AFC WEST = AFC BEST

By: Mike Rifkin

For the sixth consecutive season the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC West. This offseason Kansas City’s three divisional opponents have made big swings to unseat the Chiefs not only as the best team in the division, but to give them a real shot at competing in the AFC.

Let’s start with the Denver Broncos who in 2021 finished with a record of 7-10 and missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. Denver fired Vic Fangio after three seasons, and hired Packers offensive coordinator Nathanial Hackett to be the team’s new head coach. Denver has been searching for a franchise quarterback since Peyton Manning retired, and this offseason they swung big and acquired Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson for two first round picks, quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant,etc… Wilson missed a few games last season due to a dislocated finger and surgery but Wilson still had 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. In his career Wilson has a 65.0 completion percentage, 292 touchdowns, 87 interceptions and a 101 Passer Rating. Even with trading Fant, Wilson will have a great group of skilled position players. Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick at receiver will all be excellent, and second year running back Javonte Williams should also improve with Wilson at the helm. Denver also signed pass rusher Randy Gregory to a five year 70 million dollar contract, Gregory a former second round pick of the Dallas Cowboys tied his career high with six sacks last season and for the second consecutive season forced three fumbles. Gregory will replace Bronco legend Von Miller who was traded to the Rams on their way to the Super Bowl. Gregory will pair with former first round pick Bradley Chubb creating a dynamite pass rush for a Bronco team that had 36 sacks on the season. 

Then there are the Los Angeles Chargers who finished the season at 9-8, but all people will talk about until they kick off next season is the blunder first year head coach Brandon Staley had in week 18 against the Raiders. Second year quarterback Justin Herbert had a 66.9 completion percentage with 38 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Herbert will have the services of receiver Mike Williams who signed a three year extension with the team. Williams put up career highs in receptions (76) and yards (1,146) and had nine touchdowns. But it’s the other side of the ball where the Chargers made their impact, they traded for Edge rusher Khalil Mack from the Chicago Bears in exchange for draft picks. Mack in 2021 was limited to seven games due to a foot injury he had six sacks. Since coming into the league in 2014 Mack has 76.5 sacks and 23 forced fumbles. Mack and Joey Bosa give the Chargers a dynamic pass rush for a team that had 35 last season. The Chargers also signed Patriots cornerback JC Jackson to a massive five year contract worth 82.5 million dollars. Jackson, one of the NFL’s elite cornerbacks has 17 interceptions over the last two seasons and 25 over his first four seasons. 

The Las Vegas Raiders went through a lot in 2021 with the Jon Gruden situation. But still the Raiders found a way to make the playoffs under Rich Bisaccia and lost to the eventual AFC Champion Bengals in the Wild Card Round. After the season Bisaccia and General Manager Mike Mayock were relieved of their duties. The Raiders raided New England to find their new GM and Head Coach. Dave Ziegler, the Patriots director of player personnel, was named GM and Offensive Coordinator Josh Mcdaniels was named the head coach. The Raiders extended Defensive End Maxx Crosby to a four year 99 million dollar contract. Crosby over his first three seasons has 25 sacks. Last offseason the Raiders signed Edge Rusher Yannick Ngakoue to a two year contract. In 2021 Ngakoue had 10 sacks, and now he has been traded to the Indianapolis Colts for cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (great name). Ya-Sin fills the Raiders need at corner and over his first three seasons in the league Ya-Sin only has two interceptions but he has 20 passes defended or breakups. And the Raiders actually upgraded from Ngakoue by signing Linebacker Chandler Jones to a three year 51 million dollar contract. Jones in 2021 had 10.5 sacks including five in week one for the Arizona Cardinals. Jones in 2021 also had six forced fumbles and in his career has 107.5 sacks and 33 forced fumbles. But the Raiders weren’t done; they traded for arguably the best receiver in the NFL in Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers and all it took was their first two draft picks in this year’s draft. Adams, who played with quarterback Derek Carr at Fresno State had 123 receptions for 1,553 yards and 11 touchdowns last season for the Packers. Adams signed a five year 140 million dollar contract with the Raiders and has over 1,000 yards and double digit touchdowns in three of the last four seasons. Adams along with Hunter Renfrow, Darren Waller, Bryan Edwards and Josh Jacobs puts a lot of pressure on Derek Carr to win now. 

All three of these teams have had tremendous offseasons, but which one has had the offseason that makes you believe they can unseat the Kansas City Chiefs. There are still some solid free agents out on the market and the draft is coming but one thing is for sure AFC West games this season are going to be must-see TV.