For Chiefs, it’s catch ’em if you can
On the way to its first Super Bowl title in 50 years, Kansas City was five games better than any of its AFC West rivals.
Only the Broncos in 2012 won the division by a larger margin (six games) in the last 18 seasons. Since 2015, the Chiefs are 27-3 in division games and have outscored the Broncos, Chargers and Raiders by an aggregate 873518. Ouch.
The general managers in Denver (John Elway), Las Vegas (Mike Mayock) and Los Angeles (Tom Telesco) responded accordingly this offseason.
They spent money, added new starters and prioritized speed, all in the name of either keeping up with the Chiefs on the scoreboard or attempting to slow down Patrick Mahomes and Co.
The Raiders, for instance, could have as many as five new defensive starters.
“Let’s be honest: The entire league is chasing the Kansas City Chiefs,” Mayock told reporters after last month’s draft. “They keep getting faster and more athletic (and) more dynamic every time you turn around. Other teams have to do the same.”
The Chargers signed cornerback Chris Harris and defensive tackle Linval Joseph and drafted first-round linebacker Kenneth
Murray to join a defense that gave up the league’s sixth-fewest yards last year.
“Kansas City’s offense can fly,” Telesco told the Los Angeles media. “It’s more than just covering those fast guys. It’s about getting to the quarterback, too.”
And the Broncos wore out their stop-watch to draft receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam after trading for veteran cornerback A.J. Bouye and defensive tackle Jurrell Casey.
“We still helped the defense with the trades we made so I felt that, offensively, for us to be able to compete and give Drew (Lock) a chance to be successful and us to be successful on offense, we had to get some speed and we had to get some explosiveness on the offensive side,” Elway said.
Through free agency, trades and the draft, here is look at the entire division:
Broncos
Last year’s record: 7-9. Additions: CB A.J. Bouye (Jacksonville), DT Jurrell Casey (Tennessee), C Lloyd Cushenberry (third round), QB Jeff Driskel (Detroit), RG Graham Glasgow (Detroit), RB Melvin Gordon (L.A. Chargers), WR KJ Hamler (second round), WR Jerry Jeudy (first round) and TE Nick Vannett (Pittsburgh).
Subtractions: QB Joe Flacco (free agent), CB Chris Harris (L.A. Chargers), FB Andy Janovich (Cleveland), C Connor McGovern (N.Y. Jets) and S Will Parks (Philadelphia).
Unanswered question: Has Elway done enough to spark the dormant offense? To help set things up well for second-year quarterback Drew Lock, Elway added four new Week 1 starters (Cushenberry, Glasgow, Gordon and Jeudy) and a new slot receiver (Hamler). But there are performance/injury issues at left and right tackle, which is kind of a big deal.
Quick thoughts: Cornerback will be an issue until proven otherwise. The Broncos drafted Iowa’s Michael Ojemudia in the third round and he will need to be ready to play because of Bryce Callahan’s uncertainty following a second foot surgery. … Not picking up LT Garett Bolles’ 2021 contract option was a no-brainer, but the Broncos are taking a gamble in hoping Elijah Wilkinson can challenge Bolles and RT Ja’Wuan James can stay healthy. … There is no true fullback under contract, but expect TE Andrew Beck to play in that role like last year when Andy Janovich was hurt.
Kansas City
Last year’s record: 12-4. Additions: DE Taco Charlton (Miami), RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire (first round), RT Mike Remmers (N.Y. Giants), TE Ricky Seals-Jones (Cleveland) and RB DeAndre Washington (Las Vegas).
Subtractions: TE Blake Bell (Dallas), P Dustin Colquitt (free agent), CB Kendall Fuller (Washington), DE Emmanuel Ogbah (Miami) and G Stefen Wisniewski (Pittsburgh).
Unanswered question: Can the defense build on what it did to finish last year? In their first nine regular-season games, the Chiefs were 6-3 and allowed 22.7 points and 369.3 yards per game. In the final seven games, they were 6-1 and allowed 14.9 points and 324.3 yards per game. All of the key players return, led by DT Chris Jones, for second-year coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Quick thoughts: Of the 22 starters from their Super Bowl win over San Francisco, only Wisniewski and LB Reggie Ragland (Detroit) aren’t still with the team. … A play-caller like coach Andy Reid will have a blast with Edwards-Helaire, who was the first tailback drafted and fits the Chiefs’ system (55 catches last year). … The Chiefs should implement second-year WR Mecole Hardman more often after he averaged 20.7 yards per catch last season. … S Juan Thornhill (57 tackles and three interceptions as a rookie) will be back from a torn ACL.
Las Vegas
Last year’s record: 7-9. Additions: WR Nelson Agholor (Philadelphia), CB Damon Arnette (first round), DT Maliek Collins (Dallas), S Jeff Heath (Dallas), LB Nick Kwiatkoski (Chicago), LB Cory Littleton (L.A. Rams), QB Marcus Mariota (Tennessee), DE Carl Nassib (Tampa Bay), S Damarious Randall (Cleveland), WR Henry Ruggs (first round) and TE Jason Witten (Dallas)
Subtractions:
(Cleveland).
Unanswered question: Can Ruggs be a No. 1 receiver from the hop? The Antonio Brown Experiment last year was such a debacle that he didn’t make it to the opening game against the Broncos. No Raiders receiver had more than 49 catches and 651 yards. Ruggs (4.27-second speed in the 40) was the Raiders’ choice over Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb and he’ll need to be good instantly since Hunter Renfrow and Tyrell Williams are more No. 2-3 types.
S
Karl
Joseph
Quick thoughts: DE Clelin Ferrell, the fourth overall pick in 2019, had only 4 1/2 sacks as a rookie; the Raiders semi-responded by signing Nassib (12 1/2 sacks the last two years). … Kwiatkoski and Littleton will be the new starting linebackers and Littleton in particular should be decent in coverage. … Arnette projects as a Week 1 starter opposite secondyear CB Trayvon Mullen. … Third-round RB Lynn Bowden is an intriguing option; he finished last year at Kentucky as the quarterback.
L.A. Chargers
Last year’s record: 5-11. Additions: RT Bryan Bulaga (Green Bay), CB Chris Harris (Broncos), QB Justin Herbert (first round), DT Linval Joseph (Minnesota), LB Kenneth Murray (first round), RG Trai Turner (Carolina) and OLB Nick Vigil (Cincinnati).
Subtractions: OLB Thomas Davis (Washington), RB Melvin Gordon (Broncos), DT Brandon Mebane (free agent), LT Russell Okung (Carolina), S Adrian Phillips (New England), QB Philip Rivers (Indianapolis), CB Jaylen Watkins (Houston) and FB Derek Watt (Pittsburgh).
Unanswered question: Who plays left tackle? The Chargers acquired Turner, a five-time Pro Bowl guard, but it cost them Okung. The in-house candidates are Trey Pipkins (second-year player) and Sam Tevi (last year’s right tackle). Veteran free agent Jason Peters would make a ton of sense for the Chargers.
Quick thoughts: The Chargers traded back into the first round to select Murray, who will replace Davis at weak-side linebacker. … Shane Steichen, who finished 2019 as the interim offensive coordinator, was named to the full-time post. … When QB Tyrod Taylor starts the opener, it will be the first time in 235 regular season/playoff games that Rivers wasn’t the guy. … Fourth-round RB Joshua Kelley projects to be a good compliment to Austin Ekeler, who takes over the No. 1 role from Gordon.