We’re back with another update for Kansas City Chiefs fans on AFC West rivals. Each week we highlight six recent and relevant stories about Kansas City’s division rivals: two stories each about the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers.
Below you’ll find stories from this past week.
28 Broncos coaches for 2022 NFL season
John Leyba-USA TODAY Sports
“The Denver Broncos held introductory press conferences for their three new coordinators on Tuesday: Justin Outten (offense), Ejiro Evero (defense) and Dwayne Stukes (special teams). In addition to those three coordinators, Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett also named 20 other members of the coaching staff, including assistant DeAndre Thompson, who will work with the defensive backs as an intern.”
The Broncos’ coaching staff is going through a retool after Nathaniel Hackett replaced Vic Fangio as head coach. Hackett is an offensive mind and a master organizer, so expect to see some changes in Denver after years of being a defensive-minded team.
Kiszla: How long can Broncos afford to wait for Aaron Rodgers to make up his fickle mind?
AP Photo/Jack Dempsey
“…no NFL team, including the Broncos, desperate for an elite QB to lead them back to the playoffs, can put up with the dilly-dallying of Mr. Rodgers for much longer. Our favorite football diva needs to make up his fickle mind whether to retire or play on, either in Green Bay or elsewhere in the league.”
Although he may deny it, recent history shows that Rodgers seems to be a fan of drama and stringing things along. Mark Kiszla suggests that, instead of playing games with Rodgers, the Broncos should go after quarterbacks like the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson, North Carolina’s Sam Howell, or maybe even the Texans’ Deshaun Watson. And he may not be wrong, at least about those first two players.
Could the Raiders add a veteran safety in free agency?
AP Photo/Ed Zurga
“The Raiders have two [safeties] in Trevon Moehrig and Johnathan Abram, but Abram has failed to stay healthy for most of his career in the NFL. That’s why it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Raiders look for a veteran safety in free agency. But which one would make sense?”
This article from Marcus Mosher suggests Cowboys free agent Malik Hooker, which could be an option that makes sense for the Raiders. However, more worrisome is the fact that Las Vegas needs a safety at all — if they’re willing to pay up for the position, one wonders whether Chiefs free agent Tyrann Mathieu could be in the running to join the dark side. That’s a thought that’d make Chiefs fans shudder.
Which road do Raiders take with Derek Carr? The QB's own words may portend a path
Sarah Stier/Getty Images
“When it comes to the Las Vegas Raiders’ new regime of coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler and the future of franchise quarterback Derek Carr, a fork in the road has appeared. More succinctly, three distinct paths. So which one do they take?”
With one year remaining on his contract, Derek Carr will be owed over $20 million by the Raiders in 2022. Does Vegas pay him and wait, extend him, or trade him away? All options are valid given his wishy-washy performances over the years. It really depends whether McDaniels and Ziegler are willing to commit, or wait and see what’s out there. I’m willing to bet they choose the latter, but who knows.
Chargers' decision with WR Mike Williams looms
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
“The two-week window for franchise tagging players … means it would guarantee Williams a one-year deal … and give both sides more time to potentially iron out a long-term extension if they decide to take this route. The cost to tag Williams would be $19 million.”
This is an interesting situation for Chiefs fans to keep an eye on. Williams had his best season in 2021 and tore up Kansas City in Week 3 with seven catches, 122 yards and two scores. Obviously Chiefs fans wouldn’t want him to return to Los Angeles. But what about Kansas City? Could the Chiefs swing Williams’ projected market value of $16 million a year so he can complement Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce? Maybe it’s unlikely, but that’d be a major division steal if so.
Bengals, Chargers face similar path in loaded AFC
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
“…for the Chargers — and [Justin] Herbert — to leapfrog [Joe] Burrow’s Bengals … Los Angeles must first close the gap on Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs in their own division … That will mean building around Herbert, who is entering the third year of his contract, and likely just one offseason away from signing a mega-extension that makes him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league. if not the highest-paid in league history.”
Matt Lombardo’s piece makes great points comparing Herbert and Burrow. Despite Burrow already having a Super Bowl appearance under his belt, it seems as if he and Herbert have a similar career trajectory ahead of them. The difference is that Herbert must face Mahomes twice a year, which will make his path to the Super Bowl that much more difficult.
