Mile High Monday: The AFC West could really have four playoff teams

We’ve seen most of free agency come and go over the last week. Yes, there are some talented veterans left on the open market but for the most part we’ve seen NFL teams “take their shot” when it comes to free agency.

I like when the free agency puzzle is solved. It doesn’t mean the team is set, but we get clues as to what they want to look like for the upcoming season – and their plan for the 2022 NFL Draft.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

***
Go Home AFC West, You’re Drunk

The AFC West is going to be the hottest division in all of football. The Broncos really kicked things off when they traded for Russell Wilson. Now, with a superstar quarterback leading the charge, the Broncos are firmly in the playoff conversation. As we see in “March Madness” all you have to do is make “the dance” and you can make a run at a title. So yes – even though some deny it – the Broncos are in a Super Bowl window.

The “Wilson Effect” is in full effect in the AFC West. With the Broncos adding a superstar and becoming legitimate contenders, the rest of the division did not rest on their laurels. Instead, you saw the Los Angeles Chargers trade for pass-rusher Khalil Mack and then add arguably the top cornerback in free agency J.C. Jackson. The Las Vegas Raiders then upped the ante – in a big way – with the blockbuster trade for wide receiver Davante Adams. Oh yeah, they also added veteran pass-rusher Chandler Jones in free agency to get after opposing quarterbacks (something he’s great at).

The Kansas City Chiefs, even though there seems to be some hubris in their building, got into the free agency frenzy as well. After the Adams trade by the Raiders, the Chiefs were able to sign free agent wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Besides being able to dominate Tik Tok with Jackson Mahomes, Smith-Schuster gives the Chiefs a legitimate receiver opposite of perennial Pro Bowler Tyreek Hill. Like it or not, the Chiefs are more dangerous with Smith-Schuster – and the rest of this division is going to be a brutal gauntlet to navigate through.

RT to welcome @TeamJuJu to Chiefs Kingdom!! 👋 pic.twitter.com/8x5aSkfkBh

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) March 20, 2022

There are rumors of Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey getting traded to the Chiefs, and if that’s the case then the rest of the AFC might as well stay home. With seven teams going to the postseason, there’s a chance all four AFC West teams could make the playoffs. I wouldn’t be surprised to see at least three teams from the Broncos division in the postseason, and one of those teams should be the no.1 overall seed in the AFC.

***
He’s Not That Into You
I don’t think the right tackle position has been solved for the Broncos. Yes, the team kept Calvin Anderson around to compete at the position – and I think he could step in and start. Plus, they added Tom Compton in free agency, but the position has not been completely solved with a stud right tackle who everyone knows is getting the job. Instead, they’ll probably add a tackle in the draft on Day 2 and there will be a competition between the rookie and the two veterans.

It would have been nice if the Broncos had been in the La’El Collins sweepstakes. Released by the Dallas Cowboys last week, Collins would have been a great starter for the Broncos and given them bookend tackles with Garett Bolles on the left side. Instead, Collins signed with the Cincinnati Bengals over the weekend. Denver wasn’t really that interested in Collins, but it turns out he wasn’t that interested in Denver either.

I reported on Friday, during the Cannonball 6:15pm segment on “Nick and Cecil” that the Broncos were fourth on the list – at best – to get Collins. I knew the Bengals were at the top of his list, and the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots were also an option for the big-bodied tackle. Denver didn’t pursue him because they knew he wasn’t that into them. It’s an odd twist, especially given the team has Russell Wilson at quarterback, but the Bengals have their own superstar Collins wanted to play with.

Broncos were not pursuing OT La’el Collins contrary to reports out there. Not heavily involved. No offer, no visit. #9sports

— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) March 20, 2022

Collins is a great player, and the Bengals certainly need as many upgrades to their offensive line as they possibly can get after quarterback Joe Burrow got pummeled last year seemingly every week. It stings to see him sign with another team, especially because right tackle has been a problem for the Broncos for a long time. I’m sure Collins will do great for the Bengals, but I’m not so sure the right side of the Broncos offensive line is going to be a strength.

***
More Terrible Than You Realize

There is no doubt the Vic Fangio era for the Broncos was a total failure. Fangio was able to run this franchise further into the ground for three years. He did this after two inept seasons with Vance Joseph at the helm – while they didn’t give Joseph any power, Fangio got too much power that I believe he abused. There were always rumblings behind the scenes about players being unhappy with Fangio, all you heard from “team friendly” media sources is that Fangio was beloved by his players.

I learned years ago that in his first year with the team, Fangio took Von Miller’s bluetooth speaker out of his locker because Miller’s music was too loud. Fangio kept the speaker until Ray Jackson had to tell him to give it back to the team’s biggest superstar. Okay, some thought Fangio was just “old school” and it was his way or the highway. That’s fine and all, but you must win in order for that to be your coaching style. Guys like Miller will follow you if you lead them correctly, and Fangio never seemed to understand the modern player.

I also believe Fangio was manipulative when it came to his coaching staff. Things got so bad in year one with offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello that Fangio wouldn’t even call him by name at press conferences. Scangarello was fired and Pat Shurmur was put in place. Okay, “team friendly” media argued that Shurmur had the experience to fit in with Fangio. The truth of the matter is, Fangio and Shurmur had never worked together but shared the same agent. Fangio just wanted a “hands off” approach to the offense, so he could run his defense (which wasn’t that great by the way – an article for a different time).

Over the weekend, former Broncos safety Su’a Cravens wrote a Twitter thread that all of Broncos Country needs to read. In the thread, he highlighted how Fangio seemed to take a personal disliking to Cravens. There’s a ton in there, and even former Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr backed him up via social networking. It’s a small glimpse of what players had to deal with under Fangio – and the team brass knew about it yet did nothing to reprimand Fangio. He should have been fired after his second year, just like Joseph, but for whatever reason Fangio got a third year to further put the team in ruins.

I miss Denver so much. Wish I didn’t keep tearing my damn meniscus. I’d get my knee drained once a week just to show I was committed to be on the field. Didn’t help Vic went out his way to dislike me either lol but that’s life. I’m living vicariously through @jsimms1119 now 🤷🏽‍♂️😂

— Su’a Cravens (@iammsuzy) March 20, 2022

Fangio came off as a nice old man, but behind the scenes – especially with certain players like Cravens – there is a different story to be told. I’m glad that Broncos general manager George Paton chose Denver because of Fangio. That was a quote which garnered a lot of attention, but it was misinterpreted. Paton came here because he knew he would be able to replace Fangio if things didn’t turn around in 2021. I’m glad the Broncos have a different direction with Nathaniel Hackett at head coach – and I can’t wait for the Fangio era to be a distant memory.

***
RIP Professor

We lost a great one last week when it was announced that legendary NFL reporter John Clayton had passed away at the age of 67. Clayton was a staple on ESPN for decades, and we were lucky enough to hire him as a senior Broncos reporter at DenverFan.com.

The first time I met Clayton, he treated me like I was a friend from day one – and then we became friendly over the years. It was at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine, and I was sitting next to Charles Robinson, Adam Teicher and Clayton opposite of me. I had a “Tebow Time” sticker on my laptop – partly as a joke – but it certainly drew the interest of Clayton. It was difficult not being nervous around him, but Clayton cared for those around him regardless of their experience covering this great game.

The thing I remember most about Clayton is how he would outwork anyone at the table – or in the NFL media as a whole for that matter. They guy was a great writer, but he knew everyone and had no problem getting the top of the top executives, coaches or players on the phone. I remember at that Combine, I was in love with Portland State tight end Julius Thomas. I had seen Thomas at the Shrine Game earlier that year and knew he could make the transition from college basketball to the NFL. I asked Clayton to check around and see what teams were saying, and he did that with a few phone calls. As he was telling me what he’d heard about the little-known tight end, his phone rang – it was Patriots coach Bill Belichick. I could only imagine the type of sway Clayton had in NFL circles. He was highly regarded and well respected by all.

Whenever I was able to take a selfie with Clayton, especially early on in my career, I would always get questions from fans – and even my sister Cari – if Clayton had a ponytail. You couldn’t really tell because of the camera angle, but there also was the unforgettable SportsCenter commercial where he showed a ponytail and then jumped on his bed to listen to Slayer. As a metalhead and an NFL reporter, that commercial hit home for me in a way it wouldn’t for others. I love Slayer, and I certainly loved Clayton – as a reporter and as a man. He’s the type of man we should all strive to be – in our careers and our lives.

John Clayton will be remembered in so many ways, from how he looked after his wife Pat, to the mark he made in reporting, to the standard he set. He dedicated his life to his wife and to football. He was a pioneer, a caretaker, a Hall of Famer and a slayer, in every sense. pic.twitter.com/34rFeSjiEW

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 19, 2022

What are some of your favorite memories of John Clayton? Hit me up on social networking and let me know!
***
Follow Cecil Lammey on Twitter and Instagram: @cecillammey
***

Follow @CecilLammey