AFC West: Preview and Predictions for 2009

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

At running back, the lack of action on draft day says the Chiefs plan on having Larry Johnson contribute all season barring a late trade. If they keep Johnson, look for the offense to improve just a bit under first year coach, Todd Haley.

On defense the Chiefs added veteran linebackers Zach Thomas (free agent) and Mike Vrabel (trade), while using the first three picks they had in the draft to prop up a defense that finished 31st in yards allowed and 29th in points allowed.

They’ll make marginal progress, but quarterback Matt Cassell will be more Sage Rosenfels than Tom Brady.

Predicted finish: 7-9

Oakland Raiders

2008 record: 5-11 

One of these years Al Davis is going to use all of his draft picks to take wide receivers. No. He didn't this year. It it just felt like it.

The train wreck that is the Oakland Raiders just gets more twisted every year. Davis used his first picks to take Darrius Heyward-Bey, the fast and rangy wide receiver from Maryland,  and safety Michael Mitchell, a non-combine player who worked out well at pro day.

Both picks are debatable. And just like with most things Davis does, people have been debating the wisdom of the picks.

Heyward-Bey has never quite lived up to his measurables, with many analysts puzzled by the Raider's selection of him, but the packaging a player comes in is all Davis has seemed to care about recently.

Heyward-Bey will be a great target for quarterback JaMarcus Russell, but it begs the question: Does Russell have the accuracy to find the fleet target down field consistently?

One thing’s for sure: Backup quarterback Jeff Garcia lacks the arms strength to make deep throws. 

On defense, the Raiders picked up some depth at line in the draft and the aforementioned safety. It shouldn’t be enough to turn things around in Oakland. 

Predicted record: 4-12

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