AFC West Team Needs Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS TEAM NEEDS

WR - The signing of Marquise Brown gives Mahomes the best field stretcher the Chiefs have had since Tyreek Hill. But adding more weapons on rookie contracts should still be a priority with Travis Kelce likely approaching retirement and Rashee Rice likely facing a suspension.

Draft fit: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia, 1st round.
Kansas City needs players who can contribute sooner rather than later to help them chase a third Super Bowl in three years. Ladd McConkey has the most polished game in the class outside of the big three (Harrison, Nabers, and Odunze).

OT - The Chiefs line is in great shape as far as guard and center, but the left and right tackle positions both have room for improvement.

Draft fit: Jordan Morgan, T, Arizona, 1st round.
At the end of the first round Morgan would be worth a shot for the Chiefs at the end of the first round. Morgan is a technician in pass protection and would be valued higher if he had more prototypical long arms.

CB - The Chiefs saw L’Jarius Sneed walk out of the door to play for the Titans. Trent McDuffie has been a revelation in his first two seasons as a chess piece that can line up on the perimeter or as a slot corner, but another defensive back to replace Sneed should be a target in the draft.

Draft fit: Kyree Jackson, CB, Oregon, 2nd round.
Jackson is a long press corner who could give the Chiefs some more length and physicality on the outside.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS TEAM NEEDS

WR - The pass-catching weapons in Los Angeles are not a major question mark for the Chargers after moving on from both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

Draft fit: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington, 1st round.
Odunze would step into the number one wide receiver spot on the depth chart in L.A. as a true alpha outside weapon. Odunze would give Justin Herbert a weapon that can contort his body to make it down the sideline and would be an upgrade rather than just a replacement for Mike Williams.

OT - Rashawn Slater looks to be a franchise left tackle that should be in place for a long time. Finding a legitimate tackle to play across from Slater on the right side would help give Justin Herbert more time in the pocket after finishing in the bottom ten in the league in total sack yards lost last season.

Draft fit: Taliese Fuaga, T, Oregon State, 1st round.
If the Chargers decide to wait on the receiver, then they could address the right tackle position in the first round. Fuaga would be a perfect fit at right tackle. L.A., could potentially trade out of pick 5 with a team looking for a quarterback and still get Fuaga somewhere between pick 10 to 15.

CB - Chargers could be looking to upgrade the corner position opposite Asante Samuel Jr. Kristian Fulton, former 2nd round pick, has been up and down so far in his career.

Draft fit: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama, 2nd round.
If McKinstry were to fall to the Chargers pick at number 37 he would be a fit for them as an outside press man corner.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS TEAM NEEDS

QB - The Jimmy G era ended before it ever got off the ground. Now the Raiders have Gardner Minshew in place to most likely be a bridge to the next quarterback of the future.

Draft fit: Michael Penix, QB, Washington, 1st round.
Penix can push the ball down the field from in the pocket and showed much better than expected athletic numbers at Washington's pro day. Penix could fall and be available later in the draft, but if the Raiders are in love with him or any of the quarterbacks they should pull the trigger at pick 13.

CB - Marcus Peters didn’t work out last season, so the Raiders find themselves still in search of defensive backs that move the needle in pass coverage.

Draft fit: Enis Rakestraw Jr, CB, Missouri, 2nd round.
Rakestraw can be a solid off-coverage cornerback with reliable tackling.

RB - Losing Josh Jacobs to the Packers in free agency leaves a void at the top of the depth chart. Vegas could look to add a running back on day two or three of the draft.

Draft fit: Marshawn Lloyd, RB, USC, 3rd round.
Lloyd has the combination of above-average size, speed, and quickness to be a starter in the NFL. He flashed patience at times but still needs to improve on his vision. He suffered an ACL before transferring to USC and he has never taken on more than 115 carries in a season.

DENVER BRONCOS TEAM NEEDS

QB - The Broncos are without a viable option for the most important position in football. After moving on from Russell Wilson head coach Sean Payton will be looking for a signal caller to mold into the next long-term starter in Denver.

Draft fit: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon, 1st round.
It won’t be clear until the draft how high the NFL is on Bo Nix and the rest of the quarterback class. In the scenario that Denver sticks at pick 12 rather than trading up, Bo Nix could be an option for Denver.

CB - Beyond the clear need for a new quarterback, the Broncos need to find a cornerback to pair with Patrick Surtain.

Draft fit: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo, 1st round. If Denver decides not to take a quarterback in the first round, Mitchell would pair with Surtain to give Denver perhaps the most athletic pair of outside corners in the entire league.

Edge - Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper are solid players up front, but Denver should continue to add to the rotation up front to continue searching for a real difference-maker.

Draft fit: Jonah Elliss, Edge, Utah, 3rd round.
Elliss would be fit on the outside of Denver's 3 4 base defense. Plays with speed and uses pass-rush moves to generate pressure. He may need to get stronger in the NFL to be an every-down player, but he should bring value as a designated pass rusher.