Intro: For each team, for the next month or so, we’re going to look at the key offseason moves each team has made via trade, free agency, coaching and GM changes, and their NFL Draft to see if we scout/analyze these teams have improved or regressed or stayed flat, essentially – looking at it from a 2024 impact only...not long-term, just what could impact this season’s results.
We’ll judge these teams two at a time, pitting them against each other head-to-head to determine a ‘winner’ (which team we think impacted 2024 the best), and the winning teams will move on to the next round and compete until we get to the finals/Super Bowl.
We’re going division-by-division, seeded by 2023 order of finish.
Today we have an AFC West matchup of #1 KC and #4 LAC...
KANSAS CITY
Key Adds: WR Marquise Brown (from ARI), QB Carson Wentz (from LAR), RB/WR Louis Rees-Zammit (from IPP)
Key Losses: OG Nick Allegretti (to WSH), LB Willie Gay (to NO), SAF Mike Edwards (to BUF)
Key Draft Adds: WR Xavier Worthy, OL Kingsley Suamataia, TE Jared Wiley, SAF Jaden Hicks, OL Hunter Nourzad, DB Kamal Hadden
Key Coaching Changes: None
Outlook: Marquise Brown may not have been the best add for a huge need, but it’s better than nothing. Nick Allegretti lost in free agency hurts some for the O-Line. Gay and Edwards are easily replaceable.
The only rookie that could impact a lot for 2024 is OL Kingsley Suamataia, which makes up for the loss of Allegretti, perhaps. Worthy will play but isn’t much more than a Mecole Hardman type piece. Rookie defenders Hicks and Hadden are depth pieces for 2024. Rees-Zammit is a wild card that looks like he’ll help special teams but could blossom into more over time...but that time might not be until 2025.
All-in-all, the Chiefs didn’t add a lot of firepower this offseason...but they didn’t really lose much from the squad either.
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L.A. CHARGERS
Key Adds: TE Will Dissly (from SEA), RB Gus Edwards (from BAL), LB Bud Dupree (from ATL), CB Kristain Fulton (from TEN), WR D.J. Chark (from CAR)
Key Losses: LB Kenneth Murray (to TEN), Gerald Everett (to CHI), WR Mike Williams (to NYJ), RB Austin Ekeler (to WSH), DT Austin Johnson (to BUF), CB Michael Davis (to WSH), LB Eric Kendricks (to DAL)
Keenan Allen (trade to CHI)
Key Draft Adds: OT Joe Alt, WR Ladd McConkey, LB Junior Colson, DL Justin Eboigbe, CB Cam Hart, RB Kimani Vidal, WR Brenden Rice
Key Coaching Changes: All new staff and GMs
Outlook: LAC lost their core WR group. They lost some solid/depth defenders. They lost a lot of leadership players in the locker room. Jim Harbaugh stripped this team of a lot of core pieces and is rebuilding things in his own image.
They did not really get better in free agency, per se/overall, but they did have a pretty nice draft in rounds 1-2, landing Alt-McConkey...who are instant impact players.
LAC did what it had to do for the future, but for 2024 impact...it’s questionable the effect with a lot of young, inexperienced players jumping in versus the couple of long-time heart-and-soul players getting lost. It’s the right thing to do for the future, but 2024 may be a rocky road with all the inexperience and change.
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Winner (most improved for 2024)...
This is a tough one to judge on which team improved their 2024 (only) season the most from offseason moves.
The Chargers made a lot of smart moves...but they are more moves for a 2025+ positive impact – it’s gonna hurt 2024 more losing the continuity and leadership of the veteran players.
However, the Chiefs didn’t do anything radical to make major improvements...but also didn’t hurt themselves/lost much at all.
I am going to rule this in favor of the Chargers. Why? The biggest change of all was also the biggest offseason upgrade... No matter how bizarre or whacky I believe Jim Harbaugh is – he’s definitely a massive upgrade from the Brandon Staley era. And the whole management team and assistants got upgraded too.
So, the Chargers move on to the AFC West finals.
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Next Round Matchups...
AFC East: NE v. NYJ
AFC North: BAL v. PIT
AFC South: TEN v. IND
AFC West: LAC v. ???
