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Denver Broncos

Cornerback Tracy Porter, whose pick-six sealed the New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl XLIV victory over the Indianapolis Colts, hasn't gotten around to talking trash to new Denver teammate Peyton Manning, the man who threw that ball. "I think once we finally get settled in we'll have enough time to shoot that little joke in," Porter told USA Today. "As of right now, we're both still learning."

The Broncos' trade of backup cornerback Cassius Vaughn to Indianapolis for little-used fullback Chris Gronkowski is most significant for the fact that it's Matt Russell's first trade since taking over as director of player personnel, Mike Klis notes.

Defensive end Elvis Dumervil is "more in shape" than at this point last year, he tells the Broncos' official site, and credits the team's strength coach and a new nutrition plan.

After a Pro Bowl rookie season, Broncos linebacker Von Miller landed the Denver Athletic Club's Colorado Athlete of the Year award.

Kansas City Chiefs

Coach Romeo Crennel, who grew up in a military family, and linebacker Caleb Campbell, a West Point grad who holds the rank of lieutenant in the U.S. Army, were among a Chiefs contingent that visited a junior high school at nearby Fort Leavenworth.

Oakland Raiders

With more talent on his side of the ball than on defense, new Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Knapp is going to need to keep the unit humming and take some pressure off Dennis Allen's defense, Mark Purdy writes in the San Jose Mercury News.

Mike Goodson, an offseason trade acquisition from Carolina, is making an impression with coaches in his quest to win the backup running back job.

San Diego Chargers

General manager A.J. Smith laughed off Las Vegas picking the Chargers to finish second in the division, behind Denver. "I couldn't care less about predictions," Smith told U-T San Diego on Wednesday. "It's fun to do, and it stimulates conversation."

Coach Norv Turner told season-ticket holders during a conference call that he'll lean "heavily" on special-teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia this season after Bisaccia was given the title of assistant head coach.

» NFC pressure points: West | North | South | East
» AFC pressure points: West | North | South | East

Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Chargers and why.

San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith and coach Norv Turner have been and always will be linked.

They will succeed together in San Diego or probably will be fired together in 2012. Smith and Turner were expected to be fired after the Chargers failed to make the playoffs for a second straight time in 2011. If the Chargers miss the postseason again, both probably will be fired, barring a stunning chain of events.

Smith has done his job for 2012, and he had a strong free agency before the draft.

Now, it’s all up to Turner.

Arguably, no one in the AFC West faces more pressure than Turner this season. Every time the Chargers lose a game, Turner will be reminded of his tenuous job security. Every time one of his players makes a mistake, folks will wonder what Turner could have done to prevent it.

Turner knows the deal. He’s fine if he wins. If he loses, the pressure could lead to his departure from San Diego.

In a lengthy interview earlier this offseason, San Diego general manager A.J. Smith repeatedly pointed to his team’s horrendous third-down defense as the root problem in a playoff-less season.

Fixing that issue was Smith’s primary goal for 2012.

The Chargers were last in the NFL on third-down defense last season. If you can’t get your defense off the field, it’s difficult to win. The most pressing task for new defensive coordinator John Pagano is fixing the problem and Smith’s moves on defense this offseason were made with third-down success in mind.

Just how bad was the Chargers’ defense on third down in 2011? I enlisted the help of stat guru Jason Vida of ESPN Stats & Information. His findings were fascinating.

San Diego’s defense was historically bad on third down last season.

According to Vida, the Chargers allowed opponents to convert 49.2 percent of third downs in 2011. It was the highest total of any NFL team since the 1995 Cleveland Browns.

It was San Diego’s worst third-down percentage since 1975 when it allowed opponents to convert 50.7 percent on third downs.

The 2011 Chargers were especially bad on third-and-short situations. On third downs where opponents needed 1-5 yards to convert, opponents converted 65.6 percent of the time, which was the worst mark in the league. From six yards and beyond, opponents converted 34.7 percent of the time on third down, which was 29th in the NFL.

Many thanks to Vida for his help on this post.

Last week, in our AFC West poll, readers voted that the San Diego Chargers had the best draft in the AFC West.

I agree. The Chargers had a great draft as they snared great value throughout, and added potential instant impact defenders Melvin Ingram, Kendall Reyes, and Brandon Taylor in the first three rounds.

The Chargers, in a pivotal year for general manager A.J. Smith and coach Norv Turner, also had a solid free agency, adding several key pieces.

The Chargers were 8-8 last season and did not make the playoffs for the second straight season. Do you think their productivity in free agency and in the draft was enough to make the Chargers a true playoff contender again?

Please take our poll. We will review the results Wednesday.

Did the Chargers do enough on defense?

If the San Diego Chargers are going to end a two-year playoff drought and coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith are going to save their jobs, the defense must make strides.

The unit was the worst in the NFL on third down last season, and it lacked fire.

Improving the defense was one of the primary goals in the 2012 offseason. Defensive coordinator Greg Manusky, who some in the organization believe was a major reason for the unit's lack of success, was fired, and linebackers coach John Pagano replaced him. Pagano reminds some of former successful San Diego defensive coordinator Wade Phillips because of his approach.

The team signed underrated former Baltimore linebacker Jarret Johnson in free agency and concentrated on defense in the draft.

San Diego drafted South Carolina pass-rusher Melvin Ingram, Connecticut defensive tackle Kendall Reyes and LSU safety Brandon Taylor in the first three rounds. All three players are expected to contribute right away.

Ingram is highly regarded and has a chance to make an instant impact as a pass-rusher, which the Charges badly need. If these players develop quickly and Ingram is as polished as expected, the Chargers should be much more effective defensively.

It was the first day of the NFL combine in Indianapolis and if A.J. Smith had been nervous, it would have been understandable.

He was entering the most critical offseason of his career. Already fired in the court of public opinion, Smith and Norv Turner, the coach he will forever be connected to, were given a reprieve by the San Diego Chargers ownership even though the team failed to make the playoffs for the second straight season.

San Diego is trying to curry as much public favor as possible in an effort to get a new stadium. If the team fails to reach the postseason again this season, the duo probably will be fired. The only way either man could retain his job if the Chargers don’t make the postseason would be if the team were decimated by injuries. And even that might not be enough.

Smith has to have an excellent year and the task began in earnest at the combine, where the team’s free-agency and draft plans began to unfold.

Was Smith worried in Indianapolis?

If he was, he is a fantastic actor. He looks like he’s on vacation every day. Tanned and well dressed, Smith casually sipped iced tea and spoke at length about his plan for the offseason. He was aware of his challenges and the consequences of failure but vowed not to play the offseason scared.

“I’m not going to get desperate,” Smith said then. “I’m going to do it my way.”

Fast forward more than two months later; Smith must be applauded for what he has done. Smith did everything he could to put the Chargers in a positive position headed into the season.

He decided not to tie up a large chunk of his free-agent budget in Pro Bowl receiver Vincent Jackson. Instead he focused on keeping other key in-house free agents such as offensive linemen Nick Hardwick and Jared Gaither, signed several receivers and added solid depth throughout the roster.

Smith followed up his aggressive free agency efforts by spearheading one of the best drafts. The Chargers found stunning early-round value on defense, their greatest need. At the end of Round 3, ESPN analyst Jon Gruden applauded the team's choices and said he believed San Diego would be a playoff team again.

The Chargers’ biggest offseason need was to infuse a lackluster defense with some impact performers. They had a meek pass rush in 2011 and were the NFL’s worst defense on third down.

After securing Baltimore linebacker Jarret Johnson in free agency, Smith watched his draft board fall perfectly. It started when dynamic South Carolina pass-rusher Melvin Ingram fell to San Diego at the No. 18 pick. He is a perfect 3-4 outside linebacker and should make an instant impact. He was expected to be a top-10 pick, and ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper called the choice one of the very best of the first round.

In the second and third rounds, the Chargers added defensive tackle Kendall Reyes at No. 49 and then traded up to take LSU safety Brandon Taylor at No. 73, in the third round. San Diego was considering Taylor with its second-round pick. The Chargers went on to draft value the rest of the weekend, even getting potential contributors like center David Molk and running back Edwin Baker in the final round.

Smith told U-T San Diego after the draft that he was pleased with his process, but he knows it doesn’t guarantee anything.

“All drafts are important to me,” Smith told the paper. “All I can do is concentrate on my job each and every year and do the best I can do as long as I can. Nothing’s changed here for me. There’s no outside pressure. I’m grateful to be here and have no idea how long I’ll be here.

“Everyone feels great on draft day. Some will make an impact in their first year, some will take awhile to get better, and some will never get the opportunity because of injuries, but it won’t be their fault or ours. You don’t know anything. We’ve drafted excellent college football players. They’re unproven NFL players -- all of them.”

San Diego owner Dean Spanos is pleased with the offseason Smith has put together.

“I think we were pretty patient in the draft and we think it paid off,” Spanos said in a phone interview this week. “We are happy with how the draft went. … We had a plan this offseason and we feel like we came pretty close to getting everything done we wanted to. … But we will see. We all know we need to get back to the playoffs and we are working to get there.”

Still, getting back into the postseason will not be easy for San Diego. The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos also made significant improvements in the offseason.

“I can’t say I am sold on the Chargers,” Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said. “Over the past few years, I think their collective talent level has dropped. They did do some good things in free agency and the draft treated them well, not to mention that I am still a huge believer in Philip Rivers. … It isn’t to say that they can’t compete or get into the postseason, but right now, they are the third best team in the AFC West to me. “

If San Diego can’t break through and Smith and Turner pay for it, it will not be because of a lack of effort at the top. Smith responded to the challenge in free agency and the draft. Now, it’s time to see if it was enough.

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South


The biggest offseason move in the AFC West in years was the Broncos’ signing of superstar quarterback Peyton Manning in March.

It instantly changed the landscape of the AFC West and it likely will continue to do so for the next three years or so. During the draft, Manning’s impact was felt in the division when several of the premium picks by the Broncos’ rivals were defensive players.

The first player taken in the division was athletic defensive tackle Dontari Poe. The Memphis product was taken No. 11 by the Chiefs. San Diego used its first three picks on defensive players, all of whom have a chance to make an instant impact.

Let’s look at the highlights of the AFC West draft:

BEST MOVE

The first two days of the San Diego Chargers’ draft.

No one in the division scored like the Chargers did. Following up a strong free-agency class, Chargers GM A.J. Smith deserves a lot of credit for this draft. The Chargers badly needed impact players on defense and they got them.

San Diego made one of the top value picks of the draft when it watched South Carolina pass-rusher Melvin Ingram fall to them. He was supposed to be a top-10 pick. San Diego considered moving up to take Alabama safety Mark Barron but he went at No. 7. Instead, the Chargers stayed at home and watched an equally talented player fall to them. Ingram fills the Chargers’ biggest need and he should be an instant contributor.

The Chargers scored again by getting great value in the second and third rounds. San Diego watched Connecticut defensive lineman Kendall Reyes fall to them at No. 49. With LSU safety Brandon Taylor still on the board (San Diego considered him at No. 49), the Chargers moved up and took him at No 73. There is no way the Chargers could have scripted the first three rounds any better.

The 2012 Chargers got better in this draft.

RISKIEST MOVE

Arguably, there wasn't a riskier move in this draft than the Kansas City Chiefs’ choice of Poe at No. 11.

The nose tackle from Memphis was one of the most talked about players in the draft. After his stunning performance at the NFL combine, Poe was considered a potential top-five player. However, after teams dissected his game film, they discovered Poe didn’t consistently make plays against marginal competition.

By the time the draft rolled around, it seemed as though Poe could fall into the 20s. But the Chiefs took him because of his ability and the fact he fills their greatest need. Poe was the best talent at No. 11 and the fact he filled a major need makes this a logical pick.

But if Poe doesn't develop, the Chiefs will get heat for not following the general consensus. The team has failed to hit a home run with recent picks on the defensive line, so the Chiefs have to make this work. Kansas City thinks Poe will excel under coach Romeo Crennel because he will concentrate on one position as opposed to having to play several spots as he did in college. If the Chiefs are right, this will be a big score. If not, they’ll be forever reminded of it.

MOST SURPRISING MOVE

I don’t think it was shocking that the Denver Broncos picked a quarterback or that the quarterback ended up being Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler.

But I think it was a surprise Denver took him at No. 57. That’s a high spot for a player who probably won’t start until 2015, at the earliest.

The Broncos have other needs and they have Manning. Yet, Osweiler was a target. It shows how much Denver executive VP John Elway values the position and how much he liked Osweiler. He could have waited a couple of years to peg Manning’s successor, but he did it before Manning has even thrown a pass in Denver.

FILE IT AWAY

This draft will be remembered as a success for all four teams in the division. I was impressed with how each team approached the draft and the patience each team showed.

I think the Chargers got as many impact players for the immediate future as any team in the league. I like Denver’s creativity. It traded out of the first round and still got some quality players such as defensive linemen Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson and running back Ronnie Hillman.

The Chiefs quietly had a strong draft and middle-rounders such as receiver Devon Wylie, defensive back De'quan Menzie and running back Cyrus Gray will add depth to this team.

New Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie didn’t have many picks to work with -- his first was No. 95. But it is easy to tell there is draft-room stability with the post-Al Davis Raiders.

McKenzie played his board well and didn’t make any puzzling picks based on measurables as the late Davis was known to do. Oakland’s draft will not make many headlines, but McKenzie may have tabbed future starters in tackle Tony Bergstrom, linebacker Miles Burris and receiver Juron Criner.

In my opinion, the San Diego Chargers just made the best pick of the draft since the two top quarterbacks went 1-2.

And I’m not alone.

When the Chargers took South Carolina pass-rusher Melvin Ingram at No. 18, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper called it the best value pick of the draft.

Ingram is a top-10 player who becomes the impact defensive player the Chargers have craved. I believe he becomes an instant impact as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He is versatile and can play on the defensive line. He has been compared to James Harrison, and I think he will be a tremendous NFL player. Ingram might have fallen because teams didn’t know where to play him.

San Diego will put him on the field and watch him become one of its best players.

There is no way he should have fallen. The fact that Seattle took Bruce Irvin at No. 15 and bypassed a stellar player such as Ingram is a joke and a gift to San Diego.

Kudos to San Diego general manager A.J. Smith for staying patient and letting the board fall to him. There were reports the Chargers could try to trade up for Alabama safety Mark Barron. To me, Ingram is just as much of an impact player, who fills San Diego’s greatest need as a pass-rusher.

Folks, the three other AFC West teams will be hard-pressed to have a better draft because of this one pick alone.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Monday that the Chargers are trying to trade up to take Alabama safety Mark Barron.

For what it’s worth, I heard the rumblings a couple of times, too. Barron looks likely to go in the 12-to-16 range in the first round, meaning that there isn’t much of a chance he will be around when the Chargers draft at No. 18. A trade up could cost a third-round pick and the No. 18 pick or a similar package.

If Barron is the apple of Chargers general manager A.J. Smith’s eye, a trade is likely necessary. We all know Smith is not scared to move up. He’s done it before and I can see him doing it again.

In other AFC West news:

NFL.com reported that the Broncos could still trade for Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel. The Broncos reportedly tried to get Samuels last week, but talks with Samuel about a new deal stalled; perhaps they will reignite. The price for Samuels is expected to be a late-round pick.

The NFL boosted the number of roster spots for the beginning of training camp from 80 to 90. That means each team will probably sign more undrafted free agents. The in-season 53-man roster remains.

Jacksonville cut safety Darcel McBath. He was cut by Denver last year being a second-round pick in 2009. Josh McDaniels’ first draft in Denver was a disaster.

Will the Chiefs draft a receiver with Dwayne Bowe's future unsettled?

The Chargers began their offseason program Monday.

The Raiders had a solid turnout at a voluntary minicamp. These are considered voluntary, but teams highly encourage players to attend, so attendance is usually pretty strong.

These were not the results I was expecting in our Blogger Mock Draft Live held Monday.

However, I feel pretty good about the players we pegged to come to the AFC West. Each divisional blogger was in charge of picking for each team in their division in the first round. I based my decisions on value of the picks and what I thought the decision makers on each team would do in that situation.

Let’s review the film:

Kansas City: I was tempted to try to move up to No. 7 to take Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. I could see the Chiefs doing it, but I’m just not sure they want to spend what it takes to get him, so I stayed at No. 11. I would have taken Boston College middle linebacker Luke Kuechly, but he went two spots earlier. In the end, I chose Stanford guard David DeCastro. I think he was the best value player at the spot and he would be an instant impact player on the offense. Many scouts believe DeCastro will be a perennial Pro Bowl player. It’s time to make that Kansas City O-line special again.

San Diego: I think San Diego general manager A.J. Smith will be willing to do anything. When South Carolina pass-rusher Melvin Ingram dropped, I started to work on a trade up. I was talking to NFC West blogger Mike Sando about a deal for Ingram at No. 12 with Seattle in case he fell. But in an intra-division deal, James Walker had the Jets give a load to Buffalo to take Ingram at No. 10. Then, when North Carolina pass-rusher Quinton Coples fell, I hit the phones again. I was close to a deal with AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky at No. 15, but he wanted more and he wanted to make a decision, so talks stalled. When the No. 18 pick came around, I went with Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower over pass-rushers such as Syracuse’s Chandler Jones or Illinois’ Whitney Mercilus. I picked Hightower because Smith values talent regardless of need and Hightower was the best player on the board. Todd McShay has him ranked as the No. 13 available player. He is an impact player and he’d be the Chargers’ best inside linebacker. Plus, he is a solid pass-rusher from the inside. It all came down to value.

Denver: In our previous blogger mock draft, LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers fell to Denver at No. 25. He was taken at No. 14 by Dallas this time. There was a chance Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe was going to be there, but, predictably, Pittsburgh took him at No. 24. I then considered trading the pick or taking Georgia Tech receiver Stephen Hill. In the end, I went for need and value and took Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy. He is a good player who will start right away and McShay has him ranked as the No. 22 player available. If this is the way the draft falls on Thursday, I can see the Broncos trading down a few spots and still getting Worthy.

Oakland does not have its pick (No. 17). It was sent to Cincinnati in a package for quarterback Carson Palmer.

With the NFL draft starting in six days, there are many interesting storylines involving the AFC West. Let’s take a look:

Will the Chiefs make a big move up? The Kansas City Chiefs could become the story of the division with a move up for Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. There has been recent buzz that the Chiefs may be one of the teams interested in moving up for Tannehill. If he is available at No. 7 (Miami may take Tannehill at No. 8), I could see the Chiefs jumping in the mix. Jacksonville, which has the No. 7 pick, probably would be willing to part with the pick or the Chiefs could take a risk and hope he falls to No. 11. Tannehill is the only attainable quarterback who could immediately press Matt Cassel.

Will a second-day quarterback be on the way? I think a Friday storyline could be the addition of a second-tier quarterback in the division. If the Chiefs don’t take Tannehill, they could take a quarterback in the second or third round, and Denver could take one on the second day as well. The quarterbacks available on the second day probably will be Oklahoma State’s Brandon Weeden, Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins, Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler and Arizona’s Nick Foles. Kansas City could look at any of the four and Denver is probably in the mix for all but Weeden. He will soon turn 29, and with Peyton Manning in Denver, I don’t think the Broncos will take an older quarterback.

Will there be a Manning factor? The Chiefs and Chargers could both opt to use their first-round picks on defensive players. With Manning entering the division, focusing on defense may be the right call in Kansas City and San Diego.

Will there be a changing of the guard? Stanford’s David DeCastro is considered one of the best guard prospects in the past several years and he is considered a sure thing. Both the Chiefs and Chargers are considered teams that could land DeCastro.

Will the Raiders make a move up? The Raiders don’t pick until No. 95, the final pick of the third round. Oakland could move up to get a better prospect, but I wouldn’t think Oakland would move too far up the draft. Sooner or later, the team must stop mortgaging future picks, and I think new Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie gets that. I’d expect him to suck it up and deal with what he has this year for the most part.

Will the Chiefs add a running back? There was early talk Kansas City could make a play for Alabama’s Trent Richardson, which could require a move up to No. 5. That may not be a likely scenario. However, the Chiefs could still take a running back in the early rounds. Jamaal Charles is coming off a torn ACL and Peyton Hillis signed a one-year deal. The Chiefs have been visiting with running backs, so I could see them taking one at some point.

Will the Chargers and Broncos take a running back early? There have been projections that both Denver and San Diego could take a running back as early as the second round. I’d think Denver is the more likely of the two teams to take a running back early. Boise State’s Doug Martin, Virginia Tech’s David Wilson, Miami’s Lamar Miller and Oregon’s LaMichael James are all possibilities.

Will A.J. Smith make a splash? The Chargers probably will have to make the playoffs for San Diego general manager A.J. Smith and coach Norv Turner to keep their jobs. The Chargers have been aggressive in free agency and they have always been aggressive in the draft. I could see the Chargers taking a chance and moving up for the right impact player.

Will Denver take a defensive tackle? The Broncos haven’t taken a defensive tackle since 1997 when they took Trevor Pryce. It is the team’s greatest need. However, if players such as LSU’s Michael Brockers and Mississippi State’s Fletcher Cox are gone by No. 25, Denver may opt for another position or trade down rather than reach for another defensive tackle prospect.

Will the Raiders be a draft factor? The Raiders only have five picks, but I think they can still get a couple of developmental players. It may be too much to ask for the Raiders to find instant impact players, but I think McKenzie will salvage this class.

Will the Chargers reach for their top need? The Chargers badly need an impact pass-rusher, but it isn’t a deep class. By the time the No. 18 picks rolls around, the top pass-rushing prospects -- South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram, North Carolina’s Quinton Coples and Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw -- all may be gone. The next level of players include Syracuse’s Chandler Jones, USC’s Nick Perry and Illinois’ Whitney Mercilus. Many scouts think taking those players at No. 18 may be too high. So, the Chargers could be on the move down if that scenario develops.

Will the Chiefs be swayed by Poe’s beauty? Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe is a high-risk, high-reward player. He has all the measurables and he has big potential. But he has unimpressive game tape against second-level competition. Many teams are leery of taking him. The Chiefs could use him, but with a recent history of taking under-achieving defensive linemen, can Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli take the risk?

Another Georgia Tech receiver in Denver? If the Broncos bypass a defensive tackle at No. 25, they could look to give Manning another weapon. A name to keep an eye on is Georgia Tech’s Stephen Hill. The Broncos have been scouting him and they wouldn’t mind adding another former Georgia Tech receiver. Denver took Demaryius Thomas out of the school with the No. 22 pick in 2010.

Will Golden Domers head to the beach? Two players Smith likes a lot are Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd and safety Harrison Smith. Floyd could require a trade up and Smith could be a candidate via a trade down. Don’t be surprised if one of the two ends up a Charger.

Is Josh Chapman AFC West bound? One of the underrated players on a strong Alabama defense is versatile defensive tackle Josh Chapman, a fit for both 4-3 and 3-4 defenses. He has visited both the Raiders and the Chiefs and could be a target of any team in the division in the third round.

Here are some highlights from our AFC West chat, which was held earlier Thursday:

DENVER

CJ from Boulder, Colo.: Any chance the Broncos look at Peter Konz if their top DT is no longer on the board? I've heard that [J.D.] Walton was the worst rated starting center last year.

Bill Williamson: I think the team is OK with Walton and he is already working with Manning.

KANSAS CITY

Paul from K.C.: Do you think there is anything to the rumors the chiefs might trade up to 7 for Ryan Tannehill

BW: I think they will be able to do it, I'm just not sure they want to. If they are sold on Tannehill, they will do it. If they are merely interested in him, they'll let him fall to No. 11. I know that is vague, I'm just not sure the Chiefs are in love with him. If they are, they should go for it, because they may not know when their best chance to get a top QB prospect yet.

OAKLAND

Paul from Trenton: Do you think Oakland might be interested in Cedric Benson behind [Darren] McFadden if he continues to receive almost no interest and would play for at or near the league minimum?

BW: He is part of that vet RB group. I could see the fit. I like him. I think it could be a nice fit, but then again, I think he could also help Denver and San Diego.

SAN DIEGO

Mark from San Diego: Do you see the Chargers trading down in the 1st round? Seems a lot of players they are interested in could be available in the 25 pick range.

BW: I bet A.J. Smith goes to the draft not knowing what he is going to do. He is open to moving up, staying at No. 18 or moving down. It will be determined on the clock.

A majority of San Diego Chargers fans we polled do not want to see general manager A.J. Smith mortgage the future even though he is going into a pivotal season.

Our AFC West poll asked if the Chargers should move up from the team’s No. 18 pick? If they miss the playoffs for a third straight season, the Chargers will likely make wholesale changes. Smith and coach Norv Turner will likely be sent packing, something many expected would happen after last season. The Chargers did a nice job in free agency recently, as they signed 15 players.

As of 2 p.m. ET Wednesday, 61 percent of the votes cast don’t want the Chargers to move way up in the draft if it means giving up future picks while 39 percent of the votes were fine with the idea.

I could see the Chargers moving up if the right player is available. But I don’t think they should move up out of desperation. I don’t that will be the case since that's not how Smith operates. Thanks to everyone who voted.

One of the more difficult draft minds to predict belongs to San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith.

Smith has made plenty of first-round picks made by that have been under the radar. Few expected him to take Illinois defensive end Corey Liuget last season or Northern Illinois pass-rusher Larry English in 2009.

Don’t be surprised if Smith springs another surprise this year with the Chargers' No. 18 pick.

A lot of people (myself included) think the Chargers will take a pass-rusher such as Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw, Illinois’ Whitney Mercilus, Syracuse’s Chandler Jones or USC’s Nick Perry or an offensive lineman such as Stanford’s David DeCastro or Georgia’s Cordy Glenn.

But I think it would be a mistake to simply think in such a limited scope.

If Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd is available, I could see him being the choice despite the heavy focus on receivers in free agency. Floyd is a special talent and the Chargers like him.

San Diego could also draft a cornerback such as Alabama’s Dre Kirkpatrick or South Carolina's Stephon Gilmore. Cornerback isn’t a major need area, but if the Chargers like a certain player there, a case could be made.

I know the Chargers like their inside linebackers, so maybe Smith will nab Alabama’s Dont'a Hightower. Why can’t an impact defender be a classic inside 3-4 linebacker?

What does this all mean?

We’re dealing with Smith and that means everything is on the table, pressing needs or not.

The San Diego Chargers need to win now.

If they miss the playoffs for a third straight season, the Chargers will likely make wholesale changes. General manager A.J. Smith and coach Norv Turner will likely be sent packing, something many expected would happen after last season.

The Chargers did a nice job in free agency recently, as they signed 15 players. Do you think the Chargers should go big in the draft and try to move up from No. 18 to take an elite player?

Trading into the top 10 to take a player such as South Carolina pass-rusher Melvin Ingram, North Carolina pass-rusher Quinton Coples or Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe could require parting with a future No.1 pick.

Smith has been aggressive in the past in moving up in the draft. With a need for an impact defender and the need to win now, Smith could be tempted to play loosely with a future pick. Do you think he should? Vote in our poll and express your opinion in the comments section below. We will review the poll results Wednesday.