The Indianapolis Colts just missed out on making the playoffs last season, narrowly losing out on the AFC South title to the Houston Texans. The Texans are now the NFL's newest "it" team for the 2024 season. The year before, it was the Jacksonville Jaguars, who failed to take the next step.
From the AFC South being considered one of the weakest divisions in the NFL to now fielding three potential playoff teams in the 2024 season, it's absolutely fair for Colts fans to be worried about some of the newcomers to the division or joining a different team in the division.
Let's take a look at some free agent moves made in the AFC South that might have Colts fans worried for the 2024 season.
Texans signing Danielle Hunter
As I mentioned above, the Texans are going to be the most hyped team in the league this year. You can't blame people for being excited about Houston this year after what they did in 2023 behind rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and their first-year coach DeMeco Ryans. The Texans won the AFC South and won a playoff game in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year.
While the Texans lost Jonathan Greenard to the Vikings, they ended up landing Danielle Hunter in free agency, signing him to a two-year deal worth $49 million. Hunter is coming off an incredible 2023 campaign with the Vikings, racking up 16.5 sacks and a whopping 23 tackles for loss. Now he joins a young Texans team that is hoping to take the next leap.
Let's hope the Colts offensive line is up for the job of holding Hunter back when the Colts and Texans square off in 2024.
Texans trading for Joe Mixon
Sticking with the Texans here, they might have lost Devin Singletary to the Giants but they added another running back to pair with Dameon Pierce in the form of Joe Mixon. The Texans traded a seventh-round pick to Cincinnati in exchange for Mixon, who is coming off a season where he totaled 1,410 scrimmage yards.
Mixon turns 28 years old this summer but he still put together a nice year in 2023 and now he won't have to do everything in the backfield like he did in Cincinnati. The Texans' rushing attack got much better with this move and that should terrify Colts fans.
Titans signing Calvin Ridley
It wasn't long ago when the Titans were the number one seed in the AFC playoffs. In the years since then, they've fallen apart and now they're starting over with a new head coach. They swung for the fences when bringing Calvin Ridley to Tennessee, giving him $50 million guaranteed.
People might clown on the Titans for this move but by bringing Ridley to Nashville, the Titans ensured that they'll have one of the most lethal wide receiver trios in the league. Ridley joins DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks in Tennessee and if Will Levis can't take the next step with these three receivers, the Titans will know that he's not the guy.
Ridley also played well against the Colts in 2023, tallying over 100 yards and one touchdown against them in one of their meetings last season.
Jaguars signing Gabriel Davis
This one might seem like it doesn't belong on this list but hear me out. Gabriel Davis was up and down during his time in Buffalo and now he'll be joining a Jaguars team that is desperate for a successful season after imploding in 2023.
If Davis is able to become a more consistent player, he and Trevor Lawrence could be quite the duo in Jacksonville. Throw in that Doug Pederson will try his best to cook up some clever plays for Davis and this could be a move that Colts fans end up hating. It's also worth noting that I wrote this up before the Jags added Arik Armstead.