Broncos' Offensive Position Groups Ranked vs. AFC West Rivals
The AFC West has been the talk of the NFL this offseason, primarily due to its incredible lineup of elite quarterbacks. However, 52 other players will make up these respective teams and could be the difference between which squad finishes first and which ends up fourth.
So who's taking home the crown? Let's break down the position groups of each AFC West team.
Quarterback
- Kansas City
- Denver
- Los Angeles
- Las Vegas
Kansas City: The man who saved the franchise and became just the third player in NFL history to throw for 50 or more touchdowns in a season still reigns supreme. Until someone in the AFC West can prove that they can out-duel him, Patrick Mahomes will remain No. 1.
Denver: The talk of the town and one of the biggest trades in NFL history centered around one man: Russell Wilson. Some national analysts may have forgotten who he is, so let's remind them. He owns the second-most wins ever through 10 seasons by a quarterback, behind only Peyton Manning, and is just one season removed from being the 10th signal-caller to throw for 40 or more touchdowns in a season. Wilson is also the only quarterback in the NFL over the last four seasons to have a passer rating over 100 each season.
Los Angeles: Justin Herbert is incredible, and the fact he falls third on a divisional rankings list sounds insane, but that is the reality of the AFC West. Herbert has a chance this season to leap amongst the NFL's very best, but until he can get his team into the playoffs and prove it on the biggest stage, he will remain third.
Las Vegas: Derek Carr is an outstanding quarterback, but while it's unfortunate to call him the worst quarterback in the division, the addition of Davante Adams could be the catalyst to drive him up the rankings. Still, for now, Carr's in last place.
Running Back
- Denver
- Los Angeles
- Las Vegas
- Kansas City
Denver: Led by potentially the best backfield duo in the league, the Broncos were a no-brainer to be in first. Melvin Gordon has become one of the most consistent running backs in the league, and Javonte Williams, as a rookie, showed the NFL that it had a new problem to deal with when playing Denver.
Los Angeles: Austin Ekeler has become one of the elite running backs in the league, but it seems the organization wants to add pieces around him to take off some of the load. The Chargers drafted Isaiah Spiller in the fourth round, who should be a great addition to the room, and Joshua Kelley is another good depth piece.
Las Vegas: Perhaps one of the more underrated running backs in the league, Josh Jacobs is very good. He doesn't add much in the passing game. However, Kenyan Drake fills that need. Overall a solid unit.
Kansas City: The Chiefs may have the deepest group of average players at running back. Former first-round draft pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire leads the room, who has not yet justified his draft pedigree. The Chiefs also signed Ronald Jones in free agency and re-signed Jerick McKinnon.
Wide Receiver
- Las Vegas
- Denver
- Los Angeles
- Kansas City
Las Vegas: Davante Adams. You could probably end the debate there, but they also have one of the best slot receivers in the league in Hunter Renfrow. Keelan Cole rounds out the group as a decent third option.
Denver: It's a tight race between the Broncos and Chargers for a second. However, this is a projection for next season, and this wide receiver group is primed for stardom with Wilson in town. Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, and KJ Hamler have the potential to be the best group top to bottom in the league.
Los Angeles: The Chargers are perhaps better at the top than Denver, with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. However, despite his incredible talent, Williams has proven to be one of the most inconsistent players in the league who also has a deep injury history. Joshua Palmer and Jalen Guyton make for good third and fourth options.
Kansas City: With the loss of the NFL's best playmaker, the Chiefs' wide receiver room quickly turned into a who's who of average talent. Juju Smith-Schuster leads the group based on a season from four years ago. The Chiefs signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency and drafted talented prospect Skyy Moore in the second round of the draft. Mecole Hardman could finally make his mark on the unit, but to this point in his career, he hasn't lived up to his second-round status.
Tight End
- Kansas City
- Las Vegas
- Denver
- Los Angeles
Kansas City: Travis Kelce still gets the top spot because every single season, he puts up insane numbers. He is perhaps the best zone-breaking tight end in NFL history, and by the end of his career, he could surpass the likes of Tony Gonzalez and Rob Gronkowski as the best to ever do it. It will take a lot for someone to take his spot at the top.
Las Vegas: Darren Waller broke out a couple of seasons ago and has earned his place amongst the NFL's best. Last season, he was held back due to injury, but when he is on the field, Waller's connection with Carr is evident. Foster Moreau is also a competent backup.
Denver: Potentially more projection than anything, but this Denver tight end room has an excellent chance to come to life. Wilson has not traditionally targeted tight ends, but Nathaniel Hackett's system has used them quite a bit. With Albert Okwuegbunam and Greg Dulcich leading the pass-catching lines and Eric Tomlinson filling out a blocking role, this could be a surprisingly good unit for Denver this season.
Los Angeles: Easily the least flashy unit in the division with Gerald Everett and Donald Parham, who are decent players, but they're nothing to write home about and are the weak link of that Chargers offense.
Offensive Line
- Kansas City
- Denver
- Los Angeles
- Las Vegas
Kansas City: The Chiefs had one of the best drafts in terms of finding offensive line talent in recent memory, adding Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith last year. The Chiefs also brought in Orlando Brown Jr. by trading a first-round pick and signed Joe Thuney in free agency last year. This is perhaps one of the best offensive lines in the league.
Denver: Led by former scapegoat turned second-team All-Pro, Garett Bolles, the O-line room filled out nicely with great depth along the interior with Graham Glasgow, Netane Muti, Dalton Risner, 'The Belly' Quinn Meinerz, and Lloyd Cushenberry. The interior of Denver's O-line is going to be very competitive. The question from season to season remains, however, regarding the right tackle position. Billy Turner appears most likely to claim the job, but injuries could hold him back. Denver also signed Tom Compton, who could play if needed, and have great backup swing tackle Calvin Anderson ready to get more starting reps.
Los Angeles: The Chargers drafted Rashawn Slater and signed Corey Linsley, who overhauled their unit last year. L.A. drafted Zion Johnson in this year's first round to bolster its interior. The Chargers lost veteran tackle Bryan Bulaga in the offseason, and Trey Pipkins will seemingly replace him.
Las Vegas: Alex Leatherwood and Kolton Miller headline this unit and are good tackles, but the Raiders could struggle this season on the interior. Compared to the rest of the west, the Raiders lack the depth and star power but could turn out to be an average unit in the NFL.
Aggregate Offensive Rankings
- Denver: 2.0
- Kansas City: 2.2
- Las Vegas 2.8
- Los Angeles 3.0
Overall, the Broncos score the highest due to the potential in this new system with Wilson. However, it may take a few weeks for it to iron itself out.
The Chiefs are held together by Mahomes, Kelce, and their offensive line, while the Raiders and Chargers would likely score much higher if they compared to the rest of the league instead of the AFC West. By the end of the season, we could easily see any of these teams ranked 1-4 because that's just how close they all are.
The AFC West should be fireworks
Follow Brennan on Twitter @BrennanGrose01.
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