Summer break is just about over in the NFL as teams are now descending to their respective home cities for the start of training camp. As has been the case for the last few seasons, the AFC West is one division, in particular, that garners plenty of attention throughout the league. On top of it being one of the more competitive divisions, it’s also home to the defending Super Bowl champions and boasts some of the top quarterbacks in the league.
So, as camps open up across the NFL, the AFC West is naturally going to be one of the divisions that folks keep an eye on. Below, we’re going to dive into three burning questions for each team that will need to be answered before the 2023 regular season kicks off.
How will the wide receiver room shake out?
Patrick Mahomes is talented enough to elevate just about any pass-catcher in the NFL, but this receiver room will be worth monitoring throughout the summer. Kansas City did lose JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman in free agency, so someone will need to step up to replace those 135 targets. Specifically, Kadarius Toney has been billed as the receiver to take on a major workload after coming aboard midway through last season in a trade with the Giants. Mahomes has already stated that he believes Toney can be a No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL, and if he’s proven right that’ll make Kansas City’s offense that much more dangerous. The club also has Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, and rookie Rashee Rice.
Will the new tackles be able to protect Mahomes?
There’s been major changes along Kansas City’s offensive line with Orlando Brown and Andrew Wylie departing this offseason. The Chiefs have since replaced them with Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith. While it looked like Taylor may slot in at left tackle upon first signing, he’ll now likely be situated at right tackle with the arrival of Smith. In 1,095 offensive snaps for Jacksonville last season, Taylor allowed five sacks while Smith gave up six sacks in 908 snaps with the Bucs. Of course, protecting Mahomes is of the utmost importance and the success of both Taylor and Smith will likely be key in the club’s hopes to repeat as NFL champions.
Will Chris Jones sign an extension?
Chris Jones sat out all of Kansas City’s mandatory minicamp as the star defensive tackle seeks a new contract. Jones is entering the final year of a four-year, $80 million contract he signed back in 2020 and is slated to make $19.5 million as a base salary for 2023. GM Brett Veach previously has expressed optimism that a deal will get done, and it’d behoove the Chiefs to hammer that out before the start of the season so that the pillar on the defensive side of the ball is fully bought in for the title defense.
Will Justin Herbert sign an extension?
The Chargers’ franchise QB is eligible to receive a massive extension from Los Angeles and it’s really a matter of when rather than if Herbert will put pen to paper on the deal. Training camp would be an ideal time to get that situated with Herbert in town gearing up for the season and it’d make sense to get it out of that before the year begins so it doesn’t fester and turn into a distraction. According to Spotrac’s market value projections, Herbert could be in line for a six-year, $304 million deal that pays him over $50 million in average annual salary.
Can Kellen Moore elevate the offense?
Arguably the biggest move the Chargers made this offseason was hiring Kellen Moore to be their next offensive coordinator. L.A. has all the pieces in place to be a prolific offense, and now it’ll be Moore’s obligation throughout camp to set a foundation from which the unit can springboard into the season off of. Last season, Moore had the Cowboys offense ranked fourth in the league in points and 11th in total yards. If he can implement a fast-paced scheme with the Chargers, they’ll be one of the most fun offenses to watch in the entire league.
Is Quentin Johnston ready to contribute on Day 1?
L.A. used its first-round pick on TCU wideout Quentin Johnston, and there’s plenty of hype that he’ll be able to help take this offense to an even higher level. The 6-foot-3, 208-pounder has nice size and could be a boundary option for Justin Herbert after totaling 1,069 yards and six touchdowns during his final collegiate season. Now, it’s a question of whether Johnston can immediately slot into this offense and be a key contributor alongside Mike Williams and Keenan Allen.
Is Jimmy Garoppolo healthy?
There’s a new quarterback in Las Vegas, but the narrative that followed Jimmy Garoppolo throughout his time with the 49ers is now bleeding into his start with the Raiders. The oft-injured quarterback underwent surgery on his foot this offseason and that required the Raiders to put a waiver in his contract that could possibly void his deal and end his tenure before it even begins. However, NFL Media reported last month that Garoppolo is expected to be ready for the start of camp (he reportedly passed his physical on Sunday). Having Garoppolo healthy and able to gain a rapport with his new pass-catchers is vital for Las Vegas’ chances to compete in the highly competitive AFC.
Will Josh Jacobs play for the Raiders?
The biggest story for the Raiders currently is the status of running back Josh Jacobs. The two sides were unable to come to terms on a long-term contract extension and Jacobs is now faced with playing the 2023 season on the franchise tag. However, Jacobs has yet to sign his tender and quite possibly will hold out of training camp, which begs the question of if he’ll even suit up for the Raiders again. Jacobs is coming off a career year in 2022 where he led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage and rushing, so he is a major piece to Las Vegas’ offense. That said, it’ll be curious to see if they can come together for the coming season or if they’ve reached the point of no return.
Is there enough at cornerback?
One of the big holes on defense does seem to be the cornerback position. Currently, the Raiders are slated to start David Long Jr. and Duke Shelley. Neither has been a full-time starter at the position with Shelly starting just five games for the Vikings last season and Long starting four games for the Rams. That’s a lot of inexperience in a secondary that’s going to be asked to slow down the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Russell Wilson twice this season.
Can Sean Payton turn Russell Wilson around?
The biggest acquisition the Broncos made this offseason was bringing in Sean Payton to be their new head coach. Payton has been one of the best offensive minds the NFL has seen in recent memory, which is ideal as the franchise tries to turn things around after a lackluster season in 2022 that featured poor play from Russell Wilson. In his first season in Denver, Wilson looked washed up, which is rather concerning given the team signed him to a five-year, $245 million contract before even taking a snap for the franchise. While you may be able to chalk up Wilson’s off season due to poor coaching from then-Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, Payton’s impact will be the true barometer of whether or not Wilson just needed better guidance or if there’s a legitimate decline unfolding.
Is Javonte Williams healthy?
Williams is coming off a torn ACL that he suffered in Week 4 of last season and his health will be one of the bigger storylines of camp. The back was limited throughout the spring, but Sean Payton previously noted that Williams should be ready to go for the start of camp. Getting the 23-year-old up and running as soon as possible will be a positive step for Denver as it looks to resurrect its offense after an abysmal 2022 campaign, and a strong running game could help Denver do just that.
Can Greg Dulcich follow up breakout rookie season?
One of the few bright spots for the Broncos last season was the emergence of 2022 third-round pick Greg Dulcich. The tight end was a legitimate weapon for Denver down the stretch and now it’ll be fascinating to see if he can build off that coming into 2023. Sean Payton has historically utilized the tight end position in the passing game, making Jimmy Graham one of the most feared players in the league for a time and it wouldn’t be a shock to see the coach put Dulcich in a similar position within his offense.
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Author: Tyler Sullivan
July 23, 2023 | 11:32 am
