The AFC West is one of the hardest divisions in the league to figure out. Heading into the season, the odds on favorites to win the division were the San Diego Chargers. But after a strong start by the Oakland Raiders, it turned out that the Tim Tebow led Denver Broncos would be the team to back into the playoffs.
It’s certainly division that will be up for grabs in 2012. What does each team need to do to stay competitive? Let’s take a look.
Denver Broncos
Quarterback
Labeling quarterback as a position of need isn’t a judgment on Tim Tebow, but of the entire position. With only Brady Quinn behind him, the Broncos have no quarterback that could run the same offense as Tebow if he were to go down with injury. Neither Tebow nor Quinn are proven players in the NFL. Whether or not the Broncos elect to stay with Tebow in 2012, they’ll need to add another quarterback.
Defensive Tackle
The Broncos made a huge improvement to their defensive front seven by adding line backer Von Miller in 2011. The addition of Miller drastically improved their pass rush. The next step is to help solidify the middle of the defense by adding a defensive tackle that can help improve their rushing defense.
Cornerback
Champ Bailey isn’t showing his age too much yet. If only the rest of the secondary was playing up to his level. Poor depth, combined with the age of their two starters (Bailey is in his 13th year, Andre Goodman is in his 10th) will force Denver to look long and hard at adding a cornerback in 2012.
Kansas City Chiefs
Defensive Tackle
Kelley Greg didn’t have an awful season, but realistically he’s not going to be the guy at nose tackle for years to come. Kansas City has done a pretty good job of putting together a young defense, and nose tackles needs to be next on the list.
Offensive Tackle
The Chiefs will need to have a reliable running game in order to be competitive, and getting there will largely rely on the play of their tackles. They’re set at left tackle with Brandon Albert, but the really could use a new right tackle.
Running Back
Jamaal Charles is a one of the most electrifying runners in the league when he’s healthy. But Kansas City can’t put all of their hopes on him staying healthy through a 16 game season. They proved they don’t have a reliable back up this season, and getting one for 2012 needs to be a big priority.
Oakland Raiders
Nose Tackle
If the Raiders move to a 3-4 defense, one of the first changes that will need to be made is on the defensive line. Oakland doesn’t really have someone who can anchor the middle of a 3-4 defense, which if not addressed could be disastrous.
Inside Linebacker
On the field, Rolando McClain has been a disappointment. Off the field, calling him a disappointment would be putting it kindly. At the very least Oakland needs to look for insurance at inside linebacker, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to see they need to be looking for a new starter.
Defensive Secondary
It’s likely that there will be a good deal of shuffling in the Raiders’ secondary. Safety Tyvon Branch is a free agent, and the idea of moving Michael Huff to corner has been tossed around. Regardless of what moves are actually made, it’s clear Oakland will have to make some type of acquisition for the secondary.
San Diego Chargers
Outside Linebacker
It doesn’t seem too long ago that linebacker was a strength for San Diego. It’s not so anymore, however. Outside linebacker is particularly weak, where neither Larry English nor Shawn Phillips have been impressive. The Chargers will need to find a linebacker that can rush the passer consistently from the outside.
Offensive Line
The San Diego offensive line is going to need to be addressed, but it’s not entirely clear yet exactly where the focus needs to be. Right guard Kris Dielman is outstanding, but concussion issues may lead him to retire earlier than expected. If he chooses to keep playing, right tackle should be an early focus of the Chargers.
Inside Linebacker
Donald Butler is solid, but Takeo Spikes wasn’t much more than a one year stop gap. Outside linebacker is a bigger priority, but getting depth at inside linebacker is a move that needs to be made as well.
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