NFL Coaching Carousel: AFC West

Every offseason, fantasy owners, and football fans in general, tune in to find out which free agents are heading where.

Signings like T.O. heading to the Buffalo Bills and TJ Houshmandzadeh's journey to the Northwest, where he'll join the Seattle Seahawks, are analyzed and scrutinized by everyone from ESPN to the guy sitting in the cubicle next to you as everyone attempts to figure out how these new additions will fit in in their new systems.

Strangely enough though, the coaching changes that occur each and every off-season garner much less attention despite these holding much more significance. After all, the coaches are the ones devising the systems that guys like T.O. and Housh will be playing in.

But, don't worry, the Bruno Boys, as usual, have you covered as we take a look at the Coaching Carousel of the NFL, breaking down all the important coaching changes division by division. This stop, the AFC West.

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Denver Broncos' Head Coach

Out: Mike Shanahan
In: Josh McDaniels

A three-game losing streak, which cost the Broncos a playoff spot, to end the 2008 season didn't sit well with Bronco fans or management. The result was that Mike Shanahan, coach of the Broncos for 14-years, was shown the door.

In his stead, the Broncos hired Josh McDaniels; however, fans more than likely are already a bit perturbed with the new head coach.

After all, despite residing in the position for just months now, McDaniels has already alienated and had to trade away pro-bowl quarterback, Jay Cutler.

The quickest way for McDaniels to get back in the good graces of Bronco fans is to win, and coming from the New England Patriots, a team he had been with since 2001, serving as offensive coordinator for the past three seasons, McDaniels knows how to do that.

Look for the new head coach to implement an offensive playbook similar to the pass first one utilized by the Patriots.

While that means the Broncos may not be the factory of 1,000-yard rushers it had been under Shanahan, it does mean good things for the passing game as McDaniels will look to spread the field, completing quick strikes in order to open up the deep ball.

That strategy bodes well for the fantasy value of the likes of both Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal as long as Kyle Orton, Cutler's successor can get them the ball consistently.

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Kansas City Chiefs' Head Coach

Out: Herm Edwards
In: Todd Haley

What do you do when your offense has ranked 24th or lower the past two seasons? You follow the Kansas City Chiefs' game plan. Out with the old and in with the architect of the fourth best offense in the league last season, Todd Haley. The man behind the Arizona Cardinals' aerial attack the last two seasons, Haley has the qualifications to turn things around in Kansas City.

To do so, he'll begin transitioning the Chiefs from a run dominated offensive style to a more pass heavy system, a move that makes perfect sense when you consider the decline running back, Larry Johnson, has been on of late and the talent the Chiefs have acquired for their passing game.

Not only does Kansas City have one of the most consistent young wide receivers in the league in Dwayne Bowe and pro-bowl tight end, Tony Gonzalez (assuming they don't deal him to the Atlanta Falcons prior to the draft), who put up the top numbers among tight ends last season.

But they've also added Matt Cassel, who filled in admirably as the Patriots' signal caller last season, to run the show and veteran wide receiver, Bobby Engram, to the mix.

Those players may not be Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin, the toys Haley had to play with his last two seasons in Arizona, but they are good enough to help Haley turn the league's 24th best offense in 2008 into a top 15 squad in 2009.

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