. You know, he's been like that for the last couple years and we'll see, especially because the Colts are so volatile after the season on what they could do in terms of blowing everything up. That's a conversation for another day. But yeah, I mean, Quentin Nelson, regardless of we finished his career with Colts, he's going to be in the Hall of Fame one day. So I'm glad he's getting his love and getting on that top one. hundred still in what his seventh, eighth season.

He's still, you know, all pro second team and getting on those lists like always. I wonder if Quentin Nelson's frustration isn't necessarily that it's not Anthony Richardson, but that he just knows this is going to lead to more change. And as he said, stability is really how to win in the NFL. And hopefully the Titans are able to be stable with Cam Ward because we talk about omissions. The only guy on the list for the Titans is an interior defensive lineman and Jeffrey Simmons, and he deserves it. But you've got to hope that.

Cam Ward can get on that list. And I know, Tony, you're thinking, Trevor Lawrence probably deserve to be on that list after the season ahead. You've got to hope that your quarterback can get on there if you want a chance to win in the NFL. So that's what I'm looking for there. But we're talking about, you know, all these talented players in the division. But there's only one team. There's only one team in the division that is the most improved talent-wise this all season. We're going to dive into that next on the 2025, locked-on NFL season preview of the AFC South.

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So to me, guys, I'm going to put on the Homer hat a little bit here. I think the most improved team in the AFC South over the all season is actually the Tennessee Titans. I agree. I'm not saying that the Titans are so improved that they're going to be some sort of contender or something in the division this year, but I think they were so terrible last year that Cam Ward's improvement at the quarterback position, what they've added on the offensive line to have competency there. They actually have some young players to be excited about to throw the football too. And they had existing veteran talent on the defensive side of the ball already.

So I think with some of the coaching changes and just the natural additions of talent this year, I think the Titans are actually the most improved. And I don't think that I'm being a homer here. No, I agree. Everybody ended up. Well, not everybody no more. But we're going to know and understand what it feels like to have a quarterback. And since Will Levis was drafted, you guys didn't have that opportunity.

And I look at the other team of the division, the Indianapolis Coast, now they have two quarterbacks. And if you don't have one, you ain't got none. And neither one of those options have shown to be pretty good, though Daniel Jones has a playoff with. But I like Cam Ward. I think Cam is in a very, I think it's going to be a little difficult and challenging for him. I agree.

The tools that you guys added. I got the young kid, what's the, Alamo? I.O. I just call him Iyo. I call him I.O. But his tape was good coming out of college. Don't know how you put it on. Travis Hunter, Tony.

He put it on Travis Hunter. He did. So you guys, I think this is a very good build off of foundational year to where in the year or two, we'll see Cam Ward really command a team in that offense. I want to say, add more weapons. I still have Kevin really, but I definitely think it's the Titans. And I think the Jags got better because the coaching may have got better. Well, and I think that matters.

That's why I almost pick, Tony. That is the big move for the Jags that improved them. They had a good roster already, in my opinion. Yeah, so, you know, I used to get on Trent Balky really, really bad. But one of the things I always said was it's not like the players, all of the players that he picked were bad. They weren't. Trayvon Walker is a great draft pick, 20 and a half sacks over the last two years.

And I actually think he's going to be the top 100 player. Yeah. If you look at real football, a lot of people say that. So Josh Allen is good. Of course, you know, Brian Thomas Jr. last year, one of the most talented players they've ever drafted. Tank Bigsby, Walker Little is under contract, a kicker that can kick it from another city. You saw a little. Yeah.

And we got the best punter, maybe in the. AFC. So the thing is, is there's a lot to work with here. But now you just got to put guys back in position. And then you add the ultimate talent guy in any draft talent wise. Travis Hunter is a top two pick and the top two talent in any drafts in the last 10 years. So when you get that type of talent to go along with Brian Thomas Jr. And oh, by the way, they add another speech here and down me, Brian for their three wide receiver sets, which is what they start in. I just think Adding Dionne, I mean, Jordan Lewis from, I say Dionne, Jordan, Jordan. Yeah, that's that age, that age, right, but Jordan Lewis solidifying that, that, that defensive backfield so that Travis doesn't have to go over as much while he's still learning to do two things.

And then the coaching alignment and putting guys back in position, finding ways to use good football players, whether they fit your system or not. And Trevor Lawrence getting what Liam Cohen calls answers pre-snap. I think instead of watching him play hero ball, you're not going to make it very, very easy for him and harness all of that talent and make him be Clark Kent and only have to be Superman two or three times a game. That's what the Houston, Texas got for CJ Straub. Bobby Swip out the door, it got to a part with everybody nationally.

It was like, what the hell is going on in Houston with the play caller? Nick Kelly comes over from two systems, and I think we're going to see a lot of New England here in Houston, And just thinking and dunking and live to survive another down, take the big shot when it's there, but also just giving CJ Stroud the keys to the car so he can find everything. And then pre-snap, calling out who's the Mike, calling out protection and all of that. That gives CJ an opportunity to limit those hits he took from last year. Yeah, 89 unblocked pressure, galore.

And then just to get him to a group, I think he is the best quarterback in the division. I don't necessarily think he was a sophomore slump, albeit numbers matter. But this year, I think once we get to about week seven, eight, or nine, we're going to see a different version of the CJ once he's comfortable fully in it office. So coaching matters. No, on that coaching point, we're talking about Cam Ward and the Titans and all that. Brian Callahan is the biggest mystery with the Titans. Who knows, right?

Why do we have any reason to believe Brian Callahan is an NFL head coach right now? He seems like a very nice man, very smart guy. like but he he might just be a scheme guy you know what i mean like you got to have a little leadership to you too now you know he's a nice person you know you know what we laughing at see you see you see that behind me the barbershop somebody said when somebody starts saying stuff like he's a very nice man he is awful at this job and that's like john picked up on it right away and we started laughing at the same he seems nice man he's like a nice dude he really does but Zach i do one of to ask you and try to get this train back on track. The Colts get no love for their improvements.

Everybody's worried about the quarterback situation. But the Colts finally added some talent in the secondary. We talked about Chavarius War. They had Cam Bynum too. Are you at least happy, satisfied with the improvements they made in other places with this team? Yeah. I mean, I'm going to give some love to my team here. I know ultimately I'm going to say that the Titans probably the team that got better because the big upgrade from Mason Rudolph. Because they were so bad before. Yeah, Mason Rudolph and no right arm Will Levis with his shoulder or whatever to Cam Ward is a huge upgrade. But when it comes to the Colts, I mean, quite frankly, last year they were an eight-win team with bottom five quarterback play across the board, whoever was out there for them,

and the 29th ranked defense in football. They were a dreadful football team that mustered out eight wins. And it wasn't like it was regressible because they were still seven and five in one win in one score games. So that's not even the most regressible thing. They're like seven and five, you flip that. You're still around a 500, just below 500 team. So now you factor in that they added a lot of talent to their secondary. They're bringing in Luana Rumo, who had a lot of success with the Cincinnati Bengals. I know it went downhill last year, but you're giving him, you're giving him Cambine and you're giving him Charverius Ward, giving him Zaire Franklin, who was an all-pro last year, DeForest Buckner, Laot, too. There's a lot more talent on this Colts defense than what

the Bengals had last year. And then on offense, you know, the move at quarterback, while Daniel Jones has not been good whatsoever the last couple years. The idea here is you're getting him in a structure that can maybe accentuate him a little bit again, make him the game manager that he was in 2022 when he took the Giants to the playoffs where, yes, he can use his legs a little bit. He can just play ball control. He's been a lot better with the turnovers in recent seasons than he was in his rookie year where he racked up those like 30 turnovers in one season. So he, if you can just get him to be the game manager like Gardner-Minchu was when they went nine and eight in 2023, and went down to the wire against the Houston Texans that season to make the playoffs.

If you just factor in maybe him being that level game manager with Tyler Warren now added to this offense, with the defense not being the 29th defense in football and having an actual unique scheme instead of Gus Bradley's just sit back and tackle. Take cover three. Right. Then I think that the thought process for the Colts is that can be a good enough thing to get them the playoffs. Ultimately, do I think that?

Probably not. But I see that as an avenue that can work for the Colts and be an improved. improvement over last year. It's not going to be as drastic in improvement as like the Titans or the Jaguars might see this year. But I think it could squeak out like eight wins to 10 wins in a perfect world. I don't think we live in a perfect world, but I think it could go from eight wins to 10 wins with that type of philosophy of run, control the game, have Luana Rumo's defense, just suffocate quarterbacks and go from there. Zach, you know what my fear is for you guys, especially with the rest, how the rest of the team is

set up. It's just like, when will y'all be bad enough to actually be able to be in that top four or five pick range to give you a future quarterback? Well, after this season, all the guaranteed money on basically every veteran on the team is up. So if it all crumbles this year, if Jones is just the Daniel Jones we saw the last couple years with the Giants, they can tear every single thing down with this roster. Kenny Moore, Grover, Stewart, DeFords Buckner still has money on his deal. But Quentin Nelson's deal is all his guaranteed up. Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr.

Every single one of them, no more guaranteed money on their deals after this year. So they can hit the open market. They can reset this thing. They can really tear it down to the basement and they can just kind of start anew. But I think, yeah, with the current makeup of this team, it's ready to compete. But, you know, the question we've been asking ourselves is, why was Daniel Jones then, the guy you went after? If you weren't really interested in starting Richardson this year, go after a Darnold, go after

a Gino Smith. But that's, you know, I get a question for another day. But ultimately, again, they want Jones to be their game manager, squeak into the playoffs, and then go from there. Again, what does that really do for you long term? I'm not sure. But for short-term success, I guess it can get you a playoff appearance and keep your jobs for another year.

But we all know here that we look long-term, and that's probably not the best thing long-term. Well, let's see, let's see if people think maybe the Colts can get that done. Real quick, fellas, just your list will go one through. Start with John, your team led the division the last few years. One through four, how do you think the division finishes? I think how it is on the screen right now. So I think it'll be Houston. I think it to be Jacksonville.

I'm going to say it's going to be Indy. heart says Cam Ward will muster some wins. I'm going I'm going to go a heart I'm going to go Houston Jacksonville Tennessee Indianapolis Tony I'm going Jacksonville Houston and I'm all actually go with the Colts over over the Titans but what I will say is this that might not be a good thing Tyler because I do think the tight are going to improve but and I think Cam Ward is the goods I think they're going to end up making the change the coach. And the Colts will still be stuck in Never, Neverland.

They'll be stuck in Six, Seven win territory. But you guys will have more blue sky because you'll have a proven quarterback and then you'll probably be able to go out to pick whoever you want to be your coach. Yeah. Jack? Yeah, I agree with everything Tony just said there except for they'll be stuck in Never, Never Land, at like seven and eight wins instead of six to seven wins with the Colts. But I think that's where I'm at too.

I'm going to go Houston, Jacksonville, Indy, Tennessee. And again, I think Callahan's kind of the underlying thing that keeps the Titans at like five, six wins this year. But you're going to see great improvement just overall from what their process was last year. Tyler, let me tell you something, slick Zach did. Zach said, yeah, everybody after next year, all the money's gone and we'll just break it all down to the studs. You know who's going to be in the draft when he's talking about they're going to be a

home town, right? You know what he's trying to do. I know. I could see him positioning. Oh, yeah. No way. Cade Clubnick, let's go. Oh, get out of here.

Anybody but another manning and indie, anything but another manning and indie. I'm going to tell you we're going to be competing with, Zach. New Orleans is going to want him to come back home. They're going to be picking number one. We're going to be picking like 13th. Like, how are we going to even get up there? You know, like there's no chance. Well, Zach, I have good news for you.

If things go the way that I think you are going to have a chance to be up there because I think Jackson Jacksonville wins the division at 10 and 7 the Texans take a step back and go 9 and 8 the Titans finish third six wins and the Colts five wins last in the division that's my prediction we'll see what happens either way I am Tyler Rowland from Locked on Titans John Hickman locked on Texans Tony Wiggins locked on Jaguars Zach Hicks locked on Colts thank you for for listening to the 2025 Locked-on NFL season preview with the AFC South

if you want to hear how the other divisions will play out this year. Make sure you subscribe to Locked-on NFL wherever you get your podcast. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network. It's your team every day.

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