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With Peyton Manning coming and Tim Tebow going out, the Broncos still are not settled at the quarterback position.

Who is going to be Manning's backup?

Denver could always opt to keep Tebow, but ESPN has reported the team will try to trade him. They may even release him if they don’t find a trade partner.

The matter of Manning’s backup is significant. Manning passed the Broncos’ physical and he has been cleared to play in 2012 after missing all of last season with a neck injury. But there has to be a backup plan.

There aren’t too many great options out there. The top backup options are Byron Leftwich, Matt Leinart, Charlie Batch Donovan McNabb, Vince Young, Billy Volek, Josh Johnson and Dennis Dixon. Of that group, I think Volek -- who was released by the Chargers last week -- could be the best option. He is a serviceable player in a pinch.

Denver could always draft a quarterback to groom behind Manning. Manning, who turns 36 Saturday, probably has at least three solid seasons remaining in him if his neck holds up.

It might be a little early to draft a quarterback in the early rounds and I think Denver is now out of the Brandon Weeden mix. Denver has closely scouted him, but he will be 29 during the season. There is little chance Denver will take a quarterback who may not be in the position to start until he is well in his 30s.

After spending 14 years in Indianapolis as the face of the Colts, Peyton Manning is poised to join the Denver Broncos.

Manning will turn 36 on Saturday. Thanks to ESPN Stats & Information, here is a list of other notable quarterbacks who changed teams late in their careers:

Norm Van Brocklin

Traded to the Eagles after playing nine seasons for the Rams. Won the NFL title in 1951 with L.A., then finished his career in 1960 leading the Eagles to the NFL championship.

Fran Tarkenton

Traded from Vikings to Giants in 1967 and back to Vikings in 1972. Multiple draft picks were involved each time.

Johnny Unitas

Purchased by the Chargers prior to the 1973 season after 17 illustrious seasons in Baltimore. Lasted only five games with the Chargers before retiring.

Joe Namath

Signed with the Rams after being waived by the Jets in 1977. Played only four games in L.A.

• Twelve seasons with Jets
• Record of 2-2 in one season as the Rams' starter in 1977

Joe Montana

Traded from 49ers to Chiefs in 1993 for a first-round draft choice. Played two seasons with Chiefs, taking them to 1993 AFC Championship Game.

• Thirteen seasons with 49ers
• Record of 17-8 in 2 seasons as Chiefs starter in 1993-94 (lost conference championship game in 1993)

Drew Bledsoe

Traded from Patriots to Bills in 2002 for a first-round draft choice. With Tom Brady taking over in New England, Bledsoe was dealt to a division rival where he started every game in three seasons with the Bills.

Brett Favre

Traded to Jets after 16 seasons in Green Bay. Spent one year with the Jets before joining Minnesota for two seasons.

• 9-7 with Jets in 2008 (led NFL with 22 interceptions)
• 17-12 in 2 seasons as Vikings starter in 2009-10 (lost Conference Championship game in 2009)

Donovan McNabb

Traded to Redskins after 11 seasons with Philadelphia. Spent one season in Washington before going to Minnesota.

There’s no doubt Carson Palmer was the best available quarterback for the Oakland Raiders, who are trying to keep their playoff hopes alive in the aftermath of losing Jason Campbell, possibly for the season, to a broken collarbone.

But the question that will define the Raiders for the next few years is: Is Palmer worth the steep price the Raiders paid Cincinnati to get him?

The Raiders sent the Bengals their first-round pick in 2012 and a conditional pick in 2013 -- a pick that will be a first-rounder if the Raiders win the AFC title game this season or next. (If they don't, the 2013 pick is a second-rounder.) That is a huge commitment for a player who will turn 32 this year, hasn’t played since last season and has been in decline.

Yet the Raiders, who had Vince Young as their backup plan to Palmer, think Palmer is the best quarterback for them as they move forward. A lot of it has to do with the familiarity between Palmer and Oakland coach Hue Jackson. Jackson coached Palmer both at USC and in Cincinnati.

Palmer has a big arm, and he’s accurate. He should benefit from the Raiders’ athletic group of young receivers. Plus, Oakland has the NFL’s best rushing team.

But can he still be productive?

Palmer, who has completed 62.9 percent of his career passes, struggled in 2010. He threw 20 interceptions. His 23 turnovers were the fourth most among all NFL quarterbacks, according to ESPN Stats & Information. His last statistically strong season was in 2007, the season before he missed 12 games with a serious elbow injury. Jackson last coached Palmer in 2006.

Palmer’s completion percentage, yards per attempt, yards per game and touchdown-to-interception ratio have slipped in the past three years, according to ESPN Stats & Information. From 2004 to '07, Palmer threw 104 touchdowns. He has thrown 50 touchdown passes the past three seasons combined. Palmer's Total QBR for 2010 was 46.2, good for 25th best in the NFL.

Since 2008, Palmer has struggled against seven or more defenders in coverage, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He's averaged 6.5 yards per attempt in those situations, which is 29th best in the NFL.

Campbell was efficient in the Raiders' offense because he was a good game manger and didn’t make many mistakes. Palmer will have to improve on his recent spate of poor decision-making. The trade is risky considering the price it cost Oakland -- veterans such as Kyle Orton and Donovan McNabb likely could have been had for much less.

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. doesn’t think Palmer is a top player anymore.

“Palmer does fit the offense, and I think he might, might, be an upgrade over Campbell,” Williamson said. “But I think Oakland way overpaid for an older quarterback that really has not played well for the past few years. He used to be an elite passer, but I haven’t seen that in quite a while. He doesn’t move well. I do think a change of scenery will help him. But he also had led the league in near-interceptions, and his decision-making is just average. He isn’t close to what he once was.”

The Oakland Raiders are Hue Jackson’s team.

One of the biggest questions in the NFL since the Oct. 8 death of Al Davis has been who would lead the Raiders? Davis, the most hands-on owner in sports, had held control of the franchise since the 1960s. The answer is their 45-year-old rookie head coach.

The Raiders' trade for Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer shows that Jackson has been the given the power to do what he thinks Oakland needs to do.

After looking through an awful list of available quarterbacks (Todd Bouman, Todd Collins, Trent Edwards and Josh McCown were among those the Raiders considered) and deciding against going with backup Kyle Boller, Jackson plucked the flashiest quarterback left. Jackson coached Palmer at USC and in Cincinnati, and he's clearly the player Jackson thinks can keep the 4-2 Raiders in the playoff mix after Jason Campbell broke his collarbone.

The price is steep. The Raiders are sending their first-round pick in 2012 and a conditional first (and at least a second-round pick) in 2013 to the Bengals. The 2013 pick becomes a first-round choice if the Raiders win their first playoff game in nine years this season.

This is an extremely risky deal. Palmer will turn 32 this season and he has been in a decline. The Raiders probably could have gotten veterans Kyle Orton or Donovan McNabb for much cheaper than the rusty Palmer, who hasn't played this season. The trade means Oakland doesn’t have a pick until the fifth round next year (although it probably will get a couple of compensatory picks, which start at the end of the third round, for lost free agents), and it puts the Raiders in a tight salary-cap spot.

I’m sure Jackson is not worried about the trade risks. In his first six games as the head coach in Oakland, Jackson has made several aggressive calls and often pulls out trick plays. This is how Jackson rolls, by rolling the dice. If Palmer is awful and the Raiders don’t make the playoffs, this trade will be Jackson’s legacy in Oakland.

But the point is, Jackson has been given the opportunity to make a legacy pick. This is a tremendous opportunity and responsibility for a man who was brought to Oakland to be the offensive coordinator in 2010. Since Davis’ death, Jackson has said Davis trained him to make personnel decisions, and Jackson has made it clear in the past week-plus that he is the leader of the organization.

There have been reports that Davis’ son, Mark Davis, would look to hire a general manager, probably after the season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported that Mark is relying on advice from former Raiders employees and Al Davis confidantes John Madden, Ron Wolf and Ken Herock.

Jackson said Monday that every decision he makes includes input from Mark and Raiders CEO Amy Trask. It will be Mark who ultimately decides the structure of the Raiders’ front office. But it is clear the first person to get the chance to lead the Raiders is Jackson and, if his moves work out, he probably will stay in the power chair.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Todd Haley, Kansas City Chiefs coach: Haley is reportedly on the hot seat after the Chiefs have looked as bad as any team in the NFL in the first two weeks. The Chiefs have been outscored 89-10. Haley was a coach of the year candidate last season when he led the Chiefs to a 10-6 record, but there has been talk he could be bounced during the season. His fall has been swift and hard.

2. The Oakland Raiders' decision not to re-sign Nnamdi Asomugha: I know the Raiders couldn’t retain all of their free agents, but they didn’t make a huge push to keep Asomugha, one of the best defensive players in the league. He is now with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Raiders’ defense betrayed them in Buffalo; the Buffalo Bills scored five touchdowns in the second half. Having Asomugha surely could have changed things.

3. The San Diego Chargers' pass defense: A week after allowing Donovan McNabb to throw for 39 yards in the air, San Diego was ravaged by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in Foxborough. Brady threw for 423 yards and completed a team record 23 first downs by the air. The Chargers’ pass defense was no challenge for Brady.

RISING

1. The John Fox era in Denver: The Denver Broncos are now 1-1 and are tied with Oakland and San Diego for first place in the AFC West. Fox got his first win in Denver when the Broncos outlasted the Bengals, 24-22. The Broncos were out of sorts and sloppy in Week 1. Fox has to feel good to right the ship and improve in running the ball and stopping the run (his staples) against the Bengals.

2. Eric Decker, Denver receiver: The second-year receiver is a playmaker. He had five catches and two touchdowns in the Broncos’ win. He had a punt return for a score in Week 1. Decker has the look of a player who can help the Broncos for years to come.

3. Jason Campbell, Oakland quarterback: Campbell is showing improvement in Oakland. He threw for more than 320 yards at Buffalo and showed he can keep this team in games. If Campbell can continue to improve, Oakland will stick around all season.

I’m making the cross-country trek to Boston for Sunday’s intriguing AFC matchup between the Chargers and the New England Patriots.

I have a feeling it will be worth the miles.

This is a matchup of two teams that a have a pretty interesting history against each other. Each are coming off of Week 1 wins. This is far from a must-win for the Chargers, but it’s a barometer game for Norv Turner’s bunch.

San Diego held Minnesota’s Donovan McNabb to 39 yards passing last week. The challenge toughens this week when the Chargers face Tom Brady. You know, the guy who tossed for 517 yards at Miami in Week 1.

If the Chargers can knock a couple hundred yards off Brady’s total, they may have a shot. Please join me for pre and post-game coverage in addition to a live chat during the game. I will also have coverage of all of the AFC West action in Week 2.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 2:

1. Brady is no McNabb: I hope the San Diego Chargers enjoyed their defensive romp against the pass in Week 1, when Donovan McNabb completed only seven passes for 39 yards. The party is over. San Diego’s pass defense needs to ramp it up against New England and Tom Brady. He threw for 517 yards at Miami in Week 1. The Chargers won't be able to simply pin back their ears and try to stop the run. This week, they must stop the pass first.

2. Attack New England’s DBs: The good news for San Diego, though, is that Philip Rivers is no Chad Henne. The Miami quarterback shredded the New England secondary, which has been in flux this season, for 416 yards Monday night. That has to entice the Chargers. It all starts with the pass in San Diego’s offense. Seeing a lesser quarterback than Rivers succeed against New England certainly will give the Chargers confidence going into the game.

3. Stop Suh: Kansas City center Casey Wiegmann has the fourth-longest active starting streak in the NFL. He has started 160 straight games. This week is no time for him to take a break. Wiegmann, the anchor of the Chiefs’ offensive line, will be in charge of finding a way to stop Lions star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. In just his second season, Suh is considered one of the best all-around defensive players in the NFL. The Chiefs’ offensive line had its troubles against Buffalo last week in a 34-point loss. It will be up to Wiegmann to find a way to keep Suh from disrupting the Chiefs’ entire offensive scheme.

4. Oakland needs energy boost: We should find out early Sunday whether the Oakland Raiders have a chance to start the season 2-0. It’s been a short, hard week for the Raiders. They played a game at Denver on Monday night that ended after midnight and arrived home in the wee California hours. Then, they practiced at 10 a.m. PT during the week to adjust to the East Coast start time Sunday. The Raiders are flying cross-country Friday to get settled in Western New York. That is a lot of air travel in a short time for an NFL team. If the Raiders come out sluggish, in what should be an energetic home opener for the Bills after their big win against the Chiefs, we’ll know why.

5. Can the John Fox way get rolling against the Bengals? The John Fox era in Denver didn’t begin the way he wanted. Fox wants to cram the ball down opponents' throats, and he wants to stop the run on defense. Neither happened against Oakland. The Broncos had just 39 yards rushing and allowed 190 yards on the ground. It might not get easier in Week 2, either. Cincinnati did well running the ball and stopping the run in its win over the Browns. The Bengals ran for 139 yards, which was the ninth best in the NFL. On defense, the Bengals allowed 83 yards rushing, which was 14th best. Those are solid numbers. Somehow, Fox has to find a way to play his way, or he could be danger of going 0-2 in his first two games in Denver.

I’m on my way to San Diego to cover the Chargers’ season opener against Donovan McNabb in his Minnesota Vikings’ debut.

I look forward to seeing if the high-powered Chargers can start fast. Starting slow has been an issue for the Chargers, of course. Coach Norv Turner said the key for San Diego is not to turn the ball over, so let’s see if the Chargers can take care of the football and ultimately take care of business.

I will participate in a live chat during the game and I will also have plenty of pre and post-game coverage. I will also have coverage of the Kansas City’s home game against Buffalo.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 1:

Can Raiders keep streak alive? The Raiders were the kings of intra-division games last season when they went 6-0 in the AFC West. The problem was, Oakland went 2-8 outside of the division and finished in third place in the AFC West. Still, the Raiders open Monday night’s game at Denver -- the back end of an ESPN "Monday Night Foobtall" doubleheader -- with a seven-game divisional winning streak, dating to a 2009 win at Denver. It is the longest current division winning streak in the NFL.

McNabb likes to bombs away against Chargers: In 2009, when new Minnesota quarterback Donovon McNabb last faced San Diego as a member of the Eagles, he threw 55 passes. In his previous meeting against San Diego, in 2005, McNabb unleashed 54 passes. It was his highest pass total of both seasons. It's doubtful McNabb, 34, will throw that many passes in his first game as a Viking. But the Chargers will be prepared for him to throw at will.

59-14 not on John Fox: A lot has been made this week of Oakland’s 59-14 win at Denver last year. Forty-five point road wins aren’t every-season occurrences. New Denver coach John Fox has dealt with a lot of questions about it, but, ironically, that day was a good day for Fox in a mostly miserable 2010. On Oct. 24, Fox’s Carolina Panthers beat San Francisco for their first win of the season after five straight losses. The Panthers won one more game.

Keep an eye on Merriman: There is excitement in Buffalo about former San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman. He's healthy and has looked good this summer. The Bills are hoping Merriman, 27, will resemble the player who had a total of 39.5 sacks in his first three NFL seasons and not the player who had four sacks in his past three season combined. Regardless of his past three years, which were marred by major injuries, the Chiefs will be aware of Merriman. They’ve seen him at his best. Merriman has six sacks in nine career games against the Chiefs. He had three sacks in a game against the Chiefs in 2007 and two sacks in a game against the Chiefs during his rookie season.

Bad Raiders’ streaks: A Raiders win wouldn’t just extend their division winning streak, it would end some nasty streaks as well. The Raiders haven’t won in Week 1 since 2002 against Seattle. It's the longest current Week 1 losing skid in the NFL. The Raiders also have lost 11 straight prime-time games.

Let’s look at some early morning notes before we gear up for another busy day on Wednesday. You know, later today.

• The Raiders aren’t just talking to San Francisco safety Dashon Goldson. They are also in talks with Baltimore tackle Jared Gaither. He is a talented player who could help Oakland’s young offensive line. He’d be the Raiders’ best offensive lineman. Gaither played for Hue Jackson and Al Saunders in Baltimore. Gaither would be pricey, but he’s needed in Oakland.

• The San Diego Union Tribune reported the Chargers cut linebacker Jyles Tucker and receiver Buster Davis and that linebacker Antwan Applewhite will soon join Tucker on the outside. Tucker was given a contract extension three years ago and the Chargers thought he would become a premier pass rusher. But he couldn’t stay healthy. That’s been the case with Davis, a former first-round pick. It’s been expected that he will be cut. The moves will be made official Thursday.

• It’s being reported that Washington is close to dealing quarterback Donovan McNabb to Minnesota for a sixth-round pick and a conditional future sixth-round pick. This would take the Vikings out of the mix for Denver quarterback Kyle Orton. I don’t think, however, it would affect Orton’s value. McNabb and Orton are in different situations and Orton has more value at this point.

• Now that San Diego has signed Takeo Spikes, Green Bay inside linebacker Nick Barnett likely is out of the picture there. Barnett could attract interest in Kansas City, though.

• The Denver Post reports the Broncos are trying to re-sign defensive tackle Marcus Thomas. He’d help a thin position.

• The Chiefs agreed to terms with backup defensive back Travis Daniels.

• Here are San Diego’s 19 undrafted free agents: Arizona C Colin Baxter, Texas Tech LB Bront Bird, Auburn DE Mike Blanc, Arkansas CB Ramon Broadway, Maryland WR Adrian Cannon, South Carolina FB Patrick DiMarco, Georgia LB Darryl Gamble, TCU DT Kelly Griffin, Washington T Cody Habben, Kansas State CB Stephen Harrison, Cincinnati WR Vidal Hazelton, Oklahoma WR Cameron Kenney, Minnesota-Duluth RB Isaac Odim, Colorado WR Travon Patterson, Boston College DE Damik Scafe, Whittier WR Giovanni Stanley, Baylor TE Brad Taylor, Oregon T Bo Thran and Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien.

Mid-week mail call:

John from Englewood, Colo., wants to know if the Denver Broncos trade quarterback Kyle Orton and make Tim Tebow the starter, who I think it is the best fit as a mentor to Tebow, Jake Delhomme or Mark Brunell.

Bill Williamson: It’s not what I think that’s important, John, but it’s what new Denver coach John Fox thinks. If Orton is traded and Tebow is the starter, I think Denver will look for a veteran backup. If Delhomme ends up leaving Cleveland, I would think he’d be the favorite to be Tebow’s mentor. Fox and Delhomme have a long history together in Carolina and there is a mutual respect. I think it’d be a natural fit.

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Jeff from Stamford, Conn., wants to know if the Chiefs would replace Matt Cassel with Donovan McNabb?

BW: No, I don’t see it. The Chiefs like Cassel and they are going to give him a few more years to prove himself. The Chiefs think Cassel has yet to reach his prime and they will work hard with him to help him improve. But the team did take Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi in the fifth round with an eye toward the future. But the immediate future in Kansas City revolves around Cassel.

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David from Loveland, Colo., wants to know if the longer the lockout lasts, does it increase Nnamdi Asomugha's chances of re-signing with Oakland?

BW: In a way, yes. If a new collective bargaining agreement is worked out in the next month or so, I don’t think the timing will have much effect on Asomugha’s future or any other free agent. But if the lockout extends well into the season and the season is cut in half, I’m not sure what would happen. There has even been talk that potentially all the prospective free agents will be property of their 2010 teams in some scenarios. It’s hard to believe, but, yes, the longer the lockout goes, the more complicated free agency gets.

There wasn't a debate in the Carolina Panthers’ draft room in 2002.

The Panthers’ brain trust was certain it had identified the player who best fit their needs. All they had to do was wait to see what direction the one team in front of them would take.

“It was stressful because we knew what we wanted, but we still had to wait,” former Panthers executive Tony Softli said. “At No. 2, you can almost control what you want to do, but not totally.”

Softli and the rest of the Carolina brass were overjoyed when the Houston Texans used the No. 1 pick to take quarterback David Carr. That left the Panthers to take their top choice, and they grabbed defensive end Julius Peppers. They survived their short wait.

That was John Fox’s first year as the Panthers’ coach. That experience of having the No. 2 pick ended happily for Fox. Will it happen again? In his first season as the Denver Broncos’ coach, Fox also has the No. 2 pick.

“Knowing John, he’ll want defense,” Softli said. “We’ll see what happens with picking at No. 2 again.”

The Broncos have been busy this offseason studying players at several positions in their attempt to get it right at No. 2. The only team in Denver’s way is Carolina, which has the No. 1 pick. No matter what the Panthers do with the No. 1 pick, the Broncos know they must get this pick right. The Broncos were 4-12 in 2010 and haven’t made the playoffs since 2005. They need an infusion of talent.

“We know that the key thing is -- and we have talked about the fact that we have to be good in the draft -- we cannot miss in the draft, especially with where we are,” said John Elway, the Broncos' new vice president of football operations. “We have to be dead on. … We cannot miss in the draft. We have to be good there.”

Added Fox: "There'll be a player there who's worth that pick in this draft. Some years you don't want to be there, but there's a lot of players there in this draft.”

Softli knows plenty about picking at No. 2. In addition to being in Carolina in 2002, Softli was an executive with the St. Louis Rams in 2008 and 2009 when they had the No. 2 pick.

“Picking No. 2 is a great place to be if there are multiple players to pick from at the spot,” Softli said. “This is a good year to be at No. 2. There are a number of high-quality players. Denver can’t go wrong.”

Softli said it will help the Broncos that there is a chance the Panthers will take a quarterback at No. 1. The Panthers have been linked to Auburn’s Cam Newton and Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert.

The Broncos finished last in the NFL in total defense and points allowed. The draft is stacked with top defensive prospects. If the Panthers take a quarterback, Denver would have its pick of any defensive player on the board.

“I think a great spot to be in is No. 2 and not need a quarterback if there is a top quarterback available,” said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. “The stud quarterback is going No. 1. If you pick No. 2 and you really need a quarterback, you probably aren’t going to get him. But otherwise, it’s a solid place to be.”

There haven’t been many quarterbacks taken at No. 2 in recent history. Since 1990, only three quarterbacks have been taken with the No. 2 pick. Each time, a quarterback was taken No. 1. The last time it has happened was 1999, when Philadelphia took Donovan McNabb at No. 2 after Cleveland took Tim Couch No. 1. In the same time span, a quarterback has been picked at No. 1 12 times.

“Usually, there aren’t two quarterbacks worthy of the first two picks,” Softli said. “So, the presence of a quarterback can really make a difference between one and two. If you pick No. 1 and you need a quarterback, you usually take one. That can help the team picking No. 2.”

While the failures of the team picking No. 1 are most remembered, success at No. 2 has been far from guaranteed. There have been epic failures at No. 2 in the past 20 years. Ryan Leaf, taken by the Chargers in 1998, is considered one of the greatest draft busts in NFL history. The Colts took Peyton Manning at No. 1 that year. Other major busts since 1990 at No. 2 include Jets running back Blair Thomas (1990), Seattle quarterback Rick Mirer (1993, taken after New England drafted Drew Bledsoe) and Detroit receiver Charles Rogers (2003).

There have been plenty of draft hits at No. 2 in the time span. Some of the solid picks in that spot include running back Marshall Faulk (Colts, 1994), McNabb, Peppers, receiver Calvin Johnson (Lions, 2007) and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (Lions, 2010).

Softli was with the Rams last year when they picked No. 1. Softli said he feels there is nearly as much pressure drafting No. 2 as there is at No. 1.

“It’s almost as hard,” Softli said. “I know everyone concentrates on the No. 1 pick, but an owner will look at you funny if you mess up the No. 2 pick, too.”

Weekend mail call:

Danny from San Jose wants to know if Donovan McNabb could end up in Oakland next season.

Bill Williamson: I’ve received a lot of questions about this. It’s a legitimate question. McNabb’s name was connected to the Raiders before he was traded from Philadelphia to Washington last Easter Sunday. The Raiders denied interest, but Oakland did trade for a quarterback -- Washington’s Jason Campbell -- after McNabb was dealt. It looks like McNabb will be available again next offseason. He’s been benched by the Redskins and coach Mike Shanahan said he can’t guarantee McNabb he will return to Washington. Could he end up in Oakland? I think it all depends on Campbell. If Campbell finishes the final three games strong, Oakland will feel good about him moving forward. But if Campbell takes a step back, Oakland may be in the market for a quarterback. McNabb could be one of the better quarterbacks available. It all depends on Campbell.

Bryan from Fort Bragg, NC., wants to know if I think the Chiefs can win the AFC West.

BW:Sure, they are the favorites. If they can win their final three games, the Chiefs will win the division. I wouldn’t be too worried about the loss at San Diego last week. Matt Cassel wasn’t playing and it changed everything. The Chiefs are a fine, young team. This is a team that is getting better and it will be very good next season. If Kansas City makes the playoffs this season, it will spark what should be a strong future.

Mario from Oakland wants to know if I think Champ Bailey could sign with Oakland in the offseason.

BW: Bailey is a prospective free agent and there is a decent chance he will leave Denver. I think Bailey wants to play for a winner while getting fair market value. Even though Bailey will turn 33 next summer, he has played at a high level this season and he will likely be popular on the open market. Oakland has a star cornerback in Nnamdi Asomugha. So, they may want to look at other position -- perhaps offensive line, receiver or linebacker -- for free-agent help even though an Asomugha-Bailey cornerback tandem would be stellar. Still, I think this one may be a long shot pairing.

Michael McKinstry from Glendale, Ariz., wants to know if I think Denver could draft Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck if he comes out.

BW: I don’t see this one being a fit. Carolina will likely end up with the No.1 pick and Luck will likely be the choice if he comes out. Denver is on pace to have the No. 3 pick. Plus, with Kyle Orton coming back next season, Tim Tebow entering his second season and Denver having massive needs on defense, I don’t see Luck ending up in Denver like the last Stanford quarterback who went No.1 in the draft.

Weekend mail call:

Mike from Shamokin, Pa., wants to know which quarterbacks available in 2011 the Raiders could be interested in.

Bill Williamson: Mike, I think you are on the right track. Unless Jason Campbell shows he can be a consistent player in the final five games of the season, Oakland will, at least, bring in some competition for him. Bruce Gradkowski could be re-signed, but he’s probably backup material. He is too injury-prone and too limited to be considered the starter of the future. The problem is, there aren’t many prospective free agents that are intriguing. The list of free-agent quarterbacks is weak as usual. Guys like Kerry Collins, Marc Bulger, Matt Leinart and Brodie Croyle are on the list. Michael Vick will, in all likelihood, return to Philadelphia. That would mean Kevin Kolb might be available through a trade. He might be expensive, and Oakland doesn’t own its first-round pick, which, of course, means the Raiders won’t be in the mix for the top rookie quarterbacks, either. So, right now, the 2011 quarterback options don’t look great for Oakland. But you never know what will happen. There will be some quarterbacks available who we didn’t originally think would be. Did anyone think Jay Cutler and Donovan McNabb would be traded in the past two offseasons? This is a situation worth watching because we know the Raiders will probably be looking at quarterbacks in the offseason again.

Chris from Chicago wants to know my thoughts on Denver’s “spygate” scandal.

BW: I’m not going to get into theories of what did or didn’t happen. The NFL investigated, and it concluded that Denver video director Steve Scarnecchia acted alone. But the team and coach Josh McDaniels were each fined $50,000, in part, because McDaniels didn’t report the incident when he found out. That’s all we know. But I do think the Broncos should be ashamed of the situation, and I think McDaniels is responsible because he is the head coach. He is supposed to know everything that happens in the organization. There is no room for an incident like this in the NFL. I know there are a lot of embarrassed and bothered people in both the Broncos’ organization and around the NFL.

Dylan from Villisca, Iowa, wants to know if Matt Cassel could be in the MVP chase.

BW: He’s an underdog, but he has a shot. Cassel is No. 7 in this week’s MVP Watch on ESPN.com. He’s a candidate for sure. Cassel has 22 touchdowns and has thrown just four interceptions this season for the 7-4 Chiefs, who lead the AFC West by one game. This is how Cassel can win it: The Chiefs would have run the table or lose just once, and he’d have to toss another 15 touchdowns or so. It’s a tall order, but Cassel has been hot lately. It’s not out of the question.

Former Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer retired after the 2006 season and he’s having the time of his life living in his native Idaho.

Still, Plummer is paying attention to the shenanigans of his former coach, Mike Shanahan, who benched Donovan McNabb in Washington last week. Plummer was benched by Shanahan in favor of rookie Jay Cutler in 2006. Plummer said his former coach looks for perfection from his quarterback, and ultimately, that Shanahan is chasing a ghost. Here’s some of what Plummer had to say:

“I had a coach that, regardless of how well I thought I was playing or how well the majority of fans across the country thought I was playing, it was never good enough for him," Plummer said. “And that kind of gets frustrating …It just seemed like every game I could have completed these four more passes or these five more shots here and it would have been perfect. And that just wasn't my personality... But Shanahan wanted perfection and he wore a lot of us down there."

“I think Shanahan is still searching for John Elway," Plummer said. "Somehow, someway, he thinks there's going to be another guy like John Elway … He coached a team to almost perfection [with Elway] so he wanted that again, he wanted that every time we went out there. It's just not realistic."

These words don’t surprise me. Plummer has been critical of Shanahan since his retirement and it was well known that Plummer left the game prematurely because he was disenchanted with Shanahan.

• Meanwhile, it was an expensive day for opponents of AFC West quarterbacks in Week 8.

• Oakland’s Robert Gallery and linebacker Rolando McClain will be writing checks as well for week 8 fines.