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The 2020 NFL Draft has concluded, meaning that we have a general idea of what everyone's roster is going to look like heading into next season, including the four teams in the AFC West.
For that reason, we can start making some genuine prognostications around the league.
Let's start with some predictions for the AFC West, a division that has been ruled by the Kansas City Chiefs for the last half-decade:
3. Justin Herbert will start for the Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers selected University of Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick of the draft, officially beginning a new era in Los Angeles.
Naturally, head coach Anthony Lynn said that Herbert will have to work to win the starting job and that Tyrod Taylor is the starter as of right now, but I find it hard to believe that Taylor will actually be under center in 2020.
Perhaps there is a chance that Taylor begins the season as the starter before eventually giving way to Herbert in a couple of weeks, but let's face it: Taylor is not the future of the Chargers. Herbert is.
Barring a horrendous training camp and preseason, Herbert will probably be the opening day starter for the Bolts.
2. The Denver Broncos will be the second-best team in the AFC West
The Chargers have talent on paper, but their instability at quarterback and their shoddy offensive line situation give me some pause.
As for the Las Vegas Raiders? I wasn't at all crazy about what they did in the draft, choosing to select Henry Ruggs III over more proven commodities like Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb.
The Broncos, on the other hand, traded up to land Jeudy, giving them a one-two punch of Courtland Sutton and Jeudy at wide receiver with Noah Fant at tight end. Plus, the Broncos have a nice backfield of Phillip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon.
Of course, Denver's success in 2020 will largely be determined by the play of Drew Lock, who went 4-1 in five starts as a rookie quarterback this past year, but count me as someone who likes Lock moving forward.
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Also, with guys like Von Miller, Bradley Chubb and the recently-signed Jurrell Casey, the Broncos have a talented defense to boot.
Look for Denver, which went a respectable 7-9 in 2019, to be the second-best team in the AFC West next season.
1. The Kansas City Chiefs will run away with it
The Chiefs won the Super Bowl this past season and have won five straight division crowns.
I see no reason why their trend of AFC West dominance won't continue in 2020.
Kansas City won the division by five games in 2019, recovering from an early-season swoon by catching fire in the second half and blowing away the rest of the competition.
Perhaps the Chiefs will make things interesting by coasting early on, but I find it hard to believe that Kansas City won't comfortably win this division again.
Patrick Mahomes will likely challenge for another MVP award, rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire will help shore up the shaky ground game and the defense, which showed vast improvement toward the end of this past year, is better than people give it credit for.
The Chiefs will win the AFC West again. Book it.
