2026 NFL Free Agency, Live Updates: AFC South

The AFC South’s NFL free agency/offseason period began with two trades designed to provide more than just insurance for teams. Tennessee gave up on a promising run stuffer to acquire a familiar fit in Robert Saleh’s defense. For Titans fans, the team giving up on a former second-round pick should come as no surprise. In recent years, this has been more of the rule than the exception.

By comparison, continuity rules the day in Jacksonville. As a result, the team’s coaching staff largely remained intact. Does Travis Etienne return to the team or leave in free agency? If so, who will general manager James Gladstone find to replace him in Duval.

The Texans could be headed for another active offseason. As an illustration, they created cap room to trade for a starting running back. Could that move begin to take some pressure off of fourth-year quarterback CJ Stroud? Meanwhile, Indianapolis has a decision to make on Daniel Jones. Jones, a free agent, suffered an Achilles injury in Week 14. After not applying the franchise tag on Jones, do they use it on one of the NFL’s most explosive young receivers?

Please come back day-to-day as we provide live updates on each team in the AFC South.

Tennessee Titans

Offensive free agents

• QB Brandon Allen
• OG Kevin Zeitler
• OG Blake Hance
• OC Corey Levin
• OC Lloyd Cushenberry (released)
• OT Oli Udoh
• RB Julius Chestnut
• WR Van Jefferson
• WR James Proche
• TE Chig Okonkwo
• PK Joey Slye

Defensive free agents

• DE Arden Key (Reportedly agreed to terms with Colts)
• DL Sebastian Joseph
• DL James Lynch
• DL Jihad Ward
• LB Joe Bachie
• CB Jalyn Armour-Davis
• CB Kaiir Elam
• CB Darrell Baker, Jr.
• S Xavier Woods (released)
• P Johnny Hekker
• LS Morgan Cox (re-signed)

Restricted free agents

• CB Kemon Hall
• S Mike Brown
• S Jerrick Reed II

2026 Free Agency report/Other Notes:

• Agreed to terms with former San Francisco DC and NY Jets head coach Robert Saleh to become its next head coach on January 22, 2026
• Hired former NY Giants HC Brian Daboll to be its next offensive coordinator on January 27, 2026
• Agreed to terms with former Jacksonville HC Gus Bradley to be its defensive coordinator in February 2026
• Reportedly agreed to trade DT T’Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets in exchange for DE Jermaine Johnson
• Traded a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for DL Soloman Thomas and a 2026 seventh-round pick
• Released OC Lloyd Cushenberry, S Xavier Woods
• Reportedly agreed to terms with DE John Franklin-Myers (Broncos) on a three-year deal, DT Jordan Elliott (49ers) on a two-year deal, CB Alontae Taylor (Saints) on a three-year deal, CB Cor’Dale Flott (Giants) on a three-year deal, CB Joshua Williams (Chiefs) on a two-year deal, DE Malik Herring on a one-year deal, OL Austin Schlottmann (Giants) on a two-year deal, OL Cordell Volson (Bengals) on a one-year deal, WR Wan’dale Robinson (Giants) on a three-year deal, TE Daniel Bellinger (Giants) on a three-year deal, QB Mitchell Trubisky (Bills) on a two-year deal, P Tommy Townsend (Texans) on a two-year deal
• Re-signed LS Morgan Cox on a one-year deal
• Lost DE Arden Key (Colts)

Houston Texans

Offensive free agents

• WR Christian Kirk
• WR Braxton Berrios
• RB Nick Chubb
• RB Joe Mixon (released)
• RB Dare Ogunbowale
• TE Harrison Bryant
• OG Ed Ingram (re-signed)
• OT Trenton Brown (re-signed)

Defensive free agents

• DE Denico Autry
• DE-OLB Derek Barnett
• DL Sheldon Rankins (re-signed)
• DL Naquan Jones (re-signed)
• DL Mario Edwards (released)
• DL Kurt Hinish
• DL Foley Fatukasi
• DL Tim Settle (Reportedly agreed to terms with Commanders)
• LB E.J. Speed (re-signed)
• LB Christian Harris (Reportedly agreed to terms with Falcons)
• LB Damone Clark
• CB Myles Bryant
• S Jimmie Ward
• S M.J. Stewart
• P Tommy Townsend

2026 Free Agency report/Other Notes:

• Reportedly traded a 2027 fourth-round pick, 2026 seventh-round pick and OG Juice Scruggs to the Detroit Lions in exchange for RB David Montgomery
• Reportedly traded OT Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick
• Parted ways with QB coach Jerrod Johnson, who went on to be hired by Philadelphia
• Reportedly agreed to terms with OG Jarrett Kingston on a one-year extension, TE Dalton Schultz on a one-year extension, DE Danielle Hunter on a one-year extension, DT Naquan Jones on a one-year extension, PK Ka’imi Fairburn on a two-year deal
• Released RB Joe Mixon, DL Mario Edwards
• Traded a 2028 sixth-round pick to New Orleans in exchange for P Kai Kroeger and a 2028 seventh-round pick
• CB Derek Stingley agreed to a restructured contract
• Re-signed OG Ed Ingram on a three-year deal, OT Trenton Brown on a one-year deal, DT Sheldon Rankins on a two-year deal, LB E.J. Speed on a two-year deal, CB Ja’Marcus Ingram on a one-year deal
• Reportedly agreed to terms with S Reed Blankenship (Eagles) on a three-year deal, DL Logan Hall (Buccaneers) on a two-year deal, LB Jake Hummel (Ravens) on a two-year deal, DE Dominque Robinson (Bears) on a one-year deal, OT Braden Smith (Colts) on a two-year deal, TE Foster Moreau (Saints) on a two-year deal
• Lost LB Christian Harris (Falcons), DT Tim Settle (Commanders)

Jacksonville Jaguars

Offensive free agents

• RB Travis Etienne (Reportedly agreed to terms with Saints)
• RB DeeJay Dallas (re-signed)
• WR Dyami Brown
• WR Tim Patrick
• TE Quintin Morris (re-signed)
• TE Johnny Mundt (released and reportedly agreed to terms with Eagles)

Defensive free agents

• DE Emmanuel Ogbah
• DE Dawuane Smoot
• DL Matt Dickerson (re-signed)
• DL Austin Johnson
• LB Devin Lloyd (Reportedly agreed to terms with Panthers)
• LB Dennis Gardeck (re-signed)
• CB Greg Newsome (Reportedly agreed to terms with Giants)
• CB Montaric Brown (re-signed)
• S Andrew Wingard (Reportedly agreed to terms with Cardinals)

Restricted Free Agents

• CB Keith Taylor (re-signed)

2026 Free Agency report/Other Notes:

• Agreed to terms with former Miami Dolphins CB coach Mathieu Araujo to be its defensive pass game coordinator
• Hired former Tampa Bay Buccaneers OL coach Brian Picucci to be its offensive run game coordinator
• Re-signed CB Montaric Brown on a three-year deal, LB Dennis Gardeck on a two-year deal, DT Matt Dickerson, RB DeeJay Dallas
• OL Patrick Mekari, OL Robert Hainsey and DB Eric Murray agreed to restructured contracts
• Released TE Johnny Mundt (Eagles)
• Reportedly agreed to terms with CB Keith Taylor on a one-year extension, TE Quintin Morris on a one-year extension, RB Chris Rodriguez, Jr (Commanders) on a two-year deal
• Lost RB Travis Etienne, Jr. (Saints), LB Devin Lloyd (Panthers), CB Greg Newsome (Giants), S Andrew Wingard (Cardinals)

Indianapolis Colts

Offensive free agents

• QB Daniel Jones (transition tag and then re-signed)
• OC Danny Pinter
• OT Braden Smith (Reportedly agreed to terms with Texans)
• RB Ameer Abdullah
• RB Salvon Ahmed
• WR Alec Pierce (re-signed)
• WR Laquon Treadwell
• TE Mo Alie-Cox
• TE Andrew Ogletree

Defensive free agents

• DE-OLB Samson Ebukam
• DL Tyquan Lewis
• DL Neville Gallimore (Reportedly agreed to terms with Bears)
• DL Chris Wormley
• DL Eric Johnson
• DE-OLB Kwity Paye (Reportedly agreed to terms with Raiders)
• LB Jacob Phillips
• LB Buddy Johnson
• LB Germaine Pratt
• CB Chris Lammons
• S Nick Cross
• S George Odum
• S Rodney Thomas

Restricted free agents

• LB Según Olubi
• OT Luke Tenuta
• CB Cameron Mitchell
• RB Tyler Goodson
• WR DJ Montgomery
• PK Blake Grupe (re-signed)

2026 Free Agency report/Other Notes:

• Reportedly agreed to let third-year QB and former fourth-overall pick Anthony Richardson seek a potential trade partner
• Applied the transition tag on QB Daniel Jones and then re-signed him on a two-year extension
• Agreed to trade WR Michael Pittman to the Pittsburgh Steelers in early March and swapped late-round picks as part of the deal
• Re-signed WR Alec Pierce on a four-year deal, PK Blake Grupe on a one-year deal
• Reportedly agreed to trade LB Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for DL Colby Wooden
• Reportedly agreed to terms with DE Arden Key (Titans) on a two-year deal, DE Michael Clemons (Jets) on a two-year deal, DL Derrick Nnadi (Chiefs)
• Lost DE Kwity Paye (Raiders), DT Neville Gallimore (Bears), OL Braden Smith (Texans)

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