THREE OFFSEASON
MOVES FOR EACH AFC WEST TEAM
Now that the
offseason is in full swing, front offices of all 32 NFL teams have begun to
assess priorities for the coming months. What areas should each team address?
This sounds like a job for I try my hand at general manager and identifies
three areas each team should tackle this offseason. Today, I examine the
AFC West:
DENVER BRONCOS
Joe Flacco,
who's still playing well at 34, will ultimately be the bridge quarterback until
(or if) John Elway finds the organization's quarterback of the future. I would
have left Case Keenum in
that role, but Denver snagged
Flacco from the Ravens, and now Keenum will be shopped or
cut. Nonetheless, the Broncos must continue searching for a
long-term answer.
1) Draft a quarterback early. Before the Flacco
trade, I had Denver selecting Duke Quarterback Daniel Jones in the first round
of April's draft. After that trade, I still have
Denver taking Jones with the 10th overall pick. Jones plays a
lot like Flacco and can learn a ton by playing behind him for a year or two.
That's the perfect situation for the Blue Devil before he takes the reins.
2) Re-build the secondary. With the possibility
of losing free agents Bradley Roby and Tramaine
Brock, the Broncos
need to add talent to the back end. Chris Harris Jr.
is still a premier corner, but he needs help on the other side. Denver should
look to free agency for another starting corner but also consider adding depth
in the draft.
3) Add depth to the O-line. This unit is poised
to lose a handful of players, including center Matt Paradis,
guard Max Garcia and
tackles Jared
Veldheer and Billy Turner,
who all recorded at least four starts in 2018. It might be worth bringing back
one or two of these guys, while adding more depth and competition elsewhere. A
run-first offense featuring Phillip
Lindsay needs to also feature an above-average O-line. Right
now, it's not.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Chiefs will
have to figure out how to pay top playmakers in the next few seasons, including
sack artist Chris Jones and
offensive phenomes Tyreek Hill and Patrick
Mahomes. Dee Ford could
also become a free agent if he isn't re-signed before the new league year. It's
a lot for the Chiefs to
balance, but that is the one difficulty of having a ton of great players on one
team.
1) Improve the 31st-ranked pass defense. The
secondary has to get better. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it. The Chiefs found
themselves in too many close games because the defense failed to make stops.
With an offense THIS good, that should rarely be an issue. And I hate to say
it, but it might be time to look at veteran safety Eric Berry's
situation. Although the inspiring pro has four more years on his deal, he
hasn't been healthy for two seasons. It could be worth moving on.
2) Sign another edge rusher. I'm afraid that
both Ford and veteran Justin
Houston won't fit into new defensive coordinator Steve
Spagnuolo's 4-3 system. One of them has to go, so I'd retain Ford, because he
has a lot of years left in terms of his prime. Then I'd draft an edge rusher
for help.
3) Find another dual-threat RB. The Chiefs'
offense wasn't nearly has explosive late in the season after the release
of Kareem Hunt. Damien
Williams played well, but a bigger talent will elevate Andy
Reid's unit to the absolute top. K.C. has two picks in the second round of the
draft, and I expect the Chiefs to
select a back to fit the bill.
LOS ANGELES
CHARGERS
Their most recent defensive first-round draft picks (pass
rusher Joey Bosa in
2016 and safety Derwin James in
2018) were major hits. They are both athletic with dynamic skill sets. Find a
few more guys of this caliber, and this defense will dominate.
1) Sprinkle defensive line with youth. Now is
the perfect opportunity for third-year coach Anthony Lynn to find his guys in
this deep draft class. The Chargers,
who are allowing DT Corey Liuget to hit free
agency, should focus on getting a young defensive tackle, because
stopping the run has been tough to do, with their aging DTs.
2) Find Derwin James'
complement. James, a steal at No. 17 in last year's draft, was
phenomenal as a rookie and made a major case for the Defensive Rookie of the
Year award. The Chargers'
defense could be special with another dynamic safety opposite James. They
should get an Earl Thomas-type who can play the middle of the field in this draft.
3) Protect aging Philip Rivers. Rivers
is not getting any younger, so anytime there's an opportunity to add protection
up front, the Chargers should
do it. They can focus on the offensive line because the offense is otherwise
already stacked with weapons.
OAKLAND RAIDERS
New general manager Mike Mayock -- or me in
this exercise -- has his work cut out for him. The Raiders
have a lot to fix after a 2018 season full of surprise trades. With three (!)
first-round draft picks this year, Oakland should put all its focus into
getting the best players available.
1) Get a whole bunch of pass rushers. After the Raiders traded Khalil Mack
away last September, this was an area that really suffered, as
the team finished with a league-low 13 sacks. There are a TON of pass rushers
available in free agency and the draft. I don't necessarily care who the Raiders sign
or draft specifically; they should just bring in a whole crew of potential
options.
2) Find a true CB1. Cornerback is one position
that I would use a first-round pick on. Any one of the draft's top corners --
LSU's Greedy
Williams, Georgia's Deandre Baker,
Washington's Byron Murphy and
Clemson's Trayvon
Mullen -- could improve this unit the minute he steps on the
field.
3) Draft a running back. Expect some new faces
in Oakland's backfield, with free agents-to-be Marshawn
Lynch and Doug Martin hitting
the market (and Jalen Richard becoming
a restricted free agent). Jon Gruden's offense needs a young, three-down back
who will provide a spark. Oakland should look to sign a player in free agency
first, but it might also be worth drafting a guy on Day 2 or 3.
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