Last season, the AFC West wasn’t a very entertaining division in the NFL. Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos ran away with the division title as they were the only team in the West with a winning record. This has been a very busy offseason for the AFC West with a lot of change, here’s a quick look at some of the news around the West.
Denver Broncos:
The Broncos needed to make little change after their great 2012 season. They finished with a 13-3 record and had the top seed in the AFC. Their season ended when the Baltimore Ravens defeated them in the divisional round of the playoffs as Manning threw two crucial interceptions.
This year, the Broncos have improved their already good roster, and have some competition brewing for training camp. There is an open spot for a running back with plenty of guys to fill that role. The Broncos released Willis McGahee this month and now Ronnie Hillman and Lance Ball will battle it out in camp for the starting spot. The team also has Jacob Hester which may play into some decision making as he is very versatile.
The Broncos also will have competition on the defensive side of the ball. The safety position will have heavy competition in camp this year. Last year the starting safeties were Mike Adams and Rahim Moore. This year they have added Quentin Jammer to compete at the safety position, as well. There are three other candidates who could fight for a spot this year, including David Bruton, Quinton Carter, and Duke Ihenacho.
The Broncos will be one of the best teams in the NFL again this year. They have a great defense and have added some more guys to make for an interesting training camp next month.
Kansas City Chiefs:
The Chiefs had the worst season last year with their 2-14 record, as they were granted the number one overall pick in this years draft. They’ve made quite a few moves to improve for the 2013 season.
First of all, they sent Matt Cassel packing and traded for Alex Smith, who has the potential to have a bigger impact than Cassel. They also have a new coach in Andy Reid.
Not a lot of news revolving around the Chiefs lately, but they have shown interest in free agent fullback Vonta Leach. There’s mutual interest, but the signing is being deemed unlikely as they are tight on salary space and they still have to sign number one draft pick Eric Fisher.
Oakland Raiders:
Where to begin with those Raiders? After their disappointing 2012 4-12 season, it was time for some change. They’re a rebuilding franchise with young players and just a whole new team.
Initial reports from mini camp weren’t so promising regarding quarterback Matt Flynn, the silver and black’s presumed starter. He’ll have some competition with Terrelle Pryor and fourth round pick Tyler Wilson, but Flynn is still the favorite to start the season for the Raiders.
First round draft pick, D.J. Hayden is still expected to be ready for training camp next month after having abdominal issues and a procedure which caused him to miss OTA’s and minicamp.
The main competition heading into camp next month will be at the quarterback position, but the tight end position is an area where there is no established starter. It will be interesting to see who emerges and who is named the starting tight end come September 8th.
The Raiders have made some good moves and will be an improved team from last year, but they still have some work to do. There will be a lot of competition during training camp for the silver and black this year.
San Diego Chargers:
The Chargers had a disappointing 2012 season as they finished 7-9. They made some changes in their coaching staff by firing Norv Turner and hiring Mike McCoy.
San Diego drafted wide receiver Keenan Allen this year, and could start for the Chargers this year. He fell to the third round of the draft due to concerns about his knee, but he has the talent to be a good receiver for the Chargers. Allen has stated he hopes to be the starting wide receiver this season and he may get that chance. And, yes, in case you were wondering Allen is the one who posted a video on vine wearing an Oakland Raiders hat; which didn’t go over too well with the Chargers fans.
The Chargers will have some help with their running game this season as well with the addition of Danny Woodhead. They also have Ryan Mathews and they’ve been waiting for a breakout year from him that just hasn’t happened yet. Now they plan to make Woodhead a bigger part of their offense as he is another important offensive weapon.
The Chargers also added Dwight Freeney and Max Starks to their team in an effort to be more competitive this season.
Last year, the AFC West was a disappointing division with little competition. This year will be different. All four teams have made improvements and have the potential to play at a higher level and have some contention.