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In what I consider one of the worst divisions in the NFL this year, the race to reach the playoffs will be a tight one, as every team has reason to believe that this can be their year to represent the AFC West.

The Chargers are dealing with contract holdouts and the loss of the franchises best running back ever, the Broncos are looking to build off an encouraging year under Josh McDaniels, the Raiders added an impact linebacker and a hungry-to-succeed quarterback, and the Chiefs continued to rebuild and added a Super Bowl winning offensive coordinator.

Jamaal Charles is the starter as of now, but he has been more of a rotational back in the NFL so far, and I’m not sure if he can handle an NFL workload this early in his career, while Thomas Jones has already proved he can. Jones and Charles should split the carries pretty evenly, and if the offensive line improves, they both could have 750-1000 yard seasons.

Jason Campbell to Oakland
I don’t want to crown Jason Campbell as the savior in Oakland, but he could make this team substantially better. Even though they were 5-11 last year, for their quarterback situation, that’s not all that terrible. You insert Jason Campbell on a team that has gotten somewhat respectable on the offensive line, and has young and talented pieces all around him, and Campbell could thrive.

This is a fresh start for Campbell, who dealt with four offensive coordinators in five years in Washington and really never could get comfortable. He needs to build some chemistry with his receivers and needs some time behind that offensive line, and he could guide the Raiders to the playoffs this year.

Brady Quinn to Denver
When the trade for Brady Quinn, immediately the thought was that he can challenge Kyle Orton for the starting job and at the very least be a capable backup. However, since he came over to Denver and since the team invested heavily on and off the field in Tim Tebow, Quinn has faded to obscurity.

He should still be the guy under center if Kyle Orton goes down, but as of now, he’s no where close to Orton and he may not play as much as Tebow this season.

Ryan Matthews, Eric Berry, DeMaryius Thomas, and Rolando McClain to the NFL
While this division doesn’t have great teams, they do have some impressive rookies. Three of the four players listed here have chances to get “Rookie of the Year” honors, and maybe are the front-runners on their side of the ball.

Ryan Matthews will be the starter opening day for the Chargers, and reports are he could make fans forget about LT fairly quickly. Eric Berry is a super-impactful safety, and he could be the next coming of Brian Dawkins or Ed Reed, both of which could improve this defense in Kansas City substantially.

DeMaryius Thomas is a very raw receiver, but with offensive guru Josh McDaniels coaching, he could turn Thomas into his very own Randy Moss like he had on the Patriots 2008 record breaking year. Finally, Rolando McClain is the instant starter in Oakland and probable team leader. Like Patrick Willis, he’s an outstanding talent at linebacker, and he’s my favorite for defensive rookie of the year.

Top Storylines:
No Vincent Jackson or Marcus McNeil in Chargers Camp
This has turned into a HUGE issue for the Chargers. As of now, they are starting Malcolm Floyd and Legadu Naane at receiver: not a good unit, maybe not a playoff unit. And reports are that because Vincent Jackson is already out the first three games of the season and no one so far has come up to trade for him, the Chargers may be stuck either paying Jackson his money or miss him until Week 10.

As for McNeil, he deserves a new deal. The problem is that he’s asking for alot more than the Chargers want to give. So, their stuck with an average right tackle slotted as their starter on the left side the rest of training camp. McNeil likely will be back sometime before or right around the start of the season, but the offense will struggle until he’s in full form.

Charlie Weis in to “Fix” Chiefs Offense
Former Patriots offensive guru and Notre Dame coaching bust Charlie Weis has landed back in the NFL and has no problem assuming his role as offensive “genius”. He has come out and said that he needs to “fix” starting quarterback Matt Cassell and “fix” the rest of the offense.

The offense has some pieces already, and helping Cassell and the rest of the offense is a good step. But unless Weis either suits up at guard for the Chiefs or can help the offensive line, his offensive work may just go to waste.

Tebow-Mania in Denver
If you haven’t heard of Tim Tebow and that he’s in Denver, you probably haven’t heard of Brett Favre either. Tim Tebow has blown up as a global icon, and is challenging LeBron James and Oprah for rights to control the media world. He already has the highest selling jersey in the NFL and has been crowned as the face of the NFL before he throws a regular season pass.

Tebow won’t play much his rookie year unless the Broncos season is completely ruined early on, so don’t expect him to be your John Elway yet, Denver fans. So far, he looks like he has a future at quarterback, but he still has to fine-tune his technique, get comfortable in the NFL, and fix that damn throwing motion.

Raider Top Picks Struggling, Mid-Rounders and Trade/Free Agent Pickups Thriving
If I had to guess, I would say that Al Davis picks every 1st round pick for the Raiders, then leaves the draft room and lets his guys do the work. And when he leaves, thats when the Raiders have a good draft.

Former top 10 picks Michael Huff, Darren McFadden, and Darius Heyward-Bey haven’t looked like studs, but players like Zach Miller, Chaz Schillens, Michael Bush, Chris Johnson, Mario Henderson, and Matt Shaugnessey look like possible long time starters and impact players.

You add that crop of guys plus the addition or Richard Seymour and now Jason Campbell, and this team could be in the playoffs. Regardless, good news for Raider fans: the Raiders traded away their first round pick next year, so Al Davis will have even less control on the draft.

Projected Final Standings:
San Diego Chargers – 9-7
The loss of Vincent Jackson for likely an extended period of the season as well as Marcus McNeil, their starting left tackle, out until his contract is resolved will hurt the Chargers early and probably the whole season. Phillip Rivers and Ryan Matthews will have to carry the team as well as the pass rush. But the offensive line and run support on defense will be two huge question marks.

Denver Broncos – 8-8
Call me crazy, but Josh McDaniels looks like he knows what he’s doing as a coach. With Kyle Orton last year, the team went 6-0 to start the season. Although they lost Brandon Marshall, they still have Eddie Royal and a super talented DeMaryius Thomas, as well as a deep running back unit and a more confident Kyle Orton. I don’t know if they’ll pass out the Chargers, but they’ll keep them nervous most of the year.

Oakland Raiders – 8-8
As mentioned before, the role players and depth the Raiders have will really help their chances this year. The addition of Jason Campbell makes a world of difference for the Raiders this year, and he has a chance to prove the East Coast naysayers wrong and win in Oakland. He needs McFadden, Heyward-Bey, and other weapons to step up and the offensive line to play well.

Kansas City – 6-10
The Chiefs have built their franchise pretty well the past few years through the draft and in adding depth, but they’re not at a playoff level quite yet. With Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry, they finally have some playmakers on both sides of the ball, but they need more top notch talents if they hope to compete in the AFC long-term.;

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