There`s A new top dog in the AFC West
It really has been a month of March madness for the NFL. Teams have been making some very interesting trades this offseason to put themselves in a great spot to be Super Bowl contenders. Whether it's Russell Wilson to Broncos, Tyreek Hill to the dolphins, or Devante Adams to the Raiders, this definitely has been an off season to remember. however, no team has taken advantage of this offseason quite like the Los Angeles Chargers.
With a high-powered offense that was ranked number four in the league during the 2022 regular season, the LA Chargers really only needed major improvements in their defense to take them to the next level. Making improvements is exactly what this franchise did by signing former Chicago Bears outside linebacker Khalil Mack to a three-year $69.3 million deal according to Ian Rapoport. To top that off, Chargers sign free agent and former New England Patriot cornerback, JC Jackson. according to Adam Schaffter, the Chargers signed Jackson to a five-year $82.5 million contract. Signing these two Pro Bowl superstars will definitely improve the Chargers’ defense exponentially and could very well be what puts them in a position to win the Super bowl. Adding Khalil Mack to a defense already containing superstar defensive end Joey Bosa will further reinforce their defensive talent. Since the 2018 season J.C Jackson has had the most interceptions in the league. The Chargers already have a talented core of defensive backs, so adding J.C Jackson to second year player, Asante Samuel Jr., veteran DB, Chris Harris Jr., and perhaps the best strong safety in the league in Dewrin James, will for sure make them the best secondary in the league.
I believe that these significant trades put the charges in first place of the AFC West. With the chiefs losing Tyreek Hill, Patrick Mahomes does not have his number one option anymore and Juju Smith Schuster hasn't shown he can be a number one option as a receiver. The Broncos and the Raiders both picked up great players in Russell Wilson and Devante Adams, however, I feel as though the Broncos still need to improve more on their defense especially when it comes to their defensive line and linebackers. The Raiders did, however, just sign edge-rushing outside linebacker Chandler Jones, giving the Raiders a new-look combo in Jones and defensive end Maxx Crosby. The Los Angeles Chargers definitely appear to be the most complete team in the AFC West right now, but we'll see how much these trades really helped this team when the season starts