Inside: A snapshot of the AFC West, the place availability is peak of answers for the Chiefs, Broncos, Chargers and Raiders.
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Previous than we start, those are the consequences from our e-newsletter poll, surveying who your fellow readers replicate will gain the AFC West:
1. Broncos, 39.7 p.c
2. Chiefs, 29.6 p.c
3. Chargers, 25.4 p.c
4. Raiders, 5.3 p.c
AFC West Preview
I regularly worship that EA Sports activities movements’ “Madden” lets you regulate hurt frequency. I would really like the NFL may just possibly possibly perform that for the AFC West.
Last 12 months turned into unfair.
The Chargers out of place Authentic Bowl left type out Rashawn Slater in training camp. Then-Authentic Bowl lawful type out Joe Alt overpassed 11 video video games as a result of hurt. The Broncos had been compelled to play the AFC Championship Sport without Bo Nix, whilst Patrick Mahomes ended the season at the Chiefs IR.
The Raiders’ most interesting avid players — tight discontinue Brock Bowers and edge Maxx Crosby — handled nagging leg accidents, whilst stud left type out Kolton Miller performed honest true 4 video video games.
I hope this season is completely other.
Denver Broncos
(14-3, out of place in AFC Championship Sport)
Headline: Along with WR Jaylen Rush. Denver’s offense needed an explosive, speed-after-the-earn goal inside the guts of the self-discipline. In completely other phrases, they needed Rush, who’s already handing over in training camp.
Refined: Dropping DL John Franklin-Myers. An underrated contributor, Franklin-Myers had the fifth-most sacks at his dwelling in 2025 (8, in line with PFF). His departure to Tennessee on a $21 million per-twelve months deal makes former DL Malcolm Roach one in every of a if truth be told essential Broncos this season.
Search information from: How strange time does Jonathon Cooper fail to remember? The edge rusher’s dwelling is perilous after being arrested two times in June, with the NFL but to levy any punishment. Cooper is at this time working towards with the workforce and is a key member of Denver’s coverage, beginning all 17 video video games in every of the previous 3 seasons and averaging 9 sacks in line with 12 months.
Projection: 10-7. BetMGM initiatives 9.5 wins proper right here, so I’m narrowly taking the over for one in every of the league’s most interesting rosters. Denver performed 11-3 in one-rating video video games whilst overachieving ultimate season. That’s now not simple to copy. Truthful are expecting the 2025 Chiefs.
Los Angeles Chargers
(11-6, out of place in wild-card spherical)
Headline: Mike McDaniel employed as OC. Voted the tenth-finest offensive play caller via a handful of defensive coaches, McDaniel is an elite velocity recreation coordinator who constructed the Dolphins offense right into a top-10 unit for 2 years. McDaniel is now paired with Justin Herbert and Omarion Hampton. Review out.
Refined: Pink meat up at heart. “It’s now not simple to overstate the snarl the Chargers will experience at heart,” in line with Daniel Popper, once they signed Tyler Biadasz, a top-10 participant at his dwelling. (To be transparent, you may just possibly possibly possibly be an snarl. Former heart Bradley Bozeman performed 40th amongst 40 qualifying firms in PFF grade).
Search information from: How essential turned into Jesse Minter? The frail defensive coordinator overachieved with an oft-injured Chargers coverage, finishing 6th in EPA in line with play in 2025. His exchange, Chris O’Leary, has honest true one season of experience on the NFL degree (as a safeties trainer for the Chargers in 2024). Can he mirror Minter’s good fortune? The safety is dominating thus far in training camp, for what that’s fee.
Projection: 11-6. They one way or the other went 11-6 and made the playoffs ultimate season. The ground is over the top. With minimum participant turnover on coverage and a (with a bit of luck) healthy offensive line, Herbert may just possibly possibly possibly moreover now not gain extra ordinary season video video games in a difficult department however may just possibly possibly possibly moreover mute ranking his first playoff victory.
Kansas Town Chiefs
(6-11 in 2025)
Headline: Signing Kenneth Walker III. A non-existent velocity recreation made life subtle for the Chiefs offense, which ranked 30th in explosive velocity price ultimate season (runs of 12-plus yards). Walker, the Simple Bowl MVP, performed 5th in that exact same stat. He’s an perfect are compatible for Eric Bieniemy’s offense and may just possibly possibly possibly be the Chiefs’ first 1,000-yard runner in just about a decade.
Refined: Revamping the secondary. No. 1 CB Trent McDuffie turned into traded. No. 2 CB Jaylen Watson and No. 1 S Bryan Cook dinner left in loose corporate. That’d be a disaster for a lot of teams, but when somebody can alternate 3 high quality starters in a single offseason, it’s defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Search information from: Stop they have a scuttle velocity? Kansas Town ultimate gained the Simple Bowl in 2023, when it ranked 2nd inside the NFL with 57 sacks. That amount fell to 39 in 2024 and 35 ultimate season, previous than most interesting six teams. DT Chris Jones and DE George Karlaftis want serve, so the Chiefs spent two top-40 choices on standout DT Peter Woods and edge rusher R Mason Thomas. We’ll see.
Projection: 10-7. Kansas Town went 12-0 in one-rating video video games in 2024 earlier than violently regressing ultimate season, finishing 1-9 in video video games inside of seven system. BetMGM has the Chiefs at 10.5 wins this season. I’ll take the beneath, somewhat.
Las Vegas Raiders
(3-14 in 2025)
Headline: Pairing Fernando Mendoza with Klint Kubiak. Groups incessantly upload each probably the most coveted rookie quarterback and offensive trainer inside the the similar offseason, which Las Vegas did with Heisman-a good fortune Mendoza and Kubiak, the Simple Bowl-a good fortune OC. Request returns to be limited in 12 months 1, as projected starter Kirk Cousins is outplaying Mendoza in camp and may just possibly possibly dangle onto the activity longer than anticipated.
Refined: Stepped forward offensive line. The Raiders line turned into unsightly in 2025. It allowed probably the most sacks (64) and had the league’s worst dashing good fortune price. Considerations compounded: Experience turned into missing, Pete Carroll’s son Brennan turned into an useless trainer and accidents charge left type out Kolton Miller 13 video video games. Carroll is long gone, Miller is healthy and distinctive heart Tyler Linderbaum is without doubt one of the crucial essential many league’s most interesting. Arrow up.
Search information from: Which receiver emerges? They added frail Vikings WR3 Jalen Nailor and drafted spectacular rookie Malik Benson inside the 6th spherical to compete with uncumbents Tre Tucker, Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. It’s much more likely that Brock Bowers plays the Jaxon Smith-Njigba function in Kubiak’s offense.
Projection: 6-11. Optimism is over the top in Las Vegas. Once more. Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly weren’t as so much as the obligation of overachieving with the league’s weakest roster. The Raiders gave $308 million fee of contracts to loose brokers to offer Kubiak a significantly higher shot this 12 months. BetMGM has their gain overall at 5.5. I’ll take the over.
Further Portions
🎤 “Struggling with demons.” Dre Greenlaw dishes on his temporary, unhappy stint with the Broncos.
🧀 Packers reset. Jourdan Rodrigue shared what she heard, noticed and discovered in Green Bay. It’ll possess you ever in need of to concentrate on to Lambeau.
📊 Fable peak 300. Jake Ciely’s scores are reside, with Eagles rookie receiver Makai Lemon any person he’s certain to draft. Thieve signal.
💰 Zay Plant existence (over)paid? The Ravens made the 25-twelve months-frail the league’s fourth-most sensible likely-paid receiver, with a mean of $35 million in line with 12 months. Wow.
▶️ Maximum-clicked: Mike Sando’s 2026 QB Tiers, which spoiled Shedeur Sanders ultimate amongst 35 quarterbacks.
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