AFC West Offseason Grades

Denver Broncos (Grade:T (for Tebow)….B)

I have come to admire the way Josh McDaniels handles his business. He is not prepared to put up with players that don’t fit his culture. This is strikingly similar to how Bill Belichick used to conduct business until he felt the culture he had created was strong enough to bring in ‘troubled’ personalities. The Broncos got a ‘decent’ return for Brandon Marshall and hope that first round pick Demaryius Thomas will develop into his replacement. Thomas has great size and speed but needs to improve his route running. The big move though was drafting Tim Tebow. Tebow is lucky to go to Denver and get coached by Josh McDaniels, one of the best QB coaches in the league. He also doesn’t have any pressure to play right away with Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn on the roster. I also liked the addition of Brady Quinn, a talented young quarterback who was run out of Cleveland. Ultimately this offseason will be judged on how Tim Tebow does in the coming years and whether or not the Broncos will struggle to find a replacement for Brandon Marshall. I have faith in McDaniels and believe this team will finish around the .500 mark this year, but will look good for 2011.


Oakland Raiders (Grade:A+++….for the Raiders)

Raider nation should be ecstatic that Al Davis did not pull another workout warrior out of his hat in the first round. Rolando McClain is the highest drafted inside linebacker of the decade but could perform up to that standard. He is athletic, hits hard and has good instincts. McClain, along with Thomas Howard and recently acquired Kamerion Wimbley, give the Raiders a formidable core at the linebacker position. Lamarr Houston is explosive for a nose tackle and will immediately compete for playing time on the defensive line. Al Davis still got his workout warriors but this year he did so at great value. Bruce Campbell’s raw talent is the highest in the draft and getting him in the fourth round was a steal. Tom Cable had him at guard in the OTA’s which is a great place for him to learn while making an immediate impact. As far as the QB situation is concerned, I had Russell pegged as a bust since before the draft. His Sugar Bowl performance elevated his status but what people forget is Notre Dame had the 97th ranked pass defense in Division 1A whereas LSU had the 3rd. It’s not surprising that Russell outshone Quinn in that game. I’m glad that Al Davis was able to let go of JaMarcus and move on. Jason Campbell and Bruce Gradkowski will provide stability at that position which will pay dividends this season.


San Diego Chargers (Grade: C+)

The Chargers must’ve had reason to believe that a team was getting ready to move up and take Ryan Matthews. That’s the only justification for moving up that far to pick him. Matthews is a talented running back but I think they reached to get him. I really like Donald Butler at ILB in the 3rd round. He could end up being a better NFL player than Rolando McClain. Not picking a NT in the draft makes the release of Jamaal Williams harder to swallow, but the Chargers are high on the youth they have at the position and could still sign a veteran free-agent. Releasing LT was a necessary move, as sad as it is to see him end his time in San Diego without a Super Bowl. Even though the Chargers lost more than they added, this team will once again win the division and challenge for the AFC Championship.


Kansas City Chiefs (Grade: B)

Scott Pioli went away from his traditional draft philosophy and took two playmakers with his first two picks. I really like the Eric Berry pick at #5. Some say it was too high to select a safety, but Berry is a hard-hitting ballhawk with great range. All the characteristics you want out of a safety. His ability to make plays on the ball will result in at least one, if not two more wins for the Chiefs this season. In my opinion they reached a bit to grab Dexter McCluster, the RB/WR from Ole Miss. He is made in the image of Darren Sproles and will provide a spark for the Chiefs out of the backfield, at receiver and in the return game. I was surprised they didn’t select Jimmy Clausen after he slid to the second round. I do believe Matt Cassel will rebound from last season, but it never hurts to have some competition at the position, especially considering Clausen played under new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis for 3 years at Notre Dame. Javier Arenas will likely be a rotational DB for his career which is why I’m surprised the Chiefs took him in the second round. I like them picking Jon Asamoah, a powerful guard out of Illinois in the 3rd round. Tony Moeaki is a developmental project at TE with lots of upside.