Depth Chart Debate: AFC South QBs
It wasn't just the Indianapolis Colts that made major changes under center this off-season with the trade for Carson Wentz.
In Jacksonville, the revolving door at quarterback continues, this time with the addition of wunderkind Trevor Lawrence, drafted No. 1 overall, which should solidify the position for years to come.
Houston has its own problems under center with Deshaun Watson facing more than 20 lawsuits for alleged sexual misconduct, so Watson will not appear in this list, pushing Houston way down the board.
Tennessee has solidified its QB room with the long-term deal Ryan Tannehill signed ahead of the 2020 season. Overall, the AFC South QB rooms looks rather deep on paper, but how do they shake out ranked No. 1-4?
Glad you asked. Let's dive in.
1. Tennessee Titans
Tannehill has truly transformed himself from his days in Miami into one of the more efficient, accurate passers in the NFL in Tennessee, where he's been able to lean heavily on the run game with Derrick Henry, opening up play-action passes, taking advantage the last two years with A.J. Brown and Corey Davis.
Though Davis signed with the New York Jets in the off-season, Tennessee is still in a good spot with Tannehill calling the shots under center, having led the Titans to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, including a berth in the AFC Championship Game in 2019.
Behind Tannehill, Logan Woodside and DeShone Kizer provide NFL experience and depth. Kizer attempted nearly 500 passes in his lone season as a starter in Cleveland in 2017, before then serving as a backup to Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay for one season in 2018, attempting 42 passes.
Though Woodside has yet to attempt a pass in the NFL, he did start every game with the San Antonio Commanders in the now-defunct Alliance of American Football in 2019.
There's plenty of depth and experience there, which should serve the Titans well in case of a Tannehill injury for a game here or there.
2. Indianapolis Colts
Yes, Wentz had a rough year in 2020 in Philadelphia, ultimately leading to his benching and trade to the Colts, but there's a talented, smart QB still in there. Add in the fact that he gets to reunite with Frank Reich - his former OC in Philadelphia during his best seasons - and there's plenty to like about the marriage between the Colts and Wentz.
Being able to lean on a great run game, work behind one of the best offensive lines in football and work with a promising set of weapons should help Wentz return to some of his previous highs.
Behind Wentz, there is some concern with depth in second-year QB Jacob Eason and rookie Sam Ehlinger - both of whom have combined for 0 career attempts in the NFL. However, there's a ton of upside there, which has the Colts feeling very comfortable with the depth chart in the QB room.
Eason has said in OTAs he has a better grasp of the offense, while Ehlinger has more than 40 career starts under his belt at the University of Texas. Though it's not NFL experience, it's high-level collegiate experience, which allows both to bring hearts and smarts to the room behind Wentz.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
Any time you can add a QB like Trevor Lawrence to your depth chart, you're off to a great start.
Though he has yet to attempt an NFL pass, I feel pretty confident in projecting him to the NFL, where I think he can quickly become one of the top 10 passers in the league, giving the Jaguars a chance to compete year after year under Urban Meyer.
Behind Lawrence there's some uncertainly, especially with the status of fan-favorite Gardner Minshew up in the air after skipping out on OTAs Thursday. Jacksonville could trade him, so I won't include him in here - for now.
Behind Lawrence - should Minshew be moved - the Jaguars have veteran CJ Beathard and second-year QB Jake Luton, who started a handful of games in 2020.
Beathard will provide terrific depth and mentorship behind Lawrence, having started a number of games in San Francisco. Luton has a big arm but projects as nothing more than a No. 2-3. It's a strong room that could certainly climb these ranks ahead of the 2022 season.
4. Houston Texans
If Watson were not in serious legal trouble, I'd comfortably slot him and the Texans in at No. 1 on this list. However, I simply can't project him to the starter for the Texans, let alone seeing the field this season.
Saying that, it's the Tyrod Taylor show in Houston.
Taylor is a strong veteran presence that won't lose teams games, which he's shown throughout his career. However, he won't win many games himself either, which puts the Texans in a horrible spot with a poor defense, lack of a run game and an overall lack of weapons.
Behind Taylor, the Texans spent a third-round pick - their first pick of the draft - on Stanford's Davis Mills, whom I like quite a bit. However, he's much like Taylor right now in the way that he won't win many games but won't lose any on his own either.
After Taylor and Mills (who I think could become the starter in 2021), the Texans have Jeff Driskel in the room, providing Houston with a guy who has appeared in 15 career games over three seasons.
Have thoughts on how the QBs rooms shake out in the AFC South? Drop a line in the comments section below!
Follow Josh on Twitter @ByJoshCarney.
