NFL Offseason Guide: AFC West

Welcome to my first edition of the NFL offseason guidelines. This is my opinion on what each team should do, division by division. First stop: AFC West.

The West divisions are probably the weakest two in the NFL. The Chargers and Broncos are pretty good. Then you have the Raiders and Chiefs, which does not help your division rating. But it does help you get 4 wins per year. Anyway, here are the guidelines.

Denver Broncos

Positions of Strength: S, T

Positions of Weakness: DE, DT, ILB

Biggest Free Agents: QB Kyle Orton (RFA), WR Brandon Marshall (RFA), OLB Elvis Dumervil (RFA), TE Tony Scheffler (RFA)

Summary: The Broncos have some key free agents this offseason. Brandon Marshall and Dumervil will likely go, which is a problem for the team. Scheffler is a very underrated TE, and I think they’ll retain him along with Orton. If this team can keep Dumervil or Marshall it would help them.

Potential First-Round Draftees: WR Dez Bryant (Oklahoma State), ILB Ronaldo McClain (Alabama), DE Jason Pierre-Paul (South Florida)

Kansas City Chiefs

Positions of Strength: CB, RB

Positions of Weakness: WR, OL, ILB

Biggest Free Agents: OLB Mike Vrabel (UFA), TE Leonard Pope (RFA)

Summary: The only real person of note is Vrabel. I haven’t heard much about him re-signing, but I can see him walking or re-signing. Maybe even retiring. This team is always next year’s “sleeper team” but they have a lot of needs. I can see them finishing even second if the Broncos lose what they might lose. That’s how bad this division might be.

Potential First-Round Draftees: OT Russell Okung (Oklahoma State), OT Bruce Campbell (Maryland), S Eric Berry (Tennessee)

Oakland Raiders

Positions of Strength: CB, ILB

Positions of Weakness: QB, DE, WR, OL

Biggest Free Agents: QB Bruce Gradkowski (RFA), DE Richard Seymour (UFA)

Summary: The Raiders traded their 2011 first-round pick for a one-year rental. They’re going to be behind for a while with so many positions of need. If Gradkowski comes back he will probably be the starter, because apparently the Raiders are sticking with what they have.

Potential First-Round Draftees (Note: will change with 40 speeds): OT Bruce Campbell (Maryland), DE Carlos Dunlap (Florida), DE Jason Pierre-Paul (South Florida), S Taylor Mays (USC)

San Diego Chargers

Positions of Strength: QB, TE, C, OLB

Positions of Weakness: S, RB, DE

Biggest Free Agents: WR Vincent Jackson (RFA), WR Malcolm Floyd (RFA), RB Darren Sproles (RFA), LT Marcus McNeill (RFA), OLB Shawne Merriman (RFA)

Summary: That’s a pretty long list of some good players. Only one of Jackson and Floyd will be back, Sproles will probably stay in SD, McNeill will probably back, and Merriman is probably leaving. San Diego goes into the offseason weaker, and unless they sign some big free agents, they will be a bit weaker going into next season.

Potential First-Round Draftees: RB Jahvid Best (Cal), RB Ryan Mathews (Fresno State), G Mike Iupati (Idaho), DT Jarid Odrick (Penn State)

Join me next time when I do the AFC South.

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