Inside the AFC South: Key Players in Contract Years

Every Saturday, reporters covering the AFC South teams for SI.com’s NFL community will weigh one aspect of the division as it relates to each of the franchises, the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans.

This week we look at key players for whom 2020 is the final year on their current contracts.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Jayon Brown was a fifth-round selection in 2017 who immediately was pigeon-holed as a pass defender because – at inside linebacker – he had the speed to stay with tight ends and running backs through their routes. In three seasons he has been as good as advertised in that regard but has grown into much more.

Brown (pictured) was a part-time starter in 2018, when his speed was put to use in the pass rush as much as it was the pass defense. In 2019, he was an every-down player who finished as the Titans’ third-leading tackler despite the fact that he missed two games with injuries. His tackles numbers have increased each season as have his passes defensed. He has had as many as six sacks in a season and has notched an interception in each of the last two. In last season’s AFC Championship, he logged the most snaps of any of the team’s inside linebackers.

There is no question he is going to get paid after this season. But will it be Tennessee that spends to keep him?

Nose tackle DaQuan Jones and tight end Jonnu Smith are the other most notable contract-year guys for the Titans. Jones is a seventh-year veteran and his likely replacement, Larrell Murchison was drafted this year, so it is almost certain this is his last season with Tennessee. Smith, on the other hand, is a fourth-year player who likely will be deemed irreplaceable and get another contract.

Brown is the big question. If he continues to improve, it will be difficult to imagine the defense without him. However, 2019 draft pick David Long has made great strides already and will be positioned to step in if Brown becomes a free agent.

At this point, there is no doubt about Brown’s value to the Titans’ defense. But can – or will – they pay him what he’s worth after this season?

-- David Boclair, AllTitans

HOUSTON TEXANS

The Houston Texans have a number of high-priced pending free agents whom they will be aiming to tie-down in the near future. Most notably, quarterback Deshaun Watson, who has been in discussions with the team for some months. However, there are two other key contributors who they will be keeping a particularly close eye on in 2020.

Linebacker Zach Cunningham was a Pro Bowl alternate in 2019 after leading the Texans in total tackles for the second straight season. The Vanderbilt product finished second in the NFL last season in solo tackles with 108. Combining his reliability with his defensive abilities in the run game and improving pass coverage means he will command a high price should he continue on his current trajectory.

With fellow Texans linebackers Benardrick McKinney and Whitney Mercilus both on $50+ million deals, the organization might have to make a tough choice at the end of this season and decide whether or not they can afford to keep three high-priced linebackers. If not, there will be speculation about someone like McKinney being placed on the trade block.

The second player to watch carefully in 2020 is wide receiver Will Fuller. An undeniably talented and extremely productive player, the Notre Dame product’s issue has been durability. The 26-year-old has yet to play a full 16-game season in four years.

However, he has recorded 16 touchdowns from 156 receptions, and given that DeAndre Hopkins is now in Arizona, the Texans will likely rely more heavily on Fuller this season. If so, should Fuller stay healthy in 2020 and continue to produce as he has in this revamped offense, it seems likely they will look to re-sign him.

-- Anthony Wood, TexansDaily

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The Colts have a lengthy list of players looking to get paid after this season and added another when safety Malik Hooker didn’t have his 2021 option picked up. The 2017 first-round pick says he’s motivated to prove himself worthy of a lucrative deal, but even if the inconsistent defender breaks through with his best season, he’s not going to be general manager Chris Ballard’s top priority.

Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly and four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver T.Y. Hilton are likely at the top of the list. Kelly, who is coming off his first Pro Bowl, should be priority No. 1. The fifth-year pro anchors one of the NFL’s best offensive lines. Don’t be surprised if his deal gets done before this season ends.

The “likely” descriptive applies to Hilton, who has been the most important weapon for much of his career — the Colts are 1-9 when he's out of the lineup. Therein lies the uncertainty. Hilton has been hurt each of the past two years, missing six games with a calf injury and producing the lowest numbers of his eight-year career in 2019. He played hurt for half of the previous year, too. So, although Hilton, 30, is confident the Colts are aware of his value, Ballard can’t be faulted for taking a wait-and-see approach in case Hilton gets hurt again. If so, much to Hilton’s inevitable chagrin, the dollar amount would decrease in that offer. Hilton says it will be his final contract and he wants to be “a Colt for life.”

Another reason Ballard might wait is because of other players on that list. Defensive end Justin Houston, who had a team-high 11 sacks in his first year with the Colts, says he wants to play beyond this season. If he proves to be a reliable pass rusher again, the Colts will want to keep him.

Running back Marlon Mack is coming off his first 1,000-yard season, but he will be splitting carries with second-round pick Jonathan Taylor. A so-so year for Mack, especially if Taylor is a breakout star as some predicted, would mean he’s not going to get a huge offer. And he has missed eight games in three seasons due to injuries, so staying healthy is vital for him, too.

Middle linebacker Anthony Walker and defensive tackle/end Denico Autry are also in contract years. But it’s worth reminding that quarterback Philip Rivers and cornerback Xavier Rhodes each signed one-year deals and would be high on the list if they play well. The 38-year-old Rivers would be as important as Kelly if he proves himself worthy of another $25 million.

-- Phillip B. Wilson, AllColts

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

For the Jacksonville Jaguars, 2020 is a contract year for a number of players, specifically for the team's 2017 draft class. A class that once helped lead the Jaguars to the AFC Championship as rookies has somewhat fallen in recent years, and now must prove their worth to the team and entire league moving forward.

Most notably, the Jaguars have fourth-year running back Leonard Fournette entering what could be his final season with the Jaguars. Jacksonville made a controversial selection when they took Fournette No. 4 overall in 2017, but he was one of the key pieces to that year’s playoff run. Fournette did have a career year in 2019 in terms of rushing yards, yards per rush, receiving yards and targets, yet Jacksonville declined the fifth-year option on his contract.

Cam Robinson, a second-round pick in 2017, was another key member of the 2017 playoff run, with 15 regular season starts and three more in the postseason games as a rookie. An ACL injury in 2018 took away his second season and made his third season a challenge, however, making 2019 a pivotal year. Robinson has impressed in camp, but it'll be what he does on Sundays that helps determine his future with the team.

Defensive end Dawuane Smoot, Jacksonville's third round pick in 2017, went two years without a sack, but he had a breakout year in 2019 as he recorded six, fourth-most on the team. Slot receiver Dede Westbrook is another player entering a contract season, with the former fourth rounder now fighting for snaps in Jacksonville's deep wide receiver room.

-- John Shipley, JaguarReport