5 Burning Questions Facing The AFC West
Davante Adams' Uncertain Future, Patrick Mahomes' Reign of Terror, and more!
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The more things change … The more they stay the same? At least for now?
It’s a new look AFC West, with potentially a rookie quarterback in Denver, and Jim Harbaugh looking to orchestrate a culture change in Los Angeles, serving as background noise amid the Kansas City Chiefs’ bid for history.
There is plenty of intrigue in the AFC West as 2024 looms, not the least of which surrounding these five burning questions facing the division in the season ahead.
Is Jim Harbaugh About to Make Gus Edwards a Household Name?
Gus Edwards has been a bit of a fantasy football darling and sleeper enigma for the past several seasons, but with Jim Harbaugh’s arrival as the Los Angeles Chargers’ new head coach, Edwards’ career could be about to reach new heights.
While much of the attention on Harbaugh’s impact has been on how Justin Herbert will benefit and whether his immense gifts will finally lead to the kind of production that puts him legitimately among the top quarterbacks in the sport, it might just be Edwards and the Chargers’ ground attack that stands the most to gain under Harbaugh.
From 2011 to 2014, Harbaugh’s 49ers had the second-fewest passing attempts in the league while Michigan averaged 40.1 rushing attempts the past two seasons.
Running the ball could become a point of emphasis for the Chargers, both because it fits Harbaugh’s mentality as well as to take some of the pressure off Herbert. If that’s the case, look for Edwards to surpass 1,000 rushing yards for the firs time in his career and build on a eight-touchdown 2023 campaign.
Can Patrick Mahomes Make a Legitimate Run at League-Record 5,500 Passing Yards?
The pendulum has violently swung in Kansas City.
Since Patrick Mahomes sprinted to the sideline in jubilation with confetti swirling after throwing the game-winning touchdown in overtime to knock off the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, despite dragging a wide receiving corps that led the league in dropped passes to a second consecutive Lombardi, the Chiefs have built what might be Mahomes’ most explosive supporting cast to date.
Marquise “Hollywood” Brown headlines a new-look receiving corps after catching 51 passes for 574 yards and four touchdowns despite battling through a nagging heel injury that ended his season after just 14 weeks combined with wildly inconsistent quarterback play throughout the season.
Likewise, the Chiefs drafted Xavier Worthy — he who set Indianapolis ablaze running the 40-yard dash in a record 4.21 seconds. Imaagine a world with Brown and Worthy streaking down the sidelines with All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce feasting on the added space created by safeties needing to respect Kansas City’s new-found bombs away mentality and then dominating after the catch. Of course, should Rashee Rice be available, the second-year star will be looking to build on a prolific 938-yard and seven touchdown rookie campaign.
Perhaps more importantly, here are the quarterback ratings for each of Mahomes’ top pass-catchers when targeted last year:
Marquise Brown: 73.6, 3 dropped passes
Xavier Worthy: 5 dropped passes
Rashee Rice: 124.9, 3 dropped passes
Travis Kelce: 108.8, 6 dropped passes
Pointing out the embarrassment of riches around this generation’s most prolific quarterback suggests that perhaps there is a world where Mahomes’ career-high 5,240 passing yards in 2022 could be the floor, with the ceiling being Peyton Manning’s single-season record-setting 5,477 yards (or more) this upcoming season.
Will Davante Adams Really Finish This Season as a Las Vegas Raider?
Davante Adams’ name has been circulating for much of the last two offseasons whenever the trade rumor mill kicks into gear. Even though the star wide receiver has repeatedly shot down any speculation, it remains fair to wonder what his future holds, despite the fact that he has a no-trade clause.
After all, Adams’ former college roommate, Derek Carr, is now a New Orleans Saint. Las Vegas is just 14-20 since Adams’ arrival, and the Raiders will either be handing the keys to the offense to second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell full-time, if he beats out journeyman Gardner Minshew for the starting job.
Las Vegas may still be the ideal weekend destination to leave your troubles behind, but it’s not exactly a desert paradise for a ring-chasing veteran wide receiver.
One has to wonder if, by the NFL trade deadline, the New York Jets are surging toward a playoff spot but the offense is sputtering around Aaron Rodgers, will Adams make some noise to make his way to the Big Apple? Similarly, if the Detroit Lions realize Jameson Williams’ upside is limited to a handful of big plays per season without a true consistent threat opposite Amon-Ra St. Brown, that has to be a more appealing situation for Adams than remaining a Raider.
Las Vegas may need to sell Adams on being able to compete while building around O’Connell or perhaps sell him off for draft capital to keep building.
Will Sean Payton, Denver Broncos’ Faith in Bo Nix be Rewarded?
In the hours leading up to the NFL Draft, I reached out to multiple sources about what they were hearing about the draft, the consensus was Nix wouldn’t be chosen in the first round.
Either I need better sources, or Sean Payton and the Broncos really believe the former University of Oregon and Auburn standout can quickly become Denver’s next franchise quarterback.
Payton and the Broncos didn’t just select Nix in Round 1, but made him the No. 12 overall pick in the draft.
It won’t be easy for Nix to lead the Broncos to respectability, especially after Denver traded star receiver Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns, but, familiarity with Troy Franklin and his speed from their time together at Oregon could ease Nix’ transition.
After a dreadful season underscoring just how miscast Russell Wilson is for Payton’s scheme, the Super Bowl winning quarterback-whisperer now gets to develop his hand-picked signal caller.
Success might not happen overnight in the Mile High City, but if Nix can show some promise in Year 1, it will certainly spark much-needed renewed optimism about the Broncos’ trajectory under Payton.
Is There a Legitimate Challenger to The Kansas City Chiefs in This Division?
These days, the AFC West may as well be the KC West.
Since Patrick Mahomes became the Chiefs’ starting quarterback in 2018, and even the two seasons preceding him taking the reigns of the offense, no team has been able to unseat Kansas City for the division crown. That’s eight consecutive AFC West Championships and three Lombardi Trophies added to the trophy case in Arrowhead over that span.
With a rookie quarterback, a journeyman quarterback, and a new head coach now residing in the division, all while the Chiefs have reloaded around Mahomes, this might not be the year that the Chargers, Raiders or Broncos rise up and end Kansas City’s stranglehold.