The AFC West never does subtle. Every offseason feels like an arms race, a reset, or a slow-motion identity crisis. Season 3 somehow delivered all three.
One team looks stacked from top to bottom. One team made smart but measured upgrades. One team reshuffled without fully replacing what it lost. And one team continues to insist that if you give enough reps to enough “associates,” eventually one of them becomes a star.
Let’s break it down.
Denver Broncos
Denver didn’t reload. Denver restocked.
Even after losing big names like Marvin Mims Jr., Garett Bolles, and Courtland Sutton, the Broncos somehow look deeper, younger, and more balanced than they did before. That is not normal. That is roster construction done with intent.
The secondary is absurd. Eli Bowen, Khalil Barnes, and Grant Delpit give Denver a defensive backfield that can rotate, disguise, and punish mistakes. This is the kind of group that makes quarterbacks hesitate, then makes them pay for it.
Up front, Logan Fano and Monroe Freeling quietly stabilize the trenches, while Jalin Hyatt adds vertical speed that stretches defenses whether he touches the ball or not. Even the depth pieces feel intentional, not filler.
Yes, there are question marks at quarterback, but when the rest of the roster looks like this, Denver can afford patience.
Outlook: The Broncos enter Season 3 loaded. Not flashy-loaded, not top-heavy, but layered and dangerous at every level. This is the team everyone in the division is measuring themselves against.
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City did what Kansas City always does, lose elite talent and immediately replace it with volume, youth, and flexibility.
Losing Xavier Worthy hurts. There is no way around that. But the Chiefs responded by stockpiling receivers and pass rushers, turning one star into an entire rotation. Jayden Reed, Hykeem Williams, Jaden Greathouse, and Antonio Williams ensure that defenses will still have to defend the full width of the field.
JT Tuimoloau instantly upgrades the edge group and keeps Kansas City disruptive up front. The defense remains fast, aggressive, and well-coached.
This roster may lack the singular wow factor it had last season, but it feels annoyingly complete.
Outlook: Kansas City is still Kansas City. Fewer fireworks, more control, and still a problem every single week.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers opted for stability over spectacle.
Bringing in Baker Mayfield tells you everything you need to know. This is a team that wanted competence, leadership, and someone who keeps the offense on schedule. Pair that with a heavy investment in linebackers and defensive backs, and the Chargers clearly wanted fewer blown assignments.
KJ Bolden, Amare Campbell, and Teitum Tuioti reshape the middle of the defense, while Garrett Williams quietly strengthens the secondary. Losing Derwin James Jr. is massive, but Los Angeles chose balance over reliance on one superstar.
Outlook: The Chargers feel sturdier. Not explosive, not scary, but far harder to beat than last season.
Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas made moves. Lots of them.
On paper, this is impressive. Brandon Aiyuk is a legitimate star. Zach Charbonnet is productive. The linebacker room is full. The issue is what happens everywhere else.
The Raiders once again assembled a roster that looks like a break room schedule. Plenty of associates, lots of rotation, everyone clocking in, very few people actually running the place. Quarterback remains unsettled, and the supporting cast feels less like a hierarchy and more like a committee meeting that never ends.
The losses tell the deeper story. Geno Smith, Christian Kirk, Michael Mayer, and multiple defensive contributors walked out the door. Replacing that kind of experience requires more than enthusiasm and reps.
Las Vegas keeps betting that if enough associates get promoted, one of them will eventually become management. History has not been kind to that strategy.
Outlook: The Raiders will be busy. They will be active. They will have names you recognize and many you don’t. Whether any of it translates into consistency is another question entirely.
Division-Level Takeaway
The AFC West is tilted.
Denver looks like the standard. Kansas City remains the irritant that never goes away. Los Angeles steadied the ship. Las Vegas continues to run an organization where everyone has a badge, but no one seems to have the keys.
In PML Season 3, talent matters, but structure matters more. One team clearly has both.
