By: Jake Rajala

The wild AFC West possesses countless gifted athletes and eventual exciting showdowns. Patrick Mahomes will plan to terrorize the league without Tyreek Hill, Justin Herbert will push for his first MVP ring, Russell Wilson will seek to return to the Super Bowl, and the reunited QB-WR duo in Las Vegas will plan to wreak havoc in 2022. With that said, It’s quite clear that the AFC West division is the best division in all of football. Well, a fascinating question arises: who is the best AFC team at the moment?

Los Angeles Chargers

It can be hard to be in favor of a change, but I do love the chances of the Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers being the crowned the AFC West Champions next season. Per Bet Online, Herbert has the second-best odds to win MVP next season. He will lean on his superb WR duo (Keenan Allen and Mike Williams) and the versatile Austin Ekeler to help him dismantle opponents. I also expect former DPOY Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson to continue to be unearthly forces next season. Mack was actually on a superb pace last season – as he ousted six sacks, six TFLs, and seven QB hits in seven contests. The former Patriots CB in Jackson registered eight interceptions last season – after recording nine in 2020. I do expect the Chiefs to have a high-powered offense without Hill, but I still believe his exit from the team slightly damages their offensive talent. Furthermore, the Honey Badger-less Chiefs defense should be less imposing than its 2021 defense.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs aren’t the best team in the wild AFC West, but they are still a Top-5 AFC team in my opinion. Mahomes will look to unleash havoc with Travis Kelce (who has made the Pro Bowl in each season from 2015 to 2021), JuJu Smith-Schuster, and darkhorse OROY candidate Skyy Moore moving forward. PFF also ranked the Chiefs OL as the ninth-best OL unit in the league. Of course, the vital LT Orlando Brown Jr. is still on the search for a long-term contract. According to PFT, the two sides were “really close”, but unable to agree to a long-term contract. The Chiefs defense also showcases an exciting pass-rush with the behemoth Chris Jones (who recorded nine sacks and 8 TFLs in 14 games last season), Frank Clark, and the talented rookie George Karlaftis. Andy Reid’s squad could really witness a lot of magic from their 2022 first-round pick (Karlaftis) and their 2022 second-round pick (Moore).

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos have an elite defense and Russell Wilson. The Broncos may have a tough time winning their division next season, but they shouldn’t lose sight of obtaining the Lombardi trophy. The Broncos 33-year-old QB is also in the last year of his contract, so he will look to sign a hefty extension soon. It shouldn’t be underestimated that the Broncos have one of the NFL’s top 1-2 RB tandems (with Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon), as well. Williams ran angry for 903 yds (while averaging 4.4 YPC) in his rookie campaign. The other Broncos RB from Wisconsin has accumulated 1,904 rushing yards and 17 rushing TDs in his past two seasons combined. The Broncos weren’t able to bring back Von Miller, but they should be excited about their pass-rushing tandem in the new speed rusher Randy Gregory and Bradley Chubb (who missed 10 games last season). The best part of the Broncos defense unequivocally rests in their secondary – which should expect to see Patrick Surtain make his first Pro Bowl.

Las Vegas Raiders

The LV Raiders came out with the miraculous victory against the Chargers last season, but I don’t like their odds to thrive in the absolutely brutal AFC West division in 2022. The Raiders and their marvelous offensive trio should strive to have a winning record next season – despite their hurdles in their division. In particular, I expect Carr to likely have a personal best passing touchdown figure next season. Per NBC Sports, Carr stated, “We both went all in to play together again”. It’s clearly true that the former Fresno State QB-WR duo is relieved to be in the same offensive unit for the second time. I love the Raiders addition of Chandler Jones (10.5 sacks last season) – as he and Maxx Crosby should formulate a terrific pass-rushing tandem. Although, I’m still not confident in their all-around talent on defense.

The post Ranking the AFC West teams right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Denver Broncos have arguably had more intense news than every other NFL team over the past 24 hours. The Broncos witnessed their young, talented wide receiver Jerry Jeudy get arrested yesterday and charged with second-degree criminal tampering related to a domestic violence case. Today, the victim has asked the judge to dismiss the case against Jeudy, per The Denver Post.

Outside of Jeudy’s predicament, the Broncos have a fascinating schedule. The Broncos play in the wild AFC West, but they will have a modest mountain to climb. The Russell Wilson-led team will have the 15th most challenging schedule next season. They will also play the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, which will be a very exciting show-down for many reasons: different location, a unique culture, and London will create more NFL fans with two squads in town.

The Super Bowl contending Broncos could still add more FA talent with their 12th-ranked cap space. Outside of signing Randy Gregory and D.J. Jones in the early stages of FA, they recently brought back Melvin Gordon. Per 24/7 Sports, Gordon (918 rushing yds and 8 touchdowns in 2021) and Javonte Williams will share carries in the 2022 season. It would also make sense if the Broncos inked a FA CB, too. After they added the former 49ers CB K’Wuan Williams, it was clear that the Broncos should keep the gas on the pedal to ink another quality CB.

It may make sense for the Broncos and Kyle Fuller to reunite, as he would probably return hungrier than last season. Trae Waynes, Janoris “Jackrabbit” Jenkins, Joe Haden, James Bradberry, and Xavier Rhodes are also smart options for the Broncos. I would expect them to bring back Fuller or sign an underrated veteran CB like Jackrabbit.

The post Denver Broncos rumors and news right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

The Las Vegas Raiders acquired Davante Adams, also known as the long-time jealous ex of Derek Carr. Josh McDaniels clearly wanted to press the pedal to the metal in the AFC West and he should feel very confident in his Tyreek Hill-less division.

I feel strongly that Tae should have a strong career moving forward with McDaniels and Carr in Sin City. Per Fantasy Pros, Tae was the second most targeted wideout last season (169) and the most targeted WR in 2020 (149), but I absolutely expect him to remain one of the Top 5 most targeted WRs with the Raiders in each of the next few seasons. Meanwhile, Hunter Renfrow received 128 targets last season. Adams might have been the “be and end all WR” for Rodgers, but he didn’t quite sling the rock as much as Carr. The Raiders QB1 threw 626 passing attempts last season, while A-Rod unleashed the ball 531 times in 2021. I fully expect Carr and Tae to link up at least 140+ times in 2022. Adams also has a unique skillset in the Raiders offense and he will demand a lot of bombs on the perimeter.

I absolutely see no reason why Adams isn’t a Top 6 dynasty WR at the moment. Tae might be on the verge of 30 years old, but he is coming off a career-high receiving yard mark in 2021 (1,553) and he ousted 18 receiving touchdowns in 2020 (career-high). He is one of the few pros in today’s league that manages to not only retain his form but improve his all-around craft. The NFL world witnessed Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald hail as elite WRs beyond the age of 30 and I surely expect the shifty, persistent Adams to be a cream of the crop WR for 4-5 more seasons with Carr.

The post What is the dynasty outlook of Davante Adams? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Kansas City Chiefs are paying Patrick Mahomes $45 million a season, but they made life a bit more difficult for him this offseason. Mahomes lost his favorite toy in Tyreek Hill and the Chiefs witnessed every other AFC West squad level up in the AFC West arms race.

It’s safe to say that Mahomes isn’t the 2022 MVP favorite. With that said, the question is: what is the long-term of Mahomes, and should dynasty owners of Mahomes sell him now? Well, I’m going to untwine his dynasty outlook.

The upside of Mahomes

Patty Mahomes is only 26 years old and he’s made the Pro Bowl in each of the past four seasons. He’s also thrown 37+ passing touchdowns in the past of the two seasons. Hill and Travis Kelce both caught 9 touchdowns last season. Hill is a big loss, but I really believe JuJu and MVS will help Mahomes have a nice floor moving forward.

Travis Kelce is arguably the biggest weapon for Mahomes after the departure of Hill and he should be an elite TE for at least a few more seasons. I don’t know if Mahomes will be the best QB in the AFC West moving forward, but I believe he should average at least 30 passing touchdowns a season without Hill. After Kelce retires, Mahomes may request a trade to a loaded roster.

The downside of Mahomes

The Chiefs will really miss the cheetah. Here is a closer look at how dominant he has been over the past four seasons:

• 1,479 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2017
• 1,276 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2020
• A career-high 159 targets in 2021

I don’t expect Mahomes to throw 5,000+ passing yards and 50+ passing touchdowns (in the same season in) a Tyreek Hill-less offense to say the least. Here is a closer look at how productive Mahomes was in 2019 when Hill had a below-average season.

Hill in 2019: 58-860-7

Mahomes in 2019: 4,031 passing yards and 26 passing touchdowns

It’s clear that Hill has been the engine to the Chiefs offense. It won’t be easy for Mahomes to oust an MVP season in Kansas City without Hill, as shown above. Nonetheless, he will still have JuJu and MVS at the WR position to help heal the wound.

Verdict:

Hill might be on the Dolphins and it could seem earth-shattering for dynasty fanatics and Chiefs fans, but I would absolutely hold Mahomes. He should be an elite QB with his current offense (Kelce, JuJu, MVS).

The 25-year-old JuJu unleashed 1,426 yards in 2018 and he should be a 1,000+ yard WR in year one as a Chief. I am not convinced that Mahomes will be an All-Pro as a Chief, but he should be a routine Pro Bowl moving forward.

Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers are the most gifted signal-callers in the league. Mahomes will still be an elite QB for the Chiefs and he could potentially follow Russell Wilson’s path by switching teams in the post Kelce era.

The post What is the dynasty outlook of Patrick Mahomes? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Khari Demos

And just like that, the AFC West might be the best division in the NFL. I mean, maybe even ever. Just look at how deep the division is at quarterback alone.

Absolute superstars, Pro Bowlers, and dare I say multiple Hall of Fame-level players. Russell Wilson was brought in to revive the Broncos. Justin Herbert seems poised to take the crown with the Chargers. Patrick Mahomes has had it since starting in 2018. And don’t forget the tough-as-nails Derek Carr, who just got his best friend to join him in supreme wideout Davante Adams.

So the only thing to do was to build elite pass-rushing units to stop them. First LA traded for 2016 Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack. Then Denver stole away Randy Gregory from the Cowboys. KC was able to bring back Frank Clark to play next to three-time Pro Bowler Chris Jones. Then it was Chandler Jones, as he joined the silver and black in Las Vegas ”” just days after the Raiders inked Maxx Crosby to a $94 million extension.

Things got spooky there over night. There are so many names of note here and they all should be feared. But who has the best duo to get after the QB? Here’s how I’ve got them ranked:

4. Denver Broncos

While I do like Gregory and all the talent he possesses, I’m not too sure if his $70 million price tag isn’t a little rich. In five seasons played (across seven years, due to suspensions), the Nebraska product has never topped more than six sacks in a season. In 2021, he had career-highs with 17 QB hits and 29 total pressures.

I know stats don’t mean everything, but it’s hard to ignore Gregory’s lack thereof. He might be more of a presence than the numbers would show, but he also should be producing similarly to players in his pay range. Gregory’s average annual salary ($14 million) is just behind Danielle Hunter ($14.4 million) and right above Yannick Ngakoue ($13 million).

Ngakoue has had six seasons with eight or more sacks in his career, while Hunter has gone for six or more in each of his six seasons, including three seasons with 12.5 or more. Gregory, on the other hand, tied a career-best with six last season. Gregory could argue for being a more complete player than Ngakoue, but he has not been nearly as consistent as Hunter, even after he missed 10 games last season.

Now Gregory’s new pass-rushing partner, Bradley Chubb, is an extremely talented player in his own right. The 2018 first-round pick came out blazing hot to start his career, tallying 12 sacks as a rookie. After tearing his ACL in 2019, Chubb put together a Pro Bowl 2020 campaign where he recorded 7.5 sacks, 19 QB hits and 34 pressures.

But the injury bug bit Chubb again in 2021, as he missed 10 games due to an ankle injury.

As consistent of a performer as the NC State product is on the field, his availability has hampered his status ”” since 2019, Chubb has played 23 games for an average of 7.67 per season. So health permitting, Chubb could build a great tandem with Gregory. But thinking about their lack of availability ”” Gregory has only played in 22 games since 2019 ”” this unit may have the most question marks coming in.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

The KC pass rush starts and ends with Jones, as he’s posted four straight seasons at 7.5 sacks or more. In fact, amongst all players since 2018, the three-time All-Pro ranks fourth in the NFL in terms of sacks. Jones’ 41 trail only Aaron Donald (59), Myles Garrett (51.5), and Cameron Jordan (47.5) in that span.

That type of production is unique, especially for a defensive tackle. The former Mississippi State Bulldog only trails Donald in terms of sacks from players at the position since ’18. Jones is also the king of pushing the pocket from the interior ”” not only does he have 29 career pass deflections, Jones has totaled 154 pressures since 2018 as well.

But as a DT, Jones needed a formidable counterpart with him on the edge. Enter Clark, as he’s made three consecutive Pro Bowls since coming in from Seattle. Now he may not have the sack totals (18.5 since 2019), but his pressure rates overall are tremendously high.

With 46 QB hits over the past three seasons, Clark has also compiled 81 total pressures in that stretch. But the Michigan product really turned up the heat in postseason play ”” while with the Chiefs, Clark recorded a sack in five of his first six playoff games for a total of eight.

But both Clark and Jones had their struggles last postseason, as they both were held sackless in games against the Steelers, Bills, and Bengals. Ironically, Jones has yet to earn a postseason sack throughout his career.

Jones may be one of the top DTs overall in the league, and Clark may be one of the biggest disruptors in the game coming off the edge. But being able to send double teams Jones’ way inside, and Clark’s inability to top double-digit sacks since 2018, this duo does seem to have a bit of a ceiling in terms of being the go-to pass rush in the division.

2. Las Vegas Raiders

Jones and Crosby, in my opinion, bring the most flash as a tandem. Mad Maxx is coming off his first All-Pro selection this season, as he netted eight sacks, 30 QB hits, 19 QB knockdowns, and 42 total pressures.

The 2021 season may have been a coming out party for Crosby nationally, but he’s been superb throughout his Raiders tenure. He’s recorded seven or more sacks in each of his three seasons, as well as 31 or more total pressures in each of those seasons. Not to make light of the situation, but that’s amazing considering the struggles Crosby had with his addiction early on in the league.

For Jones, he was stellar in Arizona once again ”” with 10.5 sacks in 2021, the Syracuse product recorded his seventh double-digit sack season in his career. Jones also added 26 QB hits, 17 QB knockdowns, and 36 total pressures.

Not to hate on a player I have rooted for as a native of Western New York personally (just down the road from his home of Rochester), but Jones’ 2021 season is a bit inflated with the sack numbers. You must remember, the four-time Pro Bowler registered five against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, so that means he had 5.5 in his final 14 games played.

And that’s not to diminish him for his ’21 season, that’s just the facts of the matter. Maybe this was a byproduct of Haason Reddick joining the Panthers last season. But that’s definitely not a sight you like to see for a player who’s entering the twilight of his career at age 32.

I struggled so much with this one so much because I believe so much in this duo. Ironically, I think what held me back from making them #1 was because I think they’re more complete, dominant edge players, rather than just elite in the pass rush part of things. Yes, they both are known to get after QBs, but I believe their biggest strengths show in the run game as well.

So with that being said, we have our last duo to crown.

1. Los Angeles Chargers

Bosa and Mack have the potential to be one of the greatest edge rushing duos ever. Bosa tallied 10.5 sacks last season, the fourth time he’s gone for double-digits in his six career seasons. The two seasons he didn’t? He was on pace to do so, but he missed 15 total games of action to slow him down a bit (2018, 2020).

The Ohio State product has been downright scary over the past three seasons ”” since 2019, Bosa has posted 54, 45, and 43 pressures in those respective campaigns.

Now comes in Mack, a four-time All-Pro and 2010s All-Decade performer. From 2015-20, Mack had 8.5 sacks or more in each season, including a career-high 15 in 2015. That streak ended in 2021, but the numbers lie a bit on that.

Mack only totaled six sacks on the season, but he did that in only seven games played after going through foot surgery in November. My former UB teammate also wrecked havoc in terms of pressures before the ’21 campaign, posting 47, 45, and 31 in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively.

The case I really want to make for these two is that they’ve played some of their best ball when they had another formidable rusher with them. Whether it was Mack having 21.5 sacks in 2016 and 2017 playing across from Bruce Irvin, or his 12.5 with a healthy Akiem Hicks inside in Chicago in 2018, as well as Bosa’s 47.5 sacks in his first five seasons playing the opposite side of Melvin Ingram, the numbers bear proof.

So I’m taking the tandem that has a former NFL DPOY and has combined for 10 Pro Bowl selections. There’s a lot of different ways you can look at this argument, but Mack and Bosa seem to be just a notch above when it comes to getting after QBs, in my opinion.

But above all, we get to watch them all chase Russ, Herbert, Carr, and Mahomes all season. Man oh man, get your popcorn ready.

The post Ranking the pass rushing duos in the AFC West appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Thomas Cunningham

Alrighty, football fans, after an exciting Week 1 showing of the 2021 season is officially in the books, we all need to start looking forward to Week 2. Some obvious over-hyped teams were coming in and out of the first week of the NFL season, but some teams flew underneath the radar.

Of course, most of the major teams viewed as contenders going into the start of the season remained in the same light (except for the Green Bay Packers), but some teams definitely had their stock risen to post their performance.

However, through the major players, big plays, and blowout wins, some team’s victories fell to the wayside of consideration of being competitive for the remainder of the season. The next few teams were not necessarily considered bottom feeders but have been looked down on or overlooked by more prominent rosters in the league. Who are they, you’re asking yourself? Well, let’s dive in. 

1.       Joe Burrow is back in action.

After an exciting start to the 2020 season, Cincinnati Bengals rookie quarterback, Joe Burrow, left the field and ended his season with a knee injury. The thought surrounding Burrow was that it was pretty much the end of the line, and the Bengals will be who they have always been.

Fast forward to Week 1 of the 2021 season, and Mr. Burrow had himself a day against the Minnesota Vikings. He threw for 261 yards, 2 touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 74.1% completion rate in his sophomore debut. Say what you want about the Vikings offense, but their defense has added a lot of firepower this offseason and was a true test of what Burrow could do.

Let’s also not forget to mention running back Joe Mixon rushing for over 100 yards and wide receiver Jamar Chase having 5 catches for over 100 yards. The only real concern for the Bengals is their defense; if they can work on buttoning that aspect of their game up, they’re going to upset many teams.

2.       The other Los Angeles team should be the one you are watching.

That’s right, football fans, I am not talking about the L.A Rams, It is the Chargers that should be a team to look out for. As a first-year quarterback, Justin Herbert threw for over 4000 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in his rookie year. He was imposing in his ability to show his immediate command of the offense. The downfall of the Chargers last season had to do with protecting their new quarterback.

During this past offseason, the Chargers addressed this issue and bolstered their offensive line with free-agent signings and drafts. So far, it seems to have paid off. L.A was able to go up moderately and down the field on a Washington Football Team’s defense that is extremely stout.

Surviving against a defensive line like the Football Team’s is an impressive first start, let alone moving the ball efficiently. Obviously, the Chargers have high division competition, but I will not bet against them being in the hunt for a wild card spot if you are a betting person.

3.       Another AFC West challenger emerges

Last but not least, on this list of teams in the Denver Broncos. The Broncos, over the course of the past few seasons, have been, well, mostly a mess. Since their Super Bowl win back in 2015, Denver has only had one winning season. It seemed for a while that they were starting to vastly slip down the power rankings further and further each season.

There was some debut on the Broncos not selecting a quarterback in this year’s draft, but I am here to tell all Broncos’ fans, Partick Surtain will be just fine. In fact, adding a player like Surtain to your secondary has really increased the fact that Denver’s defense will be one of the better ones in this league, if not at least in the top 10.

They walked into Met-Life stadium and beat up the Giants for 4 quarters. It was a shaky start, but once they got rolling, with the help of a Daniel Jones fumble, they never looked back until the clock struck triple zeroes. They may not be as high power on offense, but their Von Miller-led defense will for sure keep them in the game.

The post Week 2 delivers some underrated matchups: here is what’s happening appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jordan Anders

Rookie Patrick Surtain II has been putting the NFL on notice the last two weeks in his first two preseason games with the Denver Broncos. We all knew Surtain was going to be good, but how good and NFL-ready he already was came faster than anyone expected. From training camp to his first NFL debut Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, Patrick Surtain had been turning heads from the very beginning.

During the Denver Broncos training camp, Surtain not only made an impression on his fellow teammates but head coach Vic Fangio as well. Fangio stated that Patrick was fitting right into the Broncos secondary, which is one of the best in the league. Patrick Surtain got his first pick on day five of practice which would then lead to a real interception during the Vikings game later that week.

The Broncos headed to their first preseason game against the Vikings where Surtain would play 11 coverage snaps. During those coverage snaps, Surtain allowed 0 catches and had a 30-yard pick followed by a touchdown. After the game, Surtain received a 94.5 PFF Grade, the highest of all cornerbacks in Week one. After week two, Patrick Surtain was the second-highest graded defensive rookie so far with a 91.3 Grade overall. Patrick Surtain is the top-graded rookie cornerback vs single coverage.

In the two weeks of preseason, Patrick Surtain was the “highest-graded defensive rookie in the NFL”. There’s already talk about Surtain being a favorite for the Defensive Rookie of the Year and the sports bets can back that up. With the odds changing nearly every day, Patrick Surtain has been a top-five favorite the last two weeks. Over the last week, Patrick Surtain has become one of the most-bet on players for the award this year.

Patrick Surtain will be competing against Cowboys’ rookie Micah Parsons, who is the number one favorite for the award. He will also be competing against other rookies including Kwity Paye, Jaelan Phillips, Jamin Davis, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Jaycee Horn. Based on his performances and ratings in the past two weeks, Surtain is already ahead of the pack. It may be late August, but there is no question he will be a stud for the Broncos secondary this season and be a serious candidate for the DROY award.

If Patrick Surtain wins the award, he will join Von Miller and Mike Croel as the only Broncos players to win the award in the 54 years the award has been around. He will also be the first Broncos cornerback to win the award and the third cornerback ever to win the award. Yet, the NFL passing game evolves and CBs truly have had more opportunities to stand out among other defensive positions in recent memory. Two CBs have won the award since 2015: Marcus Peters and Marshon Lattimore. Surtain will have countless chances to prove he’s a talented CB as he faces passing offenses like Kansas City, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles twice each in the season.

It’s clear that Surtain is gifted and up to prove he’s ready to take 2021 by storm. Even the great Broncos CB Champ Bailey has acknowledged an early positive impression of Surtain. When asked about Patrick Surtain, Bailey stated “People are like ”˜Oh, he reminds me of Champ!’ I’m like ”˜hell, he reminds me of me, too!’”

The post Why Patrick Surtain II is the very early DROY favorite appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Adam Hulse (@AdamHulseSports)

With the NFL Playoffs expanding its field of Wild Card teams to three per conference instead of two, it is now possible for an entire division to make the postseason. That is what the AFC West division will be looking to accomplish this season, as all four teams have aspirations of making the playoffs. It would be the first time NFL history for that to happen, but the question is whether or not that is a realistic scenario. Let’s first take a quick look at each of the four teams’ outlooks for the upcoming 2021 NFL season.

Kansas City Chiefs

The two-time defending AFC Conference Champion Kansas City Chiefs are pretty much a lock to make it to the playoffs as long as superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes is healthy. They were the best offense in the NFL last year by a wide margin, with their 415.8 yards per game leading the second-best offense, the Buffalo Bills, by almost 20 yards per game. As an example of how big of a gap that is, the 12th ranked New Orleans Saints offense were 20 yards behind the second-ranked Bills. The Chiefs are returning both of their key offensive weapons in Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill so there is no reason at all to believe that their offense won’t once again be a dominating force. Pair their elite offense with one of the greatest offensive minds of all time in head coach Andy Reid, and even an underrated defense to go with it too, and the Chiefs are without a doubt one of the best teams in the NFL.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers are a team that has the potential to take the next step this season. The main reason being that it looks like they found a star quarterback in Justin Herbert. He put together a very impressive rookie campaign by completing 66.6 percent of his passes for 4336 yards and 31 touchdowns on his way to leading the Chargers to a solid seven-win season. If he can continue to improve in his second season, he can already be a top ten quarterback in the league, which always gives any team a chance to make a run into playoffs. They have a solid defense that ranked 10th in the NFL last year at 343.4 yards allowed per game and will get a huge boost this coming season with the return of superstar Derwin James. He is not only one of the most dynamic players in the entire NFL but also one of the absolute best all-around defenders. With the rise of Herbert and the return of James, the Chargers have a shot to make some noise this year.

Denver Broncos

On paper, the Denver Broncos are stacked on both sides of the ball. Their offense has a ton of dangerous skill position players including Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Noah Fant, Melvin Gordon, and Javonte Williams while their defense is loaded with talented and productive players like Von Miller, Bradley Chubb, Kyle Fuller, and Justin Simmons. The only real problem with their team, and it’s a huge one, is the question mark at the quarterback position. There’s an old saying that “if you have two QBs, you have no QB” and that applies to the situation in Denver with Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock. Neither of them are necessarily bad, but they are definitely not impressive either., If one of the two QBs can emerge as a reliable option, or if they trade for an upgrade, then they can surely be a contender because the rest of the team is fully built and ready to win now.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders, who finished in second place in the AFC West last year with eight wins, are the type of team that has a low floor but also a high ceiling heading into the 2021 NFL season. They were the 8th ranked offense last season at 383.3 yards per game, mostly due to their two stars in tight end Darren Waller and running back Josh Jacobs. They did add another back in Kenyan Drake, which adds another dimension to their offense because of his pass catching abilities out of the backfield. The Raiders biggest loss by far this offseason is to the offensive line, which used to be a major strength of the team. They very strangely traded away three of their starters in Trent Brown, Gabe Jackson, and Rodney Hudson to rebuild a unit that didn’t appear to need it. Regardless, they will enter this year with hopes of competing for a postseason appearance, which is something they fell just short of last year.

AFC Playoff Picture

Anything can happen in the NFL, but realistically it appears that 12 of the 16 teams in the AFC have a shot to make the playoffs, excluding the Jaguars, Texans, Jets, and Bengals. Of those 12 teams, four of them will get in automatically for winning their division, so that guarantees one team from the AFC West. Along with the remaining three teams from the AFC West competing for the three remaining wild card spots there will also be five other solid teams that were not division winners fighting for those same spots. That field of teams joining the race will likely be some combination of five of the following teams including the Bills, Patriots, Dolphins, Ravens, Steelers, Browns, Colts, and Titans.

All things considered, it is very likely that the AFC West will get at least two teams and there is a real shot that they will get three teams in the playoffs, but because of the competition that they are facing, it is unlikely that all four will find their way into the NFL Playoffs this year.

The post Could the AFC West have four Playoff Teams? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Reese Nasser

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr could soon find himself on a new team. With his contract currently set to end after the 2022 season, he could be a name to watch between now and the trade deadline. 

After seven seasons with the Raiders, Carr has never appeared in a playoff game and has won double-digit games just once. He also has a career record of 47-63, but that does not tell the whole story. In his time since entering the league, Carr has been very efficient with the ball. He has 170 passing touchdowns to just 71 interceptions throughout his career. 

Even without ever having a prolific receiving room, Carr has been a consistent playmaker. He had been a reliable QB1. He has also been one of the clutchest players in the league. He has 24 game winning drives in his career. 

When looking at all of this, it is clear to see why teams would be intrigued by adding Carr to their roster. He is still a solid quarterback who would be an upgrade at the position for most teams. Many teams believe that they have the roster in place for a super bowl run and are just missing a quarterback to get them over the hump. Other teams are just trying to find a piece to build around, and at just 30 years old, Carr could be just that. There would be no developing Carr, unlike what you would have to do with a younger quarterback. He is also coming off arguably the best season of his career. 

There are a few different teams that could be in a position to go after Carr. It could end up taking a large draft package to land the veteran quarterback. Some teams may be more willing to give the Raiders what they would like as opposed to others. Here are three  teams that could prove to be top destinations for Derek Carr. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers future at the quarterback position is unclear, to say the least. Longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is entering the final year of his restructured contract. He will also be entering his 18th season as the Steelers starting quarterback and is 39-years old. 

Outside of Roethlisberger, the Steelers have not seemed to create a concrete plan as to who will be their next quarterback. Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph has been subpar in his nine career starts. He could be who the Steelers look to for their future, but he hasn’t yet shown that he can be a number one quarterback on a team. 

The Steelers also recently signed former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins this off-season. Haskins underperformed in his two years in Washington, recording a record of 3-10 and throwing just 12 touchdowns. He has struggled since entering the NFL, and much like Rudolph, hasn’t lived up to expectations up to this point. 

With no proven options past Roethlisberger, if there is a struggle at the quarterback position, the Steelers could look to go after a quarterback such as Carr. The Steelers have a team that is built to win now and can’t afford to have an offense being held back by poor QB play. Carr could play out his final two years of his contract in Pittsburgh and then sign a long-term deal to remain the QB1. 

Washington Football Team 

Washington currently has a surplus of quarters back on their roster, yet there is still no clear QB1. Ryan Fitzpatrick. Taylor Heinicke, and Kyle Allen will all have an opportunity to win the starting job. 

But Washngton may feel like none of these three quarterbacks meet their standards and this could cause them to go after someone such as Carr. 

Washington has assembled a potential top-10 defense and they have young and talented offensive pieces. With Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel preparing to become a top receiving duo and running back Antonio Gibson on the verge of stardom, this offense has all the making of a powerhouse. 

Carr could be what this team needs to take them over the top, and Washington is one team that could create a package that is good enough to land the quarterback. 

Miami Dolphins 

The Miami Dolphons coild prove to be an intriguing landing spot for Derek Carr. The decision to trade for him would also be baeed entirely on second-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s performance in the first half of the season. 

Tua struggled on multiple occasions last season, being replaced by Ryan Fitzpatrick on more than one occasion. But, it is still too early to move on from the young quarterback, at least for now. He scored 14 touchdowns in his rookie season and showed flashes of potential.
The Dolphins have a team that can win games, proving this last season by securing 10 wins for the first time since 2016. They also added quality playmakers on the offensive side of the ball through both the draft and free agency. 

Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle will look to be a centerpiece for this team, and eventually Miami’s main target. Wide receiver Will Fuller will also receive a heavy workload for the Dolphins in his first season with the team. 

With a potential top receiving unit, the Dolphins may believe that they can’t afford to wait for Tua to develop. If he does struggle in the start of the season, they could center a package around him and send him to Las Vegas in exchange for Carr. 

Carr is Miami’s offense could be lethal and this team could be positioned to make a legitimate playoff run. 

The post Three potential trade destinations for Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the all purpose running back out of LSU, has high expectations entering year two of his career. The Kansas City Chiefs elected not to bring back veteran RB Le’Veon Bell, nor draft a RB early with hopes of CEH proclaiming the draft stature he was given. 

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the RB that Patrick Mahomes personally wanted to be drafted. Many fanatics are harsh on the Chiefs halfback for not quite living up to his first round bill in 2020. However, it’s well seen that Helaire is a very talented player, amid a well oiled machine offense, and will be given the opportunities to oust high success in 2021. 

It’s apparent that Helaire showed potential last season with his rushing yard tally that was knocking on the door of a 1,000 yard season (803 yds). I fully expect CEH to crack the 1,000 yard mark and likely oust around 1500+ all purpose yards. Here is why CEH will take the next step, which ultimately should earn him a Pro Bowl nod.

• Improved OL 

The KC Chiefs offensive line was a musical chairs performance throughout the 2020-2021 season. The stud Mitchell Schwartz played in a mere six games, while Kelechi Osmele played in only five matchups. When CEH found rushing success early on, it was largely due to Osmele’s ability to maul defenders in his path. Osmele and Schwartz are no longer on the roster.

The Chiefs decided to not let their wounds heal on the OL, but rather acquire upgrades upfront. The reigning AFC champion signed OG Joe Thuney and made a blockbuster trade by acquiring LT Orlando Brown from the Ravens. The Chiefs undoubtedly improved their offensive line from a weak link into possessing one of the top AFC offensive line units. There is still a chance Mitchell Schwartz opts to return to the club. 

• Absence of Le’Veon Bell 

Le’Veon Bell wasn’t his All Pro self in KC, but he was an effective, involved weapon. He eked out 350 total yards and had 63 carries in the running game. CEH should see a noticeable increase in carries behind a titan like offensive line with Bell out of the building, which should result in an improved running effort from the second year RB. It’s also been reported by ESPN that Mahomes and Helaire have discussed with the Chiefs about a stronger passing game to the RBs. The team’s No. two wideout is currently Mecole Hardman, who recorded a mere 560 yards last season. CEH should get significantly more involved in the run and pass game and it helps he’s the lead back with no true 1B in the offense.

• Travis Kelce playing like a HOF TE

It’s no surprise that Travis Kelce was one of the best TEs in the league entering the 2020 season. At the eclipse of the 2020 campaign, it’s well documented that Kelce isn’t just elite, but the best TE in the NFL. His 105-1,416-11 mark was one of the best seasons from the TE spot of all time. Defenses now know that the TE can take over games with his superb connection to Mahomes. There will be extra precaution taken from the AFC West defenses and the rest of the NFL next season. CEH should see more dump passes, play action plays, and overall production with extra attention being demanded to Kelce.

The post 3 reasons why Clyde Edwards Helaire will really be a Pro Bowler in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.