Andrew Luck retirement creates a wide open AFC South

With Andrew Luck calling it a career, the AFC South is now completely wide open.

Andrew Luck retiring at 29-years-old was a surprise to us all and it is now time to look at how it impacts the rest of the league. The Luck-led Indianapolis Colts were considered by most to be the favorites in the AFC South, but with Jacoby Brissett under center, that is no longer the case.

Brissett is a solid NFL quarterback who can keep a talented team like the Colts competitive, but let’s be honest, he is not Andrew Luck. With Luck under center, the Colts were legitimate Super Bowl contenders. With Brissett, the Colts are just an interesting team who could find themselves in the playoffs.

Simply put, Luck’s retirement has created an AFC South that is completely up for grabs. The Colts are obviously still contenders in the division, but the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars all have a strong chance to make a run as well.

The Texans are an interesting team with impact players on both sides of the ball. The Deshaun Watson to DeAndre Hopkins connection is arguably better than any other quarterback/wide receiver combo in the NFL. Even if Jadeveon Clowney does not suit up for Houston, J.J. Watt leads an impressive defense that has the talent to stop even the most explosive offensive attacks.

As talented as Houston is, they have obvious holes on their roster that could hold them back. Most notably, their offensive line. The Texans worked hard to improve their offensive line this offseason, but it is still a major area of concern for them in 2019. Losing starting running back Lamar Miller to a torn ACL is also not ideal.

The Tennessee Titans are in a similar spot as they were last season. The Titans have a nice, balanced roster that could certainly make some noise, but their quarterback situation has consistently held them back. Can Marcus Mariota take the next step and lead the Titans to an AFC South crown? If not, does Ryan Tannehill come in and save the day?

The Titans are certainly an interesting team to watch. If they can figure out quarterback, they could quickly become real contenders in the AFC.

Last, but not least, we have the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags still boast one of the best defenses in the entire NFL. With elite-level talent at all three levels, this Jaguars defense can be an issue for any offensive attack.

Their issues are primarily on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Nick Foles was signed to a big free agent contract this offseason and the Jaguars hope that he can come in and fix their offensive woes. If Foles and the Jags offense can put up even average production, they will undoubtedly make some noise in the AFC South.

It is rare for one player to make this big of a difference, but the AFC South changed in a major way when Andrew Luck announced his retirement. There may not be any real Super Bowl contenders in this division, but there are four good teams who will be fighting it out all season long.