The first wave of free agency is over, and while there are still plenty of good players on the open market, it’s safe to assume that the biggest AFC West free agency moves have already been made, which means that we can grade the players selected by each team. Each team has improved over the past week, but which team is in the best position to win the division in 2023?
Read More: NFC South Free Agency Grades
Free Agency Grades For Each AFC West Team
Kansas City Chiefs: B-
Players Added: Jawaan Taylor, Charles Omenihu, Mike Edwards, Drue Tranquill, Nick Allegretti
Players Lost: Orlando Brown, Juju Smith-Schuster, Andrew Wylie, Juan Thornhill, Michael Burton, Khalen Saunders
The Kansas City Chiefs effectively chose Jawaan Taylor over Orlando Brown, which is an interesting choice. While Brown certainly didn’t have his best season last year, Taylor has almost exclusively played on the right side since his college days, and now he’s expected to shift to the left side. As for the rest of the signings, Omenihu and Edwards were adequate starters on their previous teams that should easily slide into the lineup in Kansas City. Drue Tranquill has the chance to be one of the best value signings in the league, as the Chiefs signed him to a ridiculously team-friendly deal.
The Chiefs will also need to do some work to replace all the talent that just left the building. Juju Smith-Schuster was the best receiver on the team, but there are a lot of good free agent wide receivers still left on the market. Replacing Andrew Wylie won’t be as easy, however.
Jawaan Taylor vs Maxx Crosby Week 9
-22 pass blocking downs
-15 1v1 snaps + 7 with help (chip/TE alignment)
– Of the 15 solos Taylor won 12 allowing just two pressures
-Anchor & Recovery vs the power was nice to see pic.twitter.com/gGezx79ee2— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) March 14, 2023
Las Vegas Raiders: D+
Players Added: Jimmy Garopollo, Jakobi Meyers, Marcus Epps, Robert Spillane, Jerry Tillery, Brandon Fancyson, Jacob Bobenmoyer, Jakob Johnson, Jermaine Eluemunor
Players Lost: Jarrett Stidham, Clelin Ferrell, Andrew Billings
The Raiders presumably moved on from Derek Carr because they didn’t believe they could compete with a league-average quarterback on high-end money. So, why did they sign Jimmy Garoppolo? While he is a bit cheaper than Carr, he is notably worse and definitely won’t be as efficient now that he’s away from Kyle Shanahan. Jakobi Meyers is a good football player, but he’s a little redundant with Hunter Renfrow already on the roster. They’ve unquestionably earned the worst AFC West free agency grade, but the Marcus Epps signing is a good one, as he should provide the physical presence that Las Vegas desperately needs.
Denver Broncos: B+
Players Added: Ben Powers, Mike McGlinchey, Jarrett Stidham, Chris Manhertz, Zach Allen, Samaje Perine, Tremon Smith, Alex Singleton
Players Lost: Graham Glasgow, Ronald Darby, Dre’Mont Jones, Andrew Beck
The Denver Broncos knew that their biggest needs were on the offensive side of the ball, and their AFC West leading free agency grade reflects their impressive ability to address said roster flaws. Powers and McGlinchey will both provide upgrades at their respective position, and Samaje Perine can be an adequate fill-in if Javonte Williams is still battling injury. Jarrett Stidham is also an ideal backup, as he performed well last year during his limited time under center. If Russell Wilson comes up short for a second straight season, don’t be surprised if Stidham starts in the back half of the season.
Los Angeles Chargers: B-
Players Added: Trey Pipkins, Eric Kendricks, Morgan Fox, Donald Parham
Players Lost: Drue Tranquill, Storm Norton
The Chargers have had a quiet free agency, and that is reflected in their final grade. Pipkins, Fox, and Parham shall all return to their previous roles, and Kendricks effectively replaced Tranquill at linebacker. Kendricks is much better against the run than Tranquill was, and the Chargers desperately needed to improve their run defense.
Main Photo: Mark J. Rebilas – USA Today Sports
