AFC WEST

Denver Broncos

Last season: 11-5 (second in AFC West).

Coach: Mike Shanahan (71-34-0 with Denver).

Key losses: TE Byron Chamberlain (Minnesota), CB Ray Crockett (Kansas City).

Key acquisitions: QB Steve Beuerlein (Carolina), DT Chester McGlockton (Kansas City).

Offense: Quarterback Brian Griese has added bulk and strengthened the shoulder that has ailed him the past two seasons. Beuerlein was brought in for insurance but tore up his elbow and might be sidelined for the season. Veteran Gus Frerotte is an able backup. Denver has three backs that have the ability to gain 1,000 yards. Mike Anderson ran for almost 1,500 yards last season after starting the year as a third stringer. Olandis Gary and Terrell Davis are battling back from injuries that sidelined them most of last season. Receivers Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey combined for 201 receptions last season, most in the NFL. Eddie Kennison is a dependable third target. The leadership of Mark Schlereth on the line will be missed; look for center Tom Nalen to assume control. Whether Trey Teague is ready to be a starting left tackle is a matter of concern.

Defense: Trevor Pryce and McGlockton form a bullish pairing in the middle of the line and Keith Washington is primary pass rusher. Lack of depth may be a problem here. With linebacker John Mobley on the weak side, Al Wilson in the middle and Bill Romanowski on the strong side, Denver has as good a crew as there is in the league. The secondary was the Broncos’ Achilles’ heel last season, as they gave up 262 passing yards a game.

Special teams: Jason Elam has been consistent kicking in Denver’s unpredictable weather. Fourth-rounder Nick Harris has yet tosupplant Tom Rouen as the punter.

The skinny: After christening a new stadium and spending $61 million on free agents in the off-season, owner Pat Bowlen and Shanahan expect nothing less than a Super Bowl trophy come January. Playing the easiest schedule in the NFL, look for Denver to win the AFC West and gain home-field advantage.

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Kansas City Chiefs

Last season: 7-9 (Third in AFC West).

Coach: Dick Vermeil (First season with Kansas City).

Key losses: QB Elvis Grbac (Baltimore), DT Chester McGlockton (Denver).

Key acquisitions: QB Trent Green (St. Louis), RB Priest Holmes (Baltimore).

Offense: Trent Green was Vermeil’s starter with the Rams before blowing out his knee in the 1999 exhibition season. Patience will be important, as Green will not have the weapons he had in St. Louis. The Chiefs tried running back by committee last season and it didn’t work. One-time 1,000 yard rusher Priest Holmes and Tony Richardson will carry the load this season.Tony Gonzalez is the best tight end in the NFL. He caught 93 passes last season and gives Green a dynamic weapon over the middle. When receiver Sylvester Morris went down with a season-ending knee injury, offensive coordinator Al Saunders had to scrap his plans for a Ram-style passing game. Derrick Alexander is an excellent big wideout who can run after the catch, but does not fit well into this new offense. Will Shields and John Tait are the only solid starters on a line full of retreads.

Defense: Eric Hicks and Duane Clemons combined for 21 sacks despite the fact neither played a full season. Look for Hicks to shed his underrated tag and become a star. The Chiefs need a healthy Dan Williams and quick maturation by third-rounder Eric Browning or teams will pound the middle. A run-stuffing nose tackle is needed to free up athletic linebackers Donnie Edwards, Marvcus Patton, Lew Bush and newcomer Glenn Cadrez. At the corners, 34-year-old Ray Crockett and unproven William Bartee won’t scare opposing offensive coordinators.

Special teams: Return man Tony Horne provide s Vermeil with game-breaking ability on kickoffs. Kicker Todd Peterson is dependable when healthy.

The skinny: The Chiefs certainly aren’t as bad as the Rams squad was when Vermeil took over in 1997. However, given their serious depth problems on both lines as well as a lack of speed at skill positions, the Chiefs will finish out of the playoff picture at .500.

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Oakland Raiders

Last season: 12-4 (First in AFC West).

Coach: Jon Gruden (29-21-0 with Raiders).

Key losses: DE Lance Johnstone (Minnesota), TE Rickey Dudley (Cleveland).

Key acquisitions: DE Trace Armstrong (Miami), WR Jerry Rice and RB Charlie Garner (San Francisco).

Offense: Rich Gannon brings toughness and leadership that the Raiders had lacked for years at quarterback. He doesn’t stretch the field or throw the perfect spiral, but he is very accurate at short range and run with fearlessness. Tyrone Wheatley and Charlie Garner both had 1,000-yard seasons in 2000. As good as the pairing of Tim Brown and Jerry Rice looks on paper, both are long in the tooth and susceptible to injury. And there are no experienced backups other than James Jett, and he is coming off his least productive season. Jerry Porter could help. All five starters return on the line including Pro Bowlers Lincoln Kennedy and Steve Wisniewski, who decided to forgo retirement for another shot at a Super Bowl.

Defense: The Raiders have enough talent on the ends to give starters Regan Upshaw and Darren Mickell the occasional breather. The ever improving Grady Jackson and Roderick Coleman hold down the middle as well as rush the passer. The underachieving Darrell Russell will supplant Coleman after serving his four-game suspension. Ex-Dolphin Armstrong comes to the Raiders as the third-down pass-rushing specialist. Greg Biekert leads a linebacking corps that has a little of everything. Last season, William Thomas made teams pay for going over the middle on him with six interceptions. Charles Woodson and Eric Allen form one of the best cornerback tandems in the game. Marquez Pope and Anthony Dorsett are athletic, gambling safeties.

Special teams: In punter Shane Lechler, kicker Sebastian Janikowski, and return man David Dunn the Raiders three of the best special teamers in the league.

The skinny: With 21 players over 30, the Raiders must win now. They have adequate depth everywhere but quarterbackTwelve wins aren’t too much to ask.

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San Diego Chargers

Last season: 1-15 (fifth in AFC West).

Coach: Mike Riley (9-23-0).

Key losses: QB Jim Harbaugh (Detroit), QB Ryan Leaf (Tampa Bay).

Key acquisitions: QB Doug Flutie (Buffalo), DE Marcellus Wiley (Buffalo).

Offense: With the cancerous Leaf finally gone, the Chargers look to rebuild an offense that was among the worst in the league last season. Flutie may not be the long-term answer, but he is an exciting and entertaining player and will be a good influence on the Charger quarterback of the future, Drew Brees. All eyes will be on rookie LaDainian Tomlinson to give the team the ground game it sorely lacks. Ronney Jenkins has emerged as an exciting third-down back. Curtis Conway, Jeff Graham and Tim Dwight are able targets, but Flutie’s favorite receiver might turn out to be tight end Freddie Jones. Flutie will be scrambling plenty, as the line is battered. Left tackle Vaughn Parker has a bad ankle, and center Roman Fortin and right tackle Ed Ellis have bad knees. Worse yet, there is no depth.

Defense: John Parrella and Jamal Williams are the most underrated defensive tackle duo in the AFC. Ends Raylee Johnson and Marcellus Wiley could get 10 sacks apiece. Junior Seau remains a fierce leader and Orlando Ruff and Gerald Dixon are solid starters on the outside. Former Bills John Holecek and Sam Rogers and rookies Carlos Polk and Zeke Moreno make the linebacker unit the strongest on the team. There have been plenty of changes to a secondary that allowed 33 touchdown passes last season. Veteran corners Ryan McNeil and Alex Molden were brought in to shore up the coverage and Rodney Harrison is still one of the league’s most feared hitters.

Special teams: Aussie punter Darren Bennett can still boom the ball and Wade Richey supplants longtime kicker John Carney.

The skinny: The Chargers weren’t as bad as their record last season, as seven losses came by three points or fewer. Provided the offensive line holds up and the team stays healthy, six wins would be a good sign of progress.

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Seattle Seahawks

Last season: 6-10 (Fourth in AFC West).

Coach: Mike Holmgren (15-18-0 in Seattle).

Key losses: QB John Kitna (Cincinnati), G Pete Kendall (Arizona).

Key acquisitions: QB Matt Hasselbeck (Green Bay), LB Levon Kirkland (Pittsburgh), DT John Randle (Minnesota), S Marcus Robertson (Tennessee).

Offense: You could say that Mike Holmgren’s future in Seattle rests squarely upon the shoulders of young quarterback Hasselbeck. Despite having thrown only 29 passes in his career, Hasslebeck will be under pressure to deliver immediate results. Should he falter, Trent Dilfer awaits. Are there enough footballs to keep both Ricky Watters and Shaun Alexander happy at running back? Inexperience among the receivers makes Hasslebeck’s development more difficult. First-round pick Koren Robinson will be counted immediately. First-round pick Steve Hutchinson more than makes up for the loss of Kendall at guard. Walter Jones is one of the league’s underrated tackles.

Defense: The Seahawks gave up a whopping 409 yards a game last season so Holmgren broke the bank and brought in several free agents. Randle and Chad Eaton go all out on every play. The linebacking trio of Kirkland, Anthony Simmons and Chad Brown are great at terrorizing opposing quarterbacks. The pass defense is shaky as rookies Ike Charlton and Ken Lucas will have to hold the fort until regular cornerbacks Shawn Springs (hamstring) and Willie Williams (forearm) recover from injuries. Safeties Reggie Tongue and Robertson are too soft in coverage to be effective.

Special teams: Kicker Rian Lindell made 15 of 17 field-goal attempts. Charlie Rogers is an electrifying kick returner.

The skinny: With a young, inexperienced quarterback throwing to young, inexperienced receivers the Seahawks will need to rely on their talented running backs and a refurbished defense. That won’t be enough to put Seattle in the playoffs.