NFL: 2024 AFC West Preview

We have made it across the country to the West now and both these divisions have a lot of good teams to look into.

AFC West Preview

Kansas City Chiefs

• Coaching Staff: HC Andy Reid is now a first ballot Hall of Fame Coach with his 3rd Super Bowl and now the defending back-to-back SB Champs. Reid has won this division 8 straight times. Obviously, QB Patrick Mahomes makes that easier, so it is everyone else who has to step up. OC Matt Nagy returns to call the Offense. The main thing is what new wrinkles will they put in this year. On D, Steve Spagnuolo really has been the reason the Chiefs have been so good over the past couple seasons. Still, it is hard to keep all the team happy on the field and in the pocketbook.
• Key Departures: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (to BUF), RB Jerick McKinnon (not signed), LB Willie Gay (to NO) and OG Nick Allegretti (to WAS).
• Key Additions: In the Draft, the Chiefs tried to address some needs – WR Xavier Worthy (1st Rd, Texas), OT Kingsley Suamtaia (2nd Rd, BYU), S Jaden Hicks (4th Rd, Washington State), C Hunter Nourzad (5th Rd, Penn State) and OG CJ Hanson (7th Rd, Holy Cross), Free Agents – TE Irv Smith (from CIN), WR Marquise Brown (from AZ), QB Carson Wentz (from LAR)
• Team Outlook: The Chiefs may not win the Super Bowl again – literally no one has won 3 straight, but they will win the AFC West. The only thing that will stop them would be an injury to Mahomes. TE Travis Kelce is likely in his last year, but that should not stop the O with the young WRs. Although the injury to Juwaan Taylor in camp is concerning, as that O line does not have a lot of depth. Still, it will come down to how they play in January on the real outcome of the season.
• Prediction: 13-4 – AFC West Champs (again)

Los Angeles Chargers

• Coaching Staff: Big changes in LA, new HC Jim Harbaugh jumps back into the NFL fresh off the National Championship with Michigan. He was close to the SB title with SF back in the day, so can he turn around one of the most disappointing franchises in league history. The real question is can Harbaugh get a team that constantly loses one score games (under every coach) to a winner. The Offense will be called by OC Greg Roman. Roman is known for running the ball, a lot. That may not play great with QB Justin Herbert, but it is what leads to wins. The Defense will be called by Jesse Minter who follows Harbaugh from Michigan. That unit was elite, but that was in college. I would look for him to coach effort and find a way to get the most speed on the field as possible.
• Key Departures: RB Austin Ekeler (to WAS), WR Mike Williams (to NYJ), DT Austin Johnson (to BUF), DT Nick Williams (to SF), TE Gerald Everett (to CHI), OG Zack Bailey (to ATL)
• Key Additions: In the Draft, the Chargers got better – OT Joe Alt (1st Rd, Notre Dame), Ladd McConkey (2nd Rd, Georgia), LB Junio Colson (3rd Rd, Michigan), DT Justin Eboigbe (4th Rd, Alabama), CB Cam Hart (5th Rd, Notre Dame), CB Tarheeb Still (5th Rd, Maryland), and WR Brenden Rice (7th Rd, USC). Free agency – TE Will Dissly (from SEA), RB Gus Edwards (from BAL), RB JK Dobbins (from BAL), TE Hayden Hurst (from ATL), WR DJ Chark (from CAR), DT Poona Ford (from BUF) and C Bradley Bozeman (from CAR).
• Team Outlook: The Chargers are not the most talented team in the division, but in years past when they were the most talented, they chronically underperformed. I expect this team to play to their potential. Does that mean beating KC? No, but it does mean that they will win close games and be prepared every week. They will not be going to 4th down just because of analytics (thank you, Brandon Staley) or just overcome by the moment (thank you, Anthony Lynn). I’m probably too bullish on them, like every year, but I love Harbaugh.
• Prediction: 11-6 – AFC Wild Card team

Denver Broncos

• Coaching Staff: HC Sean Payton returns to run the Broncos, and he is attempting to put his stamp on this team. The Russell Wilson era is over, so Payton can actually run his offense. OC Joe Lombardi will officially call the plays, but it will be a very different attack without Wilson. DC Vance Joseph is also back, and the D was pretty solid last year. Let’s see if that continues.
• Key Departures: QB Russell Wilson (to PIT), S Justin Simmons (to ), DT Jonathan Harris (to MIA), C Lloyd Cushenberry (to TEN), CB Fabian Moreau (to MIN)
• Key Additions: In the Draft, the Broncos tried to change things – QB Bo Nix (1st Rd, Oregon), LB Jonah Eliss (3rd Rd, Utah), WR Troy Franklin (4th Rd, Oregon) and CB Kris Abrams-Draine (5th Rd, Missouri). Free Agency – QB Zach Wilson (via Trade from NYJ), DE John Franklin-Myers (via Trade from NYJ), LB Cody Barton (from WAS), S Brandon Jones (from MIA), and WR Josh Reynolds (from DET).
• Team Outlook: The Offense may be ok, but Nix wasn’t my favorite QB in this draft. The D will have to be really good this year, so I see a lot of close games lost by Nix in the 4th Quarter. They will be competitive, but not good enough for the playoffs.
• Prediction: 7-10 – Outside looking in

Las Vegas Raiders

• Coaching Staff: HC Antonio Pierce is a real leader and now the official HC of the Raiders (removing the Interim HC tag), but he will need to really coach this year. He’s hired OC Luke Getsy, former Bears OC. He did not handle Justin Fields too well, but maybe he can do more with a gritty veteran. DC Patrick Graham stays on to call the D, which is the best unit for Vegas.
• Key Departures: RB Josh Jacobs (to GB), QB Jimmy Garoppolo (to LAR), WR Hunter Renfrow (not signed), C Hroniss Grasu (not signed), DT Jerry Tillery (to MIN) and OG Jermaine Eluemunor (to NYG).
• Key Additions: In the Draft, the Raiders did not have a lot of picks, but they secured – TE Brock Bowers (1st Rd, Georgia), OT DJ Glaze (3rd Rd, Maryland), CB Decamerion Richardson (4th Rd, Miss State), LB Tommy Eichenberg (5th Rd, Ohio State), CB MJ Devonshire (7th Rd, Pitt). Free Agents: QB Gardiner Minshew (from IND), DT Christian Wilkins (from MIA), TE Harrison Bryant (from CLE), RB Alexander Mattison (from MIN), C Cody Whitehair (from CHI) – on and QB Nathan Peterman (NO)…….
• Team Outlook: This team may have a few pieces like WR Davante Adams and DE Maxx Crosby, but it will be an uphill battle this year. QB Minshew will have his moments this year, but this is a tough division and I can’t see them winning a lot of games. I think they will be really bad.
• Prediction: 3-14 – Maybe the worst team in the NFL this year

Ok, one more division to go.

Wegs