Camp Questions: AFC West

32 Camp Questions
I’ve taken a look at each of the league’s teams and come up with questions that must be answered before the season kicks off September 10th. And we’ll be looking at them one division at a time.

AFC West:
Denver Broncos – Is Kyle Orton who we thought he was?
If Kyle Orton is the same guy that suited up for the Bears he simply doesn’t look like a franchise quarterback. The Broncos are definitely entering a rebuilding stage with a young coach, a young defense, and a young (but talented) offensive core. Head coach Josh McDaniels dumped Jay Cutler for Kyle Orton and rumors are already flying about this first year coach struggling to keep his locker room intact. Dumping the homecoming queen for the vice president of the chemistry club won’t be a good start.

Kansas City Chiefs – How much is Matt Cassel worth, really?
QB Matt Cassel just inked a contract worth $40 million in guaranteed money, and he’d better prove his worth quickly. The Chiefs are another team in a rebuilding stage, but Cassel couldn’t lead one of the best run organizations and most talented teams to playoffs in 2008. How will he fair with an under-talented and inexperienced group in KC?

Oakland Raiders – Can anybody pull Al Davis away from the ledge?
Where to start? Tom Cable is good at a press conference, but can he really lead the NFL’s most dysfunctional family to respectability? Can the Raiders make NFL players of their inexplicable draft choices? And perhaps most importantly, can Darren McFadden stay healthy for more than four weeks in a row? If not, Davis will own the true laughing stock of the NFL.

San Diego Chargers – Can the Chargers’ stars bounce back from their injuries?
Shawne Merriman, Antonio Cromartie, and LaDainian Tomlinson all suffered and played with serious injuries in 2008. The Chargers have all the talent they could ask for and should take advantage of a weak division. But with three of their five most talented players coming back from the trainer’s room, the Bolts have a lot to prove and a lot to lose in 2009.