Ben Arthur
AFC South Reporter
The perception of the AFC South has changed drastically.
Not too long ago, it was one of the NFL’s most irrelevant divisions. It had the worst collective strength. In the past 10 seasons (2014-present), the AFC South has a combined 43.9% winning rate, worst among the league’s eight divisions, according to Sportradar. Coupled with a dearth of headlining talent, the AFC South has typically attracted little attention from national audiences.
That started to change in a big way last season, with C.J. Stroud putting together arguably the best rookie quarterback season in NFL history. He’s the biggest star amid a crop of talented, young quarterbacks in the division who have drawn intrigue.
We’re at a point now where we’re discussing an arms race in the AFC South.
The Texans acquired star wide receiver Stefon Diggs from Buffalo in a stunning trade Wednesday, bolstering their case of having one of the best rosters in the AFC, if not the best. They’ve also traded for former Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon, and added in free agency star pass-rusher Danielle Hunter, defensive lineman Denico Autry and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.
Like the Texans, the Titans have been aggressively building their roster. They traded for and extended L’Jarius Sneed, one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL last season. They gave wide receiver Calvin Ridley and center Lloyd Cushenberry massive contracts in free agency. They’ve also made big investments in cornerback Chidobe Awuzie, running back Tony Pollard and linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr.
The Jaguars haven’t been quite as active as the Texans and Titans, but they’ve responded to their 2023 collapse by pouring resources into the trenches. Most notably, they’ve added Arik Armstead to a defensive line that already features Josh Allen and Travon Walker, who led all NFL duos with 27.5 sacks last season. Gabe Davis has also arrived in Jacksonville via free agency,…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/stefon-diggs-deal-shines-spotlight-on-afc-south-as-one-of-nfls-best-divisions
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Publish date : 2024-04-04 22:20:19
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