2023 AFC South Rankings: Where Does the Jaguars Pass-Rush Land?

The Jaguars have pass-rush questions entering 2023, but do other teams in the AFC South have similar concerns?

John Shipley | Jul 24, 2023

The Jacksonville Jaguars are looking to make team history in 2023.

The last time the Jaguars won back-to-back divisional titles was in 1998 and 1999, when the AFC South wasn't yet formed. The Houston Texans weren't a franchise and the Jaguars shared the AFC Central with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Oilers/Titans, and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Since the Jaguars' migration to the newly-formed AFC South in 2002, the Jaguars have won two AFC South titles in 2017 and 2022. While every other franchise has won back-to-back divisional titles at some point in the division's history, the Jaguars will be looking to do it for the first time this season.

In our preview of the Jaguars' search for another AFC South title, we are going to do a list of rankings of the top positions and units in the division ahead of the 2023 season.

Next up: Who has the best pass-rush unit in the AFC South?

1) Tennessee Titans

There is a big gap between the Tennessee Titans and the rest of the AFC South in this regard. The Titans have legit studs in Jeffery Simmons and Harold Landry, two players who are capable of double-digit sacks in any given year. Meanwhile, Denico Autry and Arden Key are versatile pass-rushers who can line up inside and out, giving the Titans one of the best nickel packages in the AFC in terms of pass-rushers.

2) Indianapolis Colts

The biggest thing working in the Colts' favor here is DeForest Buckner. The former first-round pick has been one of the NFL's best and most productive defensive tackles for years and is a lock to generate a pass-rush from the interior year in and year out. The Colts do have questions behind him due to Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo, but Samson Ebukam is a solid back-up pass-rusher who should be able to collect close to five sacks.

3) Jacksonville Jaguars

This is one of the biggest question marks facing the Jaguars, even after the re-signing of Dawuane Smoot. Smoot will likely miss the first month of the season, so the Jaguars still only have one true established pass-rusher entering Week 1 in Josh Allen. Behind him, the Jaguars will need to see big leaps taken by Travon Walker and K'Lavon Chaisson. On the interior, the Jaguars don't have a true pass-rusher who can get home on a consistent basis, though Roy Robertson-Harris has the traits to do so.

4) Houston Texans

Will Anderson Jr. is one of the most exciting pass-rushing prospects to enter the NFL in recent years, but he is still a rookie. And behind him, there isn't much to write home about. Jerry Hughes has seemingly been productive for decades, but Chase Winovich and Jonathan Greenard aren't going to move the needle much, while Sheldon Rankins has had better days as an interior pass-rusher.

Published Jul 24, 2023

JOHN SHIPLEY

John Shipley has been covering the Jacksonville Jaguars as a beat reporter and publisher of Jaguar Report since 2019. Previously, he covered UCF's undefeated season as a beat reporter for NSM.Today, covered high school prep sports in Central Florida, and covered local sports and news for the Palatka Daily News. Follow John Shipley on Twitter at @_john_shipley.