The AFC West has been dominated by Kansas City for nearly a decade, and the Chiefs are the only team not looking at a significant rebuild to start the 2024 season.
The Chiefs are favored to win the division for a ninth-straight season. Here’s a look at where the Broncos and their three division opponents stand heading into the regular season:
Denver Broncos
Coach: Sean Payton, second season
Last year: 8-9, missed playoffs
Over/under wins: 5.5
Key additions: QB Bo Nix, WR Josh Reynolds, S Brandon Jones, DL Malcolm Roach, OG Calvin Throckmorton
Key departures: QB Russell Wilson, S Justin Simmons, WR Jerry Jeudy, OC Lloyd Cushenberry, WR Tim Patrick, LB Josey Jewell
Outlook: This season is all about figuring out what the Broncos have in Bo Nix. The rookie quarterback — selected by George Paton’s front office with the 12th overall pick — impressed in preseason play, but the regular season will be the true litmus test. Though it’s the second season of Payton’s Denver tenure, the 2024 slate signifies the first year of the ground-up rebuild. A bunch of familiar faces are gone, which makes space for a new crop of players to make their name known at Mile High. It’s more likely Denver has a top-five pick than a playoff appearance, and that’s not a bad thing for the franchise’s future.
Denver opens the season Sunday at Seattle.
Kansas City Chiefs
Coach: Andy Reid, 12th season
Last year: 11-6, won Super Bowl
Over/under wins: 11.5
Key additions: WR Xavier Worthy, WR Marquise Brown, QB Carson Wentz, TE Irv Smith
Key departures: CB L’Jarius Sneed, WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR Mecole Hardman, LB Willie Gay
Outlook: After winning the last two titles and playing in three of the last four Super Bowls, it’s championship or bust as long as Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones are rocking the arrowhead helmets. The Chiefs will miss L’Jarius Sneed’s coverage in the secondary, but there are more than enough pieces left to make a run at a three-peat. A soft division all but assures the Chiefs will return to the playoffs for a 10th consecutive season.
Kansas City hosted the Ravens Thursday night.
Las Vegas Raiders
Coach: Antonio Pierce, first season
Last year: 8-9, missed playoffs
Over/under wins: 6.5
Key additions: QB Gardner Minshew, TE Brock Bowers, RB Alexander Mattison, DL Christian Wilkins
Key departures: RB Josh Jacobs, QB Jimmy Garoppolo, WR Hunter Renfrow, DL Jerry Tillery
Outlook: Pierce shed the interim tag by leading the Raiders to a 5-4 finish after Josh McDaniels got off to a 3-5 start, but he won’t have Josh Jacobs to serve as the backfield’s bell cow in his first full season. Zamir White and Minshew will be tasked with putting enough points on the board to keep star receiver Davante Adams content and the team in contention, though a playoff appearance appears unlikely.
The Raiders start the season with a division game Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers.
Los Angeles Chargers
Coach: Jim Harbaugh, first season
Last year: 5-12, missed playoffs
Over/under wins: 8.5
Key additions: RB Gus Edwards, OT Joe Alt, WR Ladd McConkey, TE Hayden Hurst, LB Denzel Perryman
Key departures: RB Austin Ekeler, WR Keenan Allen, WR Mike Williams, LB Eric Kendricks, TE Gerald Everett
Outlook: Justin Herbert is looking around the locker room like Will Smith in the final episode of “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” when the family moves out. Gone are three of the promising young quarterback’s favorite targets, but Herbert’s got a new coach coming off a college national championship and Alt, who projects to be the team’s left tackle for the foreseeable future. That’s probably not enough to make a playoff run, but it does make the division more interesting moving forward.
The Chargers’ second Harbaugh era starts at home Sunday against the Raiders.
—Win totals via FanDuel
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