David Chao, MD
2 min read • July 27, 2022
Posted in
2021 record: 12-5| 2022 FanDuel O/U win total: 9.5
The Tennessee Titans made waves this in the offseason after drafting Liberty quarterback Malik Willis in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
While his first two years in Tennessee were pleasant surprises, starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill struggled in 2021. The 34-year-old quarterback floundered in the team’s playoff loss to the Bengals, throwing three interceptions and only one touchdown.
Of course, a majority of those struggles came with workhorse running back Derrick Henry on the shelf with his right foot Jones fracture.
Fortunately for Tannehill, his workhorse running back Derrick Henry is poised for a comeback season. This will definitely take the bulk of the pressure off of Tannehill considering Henry has led the league in rushing yards, rushing yards per game and rushing touchdowns in two of the last three seasons.
The Titans, however, did trade top receiver A.J. Brown to the Eagles. They drafted Arkansas wide receiver Traylon Burks in the first round of the draft and brought in wide receiver Robert Woods to fill the void Brown left behind.
Burks, a prolific receiver in college, reportedly struggled with asthma and breathing issues during minicamp in June. He also had difficulty with conditioning and his weight. All of those reasons limited Burks during the offseason and open practices.
The offensive line includes two new starters with the departures of Rodger Saffold and David Quessenberry. Both struggled in pass-protection as the unit gave up 47 sacks.
The group is healthier this year than last as Saffold dealt with lingering shoulder issues. Taylor Lewan is also entering his second season since tearing his ACL in October 2020 and should have improved mobility.
The biggest injury concern for the Titans’ defense is cornerback Caleb Farley. He is not expected to be 100% by Week 1 because of last season’s ACL injury.
Linebacker Bud Dupree should look like his old self now that he is two years recovered from his ACL injury. 2021 was an off year for the outside linebacker. He finished with a 54.2 grade overall by Pro Football Focus after tallying 11 solo tackles and 3 sacks. Pro Football Doc has said the second year post-ACL surgery is when a player is typically back to full strength.
Henry is fully recovered from the Jones fracture in his right foot. The current favorite for Comeback Player of the Year will have no issues making cuts with his foot, according to Pro Football Doc. King Henry totaled 10 rushing touchdowns in just 8 games and will surely be dominant again this season.
Woods is coming off his November ACL injury and will not be 100% to start the season. He avoided the training camp PUP list, but will not look like his past self until the second half of the season at the earliest. He is a reliable pass-catcher when healthy and his statistics prove that — 45 receptions for 556 yards and four touchdowns in nine games last season. He is also a top run-blocking wide receiver.
Farley’s first season in the league was limited by injuries. He tore his ACL in his left knee during his first start in Week 6. The Pro Football Docs have detailed why he will not be completely healthy to begin the season. The former Virginia Tech cornerback has also been bothered by a herniated disk in his back that could flare up at any point. Do not be shocked if Farley is not fast out of his breaks in coverage.
2021 record: 9-8 | 2022 FanDuel O/U win total: 9.5
The Carson Wentz experiment in Indianapolis lasted only one season. General Manager Jim Irsay had seen enough after Wentz could not deliver in the playoff-clinching game against the 3-14 Jaguars in Week 18.
Aiming to improve the team’s dismal 211 pass yards per game, the Colts traded for former MVP quarterback Matt Ryan from the Falcons this past offseason. The team is confident Ryan is the final piece to lead them to a deep playoff run.
Our team of Pro Football Docs is confident the revamped Colts offense will be healthy. With left tackle Eric Fisher retiring, the injury concerns for the offensive line diminish. His one season in Indianapolis was marred by his previously torn Achilles.
The offensive line responsible for blocking for elite running back Jonathan Taylor should be strong this season with All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson back at full strength. In nearly 2,700 pass-blocking snaps, Nelson has allowed only four sacks. He is looking to have a big year as he is entering free agency next offseason.
Wide receiver Parris Campbell has only played in 15 games in his first three seasons with the Colts. He has been bothered by foot, knee and abdominal injuries. The 25-year-old receiver needs to stay healthy to lock down the No. 2 receiver spot. ESPN Mike Wells listed the Ohio State product a surprise standout during Colts minicamp.
All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard, who now wishes to go by his middle-name Shaquille, is coming back from offseason back surgery. He is starting training camp on the physically unable to perform list.
The team also added defensive end Yannick Ngakoue from the Raiders to play alongside defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Ngakoue is coming off of a 10-sack season and could revitalize the Colts pass rush who tallied 33 sacks last year.
Former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore signed a two-year deal with Indianapolis. He dealt with finger and groin injuries with the Carolina Panthers last season as he only started in three of eight games. The cornerback adds Pro-Bowl level talent to the defense.
Aside from Leonard, the defense is healthy.
Last season, Nelson played through a back injury and high ankle sprain. He played in only 13 games but still earned a spot in the Pro Bowl. He underwent surgery in the offseason to address his nagging injuries and should be in the best medical shape of his career.
Leonard had surgery in June for a back injury that was likely discovered during a season-entry physical. Two disks in his back were causing pinched nerves and lower-leg pain for the former Defensive Rookie of the Year. The fifth-year linebacker may need some time to get back to full speed if he is missing portions of training camp.
2021 record: 3-14 | 2022 FanDuel O/U win total: 6.5
Everyone in Jacksonville wants to forget about the Jaguars’ 2021 season. It was a season plagued by controversy and poor play on the field.
Head coach Urban Meyer was fired after just 13 games into his first year in Jacksonville. The firing came after a number of incidents that began just a month after Meyer’s hiring.
With all of that off-the-field action, the Jaguars finished 3-14 on the year. The team averaged 14.9 points per game while allowing their opponents to score 26.9 points per game. The defense also gave up 366.9 yards per game, finishing 20th in the league.
Jacksonville looks to turn things around with second-year quarterback and 2021 first overall pick Trevor Lawrence. It was a disappointing first season for the former Clemson quarterback who finished the year with a 59.6 completion percentage, 17 interceptions, 12 touchdowns and 3,641 yards.
Lawrence is not entirely to blame. He was without his former Clemson teammate Travis Etienne Jr. for the entire season after he suffered a Lisfranc injury during the preseason.
Wide receiver D.J. Chark only started in four games before fracturing his ankle. Starting running back James Robinson was hindered by injuries all season, including an Achilles tear that ended his season. Inconsistency at receiver did not help Lawrence either.
The Jaguars’ front office used the offseason to add more weapons for the second-year quarterback. They signed wide receiver Christian Kirk to a 4-year, $72 million dollar deal along with wide receiver Zay Jones. Guard Brandon Scherff also joins the Jaguars from the Commanders. In his seven years in the league, he has only allowed 11 sacks, according to PFF.
The defense includes a mix of newly added veterans along with youthful starters. The starting linebacker corps is primarily made up by rookies.
Overall, the Jaguars are a young team without an extensive injury history aside from the running back room.
Etienne is expected to be healthier than third-year running back Robinson. He was a participant at OTAs though he was not as dynamic, according to practice video. He should be good-to-go by the start of the season and ready to become a receiving threat out of the backfield.
While Robinson is making his way back from the torn Achilles he suffered in December, he is not opening training camp on PUP list. The Docs said former Illinois State running back may need a “ramp-up” period before the season as it is a long recovery for such an injury. Rams running back Cam Akers was able to come back six months following his torn Achilles, but he clearly was not as explosive.
2021 record: 4-13 | 2022 FanDuel O/U win total: 4.5
The Houston Texans are beginning training camp this week after last weekend’s unfortunate news. First round pick John Metchie III has been diagnosed with leukemia. He is expected to make a full recovery but will be out at least this year.
At the same time, there is a lot of excitement for second-year quarterback Davis Mills’ first full year as a starter in the league. Mills set the franchise record for a rookie in passing yards with 2,664 yards. The former Stanford quarterback finished with 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Two lineman with injury histories are expected to begin the year as the starting bookends blocking for Mills. Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard are both young, but have had significant missed games over their NFL careers.
Tunsil only played in five games last season as a result of a thumb injury. If they can stay healthy, the duo can become reliable pass-protectors for years to come. However, their run-blocking needs to improve.
Marlon Mack is assuming the starting running back duties for the Texans who finished last in the league in rushing yards per game with 83.6 yards. The former Indianapolis Colts running back spent last season playing behind Jonathan Taylor as he was making his way back from his 2020 Achilles injury. His best season came in 2019 where he ran for 1,091 yards, 8 touchdowns in just 14 games.
The only potential risk on offense is if Davis Mills goes down. His two top backups Kyle Allen and Jeff Driskel haven’t always been healthy. When Allen was with the Commanders in 2020, he suffered a gruesome ankle injury. He was able to return to football despite some predicting his career may be over. Hybrid quarterback Driskel who joined the Texans in a Taysom-Hill capacity suffered a broken collarbone last December.
Defensive end Jonathan Greenard’s season was cut short in 2021 because of a foot injury. In 14 games, the third-year defensive end contributed 33 combined tackles, 8 sacks, 4 pass deflections and 2 forced fumbles. Head coach Lovie Smith previously said Greenard should be back in time for training camp following his offseason foot surgery.
The Texans drafted with their third overall pick Derrick Stingley Jr. out of LSU. While an elite talent, Stingley has only played in 10 games over the past two seasons as he has been limited by injury. During his junior season in 2021, the cornerback suffered a Lisfranc injury in his foot, which ended his season just after three games. He has since recovered and is ready for the start of the season and the opening of Texans training camp.
Written by David Chao, MD
Treylon Burks chatter on the @TheAthleticNFL Football Show, courtesy of the always great @diannaESPN: “I’ve heard he’s in shape, I’ve heard he’s lost weight. I’ve heard there’s been so much growth already. And this is from an organization that doesn’t like to share…” #Titans
Colts All-Pro LB Darius Leonard sheds some light on his June surgery: “I had two discs sitting on two nerves that was causing pain all the way down to my ankle.” Doesn’t put a timetable on it, but says “I’m happy where I’m at.”
Good to see no PUP but clearly not 100%. Favors left side. Will stay with a #SICscore of 72 (out of 100) that we projected 2 months ago. sicscore.com/nfl/updates/tr… Etienne healthier than Robinson.
Despite tearing his Achilles in Week 16, James Robinson will not be on the PUP list to start training camp 💪 (via @Demetrius82) pic.x.com/dbV9HiFBe5
