{"id":880262,"date":"2026-05-02T07:33:39","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T07:33:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/880262\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T07:33:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T07:33:39","slug":"afc-west-post-draft-analysis-broncos-built-to-win-chiefs-still-missing-a-key-piece-and-raiders-have-a-long-way-to-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/880262\/","title":{"rendered":"AFC West Post-Draft Analysis: Broncos Built to Win, Chiefs Still Missing a Key Piece and Raiders Have a Long Way to Go"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s time to break down the AFC West and see where these teams stand after the offseason. The Denver Broncos<\/a> won the division last year, and the Kansas City Chiefs<\/a> and Los Angeles Chargers<\/a>are here to make sure that won\u2019t happen again. The Las Vegas Raiders<\/a> made some quality moves throughout the offense, but there\u2019s no expectation they\u2019ll compete for the division.<\/p>\n

Here are the position groups each team addressed well and which group still needs improvement heading into 2026.<\/p>\n

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Denver BroncosMost improved position group: Wide Receiver<\/p>\n

The Broncos<\/a> had a quiet offseason and didn\u2019t get overly aggressive in free agency. I can\u2019t blame them. Their roster is one of the best in the NFL, and with a healthy Bo Nix<\/a>, they should be in the mix for the Super Bowl again. One area they could address is getting a more dynamic receiver on the outside who can complement Courtland Sutton<\/a>, and they traded for a perfect option in Jaylen Waddle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"MIAMIMIAMI GARDENS, FL \u2013 DECEMBER 21: Miami Dolphins<\/a> wide receiver Jaylen Waddle 17 checks the stands during pregame workouts before the game between the Cincinnati Bengals<\/a> and the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL. Photo by Peter Joneleit\/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA DEC 21 Bengals at Dolphins EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon251221109<\/p>\n

Broncos gave up a first-round pick, a third-round pick, and a fourth-round pick in exchange for Waddle and a fourth-round pick, all in the 2026 draft. Waddle should fit in with the core of Troy Franklin<\/a>, Marvin Mims Jr.<\/a>, Pat Bryant<\/a>, and Sutton. As the season progressed, head coach Sean Payton trusted Nix to push the ball down the field more, and with the addition of Waddle, the Broncos should be aggressive out of the gates in 2026.<\/p>\n

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Position needing improvement: Linebacker<\/p>\n

It was hard to find a weak link in this roster, because it\u2019s complete. The defense is lights-out, but one spot the team could\u2019ve added to was linebacker.Alex Singleton has been lighting it up for Denver, but they could\u2019ve added a dynamic playmaker opposite of him. It was hard due to the limited draft capital, but they selected Red Murdock with the last pick of the draft, and he\u2019ll be a name to watch out for once training camp hits.<\/p>\n

\"OctoberOctober 5, 2025, Philadelphia<\/a>, Pa., U.S.A.: Denver Broncos linebacker ALEX SINGLETON<\/a> \u201949 competes during a week five game between the Philadelphia Eagles<\/a> and the Denver Broncos Sunday, Oct. 05, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia U.S.A. \u2013 ZUMAs124 20251005_fap_s124_021 Copyright: xSaquanxStimpsonx<\/p>\n

The rushing defense and passing defense ranked in the top 10 last year for the Broncos, so they\u2019ll be just fine with Singleton andJustin Strnad. That\u2019s how loaded this roster truly is.<\/p>\n

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Los Angeles ChargersMost improved position group: Offensive Line<\/p>\n

The Chargers\u2019 season last year was derailed when tackles Rashawn Slater<\/a> and Joe Alt<\/a> suffered season-ending injuries. The duo, when healthy, is one of the best in the league, and the losses were felt. The Chargers gave up 60 sacks last season, tied for the second most in the NFL.<\/p>\n

\"KANSAS<\/p>\n

KANSAS CITY, MO \u2013 DECEMBER 08: Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Rashawn Slater, 70, during an NFL American football game. Herren, USA game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs on December 8, 2024, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. Photo by Scott Winters\/Icon Sportswire NFL: DEC 08 Chargers at Chiefs EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2412081076<\/p>\n

General manager Joe Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh knew this couldn\u2019t happen again. They didn\u2019t replace Alt or Slater but gave the offensive line more bodies to work with. They added Cole Strange<\/a>, Tyler Biadasz<\/a>, Jake Slaughter, Travis Burke, Logan Taylor, Alex Harkey, and Isaiah World, all of whom are capable of making the roster. If injuries plague this unit again for the 2026 season, the Chargers will have bodies to throw at the situation.<\/p>\n

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Position needing improvement: Wide receiver<\/p>\n

Ladd McConkey<\/a> has been everything for this Chargers team in the passing game. Quentin Johnston<\/a> has gotten more comfortable in the NFL, but the team still lacks a true No. 1. McConkey operates in the slot, and the two starting outside receivers are Johnston and Tre Harris<\/a>. Those aren\u2019t bad options, but they would\u2019ve been the main outside weapons the team could\u2019ve used to upgrade that position in a big way.<\/p>\n

\"INGLEWOOD,INGLEWOOD, CA \u2013 DECEMBER 27: Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert<\/a> 10 warms up prior to an NFL, American Football Herren, USA game between the Houston Texans<\/a> and the Los Angeles Chargers on December 27, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. Photo by Greg Fiore\/Icon Sportswire NFL: DEC 27 Texans at Chargers EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon25122700919<\/p>\n

AJ Brown<\/a> hasn\u2019t been dealt from the Philadelphia Eagles yet, and while the entire world suspects she\u2019ll be a New England Patriot<\/a>, I\u2019m surprised the Chargers haven\u2019t been more interested. Brown is the exact type of body type and weapon the Chargers are missing. Justin Herbert has done a fantastic job carrying this offense. It\u2019d be nice for the team to award him with an elite weapon like Brown.<\/p>\n

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Kansas City ChiefsMost improved position group: Running back<\/p>\n

The Chiefs relied onIsiah Pacheco, Brashard Smith<\/a>, and Kareem Hunt<\/a> last year to man their backfield. The team as a whole averaged 0 yards over expected per play, ranking 27th in the league. The rushing offense was ranked 25th in the league, and it was clear the Chiefs needed a more explosive back to lead the charge.<\/p>\n

\"NFL,NFL, American Football Herren, USA NFC Divisional Round\u2014San Francisco 49ers<\/a> at Seattle Seahawks<\/a> Jan 17, 2026 Seattle<\/a>, WA, USA: Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker<\/a> III (9) leaves the field following an NFC Divisional Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field. Seattle Lumen Field, WA, USA. EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY. Copyright: xKevinxNgx 20260117_rtc_cf9_0216<\/p>\n

Kansas City still has Smith, but he can be used more as a third-down back with his receiving skills. General managerBrett Veach went out and got the Super Bowl MVP in Kenneth Walker, who was the main reason the Seattle Seahawks\u2019 offense was so dominant in the playoffs last season. Walker fits into the zone scheme the Chiefs will run and has the patience and burst to be a difference-maker for the Chiefs. The team also added Emmett Johnson in the draft, who can easily be a part of the rotation with his catching and pass-blocking ability.<\/p>\n

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Position needing improvement: Wide receiver<\/p>\n

Veach knew he needed to upgrade his secondary, and he did within the draft after losing Trent McDuffie<\/a> and Jaylen Watson<\/a>. He also addressed the defensive line with new additions throughout the offseason. I contemplated linebacker but ended up going wide receiver.<\/p>\n

\"KANSASKANSAS CITY, MO \u2013 DECEMBER 07: Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice<\/a> 4 runs after the catch in the third quarter of an NFL, American Football Herren, USA game between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs on December 7, 2025, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. Photo by Scott Winters\/Icon Sportswire NFL: DEC 07 Texans at Chiefs EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2512071358<\/p>\n

Rashee Rice has faced legal issues, but the NFL decided that action was unnecessary. Outside of Rice, Xavier Worthy<\/a> has struggled to find his role in the NFL, and Tyquan Thornton<\/a> is a great field-stretcher for the offense. The team is still missing that dynamic weapon who can be a threat in the intermediate part of the field; it used to be Travis Kelce<\/a>, but he hasn\u2019t been the version of Kelce we all remember. The team has some intriguing depth options in Jalen Royals<\/a>, Cyrus Allen, and Jeff Caldwell, so the hope may be that one of them takes charge in 2026.<\/p>\n

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Las Vegas RaidersMost improved position group: Linebacker<\/p>\n

The Raiders have needed a linebacker for decades. Entering the offseason, it was no different. General manager John Spytek addressed that need in free agency, signing Quay Walker<\/a> and Nakobe Dean<\/a>, who will take over as the starting duo for the Raiders.<\/p>\n

\"CHICAGO,CHICAGO, IL \u2013 JANUARY 10: Quay Walker 7 of the Green Bay Packers<\/a> chases Caleb Williams<\/a> 18 of the Chicago Bears<\/a> during the first half of an NFC Wild Card Playoff game on January 10, 2026, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Melissa Tamez\/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA JAN 10 NFC Wildcard: Packers at Bears EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon260110016<\/p>\n

The team added no depth behind them, but it\u2019s a night-and-day difference from last season\u2019s group of Devin White<\/a> and Elandon Roberts<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Position needing improvement: Wide receiver<\/p>\n

The Raiders\u2019 offense was atrocious last season; there\u2019s no other way to put it. The offensive line was bad, the wide receiver play was non-existent, and the quarterback play was a reflection of both. The team didn\u2019t address the receiver position as heavily as some anticipated to help out rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza.<\/p>\n

\"DecDec 10, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings<\/a> wide receiver Jalen Nailor<\/a> (83) gains yardage against the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

Spytek addedJalen Nailor and Dareke Young<\/a> in free agency while drafting Malik Benson. It\u2019s a group that still needs improvement, but the team seems eager to see what Jack Bech<\/a> and Dont\u2019e Thornton Jr. can do in year two. Chase Roberts signed as an undrafted free agent and was labeled as a mid-round receiver by many before the draft. He could be another intriguing option throughout camp and could make the roster.<\/p>\n

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The post AFC West Post-Draft Analysis: Broncos Built to Win, Chiefs Still Missing a Key Piece and Raiders Have a Long Way to Go<\/a> appeared first on EssentiallySports<\/a>. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s time to break down the AFC West and see where these teams stand after the offseason. The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":880263,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2064],"tags":[1991,5831,3882,925,3285,232,1036,241,391,256,6302,1270,16470,258,10350,5854,7,345,253,10506,315,3973,1177,14706,4814,5661,1159,118,110,751,9294,470,393,1014,262,2444,2443,7471,251,259,477,34606,6,1011,242,109,468,9277,1526,4000,252,237,261,500,772,4223,1275,11221,24175,1080],"class_list":["post-880262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles-chargers","tag-afc-west","tag-aj-brown","tag-alex-singleton","tag-bo-nix","tag-brashard-smith","tag-broncos","tag-caleb-williams","tag-chargers","tag-chicago-bears","tag-cincinnati-bengals","tag-cole-strange","tag-courtland-sutton","tag-dareke-young","tag-denver-broncos","tag-devin-white","tag-elandon-roberts","tag-football","tag-green-bay-packers","tag-houston-texans","tag-improvement","tag-jack-bech","tag-jalen-nailor","tag-jalen-royals","tag-jaylen-waddle","tag-jaylen-watson","tag-joe-alt","tag-justin-herbert","tag-kansas-city","tag-kansas-city-chiefs","tag-kareem-hunt","tag-kenneth-walker","tag-ladd-mcconkey","tag-las-vegas-raiders","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-chargers","tag-losangeles","tag-losangeleschargers","tag-marvin-mims-jr","tag-miami-dolphins","tag-minnesota-vikings","tag-nakobe-dean","tag-new-england-patriot","tag-nfl","tag-pat-bryant","tag-philadelphia","tag-philadelphia-eagles","tag-quay-walker","tag-quentin-johnston","tag-rashawn-slater","tag-rashee-rice","tag-san-francisco-49ers","tag-seattle","tag-seattle-seahawks","tag-travis-kelce","tag-tre-harris","tag-trent-mcduffie","tag-troy-franklin","tag-tyler-biadasz","tag-tyquan-thornton","tag-xavier-worthy"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/880262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=880262"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/880262\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/880263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=880262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=880262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=880262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}