Chargers: S Bob Sanders, LB Takeo Spikes, WR Vincent Jackson (re-signed)

Chiefs: WR Steve Breaston, FB Le’Ron McClain, LB Tamba Hali (re-signed)

Raiders: TE Kevin Boss

Broncos: RB Willis McGahee, DT Brodrick Bunkley, TE Daniel Fells

Key Rookies

Chargers: DE Corey Liuget

Chiefs: WR Jon Baldwin

Raiders: C Stefen Wisniewski

Broncos: LB Von Miller

Team Previews

San Diego

Usually when a team ranks 1st in offense and defense, they make the playoffs.  That wasn’t the case last year for the Chargers. Their 2-5 start last season was too much for them to overcome and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005.  Head coach Norv Turner has had a lot of success with the Chargers since being hired in 2007.  It will be interesting to see how he manages to get San Diego back into contention with a more competitive AFC West.

The Chargers had the best offense in the NFL thanks in large part to their QB Philip Rivers.  He deserves to be in the conversation as one of the elite passers in the game.  So much was said about his ability to throw the ball down the field and his fiery personality. However his teammates have responded well to his leadership and he can throw the ball down the field with tremendous accuracy. San Diego should benefit greatly from having WR Vincent Jackson playing right away this year.  Rivers and the offense missed his big play ability for half the 2010 season.  If TE Antonio Gates can return fully healthy from plantar fasciitis the Chargers passing attack will be among the best in the league.  The running game was inconsistent at times, but a better year from last years 1st round pick RB Ryan Matthews will help a lot.  RB Mike Tolbert was a big lift during the second half of last season.  Norv Turner will miss RB Darren Sproles, but they feel Matthews will be ready to have a bigger role this year.

San Diego was the best team against the pass last year.  Thanks in part to their pass rush.  Their secondary is among the most cohesive units in the NFL.  CB Quentin Jammer and CB Antoine Cason have become one of the best duos in the league.  S Eric Weddle being re-signed keeps the Chargers secondary intact and with the addition of S Bob Sanders they should be even better against the run.  They ranked 29th against the run last year.  Not only with Sanders, but the addition of LB Takeo Spikes should improve that stat.  LB Shaun Phillips and LB Larry English will be the primary pass rushers off the edge.  Both have tremendous burst off the line and aren’t bad in pass coverage either.  DE Luis Castillo and 1st round pick DE Corey Liuget will be counted on to wreak havoc on the line this year.  Castillo has struggled to stay healthy for a full season, but he and Liuget are ferocious lineman who have a nose for the football.

Kansas City

Success came earlier than many expected for Kansas City last year.  They took advantage of their schedule and were able to hold off a late charge by rival San Diego to win the AFC West.  It became painfully apparent though entering the playoffs that the Chiefs were still a long way from competing for a Super Bowl. Head coach Todd Haley was able to fix many flaws with the Chiefs, but they still don’t have a reliable passing game to win games when the opponent stops their rushing attack.  They have a tougher schedule this year, but still play in a winnable division.

On paper it was easy to see that QB Matt Cassel had a good year. He threw for over 3,000 yards and his TD to INT ratio was impressive (27-7).  However when they needed him to deliver at crucial times there wasn’t much of a rhythm.  It was clear during their playoff loss to Baltimore.  The Ravens stacked the line taking away RB Jamaal Charles and RB Thomas Jones.  Forcing the Chiefs to rely more on Cassel to win the game.  This year the Chiefs hope another year of development with TE Tony Moeaki will improve the passing game.  He reminded so many of TE Tony Gonzalez last year.  WR Dwayne Bowe should have another stellar year with the additions of WR Steve Breaston and 1st round pick WR Jon Baldwin.  Breaston especially since he knows the system from Haley’s coaching days in Arizona.  Remember the Chiefs still have Charles and Jones to run the ball on a consistent basis as well.  They ranked first in the league last year.

Not much has changed defensively for Kansas City.  Keeping LB Tamba Hali long term was the right move for the Chiefs.  He became a prolific pass rusher playing in the new scheme under defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel.  The same goes for DE Wallace Gilberry.  Both Gilberry and Hali will be the main rushers off the edge.  On the inside the Chiefs need more from two 1st round picks, DT Glenn Dorsey and DE Tyson Jackson.  Both haven’t lived up to their potential yet, but another year in this scheme should help them.  Kansas City is hoping for a repeat of last season from LB Andy Studebaker.  He was a breath of fresh air making plays all over the field.  The secondary has a legitimate playmaker in S Eric Berry.  Last years 1st round pick is definitely worth every penny the Chiefs have invested in him.  He will be the best all around safety in the league shortly.  At the corners Brandon Carr and Brandon Flowers are developing into a good duo. And with CB Javier Arenas backing them up the Chiefs have a good young secondary that will only get better.

Oakland

There was actually something to be excited about in Oakland last year.  The Raiders were in first place at one point during the 2010 season.  They finished the season 8-8.  Not since 2002 had the Raiders finished with a winning record.  Then it was all gone when owner Al Davis fired Tom Cable as the head coach.  Cable wasn’t the best man for the job, but he was doing a good job.  Davis’ high expectations seem to be getting in the way again.  But new head coach Hue Jackson, who was the offensive coordinator last year still believes this team can compete not just for the division, but for a title.  Hard to see it with a meddlesome owner.

Oakland had a lot to be happy about last year.  The running game took off and was ranked second behind their rival Kansas City.  RB Darren McFadden was given the reigns full time and didn’t disappoint.  The Raiders have a good complement in RB Michael Bush and together this duo should still be a productive unit.  QB Jason Campbell isn’t the ideal quarterback for Oakland, but he’s a lot better than if they still had JaMarcus Russell.  Campbell will miss TE Zach Miller who left via free agency.  Miller was their best receiver and was an adequate blocker too.  TE Kevin Boss will try to replace that production, but Oakland would have been wiser to keep Miller.  The Raiders need to figure out who is their top wide receiver.  WR Darrius Heyward-Bey so far isn’t living up to the billing.  WR Louis Murphy looks good at times, but is far too inconsistent.  WR Jacoby Ford has become the best deep threat overnight.  How many more looks he’ll see this year will determine the Raiders success on offense.

The Raiders lost their best defensive player in CB Nnamdi Asomugha to free agency.  Oakland will rely heavily on CB Stanford Routt to take the helm vacated by Asomugha.  Also 3rd round pick CB DeMarcus Van Dyke figures to get a chance to play this year.  S Michael Huff was re-signed.  Him and fellow S Tyvon Branch aren’t a bad combination in the secondary, but Branch has been left alone far too many times on deep completions.  LB Rolando McClain will have to be better than advertised when he was drafted in the 1st round last year.  His tackling ability is the best among the linebackers, but he has to get a better grasp of the play calling more this year.  The defensive line is among the deepest in the league.  DT Richard Seymour and DT Tommy Kelly were forces in the middle last year.  Although they weren’t very good stopping the run.  DE Kamerion Wimbley and DE Matt Shaughnessy were Oakland’s best pass rushers.  Look for both to be near double digit sack totals again this year.

Denver

It has gotten so bad in Denver that they asked John Elway to come out of retirement.  Not to be the starting quarterback, but rather the Executive VP of Football Operations for the Broncos. His main goal is to try and get the Broncos back to respectability. It became apparent very quickly that former head coach Josh McDaniels was in over his head as far coaching and personnel decisions.  Denver hired former Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox to bring back some of what was lost on the field.  Mainly the absence of a running game, which Fox knows a lot about from his glory days in Carolina.

Whether the Broncos go with Kyle Orton or Tim Tebow at quarterback, neither seems to be the long term solution.  The Broncos explored trading Orton, but couldn’t find the right deal. Tebow is the fan favorite to win the job, but he isn’t ready for the pressure.  One thing is for sure.  If Orton struggles right out of the gate, Tebow will get his opportunity.  Denver is trying to create a capable running game with the signing of RB Willis McGahee to pair with the faster RB Knowshon Moreno.  This should bode well for Moreno and McGahee as both have struggled with various injuries throughout their careers.  The clear cut number one receiver is WR Brandon Lloyd.  His career year last year showed just how good he can be if given the chance.  He and Orton developed good chemistry last year which favors Orton starting right away this year.  The other problem is who will start on the other side from Lloyd?  Denver would like to see WR Eddie Royal return to his 2008 rookie season, but that might be asking a lot.

The biggest reason the Broncos went with John Fox was because of his defensive prowess.  Fox has had some great defenses in the past with Carolina and New York when he was the defensive coordinator for the Giants.  They should be greatly improved rushing the passer now that DE Elvis Dumervil is healthy and playing as a defensive end rather than a linebacker.  Putting former 1st round pick DE Robert Ayers on the defensive line should help his performance as well.  Acquiring DT Brodrick Bunkley from Philadelphia was a good move that will help both in the run and pass defense.  Denver went to the draft to improve their defense as well.  LB Von Miller and LB Nate Irving figure to be a big part of the rebuilt defense.  Along with veteran LB D.J. Williams this trio should resemble what was built in Carolina under Fox.  Re-signing CB Champ Bailey insures that he retires in Denver and will still be a part of the plans on defense.  Second round pick, S Rahim Moore is good in coverage, but will need to improve in his run support.