The AFC West is one of, if not, the toughest divisions in the NFL.  Last season we saw three AFC West teams make the playoffs and put on an entertaining run.  During the offseason all four teams improved via free agent acquisitions, making this division even better and more entertaining to watch.  Here’s a look at some of the key free agent acquisitions who will have an immediate impact this year.

The Denver Broncos are the favorites in the West once again after making a Super Bowl appearance last year.  There was little they needed to improve on, but their strong defense got a bit stronger with the additions of Aqib Talib and Demarcus Ware.  

Last year was a down season for Ware, only recording six sacks with the Dallas Cowboys,  but beside Von Miller, the Broncos defense is expected to be quite threatening.  With these two healthy and on the field, they will keep quarterback’s on their toes with a forceful pass rush.  

Denver’s secondary has also improved with the acquisition of Talib who had four picks in 13 games with the New England Patriots last year.

With a dynamic defense, Peyton Manning and the Broncos won’t have to worry about playing catch-up that often.

The Oakland Raiders really made some noise this offseason with some big free agent signings, the most impactful being Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley, Maurice Jones-Drew, and James Jones.

Oakland needed help on both sides of the ball, but have really improved their defense.  Tuck is a big name lineman with winning experience that he can bring to a young up and coming team.  Last year Tuck had 12 sacks with the New York Giants, and Woodley had five sacks with the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Their presence is greatly needed on a team with a poor pass rush, and their leadership will be instilled in Khalil Mack and Sio Moore who both have bright futures in this league.  

Offensively, the Raiders receiving core has been mediocre at best.  Now they will have a veteran capable of being a number one receiver in Jones.  Last year he had 89 receptions for 817 yards and three touchdowns with the Green Bay Packers.  The more offensive weapons the better for quarterback Matt Schaub, and alongside Rod Streater, he now has more reliable options.  

Jones-Drew will also pose an immediate impact on this team that struggled with the run game.  With him as the number one running back, Darren McFadden will be able to split time with a proven veteran with the potential to execute a strong run game this year.

Ultimately, there wasn’t an area of the game where the Raiders didn’t struggle in 2013, but with an abundance of veteran free agents, this team looks to be much better as they build for the future.  

The Broncos and Raiders were definitely the winners in the AFC West when it comes to free agency as the Chiefs and Chargers remained quiet, not making any big moves like their division rivals.