NFL: Peyton Manning and 8 Factors That Will Impact AFC West

The dominant storyline in the AFC West this offseason was undoubtedly the departure of Tim Tebow and acquisition of Peyton Manning as the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos.

However, the shakeup under center for the defending AFC West champs is far from the only storyline in the division this offseason. Here's a look at some of the players and situations that will go a long way towards determining who reigns supreme in the AFC West this year.

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos

The early part of free agency this year was all about four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning, who was courted by a number of NFL teams after being released by the Indianapolis Colts before finally deciding to become the next starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos.

Manning took part in his first practice with the Broncos Monday, and according to the Albany Times-Union the 15th-year pro was glad to be back on the field after missing all of the 2011 season due to multiple neck surgeries.

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"It felt good to be out there. It's been a while for me," Manning said. "It's been about a year and a half since I've been in uniform, been in an organized practice. So, it felt good to be out there. And it will be a good film to study."

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Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers lurched through a disappointing and inconsistent 8-8 2011 season. This was due in no small part to a very uneven season from eighth-year veteran quarterback Philip Rivers, who threw for the second-highest yardage total of his career but also tossed a career-high 20 interceptions.

Rivers' play improved down the stretch last year but it was too little too late, and as Brian McIntyre of NFL.com reports Rivers is well aware that he has to cut down on the mistakes this season if the Bolts are going to get back into the thick of things in the AFC West.

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"That was obviously the thing that stood out last year," Rivers said of the turnovers, via Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego reports. "It's one thing if we couldn't get a first down or convert third downs or couldn't run the ball or couldn't have any big plays. We had all of those."

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Matt Cassel, Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs entered the 2011 season as the defending AFC West champions, but a 41-7 pasting at the hands of the hands of the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 set the tone for an injury-marred and frustrating season that led to the firing of head coach Todd Haley in December.

If the Chiefs are going to climb back into contention in 2012 the team will need a return to form from quarterback Matt Cassel, who missed seven games last year due to a broken hand and was erratic when he was on the field.

Cassel's struggles at times in Kansas City have led some to question whether the seven-year veteran is worth the six-year, $63 million contract he signed with the team in 2009, but head coach Romeo Crennel told the NFL Network's Steve Wyche that he has no such doubts.

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"Matt has shown that he is capable of taking us to a division championship. He did it two years ago," Crennel said. "That shows me that he is capable. What we have to do, we have to get him to be consistent. If he's consistent, we're going to win. It's a quarterback-driven league, and if the quarterback plays well, the team has a chance to play well.

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Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders

It may seem a little strange to begin this slideshow by rattling off all four starting quarterbacks in the division, but in today's National Football League as goes the quarterback so goes the team.

The Oakland Raiders paid a hefty price to acquire veteran signal-caller Carson Palmer from the Cincinnati Bengals in a trade last October. Palmer had his share of struggles with his new team, throwing more interceptions than touchdown passes and posting his lowest quarterback rating since 2008.

The 32-year-old has had a full offseason to prepare for his second season in the silver and black, and Palmer is expecting big things in new offensive coordinator's Greg Knapp's West Coast offense, telling ESPN's Greg Williamson that “He’s been fantastic with me,” Palmer said. “He’s amazing. He is a teacher in addition to a coach…It will really help me get this offense down.”

Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs

A large part of the Kansas City Chiefs' success in 2010 was attributable to the breakout season of running back Jamaal Charles, who tallied over 1,900 total yards and eight touchdowns on the season.

As successful a season as 2010 was 2011 was just as big a disaster for the fifth-year pro, however, as a torn ACL ended Charles' season after all of 12 carries.

By all accounts Charles' rehab from the injury has progressed well, and while the 25-year-old has yet to join his teammates on the field for organized team activities Matt Cassel told Dave Skretta of the Associated Press via The Washington Post that he fully expects Charles to be all systems go for training camp.

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“I’m excited. Jamaal has made tremendous progress,” quarterback Matt Cassel said. “Every day he’s been working out in the weight room and doing tremendous things already.”

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Ron Bartell, Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders cornerback Ron Bartell is far from a household name, and after a broken neck limited the seven-year veteran to only one game last year with the St. Louis Rams it appeared that his NFL career might have been in jeopardy.

A combination of free agent departures and lack of cap space to replace them left the Oakland Raiders scrambling to cobble together a secondary for this season.

After receiving a clean bill of health from doctors the Raiders signed Bartell on the cheap, and the 30-year-old is eager to get back on the field and anchor the Oakland defensive backfield. According to CBS Sports:

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CB Ron Bartell said he has no “fear at all” about playing this season. “When I had the injury, I didn't actually know that I had fractured my neck. It felt more like a stinger. We didn't find out that I had the fracture until I got the C-T scan. I never had to go through the anxiety of getting carted off the field or losing feeling or paralysis.”

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Mike Adams, Denver Broncos

The retirement of safety Brian Dawkins left a huge hole in the back end of the Denver Broncos' defense, and the team is hoping to fill that void with safety Mike Adams, who the Broncos signed in free agency.

Adams, who had 64 tackles, three interceptions and a forced fumble in 2011, played free safety for the Cleveland Browns last season, but as Denver cornerback Champ Bailey recently told Sports Illustrated he thinks the ninth-year pro's versatility will help Adams slide ably into either safety spot in Denver.

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"He's sharp, he knows his stuff and that's really what you want from your safeties, to know their stuff and to come out there and kind of get you lined up right,'' Bailey said. "I mean, I don't need it for the most part, but when I do, I want to be able to lean on somebody.''

Adams is wearing No. 20, just as he did in Cleveland, in honor of Dawkins, whom he began to admire and emulate back at the University of Delaware a decade ago.

"I enjoyed watching him my whole career and hopefully I make him proud wearing that number,'' Adams said.

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Melvin Ingram, San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers ranked 13th in the National Football League in total defense last year but had trouble pressuring the quarterback, ranking a moribund 23rd in the league in sacks.

The team looked to get outside linebacker Antwaan Barnes some help in that area in the first round of April's NFL draft, selecting All-American defensive end Melvin Ingram of South Carolina with the 18th overall pick.

Ingram played all over the field at South Carolina, lining up at defensive end, defensive tackle, and both inside and outside at linebacker. If the 6'1", 264-pounder can make a quick transition to the NFL it will be a huge boost to the Bolts' defense.