By Dalton Del Don
1. Denver Broncos
The Broncos were soft against the run last year, but that’s the area on defense you’d prefer to be weak against. Champ Bailey figures to rebound after a disappointing 2007 campaign, and Dre Bly isn’t a bad No. 2 corner. The linebackers should improve, and Elvis Dumervil looks like a potential dominant end. With a relatively easy looking schedule, the defense could become a strength. If I had the No. 1 pick in starting a franchise right now, I’d be hard pressed to pass on Jay Cutler, who is going to explode in his third year and now healthy after his diabetes was treated. Football is more than the quarterback position, but the Broncos have a major advantage here, and Brandon Marshall is an elite weapon as well. Rookie Eddie Royal will also contribute, as will Tony Scheffler. The offensive line isn’t what it once was, but it’s still a plus, especially after adding left tackle Ryan Clady through the draft. It doesn’t matter that Denver doesn’t have a name brand running back; the team will almost assuredly average better than 4.5 YPC and finish among the league-leaders. Playing in Colorado’s thin air is also an advantage that can’t be underestimated.
2. San Diego Chargers (wild card)
This might be the only preview where the Chargers aren’t finishing first in the division, but there’s no doubting the team enters with plenty of talent. The health of Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates are concerns. Shawne Merriman and Nick Hardwick are also hurt. San Diego has a very good offensive line (although Marcus McNeill took a huge step back last year) with Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson out wide, so there’s no shortage of depth. Still, Rivers will need to play like he did in the playoffs for the team to dominate, as he was merely a league average starter throughout the regular season, and the rest of the division figures to be improved this time around. This is admittedly anecdotal, but teams often struggle the year after losing in the Conference Championship.
3. Oakland Raiders
The Raiders are moving in the right direction, but the decision to draft JaMarcus Russell over Calvin Johnson last year could prove crushing. The defense could be sneaky good, as DeAngelo Hall was added to play alongside Nnamdi Asomugha, the NFL’s best cover corner. Additionally, the signing of Gibril Wilson helped two-fold, as he’s a big upgrade from Stewart Schweigert, and it also allowed Michael Huff to move to free safety, which will better utilize his skills. The strong secondary will allow the team to allocate more resources toward stopping the run, an area the Raiders struggled mightily in last year. The offensive line, and in particular the run blocking, is a major strength. Robert Gallery has finally found a home at left guard, and while new left tackle Kwame Harris can run block, it could get ugly in pass protection. Oakland will be a run-heavy team that’s likely successful, but Russell is going to struggle, especially with a very thin receiving group.
4. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were smart to admit where the franchise stood and went into full-blown rebuild mode this offseason, focusing on getting younger through the draft. The additions of Glenn Dorsey and Branden Albert should pay dividends down the road, but this team is quite a ways from contention, mainly because they still lack a franchise quarterback. Brodie Croyle’s wife may be hot, but that appears to be about all he’s got going for him. Dwayne Bowe will be a star once the team does decide to upgrade under center, and any fantasy owner who drafted Larry Johnson this year will end up disappointed.
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