The AFC West loaded up for the 2022 NFL season.
While the Kansas City Chiefs lost Tyreek Hill, they still have Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and added JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Denver Broncos imported Russell Wilson as the missing piece. The Raiders made massive moves, trading for Davante Adams and signing Chandler Jones. With Justin Herbert already in place, the Chargers added to the defense, trading for Khalil Mack and signing top free agent corner J.C. Jackson.
In a souped-up division, you could make a good argument for any team winning.
Broncos star safety Justin Simmons underscored the importance of each division game this season, noting they'll have a different feel than even past seasons.
"It's super important," he said, via the transcript. "We all know what it's been like the past five years playing in the west. My opinion -- and you can argue it -- is it's the best division in football. The Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers and now us -- we have Russ and a bunch of additions -- Randy Gregory, D.J. Jones, K'Waun [Williams]. I can go down the list of guys that we have. It's going to be like prime time every single time an AFC West game is on. It's going to be all chips in the middle of the table every time one of those four teams are playing each other."
The 2022 NFL schedule is set to be released on May 12, and we'll see how many of those AFC West matchups are actually in prime time. Even if they don't make the night schedule, expect most AFC West tilts to be in national windows.
Being in the toughest division can be a negative. The teams will eat each other alive, leaving fewer chances to sneak into the postseason.
But Simmons knows to be the best, you have to beat the best.
"You have to embrace it," he said of playing in the toughest division. "Part of being a competitor is embracing the best parts of it. If you want to be the best, you have to go up against the best. We're in the best division. What a way to go into postseason if you're on top of that division. That's really all that's at the top of our mind. We preach it every single day and how important it is to win the west. It's going to be a great year."
