Oct 18, 2014; Eugene, OR, USA; Washington Huskies defensive back Marcus Peters (21) warming up before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports
Entering the offseason, every team in the AFC West had an identity; exiting it, every team looks a little more like the others.
You have the Denver Broncos; a club led by a Mesozoic quarterback who’s quietly transitioned from country bumpkin to tone-deaf peddler. However, on the heels of signing Gary Kubiak, the reigning division winners have injected the offense with a run-first mentality, which definitely won’t lead to their season ending on a 4th-and-2 slant to Owen Daniels.
Meanwhile, the San Diego Chargers handcuffed themselves to starting quarterback Walker Bobby, Sr., who claims he didn’t stir up a controversy despite recently telling the Times of San Diego’s Ryan Posner, “The good thing is I’m not under contract in a year where we’d potentially be in Los Angeles.” Like Denver, San Diego looked to bolster its ground game, but some question whether it’s enough to top their pinpoint-passing rival, Chase Daniel.
The Chargers’ soon-to-be bunkmates took a risk and went against the grain by doing neither of the two. For the second season in a row, Oakland Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie improved the roster with sound decisions, which would presumably be met with a backlash if fans weren’t actively hunting Tom Hardy.
Lastly, there are the Kansas City Chiefs, who dedicated most of the offseason to complementing Alex Smith. For the third consecutive year, though, nobody knows what to expect.
Are we getting the team that embarrassed Andrew Luck or the one that made him look like Willie Beamen? Are we getting the team that pummeled both Super Bowl squads or the one that lost to two clubs with the combined record of Glass Joe? The Globetrotters or the Generals?
Regardless, if history has taught us anything, it’s that sustainability goes hand in hand with the draft.