AFC West Preview

Denver Broncos

Last Season : 4 - 12



Drafted Players

Round 1 - Von Miller LB
Round 2 - Rahim Moore S
Round 2 - Orlando Franklin OL
Round 3 - Nate Irving LB
Round 4 - Quinton Carter CB
Round 4 - Julius Thomas TE
Round 6 - Mike Mohamed LB
Round 7 - Virgil Green TE
Round 7 - Jeremy Beal DL

Players in

Willis McGahee RB
Brandon Minor RB
Daniel Fells TE
Derrick Harvey DL
Mitch Unrein DL
Ty Warren DL
Johnathan White CB

Players out

Daniel Graham TE
Steven Hauschka K
Ryan Harris OT
Justin Babbin OL
Ronald Fields DL
Colby Whitlock DL
Chevis Jackson CB

The Broncos had a tough season last year, and have this year gone for a complete change around.  In has come new HC John Fox from Carolina.  Fox is known for running the ball and tough defence.  RB Willis McGahee has come in from Baltimore, and will bring a tough, hard-nosed run style to the Broncos.  The biggest talking point through the offseason was who would start at QB, last years starter Kyle Orton, or 2nd year (former 1st round pick) Tim Tebow.  Thankfully Orton has beaten out Tebow, and there is no doubt that he gives them a better chance to win.

The Broncos needed to add playmakers on defence, and in the draft, they bought in the very dynamic LB Von Miller.  Miller on the opposite side to Dumervil should give the Broncos a dominant pass rush.  This should help cover up some of the other weaknesses in the defence.  They did also bring in DL Ty Warren to strengthen the line.  He has since suffered a triceps injury, and will be out for this year.  This is a big blow.  The Broncos will be better than last year, but they will do well to finish 2nd in the division, and have no chance of getting anywhere near the Chargers.

Kansas City Chiefs

Last Season : 10 - 6



Drafted Players

Round 1 - Jonathan Baldwin WR
Round 2 - Rodney Hudson OL
Round 3 - Justin Houston LB
Round 3 - Allen Bailey DL
Round 4 - Jalil Brown DB
Round 5 - Ricky Stanzi QB
Round 5 - Gabe Miller LB
Round 6 - Jerrell Powe DL
Round 7 - Shane Bannon RB

Players in

Le'Ron McClain FB
Steve Breaston WR
Zeke Markshausen WR
Jared Gaither OT
Amon Gordon DL
Kelly Gregg DL
Brandon Stiler LB
Sabby Piscitelli S

Players out

Rudy Niswanger C
Brian Waters OG
Ron Edwards DL
Shaun Smith DL
Mike Vrabel LB

The Chiefs shocked everyone by winning this division last year.  They have most of the pieces in place to have another crack, although I'm not sure that they can get past the Chargers.  QB Matt Cassel looked alot better last year, after struggling in his first year following his move from New England.  The Chiefs selected WR Jonathan Baldwin in the 1st round of the draft, but are now unsure of his status.  Baldwin obviously went into training camp with an attitude problem, one which RB Thomas Jones took exception to.  These 2 were involved in a scuffle, with Baldwin injuring his wrist.  He has still yet to play since, and the Chiefs are uncertain as to when he will return.  They do though still have the amazing RB Jamaal Charles, who will give them huge play making potentiall.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Chiefs lost DL Ray Edwards.  This is a big blow to the Chiefs, as Edwards was immense on his day.  They may now struggle to get pressure onto opposing QB's.  They did though bring in LB Brandon Stiler and S Sabby Piscitelli.  These 2 should make sure that the Chiefs defence doesn't take a step back.  I expect the Chiefs to be pretty good again this year, but I can't see them winning the division again.

Oakland Raiders

Last Season : 8 - 8



Drafted Players

Round 2 - Stefen Wisniewski OL
Round 3 - Demarcus Van Dyke DB
Round 3 - Joseph Barksdale OL
Round 4 - Chimdi Chekwa DB
Round 4 - Taiwan Jones RB
Round 5 - Denarius Moore WR
Round 6 - Richard Gorden TE
Round 7 - David Ausberry WR

Players in

Trent Edwards QB
Chad Jackson WR
Kevin Boss TE
Glenn Pakulak P
Steven Heyer OT
Darryl Blackstock LB
Lito Sheppard CB
Josh Bullocks S
Matt Giordano S

Players out

Bruce Gradkowski QB
Johnnie Lee-Higgins WR
Zach Miller TE
Robert Gallery OG
Justin Smiley OG
David Howard DL
Thomas Howard LB
Nnamdi Asomugha CB
Stevie Brown S

The Raiders are one of the most frustrating organisations in the NFL.  Following an 8 - 8 season last year (which again was an improvement on the year before) they decided to get rid of HC Tom Cable.  Rookie HC Hue Jackson is now in charge, and to be honest, I have no idea of what to expect from him.  RB Darren McFadden  is their main weapon, and I expect him to have another great year.  The question is whether QB Jason Campbell and his speedy, but brick handed WR's can get some sort of chemistry.

The defence will obviously have taken a step back this year following the loss of superstar CB Nnamdi Ashomugha to the Eagles.  They have bought in Lito Sheppard to replace him, but I doubt he will be able to.  I expect the Raiders to be very unpredictable again this year, most likely battling with the Broncos for 3rd place.

San Diego Chargers

Last Season : 9 - 7



Drafted Players

Round 1 - Corey Luiget DL
Round 2 - Marcus Gilchrist DB
Round 2 - Jonas Mouton LB
Round 3 - Vincent Brown WR
Round 3 - Shareece Wright DB
Round 6 - Jordan Todman RB
Round 6 - Steve Schilling OL
Round 7 - Andrew Gachkar LB

Players in

Frank Summers FB
Laurent Robinson WR
Micheal Huey OG
Travis LaBoy DL
Kevin Bentley LB
Na'il Diggs LB
Takeo Spikes LB
Bob Sanders S

Players out

Scott Tolzien QB
Darren Sproles RB
Seyi Ajirotutu WR
Craig Davis WR
Legedu Naanee WR
Kris Wilson TE
Davis Baas C
Colin Baxter C
Aubrayo Franklin DL
Antwan Applewhite LB
Kevin Burnett LB
David Herron LB
Brandon Stiler LB
Donald Strickland CB
Paul Oliver S

The Chargers failed to win the AFC West for the 1st time in years last year, and I believe this will make them more hungry than ever.  Last year they had the number 1 ranked offence and the number 1 ranked defence, but still only managed to lose 7 games.  How did this happen?  Special teams!!  The Chargers were abysmal at covering kicks last year, and it is my view that this cost them 5 games last year.  If this part of their game improves, look out NFL.  QB Phillip Rivers has all of his weapons back, and this year will have WR Vincent Jackson in from week 1.  This team is going to put up alot of points.

The defence was ranked number 1 last year, and only got better if anything.  They added LB Takeo Spikes and Bob Sanders who are fantastically talented players.  Spikes was often over shadowed in San Francisco because of all the hype (well deserved hype) surrounding Patrick Willis.  Willis has looked to be struggling though this preseason, following the loss of Spikes.  S Bob Sanders is like a homing missile coming from the secondary.  His problem is keeping healthy, due to his style of play.  This defence is going to be very good.  I think the Chargers walk away with this division.  

Pre Season Week 2 : Friday Nights Games

Here are the highlights from all the games on Friday night:

Redskins 16 Colts 3



Chiefs 13 Ravens 31



Lions 30 Browns 28



Panthers 10 Dolphins 20



Cardinals 20 Packers 28




Falcons 13 Jaguars 15

Fridays Pre Season Storylines

It was great to see live football again last night, after the doom and gloom of the lockout.  All matches from Thursday, Friday and Saturday, will be reviewed here on Sunday.  But for now, what games are happening tonight, and what should you be looking out for?

Dolphins @ Falcons

The visiting Dolphins have a lot of questions to answer on the offensive side of the ball.  Alot of the talk in the off season has been about QB Chad Henne.  Henne's performances last season were not great, and the fans wanted him replaced.  It will be a huge year for Henne this year.  Can he prove that the organisation were right to keep him??  Also keep an eye on the RB situation.  Newcomer Reggie Bush and rookie Daniel Thomas, are looking to replace veterans Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.

All the talk in the off season in Atlanta has also been about the offence.  During the draft, the Falcons traded multiple draft picks, to trade up and take WR Julio Jones.  Jones is a very talented WR, and the Falcons clearly believe that he is the missing piece that they need to get them to the Superbowl.  Are they correct to think this way?

Bengals @ Lions

The Bengals are almost certain to be starting a rookie QB (Andy Dalton) come the opening day of the season.  To make things worse, their best WR for years (Chad Ochocinco) has left town, and is now catching passes from Tom Brady in New England.  They did take WR A.J Green in the first round of the draft, but with this broken off season, will he be anywhere near as effective as Ochocinco could have been?  It will be very interesting to see the Dalton - Green combination.

The Lions have a very young, exciting team, and were really looking forward to the new season.  Since training camp opened though, they have received injuries to 2 rookies, DT Nick Fairley and RB Mikel Leshore.  Leshore is actually out for the whole season, because of his torn achilles.  The Lions bought in veteran RB's Mike Bell and Jerome Harrison to help Javid Best run the ball.  Tonight it will be intersting to see who catches the eye.

Steelers @ Redskins

The Steelers starters almost pick themselves, and the main objective for them tonight, is to make sure none of the pick up an injury.  I expect that the Steelers starters will only play one series, then take the rest of the night off.  Will be interesting to see what they have lower down the depth chart, but not much to keep an eye on here.

If the Steelers are set up and ready to go, the Redskins could not be further behind.  With last years QB Donovan McNaab now in Minnesota, the Redskins are searching for this years starter.  Up step John Beck and Rex Grossman, o dear!  These 2 are the reason that the Redskins will finish bottom of the NFC East standings this year, no matter who starts.  I'm looking forward to seeing their defence though, I think that they could be very good - they are going to need to be.

Buccaneers @ Chiefs

The Wembley bound Buccaneers, start their 2011 campaign in Kansas City.  To be completely honest I'm struggling quite a lot to pick out an individual thing to look out for, for either team.  The Chiefs and Buccs rosters are loaded up with young players, so expect to see a lot of mistakes in this game.  This off season has been a nightmare for young teams, as they have been unable to practice together.  I expect to see some exciting plays, and some stupid mistakes in this very unpredictable matchup.  One player I am looking forward to seeing is Buccs QB Josh Freeman.  I want to see how he has developed as a leader over the off season.

49'ers @ Saints

The 49'ers decided to stick with what they know with QB Alex Smith, and bought in WR Braylon Edwards to give him a solid option in the pass game.  With Michael Crabtree looking likely to miss most of the preseason, the Smith - Edwards combo is likely to be developed by coaching staff intensely.  Another position to keep an eye on here is the secondary spots.  The 49'ers have bought in S's Dashon Goldston and Donte Whitner, as well as CB's Carlos Rodgers and Madieu Williams.  Improving the secondary was obviously a priority, so has it worked?

The Saints (like the Steelers) are pretty much set at all positions, and their primary goal will be to finish this game injury free.  A couple of new faces though that will be looking to make an impact were 1st round picks RB Mark Ingram, and DE Cam Jordan.  The Saints were praised by everyone following the addition of these 2 players in April.  Tonight is their first opportunity to prove the organisation made the right choices.

Check back here tomorrow for Saturdays story lines.

Surprising Starts!!

So, after 3 weeks, there are only 3 unbeaten teams left in the NFL.  Whats most surprising is the identity of these 3 teams.  In the NFC, only the Chicago Bears remain, following victories over the Lions, Cowboys and the Packers.  In the AFC there are 2 unbeaten teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers, following wins against the Falcons, Titans and Buccaneers, and the Kansas City Chiefs, following victories over the Chargers, Browns and 49'ers.

The fact that the Steelers are unbeaten may not seem like such a big deal to most.  But when you consider the fact that they have won these games without franchise QB 'Big' Ben Roethlisberger, who is currently serving a 4 game suspension, this is quite an amazing fact.  Add to this - the QB who the Steelers selected to replace Big Ben while he was out Dennis Dixon, also got injured in their game against the Titans.  This meant that the game in Tampa this past Sunday, the Steelers had their 3rd choice QB starting Charlie Batch.  So the back up QB's have played well, right!!  Not really.  The Steelers currently rank dead last in the passing offence category and 26th in total yards gained.  So how is this team 3 - 0?  Only 1 word can describe this - DEFENCE!!  The Steelers defence has always been known as a solid defence.  This year is no exception.  They are ranked 3rd in the NFL against the run, 6th in total yards conceded and 1st in points conceded.  This combined with the 3rd ranked rush offence (led by number 34 Rashard Mendenhall - pictured) has been enough to see off their opponents so far.  This unbeaten record may be under threat this week though, as the Steelers welcome division rival Baltimore Ravens to Heinz Field.  This will be the last game the Steelers play without Big Ben, and even if they lose this game, they have surprised everyone without him.

The Kansas City Chiefs are a huge surprise to be unbeaten.  They opened the season with a fantastic home win on Monday Night Football against the division rival Chargers.  Alot of people saw this as a fluke as 2 of the 3 TDs were huge plays.  Jamaal Charles (pictured) scored on a 56 yard run, and Dexter McCluster returned a 94 yard punt return.  The rest of the box score seems to be in the favor of the Chargers, as Rivers threw for 298 yards, compared to Cassel's 68.  Everyone had made up their mind, this was a freak result, and the Chiefs would soon come back down to earth.  The Chiefs though traveled to Cleveland, and pulled out an ugly win.  3 FG's and a INT return for a TD saw them beat the Browns 16 - 14.  This again was seen as a fluke as the Chiefs had not scored any offencive points.  Their 3rd game though, a home clash against the 49'ers, silenced a number of their doubters.  The Chiefs scored 4 offencive TD's including 3 TD passes from Matt Cassel who also had 250 yards.  This was a big performance for Cassel as even Chief fans were questioning his ability.  The Chiefs have relied on big plays and their number one ranked rush attack so far, they have a bye this week, followed by games @ Indianapolis and @ Houston.  How long will the Chiefs stay unbeaten?

The Chicago Bears are a great story this season so far.  They started out with a win that never should have been against division rival Detroit Lions 19 - 14.  I say this as Lions WR Calvin Johnson, in my eyes made a great catch for a TD, which was ruled out.  The Bears breathed a sigh of relief, but fans were worried as they looked poor in the game.  Their next game was a trip to Dallas, where the Cowboys were looking to put right their season following an opening day loss against the Redskins.  The Bears though were fantastic in that game, led by QB Jay Cutler (pictured) who had 277 yards and 3 TD's, who looks like a much better player than he did last year.  But could the Bears follow up against division rival Green Bay?  They did, thanks in part to the Packers self destructing. The Packers committed 18 penalties for 152 yards.  The 20 - 17 win left the Bears 3 - 0, after defeating 2 of the NFC's supposed best.  So are the Bears the best team in the NFC??  They travel to New York to take on the Giants this week, if they win this, you could make a very good argument to back this thought!

So these 3 teams are undeafed for now, but who will last the longest??  Looking at their next games all 3 could lose, but for now, well done to these surprising teams!

The keys to training camp - AFC West

Denver Broncos

 The Broncos finished up last season at 8 - 8.  This was a huge let down though after they started the season with a 6 game winning streak, then going 2 - 10 after the bye week.  They have lost quite a lot of big name players over the past couple of years - QB Jay Cutler and WR Brandon Marshall.  It will be very interesting to see just how good the Broncos will look throughout training camp looking forward to the NFL London  game against the 49'ers.  What are the main questions to lookout for?


 How long is Orton the starting QB?

The starting QB in Denver for the moment is Kyle Orton.  This though is only the beginning of what could be an ongoing story, not only through training camp, but also throughout 2010.  Orton is the definite starter at the moment, but without WR Brandon Marshall, he may well struggle with a lack of play makers on the offence.  If this is the case, and the Broncos are struggling at any point of the season, there is going to be a huge outcry to sit Orton, and start former Florida Gator QB Tim Tebow.  'Superman' as Tebow became known at the college level was selected by the Broncos in the first round in the draft this year.  I personally believe that Tebow will struggle to compete at the NFL level, as he is more of a running QB, but he also is a big powerful runner, as opposed to a speed runner.  At the college level he was often stronger than opponents, and was able to run over them, I don't think he will find it so easy at this level.  Another person to mention here is QB Brady Quinn.  The former Browns QB does look like he doesn't fit into this situation in Denver, but he does help heap the pressure on Orton, even if Tebow isn't quite ready.

Can they stop the run?

Last season the Broncos really struggled against the run.  They actually ended up ranked 26th against the run in the NFL.  This isn't good for a team that ranked 3rd against the pass.  The Broncos coaching staff have recognised that this was a huge issue, and one of the reasons behind their drop off in form.  During the off season the Broncos bought in 3 big, run stopping D-Linemen.  These players are Jamal Williams (pictured), Justin Bannan and Jarvis Green.  These 3 look likely to be the 3 starters along the D-Line, and it will be up to them to stop the Broncos leaky defence against the run.  Will they step up to the plate?

Where will the points come from?

 All that people can talk about when it comes to the Broncos offence is 'How do they replace Marshall?'  Well the Broncos will be hoping that their first pick of the past draft WR Demaryius Thomas, will help on that front.  There is no doubt that RB's Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno are talented, but how will they be affected by the injury to LT Ryan Clady?  This effect will be even greater if the WR's aren't playing well, and defences can just stack up against the run.  This is why there is a lot of pressure on Thomas and Eddie Royal to perform, or else this offence could really struggle in 2010.



Kansas City Chiefs

 The Chiefs ended last season with a poor 4 - 12 record, that left them at the bottom of the AFC West.  The Chiefs though have not just sat around hoping that something will be different this year, they went out and got themselves both a new offencive and defensive coordinator, bought in quality veteran players like RB Thomas Jones, and selected S Eric Berry (seen by many as the best impact player available in the draft.  There are a lot of changes around Kansas City, that's why I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in their training camp, which starts on 29th July.

Will the young stars on defence settle in the new system?

The Chiefs then have a new defensive coordinator and they also have a lot of young talent for Romeo Crennel to use.  This change is obviously required as the Chiefs were ranked in the bottom 3, in most defensive categories last year.  Now though with players like DT Glenn Dorsey (pictured), CB Brandon Flowers and S Eric Berry (all players taken high in recent drafts) they have the talent to change it all around.  This is something I'm really looking forward to watching throughout training camp.

Will Matt Cassel look better in year 2?

Matt Cassel was the QB that stepped in when Tom Brady suffered his season ending injury 2 years ago, on the opening day of the season.  Obviously there was huge panic in New England, and they thought their playoff hopes were over.  But in came a little known QB Matt Cassel (pictured).  He helped the Patriots win 11 games that year, unfortunately missing out on the playoffs.  When Brady came back in 2009, Cassel was surplus to requirements in New England.  The Chiefs gave Cassel a big money contract in Kansas City, but as the record suggests, he didn't have the best year.  Now though the situation looks very good for Cassel.  New offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, is a former Patriot coach, and will completely understand the system and terminology that Cassel used in New England.  Add this familiarity to the fact that they have a fantastic backfield of Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles, and talented WR's in Chris Chambers and Dwayne Bowe, things look to be coming together for Matt.  Can he take the next step?

How will Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles spread time?

There is no doubt that the Kansas City Chiefs have one of the best one-two combos at RB in the league.  Charles (pictured) ran for over 1,100 yards and 7 TD's last year, and Jones (bought in from the Jets) ran for over 1,400 yards and 14 TD's in New York.  The other reason this combo looks so good is that both players are so different.  Jones is a big, heavy hitting back, and Charles is more of a speedy back.  It will be interesting to see how time and carries is spread between these 2.


Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders finished 2009 with a 5 - 11 record, a record that saw them finish 3rd in the division.  There is though, reason to be optimistic if you are a member of Raiders nation.  They have finally realised that QB Jamarcus Russell (former number 1 pick overall) is not the answer, and have cut him.  They also had a decent draft, going with what most people thought, and not just picking a player because of his burning speed.  For years now Oakland have been a laughing stock in the NFL, finally though, is it time that they turn the corner?

How will Jason Campbell fit in? 

Jason Campbell has had a rough time in his NFL career so far.  He has had 5 years in the league, all with the Redskins, but he has actually had to learn a new system every year, because of the turnover rate in coaches in Washington.  Obviously this is a huge problem in the development of any young QB, and because of this Campbell has had his problems.  Throughout this though there is no question that Campbell has talent.  He has started 52 games, throwing 55 TD's with 38 INT's, how Jake Delhomme would like that record!  His arrival in Oakland, following the departure of Jamarcus Russell, has helped ignite the passion of 'Raider Nation'.  I believe that Campbell can be a success in Oakland, only time will tell.

Can they stop the run?

 Last season a huge problem for the Raiders was the fact that they could not stop the run.  They ranked 29th overall against the run.  This is going to be vital this year as the running attacks throughout this division have improved a lot.  The Raiders though, against all previous form, have actually gone out and attacked this problem.  LB Rolando McClain (pictured) was selected with their 1st round draft pick this year.  Rolando is a fantastic player.  He is the QB of the defence, very clever, puts everyone in the right position and helps make everyone around him better.  Him, along with the signing of DE John Henderson and the re signing of DE Richard Seymour should improve their ability against the run.

Who will be the starting RB?

As you can see from this article, I believe that the Raiders are on the right path this year.  One area though that they didn't have to improve was at the RB position.  Michael Bush and Darren McFadden (pictured) are now the only 2 left following the departure of Justin Fargas, and it will be interesting to see how the Raiders decide to split these carries.  Although all the RB's were very talented last year, having 3 extremely talented RB's can be difficult to manage at times.  Now with just Bush and McFadden, I expect the Raiders to still split time, but each player will be on the field more and therefore will be able to get into more of a rhythm.


San Diego Chargers

The Chargers have owned this division in recent years, and last season was no different, as they finished 13 - 3, winning the division and advancing to the playoffs.  The playoffs though were not a happy time as the Chargers lost to the Jets, at home, in the divisional round.  The Chargers have lost quite a few high profile players in the off season, and although they are still seen as the class of the division, they must be concerned at the fact all the other teams seem to have improved.  Here's what to look for during Chargers camp.

Can Ryan Matthews be the answer at RB?

The Chargers have got one of the best offences in the NFL.  Last season they ranked 4th in points scored, 5th in pass yards, but disappointingly 31st in rush yards.  This was not a problem for most of the year last year, as there record suggests, but eventually if you cannot run the ball, it will catch up with you.  The Chargers have understood this, and in this years draft, they moved up the board in a trade with Miami, and took the player that was seen as one of the best 2 RB's in the draft Ryan Matthews.  Ryan played at a small school in college - Fresno State.  This is a concern for some people as the competition he came up against would not have been as good as if he would have gone to a major school.  I will be watching Matthews in training camp to see if he can prove these doubters wrong.

Will they be able to replace Vincent Jackson?

The Vincent Jackson saga has been one that has over shadowed the Chargers this off season.  Jackson was a big part of that 5th ranked passing offence last year having 68 catches for over 1,100 yards and 9 TD's.  He is unhappy with his contract and has threatened to not turn up to play this year, unless he gets an improved deal.  He has also now been banned from the first 3 games of the year after he broke the NFL's policy on substance abuse.  Nobody is quite sure how this ban will effect his decision to holdout or not.  Personally I believe that this will encourage him to hold out, knowing he's missing the first 3 games anyway.  In his absence the Chargers need big performances from Malcolm Floyd and Legedu Naanee.

How will the defence look?

 Last season the Chargers defence was around the middle of the pack in all defensive categories.  The lowest they ranked was 20th in run defence.  This could be a problem this year as the Chargers have lost NT Jamal Williams to division rival Denver.  They are really going to need a return to form from LB Shawne Merriman, who has struggled over the past couple of years.  If he does return to form, him, Larry English and Stephan Cooper should help to plug this gap.  The other question will be how to replaced CB Antonio Cromartie, who was traded to the Jets.  This should be a good battle through camp with Jammer, Strickland, Cason and Vasher all battling for 2 places.

Check back tomorrow as we move onto the NFC East!

Draft Previews

Kansas City Chiefs

Last year - 4 - 12 (4th in AFC West)

Team needs - Everything!

Players in - Thomas Jones RB, Ryan Lilja G, Shaun Smith DT, Jerheme Uban WR, Casey Weigmann C.

Players out - Wade Smith G, Andy Alleman G, Sean Ryan TE.

Draft Positions:

1st Round : 5th pick
2nd Round : 4th pick, 18th pick
3rd Round  4th pick
4th Round : 4th pick
5th Round : 5th pick, 11th pick, 13th pick.

Total : 8 picks.

There are obviously alot of options here for the 'need riddled' Chiefs.  The obvious pick for me here would be to bring in S Eric Berry.  Berry is a play maker, and would definatly improve this defence.  The only problem with this pick up is the HUGE need the Chiefs have on the OL.  Also looking through the players that they have lost in the off season, they have a big hole in the inside of that line.  I think that the Chiefs may pass on Eric Berry, and take Iowa G Brian Bulaga.  He is a great player, and is rated as the 2nd best OL in the draft.  The fact that OL is seen as one of the most important positions in the moden game, suggets that they may well take Bulaga, over Berry.

Seattle Seahawks

Last year - 5 - 11 (3rd in NFC West)

Team needs - QB, RB, WR, OL, DL, S.

Players in - Chris Baker TE, Sean Morey WR, Charlie Whitehurst QB.

Players out - Corey Redding DE, Nate Burleston WR, Lance Laury LB.

Draft Positions :

1st Round : 6th pick, 14th pick
2nd Round : 28th pick
4th Round : 6th pick, 29th pick
5th Round : 8th pick
6th Round : 7th pick
7th Round : 6th pick, 38th pick

Total : 9 picks.

The addition of former Chargers QB Charlie Whitehurst will probably rule out the possibility of the Seahawks selecting QB Jimmy Clausen.  Eric Berry is obviously an option again here, and he will probably have compertition from the OL and DL positions.  To be honest I cannot see the Seahawks taking any of the DL players over Berry, but the OL player in question may well be Oaklahoma's Trent Williams.  I think that the fact that the Seahawks pick again at 14 in the first round may sway them towards Berry, but I believe that they will take Williams, so that they don't have to take a 2nd tier OL.  The OL tend to get selected very early in the draft, and new coach Pete Carroll won't want to risk not getting an elite guy. 

So thats it for the Redskins and Seahawks, next up are the Cleveland Browns and the Oakland Raiders.  If you want to get in touch regarding anything NFL related Email - nflgbview@googlemail.com, twitter - www.twitter.com/nflgbview, facebook - http://tinyurl.com/yaxmcsq or just leave a comment.  Would like to here what you think regarding the draft, any mock drafts very welcome.  I will be releasing my 1st Round mock draft on Wednesday 21st April - one day before the draft kicks off.