The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.
The release of the 2026 NFL schedule is just around the corner, and it's time to start taking a closer look at who the Washington Commanders will be facing this upcoming season.
The Commanders will play all four teams in the NFC West and AFC South, including two home matchups against the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks, who have a first-round bye in this year's playoffs. The Commanders will host the Houston Texans, another playoff team, for the first time since the 2018 season in just the seventh matchup between the two squads in franchise history.
Today. we're going to focus on the AFC South as we preview some of the key teams on Washington's schedule. The division is considered one of the weaker groups in the league, but teams like the Texans and Titans put in work over the offseason to make their rosters more competitive. Here's a look at what each team has done so far in free agency and the draft.
Tennessee Titans
- Key additions in free agency
- WR Wan'Dale Robinson
- DT John Franklin-Myers
- CB Alontae Taylor
- LB Jacob Martin
- C Austin Schlottmann
- CB Cor'Dale Flott
- 2026 Draft class
- WR Carnell Tate
- EDGE Keldrick Faulk
- LB Anthony Hill
- G Fernando Carmona
- RB Alex Singleton
- DT Jackie Marshall
- C Pat Coogan
- TE Jaren Kanak
Analysis: There's new leadership once again in the Titans' locker room, and the duo of Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll got right to work at shaping the roster in their image. Robinson is mostly a slot receiver but will likely be a versatile weapon for Cam Ward, who Daboll has been high on since last year's draft. Most of the work in free agency went toward fixing the defense, particularly with Franklin-Myers and Martin, who can bring some disruption to Tennessee's front. Taylor was one of the top cornerbacks on the market, and he's expected to help shore up a secondary that struggled mightily at allowing explosive plays.
The Titans pulled off one of the most surprising moves in the draft in taking Tate with the No. 4 overall pick. Tate isn't considered as talented as other Ohio State prospects who have come before him, but he did have the cleanest evaluation in the class and did average over 17 yards per catch. Faulk is going to be more of a project, as he was one of the younger defensive players in the draft, but if he gets the right development, he could be a potent complement to Jeffrey Simmons up front.
Indianapolis Colts
- Key additions in free agency
- QB Daniel Jones
- WR Alec Pierce
- DE Arden Key
- DE Michael Clemons
- S Jonathan Owens
- WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhene
- 2026 Draft class
- LB CJ Allen
- S A.J. Haulcy
- G Jalen Farmer
- LB Bryce Boettcher
- DE George Gumbs Jr.
- DE Caden Curry
- RB Seth McGowan
- WR Deion Burks
Analysis: It was important for the Colts to retain the duo of Jones and Pierce, which generated much of the team's offensive production. Jones has his flaws, but a change of scenery seemed to do him some good, as he was on pace to shatter his career highs in passing yards and touchdowns before his Achilles injury. Pierce only has one 1,000-yard season in his career, but he's led the league in yards per reception over the last two seasons. It will be interesting to see whether Pierce can maintain that level of production with more targets as a No. 1 wide receiver expected to come for him in 2026.
The Colts went heavy on defense after trading their first-round pick to the Jets for Sauce Gardner. Allen is a Butkus Award Finalist and should compete to be the starting middle linebacker after recording 88 tackles in 2025. Gumbs and Curry should provide quality depth to the Colts' front. Gumbs' traits give him a good ceiling with the right development, while Curry brings versatility to the unit.
Houston Texans
- Key additions in free agency
- S Reed Blankenship
- T Braden Smith
- G Wyatt Teller
- DE Logan Hall
- DE Dominique Robinson
- TE Foster Moreau
- G Evan Brown
- 2026 Draft class
- G Keylan Rutledge
- DT Kayden McDonald
- TE Marlin Klein
- G Febechi Nwaiwu
- LB Wade Woodaz
- S Kamari Ramsey
- WR Lewis Bond
- LB Aiden Fisher
Analysis: It seems like the Texans are starting to find an offensive identity. Teller and Brown should help pave the way for David Montgomery, who the Texans acquired in a trade with the Lions. Moreau will be a depth piece but has a history of being a reliable pass catcher. Hall and Robinson will also add depth up front, bolstering a group that is already one of the best in the league with Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter.
Houston's vision for strengthening their front on both sides of the ball continued in the draft. Rutledge will likely compete to be in the starting lineup but can at least provide depth in his rookie season. McDonald -- one of the best defensive tackles in the class -- adds more size and ability to crash the pocket to his position group. The Texans want to be a physical team and protect C.J. Stroud as much as possible. It's unclear whether that plan will be successful, but there is at least a clear direction on the team the Texans want to be and will likely be one of the top competitive teams in a weak division.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Key additions in free agency
- RB Chris Rodriguez Jr.
- CB Montaric Brown
- LB Dennis Gardeck
- 2026 Draft class
- TE Nate Boerkircher
- DT Albert Regis
- G Emmanuel Pregnon
- DB Jalen Huskey
- LB Wesley Williams
- TE Tanner Koziol
- WR Josh Cameron
- WR CJ Williams
- EDGE Zach Durfee
- LB Parker Hughes
Analysis: The Jaguars let Travis Etienne walk in free agency and signed Rodriguez as at least a partial replacement. Rodriguez had flashes during his time in Washington and had a knack for picking up tough yards in third-and-short situations. There's a bit of a projection coming from the Jaguars' front office, but it's possible Rodriguez is ready for a larger role. Brown ended up being an important re-signing for Jacksonville, as he started 12 games last season with two interceptions and 51 tackles. Gardeck is also back after being a depth piece for Jacksonville last season and will offer more veteran experience on defense.
While the Jaguars went light on free agency, they put much of their attention into getting younger in the draft. Cameron and Williams offer some depth to the wide receiver room after the Jaguars lost Dyami Brown to the Commanders. Huskey had 11 interceptions over the last three seasons, and his nose for the ball in coverage should help a defense that finished second in the league in interceptions. Williams needs to work on being a productive edge rusher in the NFL, but his ability as a disruptive run defender should come in handy for a division that has Montgomery and Jonathan Taylor.
