AFC West
Team	Salisbury's analysis
	With Mike Shanahan in charge, the Broncos are as well-coached as any team in the league. They will have a healthy Terrell Davis, giving them a great situation with three 1,000-yard running backs -- Davis, Mike Anderson and Olandis Gary. They have both trade bait and protection in case someone gets hurt. Brian Griese is healthy and hungry and has matured into the quarterback position. I expect him to have a Pro Bowl year. He's not a loud leader; he just does his job. The Broncos also added Steve Beuerlein to go with Griese and Gus Frerotte. They are the deepest team at quarterback and running back in the league. At receiver, Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey are 100-reception players. Defensively, I love their linebackers, with Bill Romanowski, Al Wilson and John Mobley. The addition of Denard Walker to the secondary is huge. Second-year player Deltha O'Neal can play one corner, with Walker at the other. And top pick Willie Middlebrooks can fit in, giving them excellent secondary depth. We know what Trevor Pryce will do on the defensive line, but can they count on Leon Lett and Chester McGlockton in the middle? If they live up to their potential, the Broncos can have a dominant defense and be the AFC representatives in the Super Bowl.
	For a young coach, Jon Gruden gets as much respect as any coach in the league -- and he's earned it. The Raiders are explosive, big up front and physical. But their season will depend on their health because they are not as deep as the Broncos. It all starts with quarterback Rich Gannon, who is playing better late in his career than he did early. If he is healthy, the Raiders can win the whole thing. If Gannon goes down, they have Bobby Hoying, Rodney Peete and rookie Marques Tuiasosopo, who won't be ready. Charlie Garner was one of the top five pickups of the offseason, even more important than Jerry Rice. Garner adds great depth to the running back position. Rice gives the Raiders depth at receiver. Trace Armstrong is a big addition to the defense. He has a great attitude and can be a third-down specialist. If the Raiders can get 90 percent of what Armstrong did in Miami last year, he will pay huge dividends. If they are healthy, the Raiders will make the playoffs and give the Broncos everything they can handle. The Ravens hit them in the mouth in the AFC championship game and left them with a sour taste. The Raiders have the right attitude and think they are a championship-caliber team.
	Mike Holmgren got a quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck, whom he thinks is ready to play. In Green Bay, he did a great job as Brett Favre's backup. But there is a big difference between being Favre's backup -- who doesn't play much -- and playing 16 games. Hasselbeck attempted only 19 passes last season and has only 29 regular-season attempts for his career. He can excel under Holmgren and is an upgrade at quarterback over Jon Kitna. From the draft, the Seahawks got the best receiver, Koren Robinson. When Robinson understands how to get off press coverage, Holmgren may want to use him a lot like he used Sterling Sharpe in Green Bay, on slants, hitches and stop routes. I think Robinson can catch 70-80 balls in the first year. The Seahawks cleaned house at receiver, but they have Robinson to go with second-year man Darrell Jackson. The more I've watched Ricky Watters, the more I believe he's the most durable back in the league. He doesn't miss games, catches the football, and is ultra-competitive. They have a solid backfield punch with Watters and Shaun Alexander, who will get more touches. They improved the defense up the middle, with John Randle, Chad Eaton and Levon Kirkland. The keys will be how quickly Hasselbeck matures, how well Randle and Kirkland play, and how many touches Alexander gets.
	The Chargers had one of the best offseasons in football. New GM John Butler is as good as anyone in the league at building teams. They added Doug Flutie, who will make plays, and hired Norv Turner, who is like a head coach as an offensive coordinator. Few can teach quarterbacks better. The Chargers did great in the draft. They picked Drew Brees, whom they felt was a first-round-caliber pick, and LaDainian Tomlinson, who could be the league's best rookie. The key to the deal with Atlanta was Tim Dwight. He was the trump card. He brings great energy, a huge heart and excellent speed. San Diego fans will love him. Between special teams and offense, he may get eight or nine touches a game and could have a big impact. The Chargers also added cornerbacks Alex Molden and Ryan McNeil. Defensive end Marcellus Wiley might be one of the best free-agent acquisitions. Their defense will stop teams. The keys will be whether or not Flutie can play as expected and if Tomlinson can carry the ball 25 times a game. It's easy to make a jump after winning only one game, but I think the Chargers expect to win eight or nine games.
	Trent Green is still trying to get himself completely healthy. He will put up numbers because he is an accurate thrower who understands the game and what Dick Vermeil expects from him. But they lost receiver Sylvester Morris for the season. Without Morris, they need a reliable second and third receiver to go with Derrick Alexander, who performs better when he is not double-teamed. Tony Gonzalez is the league's best tight end, a special player who can act as another receiver. But teams will try to hammer Gonzalez and put pressure on Green. The Chiefs are no longer explosive enough to scare people. Priest Holmes was a great pickup because the Chiefs desperately needed a running back. However, I'm still concerned about their backfield depth. Defensively, they have made changes. I like their safeties and linebacker Donnie Edwards, their best defensive player, who has deserved a Pro Bowl spot the last two years. But this is not the Chiefs' defense of four years ago.