2023 NFL Draft: Reviewing team needs in the AFC West

What positions should the teams in the AFC West look to address in the 2023 NFL Draft?

In the months leading up to the 2022 NFL regular season, the AFC West was all the rage. In his third season, could Justin Herbert turn his prolific individual passing numbers into a playoff berth for the Chargers?

Would the Denver Broncos’ offseason acquisition of quarterback Russell Wilson and new head coach Nathaniel Hackett make them a contender again? After a playoff berth for Las Vegas in 2021, could new head coach Josh McDaniels take this unit to the next level?

Or would Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and the dynamic Kansas City Chiefs again reign supreme? 

It didn’t take long for us to get answers. The Raiders started 2-7, with many of their passionate fans calling for McDaniels’ firing. That did not materialize, but the Raiders limped to a 6-11 finish and an imminent transition away from longtime quarterback Derek Carr. Nathaniel Hackett was not as fortunate, relieved of his duties after just 15 games at the helm for Denver.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert’s numbers actually dipped this season, as he played through an injury for a significant stretch. His favorite playmakers were dinged up at points as well. That said, the Chargers managed a 10-7 record and made their first playoffs in Herbert’s NFL career. But the cream of the crop? The Kansas City Chiefs enter the playoffs with a first-round bye and are the betting favorite to win Super Bowl 57.

These four franchises will enter the offseason at different places; let’s take a look at how each team can address its biggest holes in the NFL Draft.