While we have been busy evaluating and rating the Denver Broncos offseason moves, the rest of the AFC West continues to retool their rosters as well. This division is currently the most competitive in all of the NFL, as all four teams are capable of reaching the postseason.
Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs won the division with a 12-4 record, going on to lose in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Oakland Raiders also went 12-4, losing the tiebreaker to the Chiefs, and making the postseason as a wild card. After losing starting quarterback Derek Carr to a broken leg in Week 15, they were no longer the same team, and lost to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Of course, the Broncos finished third in the division, with a 9-7 record, and the San Diego Chargers went 5-11 to finish fourth.
As we look forward to the upcoming season, it is important to examine the moves that have been made, both in free agency, and in the draft, around the AFC West. Which of the Broncos divisional opponents has improved the most?
Los Angeles Chargers
Yes, it is still weird to say the Los Angeles Chargers, as this team has made the move to L.A after 56 years in San Diego. The Chargers may have won just five games last season, but with Philip Rivers at quarterback, they are always dangerous.
The offense averaged nearly 26 points per game in 2016, despite losing some top players to injury. For the first time in five years, the Chargers will have a new head coach, as Anthony Lynn takes over for Mike McCoy. Do-everything running back Danny Woodhead has departed for Baltimore in free agency.
The biggest free agent signing may have been signing offensive tackle Russell Okung to replace King Dunlap. Okung is talented, but he struggled in Denver, last season. The Chargers did well in the NFL Draft, grabbing talented wide receiver Mike Williams out of Clemson, and offensive lineman Forrest Lamp out of Western Kentucky. This team has had horrible luck with injuries over the past few seasons, and Williams and Lamp should help with their depth.
L.A. still has some holes on the defensive side of the ball, but they should be improved. You just know that Rivers would like nothing more than to carry his team into the playoffs. If they can overcome the homefield disadvantage of playing in a tiny soccer stadium, while their new stadium is being built, they could be dangerous.
Verdict: The definitely improved, but they also needed the most improvement. The Broncos split the series with the Chargers last season, and need to find a way to earn the sweep in 2017. The Chargers come to Denver week one for a Monday night battle.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs made some noise on draft day, when they traded three picks to go get Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes, in the first round of the NFL Draft. Mahomes is the polar opposite of current starting quarterback Alex Smith. Smith is a game manager that may not put up flashy statistics, but he also rarely makes the big mistake. Mahomes is a big-armed gunslinger, that looks to make the big play every chance that he gets. How will the trade to go get his successor sit, with not only Smith, but his teammates?
The Chiefs signed free agent running back C.J. Spiller, to try to fill the void left by the oft-injured Jamaal Charles. The strength of this team is their bend but don’t break defense, so you have to wonder how the loss of defensive tackles Dontari Poe and Jaye Howard will change them up front. The KC defense gave up over 120 yards of rushing per game, and that could actually get worse.
If Smith can continue to play at a solid level, while Mahomes learns the NFL game, then it could be a smooth transition. The danger is that if Smith struggles, the pressure will be on to replace him with a rookie, that doesn’t seem to be NFL ready just yet. That could mean disaster for the Chiefs.
Verdict: The Chiefs could take a step back this season. Alex Smith will need to play at a very high level to keep the critics at bay, and the defense must get tougher against the run. Kansas City swept Denver last year, and the Broncos will be looking for some payback. A Week 17 matchup at Arrowhead could have huge implications.
Oakland Raiders
Coming down the stretch of the 2016 NFL regular season, the Oakland Raiders were starting to have the look of the most dangerous team in the league. Quarterback Derek Carr was playing at an extremely high level, throwing 28 touchdowns to just six interceptions, and the Raiders may have been a title contender.
That all changed when Carr went down with that leg injury, and the Raiders fizzled in their first playoff visit since 2002. Carr should be fully healthy when the Raiders hit the field in September, but some surrounding cast members have changed.
Running back Latavius Murray, tight end Mychal Rivera, backup quarterback Matt McGloin, and wide receiver Andre Holmes have departed in free agency. On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Malcolm Smith, safety Nate Allen, and cornerback DJ Hayden have also moved on to new teams.
Oakland did sign linebacker Jelani Jenkins, quarterback EJ Manuel, and tight end Jared Cook. Oh…they also added a guy you may have heard of in running back Marshawn Lynch (albiet via trade). The NFL Draft proved to be…well…interesting for the Raiders. With the 24th pick, Oakland selected Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley, a talented player that could have been a top-10 pick. However, a rape allegation against Conley last month, make this a high-risk pick. If he is cleared, he is definitely a top-notch talent. If not, the Raiders may have forfeited a pick in an area where they needed the most help.
Oakland allowed over 375 yards per game last year defensively, and that looks like it could continue to be a sore spot this season. It was also announced that the Raiders will be moving to Las Vegas in 2019. How will the Oakland faithful respond to that news?
Verdict: The Raiders lost some significant talent in free agency, and we aren’t sure they replaced all of it. However, Derek Carr is a top-tier quarterback that should be enough to carry Oakland back to the playoffs. The Raiders handled Denver in Week 9, but the Broncos returned the favor in the season finale. This series should be must-see-TV in 2017.