What AFC West Teams Need

By Jason Roberts

Fantasy College Blitz

Denver Broncos

Top 3 Needs:

- Defensive End

- Cornerback

- Running Back

The Denver Broncos switched coaching staffs heading into the off-season electing to bring in Josh McDaniels as head coach and Mike Nolan as defensive coordinator. With Nolan taking over on the defensive side of the ball, many expect Denver to shift to a 3-4 defense in 2009 -  a scheme which the Broncos have the base foundation in terms of players to initiate.

At linebacker, the team hosts D.J. Williams, Spencer Larsen, Wesley Woodyard, and Jamie Winborn – all of which should find great success in a four-player set at the second-level of a 3-4 lineup. Yet, defensive end and tackle along the defensive front could become an issue in the transition to a new defensive scheme. This may force Denver to grab a pick like Boston College’s B.J. Raji or Alabama’s Terrence Cody to provide size and speed at the line of scrimmage. The secondary also current provides some glaring holes for Denver on defense, with Champ Bailey succumbing to the challenges of age and injury while safety is arguably the weakest position overall for the Broncos on either side of the ball.

As such, Savre Bedinger of BleacherReport.com argues that Denver’s best move in this year’s draft could be to actually trade down in the first round and instead take a string of two to three quality defensive players heading into and through Round Two.

Free agency, states Bedinger, could very well loosen up the demand for Denver to follow such a tightly scripted plan in April’s draft. Many prognosticators love the idea, for instance, of gambling on a pick like Iowa’s Shonn Greene at running back. Someone who will pay dividends as a rookie or electing to take a wide receiver such as Jarrett Dilliard can have an immediate impact.

Still, much of what Denver will do is predicated upon Nolan’s decision to move to the 3-4; if the Broncos give the green light to such a transition, then defense is likely to remain the name of the game in this year’s draft. That being the case, names to remember include Raji, Cody, Peria Jerrry of Mississippi, or Fili Moala from USC. Snatching up a talented pair of defensive backs like Virginia Tech’s Eddie Royal or D.J. Moore of Vanderbilt will also go a long way in aiding Denver to become a better threat in pass coverage. However, don’t be surprised if a multi-positional player like Ohio State’s Malcolm Jenkins gets his name called early on as well.

Kansas City

Top 3 Needs:

- Offensive Line

- Defensive End

- Quarterback

The Kansas City Chiefs head into April in a state of transition and will look to new head coach Todd Haley – former offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals – to bring to Arrowhead Stadium some sense of normalcy following Herm Edwards’15-33 record over the last three years.

Haley doesn’t have an easy job ahead of him and will have to deal immediately with Tony Gonzalez’s request that he be traded from Kansas City. Hopefully, the off-season free agency campaign puts the team in a better position to win games.

In relation to the NFL Draft, the Chiefs will look for an eventual replacement for Damion McIntosh and Adrian Jones along the offensive line. Middle linebacker also remains a point of contention for K.C., with questions surrounding the extent of talent and depth provided at the position as currently manned by Pat Thomas and Weston Dacus.

The trade of defensive end Jared Allen will likely pay off dividends for the team come April and in seasons to come, but in the meantime, it devastated their ability to get quarterback  sacks during the 2008 season (they managed four sacks for the entire year). That being the case, expect that a priority for Haley to be upgrading along the outside of the defensive line.

A Quarterback may also be a target for the Chiefs, particularly given Haley’s fondness for passers that can fling the ball around with accuracy and distance. Tyler Thigpen last season certainly showed that he can play under center in the NFL (2608 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions), but may not be as solid a fit for Haley’s system.

What remains certain is the Chiefs are in an excellent position to improve their stock  in the AFC West with this year’s draft. Expect some interesting moves by a new coaching staff (and potentially, a new general manager). However, expect defense to be the main focus for Kansas City once the end of April rolls around.

Oakland Raiders

Top 3 Needs:

- Wide Receiver

- Offensive Tackle

- Defensive End

If there is anything about Al Davis’ Raiders organization which remains predictable, it’s that Oakland will likely do contrary to what seems sensible. In the process, leave its fans and sports journalists scratching their heads in bewilderment.

For instance, the Raiders last season made a public affair of their firing of ex-head coach Lane Kiffin (now making just as bad a name for himself at the NCAA level with the University of Tennessee) and surprised many recently by the decision to bring onboard Tom Cable. So heading into April, is there truly the opportunity for a sportswriter like myself to try and assess in what direction Oakland might go when it comes to selecting new talent?

Honestly, probably not. Yet, viewing the Raiders – who have become a laughing stock throughout the NFL -  through normal-colored spectacles (not the oddly blood-red tinted silver, black, and rose-colored 1970s-style rims worn by Davis), logic would suggest that getting a breakaway receiver – like Jeremy Malcin – that Jamarcus Russell can throw to would be a good place to start.

Stepping up the level of talent at offensive tackle would prove beneficial as well. Especiallu given that Russell would hopefully be provided additional time to identify and throw to a given target downfield. On defense, strengthening the pressure offered up along the defensive line would make the defensive secondary led by Chris Johnson all the more dangerous. Yet given that Johnson’s contract with Oakland is coming up soon, would it make more sense to try to get a highly productive hybrid cornerback / safety in case Johnson, for some reason, is not resigned?

Common sense might suggest acquiring someone like Malcolm Jenkins of Ohio State. Then again, when was the last time common sense and Al Davis went together in the same sentence? As such, don’t give our musings on the Raiders’ draft needs much consideration. Oakland will likely do exactly the opposite of what we outlined here and leave us once more asking: Just what where they thinking?

San Diego Chargers

Top 3 Needs:

- Safety

- Wide Receiver

- Running Back

For the San Diego Chargers, 2009 is the 50th anniversary of the franchise and its founding. It will mark the return of the AFC West champions who will try to avoid a 4-8 start despite making the playoffs after winning the division with an 8-8 record. They were the  first team in history to finish with such a record and make the playoffs.

In this year’s draft, the Chargers will be pressed to find an eventual replacement for Jamal Williams at nose tackle (he was arrested for the second time in early February) and a complementary player to match up with Marcus McNeil at offensive tackle. Concerns regarding the potential for Shawne Merriman to leave San Diego due to free agency could also force a hard look by the team’s front office at the utility of drafting an inside linebacker.

Eric Weddle has been outstanding at safety, but the Chargers don’t have a complement in the defensive backfield. Malcolm Jenkins of Ohio State could be an alluring option, as many suggest, since he could float between both free safety and cornerback.

The running back position has also recently been a point of contention for San Diego; especially considering the soap opera  surrounding LaDainian Tomlinson and A.J. Smith. In addition, there’s a need for team president Dean Spanos to make room under San Diego’s current salary cap in order to renegotiate contracts with  Philip Rivers, Vincent Jackson, and Merriman.

On top of all thins, you can add a request from Darren Sproles to be allowed to enter the free agent market and suddenly the Chargers are in the market for a franchise-type back to carry their running game.

Addressing all these particular needs could be difficult, particularly given that the Chargers do not have a second-round pick this year. Still, current projections find plenty of talent available in Round Three and beyond. This should leave San Diego in a relatively solid position heading into the first training camps of the 2009 season.