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Denver Broncos

The Tim Tebow-Demaryius Thomas connection from last season's playoff win against Pittsburgh might be one of the team's most memorable touchdowns in history, but Thomas wasn't overly nostalgic when Tebow was shipped out to make room for Peyton Manning. Thomas said Thursday that he prefers playing with a prototypical passing quarterback such as Manning. "It's a business decision," Thomas said, via SportsRadioInterviews.com. "I ain't going to say I was sad, because the only thing they remember is that pass. You gotta go back and look at the rest of the games."

Guard Chris Kuper hopes to return to the field by June from the gruesome ankle injury he suffered in the regular-season finale, reports Mike Klis of the Denver Post.

Kansas City Chiefs

CBSSports.com’s Clark Judge breaks down where the Chiefs stand by position group heading toward the draft.

Memphis defensive tackle and combine darling Dontari Poe visited with the Chiefs recently.

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders on Thursday signed Andre Hardy, a former basketball player at Cal State Fullerton and Oral Roberts, to play tight end. Hardy never played college football.

GM Reggie McKenzie would take a pass on the Raiders appearing on HBO's "Hard Knocks," reports CSNBayArea.com's Paul Guttierez. "I like Raider business to stay Raider business, that's all," McKenzie said Wednesday.

San Diego Chargers

GM A.J. Smith has a history of making draft-day trades. Smith has traded at least once in six of nine drafts since becoming general manager in 2003, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune's Michael Gehlken. “We’re wide open,” Smith said Thursday. “We have been always since I’ve been here, and we’ve done everything. We’ve gone up in the attack. We’ve bailed out in the past, and we’ve stayed where we are. It depends on circumstance.”

The team's website takes a look at Alabama cornerback DeQuan Menzie, who says he's open to switching to safety in the pros.

Denver Broncos

After opening the vault to sign Peyton Manning, the Broncos had better get defensive with their draft, writes the Denver Post's Mark Kiszla.

Offensive guard Chris Kuper, who suffered a dislocated ankle in the final regular-season game last season, was on crutches last week and is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

The new CBA features more noncontact times between teams and the players, which could stunt the growth of young quarterbacks, writes the Post's Jeff Legwold.

Kansas City Chiefs

Would the Chiefs trade into the top 10 to draft Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill? Arrowhead Pride's Joel Thorman would not be a fan of such a move.

The Chiefs had a pre-draft visit with Iowa receiver Marvin McNutt.

Oakland Raiders

New Raider Dave Tollefson feels indebted to the club, who gave him his first NFL opportunity in 2007. Tollefson went on to win two Super Bowls with the Giants. "The Raiders allowed me to continue my career in the NFL by sending me to Europe and putting me on the practice squad," Tollefson told reporters Tuesday. "There's a debt there that I feel like I never really got to repay after leaving."

The Raiders almost lost out on Denarius Moore last year after waiting until the fifth round to select the safety whom scout Calvin Branch discovered during the Texas vs. Nation college all-stars game.

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers are one of the toughest teams to project in the first round, according to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.

San Diego’s entire player personnel department began pre-draft meetings at Chargers Park on Tuesday.

Denver Broncos

Denver receiver Eric Decker, a guest on ESPN Radio's "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," says Peyton Manning is throwing great , and that there is "no question" the quarterback's arm strength is sufficient enough to play in an NFL game.

In his monthly offseason mailbag, Mike Klis of the Denver Post says the Broncos could be looking for a running back in the draft.

Arizona State's Brock Osweiler fits Denver's profile for a backup quarterback, writes Jeff Legwold of the Denver Post.

Legwold says starting guard Chris Kuper, who had ankle surgery in January, will be ready for training camp in July.

Kansas City Chiefs

Seventeen college prospects received invites to take part in the Chiefs' local pro day on Tuesday afternoon at the club’s training facility, writes Josh Looney of the team's website.

Chiefs receiver Steve Breaston discussed the Saints' bounty scandal in a radio interview in Kansas City, and Breaston says illegal hits won't end overnight.

Oakland Raiders

New GM Reggie McKenzie told Peter King he's fine with the price the Raiders paid to land quarterback Carson Palmer from the Bengals last season.

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers' class of free agents is an acquired taste, writes Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Now that the Pro Bowl is in the books (17 players from the AFC West played in the game, a wild 59-41 AFC win) let’s take a look at a player from each AFC West team that may be close to securing his first Pro Bowl berth.

Denver, Chris Kuper, guard: Kuper should have already been there. He is an elite player. Opponents, coaches and scouts around the league consider him one of the best guards in football. He is tough, strong and nasty. He is expected to be fully healed from a broken leg he suffered in Week 17.

Kansas City, Brandon Flowers, cornerback: Flowers is also highly respected around the league. He is steadily improving and he is an upper-echelon player. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is finally recognized as a Pro Bowler next season.

Oakland, Jared Veldheer, tackle: The Raiders have several young players who could soon make the Pro Bowl, but I think Veldheer is on the cusp of making the Pro Bowl. He has been terrific and he has dominated some star pass-rushers. Veldheer is on the verge of stardom.

San Diego, Antwan Barnes, linebacker: Barnes has been quite a find for San Diego. Signed off the street in 2010, Barnes has shown flashes of dominance as a pass-rusher. He had 11 sacks last season. Sack artists get a lot of love from Pro Bowl voters. If he had a big season in 2012, he could get a nod.

The following are players to watch for Denver in its wild-card game against visiting Pittsburgh on Sunday:

Quarterback Tim Tebow: Sure, it’s obvious, but Tebow must play better if the Broncos have a chance to pull off the home upset. He has been dreadful the past two weeks and has regressed at an alarming rate. He seems unsure of even cocking back and throwing the ball and he has not been effective as a runner. Tebow has to turn it on in a hurry.

Linebacker Von Miller: Miller’s play has been severely affected by a thumb injury. He is playing with a cast on his right hand and it has essentially made him a one-handed player. The rookie is special. He has to find as way to harass gimpy Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and help his defense. Miller has been subbed for in some run situations in the past couple of games. He has struggled some against the run, especially after his injury.

Guard Russ Hochstein: According to ESPN Stats & Information, Denver was the only team in the NFL to start the same five offensive linemen in all 16 games. That will change in the postseason. The backup is playing for standout guard Chris Kuper. Kuper broke his leg last week. Hochstein is a veteran, but he will have his hands full against the Steelers’ aggressive defensive front.

Cornerback Champ Bailey: He is the heart and soul of this team. He is a future Hall of Famer, and if the Broncos have any chance of winning this game, someone on defense is going to have to step up and make some special plays. Bailey is capable of providing that spark.

The Denver Broncos are bringing back a familiar name for the playoffs.

Denver has signed tackle Ryan Harris after putting guard Chris Kuper on the injured reserve with a broken leg. Denver believes Kuper will definitely be ready for training camp.

Harris signed with Philadelphia as a free agent and he was later cut by the Eagles. Harris will provide depth Sunday against Pittsburgh in a wild-card game.

In other Denver playoff notes:

• Injured Denver safety Brian Dawkins spoke to the team on Monday to let them know the importance of being in the playoffs. Dawkins’ availability Sunday is in question because of a nagging neck injury.
• Denver fullback Spencer Larsen suffered a sprained MCL in his knee and he is likely out for Sunday’s game.
• Denver signed defensive tackle Jeremy Jarmon to a future contract for the 2012 season. He was acquired in a trade with Washington for receiver Jabar Gaffney. He was later cut.
• Denver coach John Fox implored Denver fans not to sell their tickets to Pittsburgh fans on Sunday. This is what Fox said Monday: “We’ve got unique fans here. I would encourage all of them to keep their seats, so to speak, and not sell them to Pittsburgh fans, so our stadium remains as active and loud as it’s been -- more blue and orange as opposed to yellow and gold.” When the Steelers beat Denver in the AFC title game in the 2005 season, the stadium was teeming with Terrible Towels. It did not sit well inside the Denver organization.

DENVER -- The Denver Broncos should be embarrassed.

The Oakland Raiders should be ashamed of themselves.

A weird AFC West season ended in fitting fashion as the two teams that had everything to play for were both completely flat at home and were outplayed by two divisional foes that had nothing to play for. The result of the AFC West upheaval is the Denver Broncos, and floundering quarterback Tim Tebow, are headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2005. Denver will host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Denver, Oakland and San Diego all finished at 8-8. The Broncos won the division on the virtue of tiebreakers. Kansas City finished a game behind at 7-9. The Chargers and Chiefs were eliminated from playoff contention last week, but they appeared to be the motivated teams Sunday.

Kansas City stymied Denver in a 7-3 bore in Denver, and the Raiders were lapped 38-26 by the Chargers in a game that ended minutes after Denver's loss. In Denver, small pockets of fans stayed after the disappointing loss to watch the Raiders lose on the big screen. In Oakland, some fans were chanting “Denver lost” in a desperate attempt to let their heroes know they still had a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002. It was to no avail. Now, Oakland is tied for the second-longest playoff drought in the NFL.

After the game Sunday, Oakland coach Hue Jackson was furious at his players and vowed to be more involved in all phases of the organization next year. Of course, that is not his call. Mark Davis will decide how the team is run and the Raiders will likely try to add to the front office.

In Denver, the Broncos had to beat the Chiefs to make the playoffs. Instead, they had to wait for help. It was a bad day overall for Oakland, which saw its wild-card window close because the early games didn’t fall the right way.

Denver, which lost standout guard Chris Kuper to a broken leg, will stumble into the playoffs on a three-game losing streak. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Denver became the eighth team since the merger to enter the playoffs on a three-game losing streak.

Oakland would surely trade spots. The Raiders were in control of the division at 7-4, but they lost four of their final five games, causing pundits nationally to wonder if trading two premium picks for quarterback Carson Palmer in October was worth it.

At this point, it would be a shock if interim Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel is not made the permanent coach. The Chiefs -- led by former Denver quarterback Kyle Orton in the final three games -- went 2-1 under Crennel, which included handing the Packers their only loss this season. The Chiefs nearly won the division for a second straight year. Kansas City’s players love Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli is a longtime fan.

Unlike Crennel, San Diego coach Norv Turner probably didn’t save his job with a win Sunday. The Chargers failed to make the playoffs for the second straight year and it has been expected that Turner will be fired, perhaps along with general manager A.J. Smith.

However, San Diego owner Dean Spanos told the San Diego Union Tribune on Sunday that he was impressed with the win over the Raiders and he will make up his mind in a couple of days. Expect a decision to be made by midweek.

With Denver moving on, Tebow has to wonder how much support he has going into the postseason. After being the story of the NFL for several weeks, Tebow has regressed terribly in the past two games. He was dreadful Sunday. Tebow completed 6 of 22 passes for 60 yards. He is no longer making an impact as a runner. He had just 16 yards on six carries.

His passes are sailing high and he is taking way too much time in his decision-making. Tebow is 30-for-73 for with four interceptions during Denver’s losing skid. He has lost a fumble in the past five games and there was no fourth-quarter magic as Denver, which won four straight games this season when it trailed in the fourth quarter, couldn’t do anything in four series in the final quarter.

Tebow lost a fumble at the Kansas City 11-yard line on Sunday in a play that was crucial to the Chiefs’ win. Denver simply can’t win with Tebow making these types of mistakes.

After the game Sunday, Denver running back Willis McGahee -- who had a tremendous game with 145 yards rushing on 28 carries -- said the Broncos must find an offensive balance against Pittsburgh and the passing game must pick it up.

“[The Chiefs were] playing just for pride and for us to go out there and play the way we did and expect to do anything in the playoffs, it’s not going to cut it,” Denver cornerback Champ Bailey said.

If Tebow continues to regress next week, the Broncos will likely have to consider what they want to do at quarterback. But the bottom line is, he has another week to impress the brass.

Backing into the playoffs does take some of the shine off a turnaround season for Denver. The truth is, Denver is the division champion and no one expected that when 2011 began.

Three things to know about next week's Pittsburgh Steelers-Denver Broncos wild-card game:

1. Backing in: The Broncos aren’t exactly storming into the playoffs after a six-year break. Denver has lost three straight games after turning around its season with a six-game winning streak. The Broncos are the seventh team in NFL history to make the playoffs on the heels of a three-game skid to end the season. Denver made the playoffs because the San Diego Chargers beat the Oakland Raiders on the road. Denver, Oakland and San Diego all finished 8-8. The Broncos advance to the postseason against the 12-4 Steelers on the merits of a tiebreaker. Unless Denver’s offense and beleaguered quarterback Tim Tebow get out of its doldrums, it will be short postseason ride in the Rockies.

2. Steelers are banged up: The best thing Denver, who lost standout guard Chris Kuper to a potentially bad lower-leg injury Sunday, has going for it is the Steelers are hurting, too. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is not completely healed from an ankle injury. Running back Rashard Mendenhall injured his knee Sunday and will miss the playoff game. Pittsburgh may also be without safety Ryan Clark, who has a rare sickle-cell trait that is affected by high altitudes. He missed a game in Denver in 2009 because he became violently ill during a game against the Broncos in 2007.

3. Bad playoff memories: The last time Denver played in the playoffs was a home loss to the Steelers in the 2005 AFC championship game. The Steelers ran away from Denver early and the game was never close. The Broncos have long rued that blown opportunity to go to the Super Bowl at home. Now, they will try to rekindle their playoff dreams against the same team.

DENVER -- Denver standout guard Chris Kuper was taken off the field on a cart after he suffered what appeared to be a serious lower left leg injury. The team announced he will not rerun.

While it is early in the process, Kuper‘s availability for the postseason is likely in question if Denver wins the division. Russ Hochstein replaced him. Kuper is one of Denver’s best offensive linemen.

The entire Denver offense surrounding the cart before Kuper was taken off the field.

In another nice gesture, former Denver and current Kansas City quarterback Kyle Orton spent some time with Kuper while he was being attended to.

Kansas City kicker Ryan Succop missed a 43-yard field goal. He has missed three of his past four field-goal attempts after he tied a team record with 22 straight field-goal conversions.

San Diego linebacker Antwan Barnes was ejected Sunday after he made contact with an official. He will likely face a stiff fine.

The Pro Bowl teams will be announced Tuesday. Here's a look at some of the candidates for each team in the division:

Denver Broncos:

Players: Champ Bailey (cornerback), Brodrick Bunkley (defensive tackle), Ryan Clady (tackle), Britton Colquitt (punter), Chris Kuper (guard), Willis McGahee (running back), Von Miller (linebacker), Matt Prater (kicker).

Best bets: Bailey, Miller.

Kansas City Chiefs:

Players: Dwayne Bowe (receiver), Brandon Flowers (cornerback), Tamba Hali (linebacker), Derrick Johnson (linebacker), Casey Wiegmann (center).

Best bets: Bowe, Hali, Johnson.

Oakland Raiders:

Players: Tyvon Branch (safety), Michael Bush (running back), Sebastian Janikowski (kicker), Shane Lechler (punter), Marcel Reece (fullback), Richard Seymour (defensive lineman), Kamerion Wimbley (linebacker), Stefen Wisniewski (guard).

Best bets: Janikowski, Lechler, Seymour

San Diego Chargers:

Players: Antwan Barnes (linebacker), Antonio Gates (tight end), Nick Hardwick (center), Vincent Jackson (receiver), Ryan Mathews (running back), Philip Rivers (quarterback), Eric Weddle (safety).

Best bets: Gates, Jackson, Weddle.

There are no surprises on the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos injury reports.

As expected, Oakland will be without receiver Louis Murphy (groin), tight end Kevin Boss (knee) and safety Mike Mitchell (knee). These players have all be out for an extended period and none of them have been expected to play Monday. Boss was brought in to replace Pro Bowl tight end Zach Miller, who bolted to Seattle as a free agent. But we’ll have to wait to see how Boss impacts Oakland’s offense. He will be replaced by Brandon Myers in the starting lineup.

Cornerback Chris Johnson, receivers Chaz Schilens and Derek Hagan and rookie running back Taiwan Joins are among the probable players for Oakland. Expected to see them all play Monday night barring a setback.

Denver didn’t have any surprises, either. Defensive starters Ty Warren (triceps), D.J. Williams (elbow) and Marcus Thomas (shoulder) all will not play. They’ve all been out awhile. Defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley and guard Chris Kuper are among the players Denver listed as probable. They both should play. One interesting note is receiver Demaryius Thomas had a finger injury kept him out of practice Friday. That, in the long term, is good news. Thomas started practicing this week after a suffering ruptured Achilles in February.

Meanwhile, Kansas City cut seventh-round pick Shane Bannon from the practice squad. The Chiefs replaced him with offensive lineman Lucas Patterson.

The Raiders may be on the verge of signing linebacker Tully Banta-Cain. He was released by the Patriots. The Bay Area native had 15 sacks in the past two seasons combined. Banta-Cain, 31, would likely be a depth addition for Oakland.

I asked Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. if he thought Banta-Cain has much left in the tank. Williamson said this: “not much.”

However, Williamson thinks Banta-Cain, who played in a 3-4 defense in New England, could fit in Oakland. The Raiders could use help on the weakside.

“Oakland uses 3-4 outside linebacker types usually for the weakside in their 4-3, so in that regard, he would fit,” Williamson said. “But still, Banta-Cain isn’t much of a space player and he would be a liability in coverage.”

• Denver’s players voted on captains for the season. Here they are offense: quarterback Kyle Orton and guard Chris Kuper; defense: safety Brian Dawkins and cornerback Champ Bailey; special teams: Wesley Woodyard. The coaching staff also names one captain a per game. The coach’s choice for Monday night’s opener against Oakland is defensive end Elvis Dumervil.
• Denver defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley is healthy and he is back on the practice field.
• San Diego receiver Patrick Crayton didn’t practice for a second straight day because of an ankle injury.
• It appears the Chargers’ opener against visiting Minnesota will not be blacked out on local television Sunday.

This is the fifth in our series of position-by-position rankings. It is a little different this season because we’re ranking the players before free agency starts and before rosters are set. We will adjust accordingly as we go along. Onto to a solid group of offensive linemen:

1. Ryan Clady, Denver: Clady was a little rusty early last season due to an offseason knee injury. He is still an upper-echelon player and a cornerstone on a weak Denver team.

2. Nick Hardwick, San Diego: Cagey, tough veteran is the anchor of a strong line.

3. Kris Dielman, San Diego: Big, tough Pro Bowler who is a lot to handle for defensive tackles.

4. Marcus McNeill, San Diego: There’s a reason why the Chargers gave him a long-term deal. He solidifies this line.

5. Ryan Lilja, Kansas City: He was a great addition last year. He helped set the tone for a strong run game and is a real tough guy.

6. Brian Waters, Kansas City: He’s aging, but Waters is still near the top of his game. He’s a great leader.

7. Casey Wiegmann, Kansas City: The Chiefs hope to get one more season out of the steady Wiegmann.

8. Chris Kuper, Denver: He’s an underrated player who gives Clady a lot of help on the line.

9. Louis Vasquez, San Diego: The young guy on the Chargers’ offensive line has been a good fit.

10. Branden Albert, Kansas City: He’s a good, not great, player who needs to improve in 2011.

11. Jeromey Clary, San Diego: Everyone wants the Chargers to replace him, but he’s a gamer.

12. Jared Veldheer, Oakland: Veldheer has a chance to zoom up this list soon. I look forward to seeing him at left tackle for a full season.

13. J.D. Walton, Denver: He got great experience as Denver’s center last season and has potential.

14. Cooper Carlisle, Oakland: Oakland could replace him. But he always gives an honest effort.

15. Barry Richardson, Kansas City: Like Clary, everyone wants to replace him. But Richardson looks like he has another season in him with the Chiefs.

16. Zane Beadles, Denver: Like Walton, Beadles got a lot of great experience as a rookie last season. He’s not great, but he should get better.

Footnote: Veteran Ryan Harris (Denver) and Robert Gallery (Oakland) are expected to leave through free agency and that’s why they are not listed. We are not averse to listing rookies, but we are keeping promising rookies Stefen Wisniewski (Oakland), Orlando Franklin (Denver) and Rodney Hudson (Kansas City) and second-year player Bruce Campbell (Oakland) off this list. I simply want to see each of these guys play before ranking them.

Scouts Inc.'s Matt Williamson looks at AFC West players on the verge of a breakout in 2011.

The switch to the Denver Broncos’ new 4-3 defense might favor Robert Ayers more than any other player on Denver’s roster. The former 2009 first round pick fits his new defensive end role better than playing outside linebacker in the old 3-4 scheme. This 25-year-old could be poised to take a big step in the right direction next season.

Ayers is a sturdy end who can secure the edge in the run game. As of right now, he is better versus the run than the pass, but he does have some upside as a pass-rusher. He should benefit from the attention that Elvis Dumervil will demand on the opposite side on most downs and surely the attention that rookie Von Miller will command as a pass-rusher on throwing downs. When Miller does line up with his hand on the ground, Ayers could potentially take on a Justin Tuck-like role as a tough interior pass-rusher who can out-quick his slower interior offensive line opponent. But so far, Ayers has recorded only one and a half sacks in his three seasons in the league. Obviously that isn’t good enough. If Denver adds a defensive tackle or two in free agency with pass-rush skills, Ayers could find himself as a two-down player.

Both Dumervil (knee) and Ayers (foot) missed time with injuries last season. Before his injury, Ayers was playing very well -- even in his new role at linebacker. But he wasn’t the same when he returned after missing five games in the middle of the season. A fresh Ayers could take a big step forward.

Other players that I considered include Perrish Cox and Chris Kuper. Two wideouts also crossed my mind -- Eddie Royal could certainly rebound well and play like he did as a rookie, and Eric Decker's skill set could make him one of the more reliable receivers in this league before long.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

The beautiful thing about our ESPN.com NFL blog network is that we can steal from each other and the authorities will not be called. It’s the offseason -- anything goes. This stolen idea is so good it’s been lifted twice.

With my finger prints all over this robbery and with another Pro Bowl in the books, let’s take a look at one player from each AFC West team who could soon become a Pro Bowl selection.

I know you all have your opinions as well, so fill up the comment section below on your thoughts for the next Pro Bowl representative from each team:

Denver, Chris Kuper, guard: It’s difficult to crack the Pro Bowl as an offensive lineman, but Kuper is a strong player. He has been in the NFL for five seasons and he is an interior force. He is a very versatile player.

Kansas City, Glenn Dorsey, defensive tackle: There are a lot of young stars-in-the-making in Kansas City and you could go any way. But Dorsey had the kind of season in 2010 that was immediately expected of him when the Chiefs took him with the No. 5 pick in 2010. He has adjusted to the 3-4 defense and he is very disruptive.

Oakland, Marcel Reece, fullback: Like Kansas City, there are plenty of young stars ready to shine in Oakland. I’m going with Reece because he is an out-of-the-box selection. Yes, Darren McFadden is a star and he should have been to the Pro Bowl this season. But so probably should have Reece. He is an offensive spark plug and a favorite of new head coach Hue Jackson. Reece can block, run and catch the ball. He is a tough, smart player who gives Oakland’s offense a hard edge.

San Diego, Antoine Cason, cornerback: Cason finished the season playing at a high level. He and fellow cornerback Quentin Jammer were a big reason why San Diego had the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL. Cason, a first-year starter in 2010 after being a first-round pick in 2008, is a smart, instinctive player who has a nose for the ball. The AFC West is stacked with strong cornerback play and Cason is a name to remember for the long haul.