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Our AFC West positional rankings series continues with a look at a young group of defensive linemen:

1. Corey Liuget, San Diego: This player has a chance to be a superstar.

2. Lamarr Houston, Oakland: A lot will be expected of this talented player on a line in transition.

3. Derek Wolfe, Denver: The Broncos are expecting huge things from this second-year player.

4. Kendall Reyes, San Diego: The same thing goes for Reyes in San Diego. He has great potential.

5. Terrance Knighton, Denver: Jack Del Rio is reunited with this run stuffer. Terrific free-agent addition.

6. Dontari Poe, Kansas City: I wouldn’t be shocked if this player makes a huge jump in Year 2.

7. Sylvester Williams, Denver: The first-round pick has huge potential. He is a good fit for this defense.

8. Tyson Jackson, Kansas City: Former No. 3 overall pick will never be great, but he has value.

9. Mike DeVito, Kansas City: The Chiefs are thrilled about his free-agent pickup. He can play.

10. Vance Walker, Oakland: Free-agent addition was a good rotational player in Atlanta. Gets chance for a bigger role.

11. Pat Sims, Oakland: This could be a very good addition if he can stay healthy.

12. Kevin Vickerson, Denver: Nothing fancy, but Vickerson is a solid part of a good defense.

13. Robert Ayers, Denver: The Broncos need this former first-round pick to contribute with Elvis Dumervil gone.

14. Cam Thomas, San Diego: The Chargers expect a lot from this promising player.

15. Christo Bilukidi, Oakland: I have a feeling he is going to develop quickly.

16. Andre Carter, Oakland: Greatest value may be as a leader, which this young team needs.

17. Jason Hunter, Oakland: Try-hard player could get a lot of playing time.

18. Jack Crawford, Oakland: Second-year player will have a chance to show his value.

The importance of the quarterback in the NFL cannot be understated. It all starts there.

That is particularly true when an offensive-minded coach is starting a new program. That’s why Andy Reid is headed to the seven-week break between the offseason program and training camp in Kansas City feeling so good about his team.

I got a chance catch up with Reid in a telephone interview Friday. I asked him if he thought his program was further along at this point than he might have anticipated.

“I’d say yes and that’s because the quarterbacks can handle everything,” Reid said. “It starts with Alex [Smith]. He has the mental capacity to handle everything we’re doing and that helps everybody … I really like the approach of the entire team. They have had a phenomenal approach.”

He said the volume of work the team has gotten through so far is one of the team’s best accomplishments to date.

Reid addressed some other topics as well:

On the rookies: He said he thinks first-round pick, tackle Eric Fisher, third-round picks tight end Travis Kelce and running back Knile Davis, fourth-round pick, linebacker Nico Johnson and fifth-round pick, defensive back Sanders Commings can all make impacts as rookies.

“I think we have some guys who have a chance to play and have some production,” Reid said.

On left tackle Branden Albert, who recently returned to the team after a short contract squabble: “Branden has done a nice job. He came into camp in shape and that helped. He’s handled it well. He’s a good kid. There’s been no problem.”

On second-year defensive tackle Dontari Poe: “He’s easy to excited about. He’s a big kid. He’s a real big kid. He is very athletic. He’s very intelligent. He wants to be the best. He has a strong work ethic. I think he is going to be a heck of a player. The sky is the limit for him.”

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at the top under-the-radar move made by each AFC West team thus far this offseason:

Denver: defensive tackle Terrance Knighton. The Broncos have made some big-ticket moves, including the signings of receiver Wes Welker, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and guard Louis Vasquez. But landing Knighton should not be overlooked. He fills a big need. He is a massive hole-plugger who should make a good defense even better. He was a favorite of former Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio, now Denver’s defensive coordinator. Knighton will be used correctly and should instantly be comfortable in Denver’s system. A run-stuffer was one of Denver’s greatest needs after last season. The position is now a strength.

Kansas City: defensive end Mike DeVito. DeVito wasn’t a big name to the average fan, but he is a favorite of NFL scouts. He was expected to be a hot commodity in free agency and the Chiefs made an immediate, winning run at him. DeVito reunites with former Jets assistant coach Bob Sutton, now Kansas City’s defensive coordinator. DeVito is a strong run defender and a relentless player overall. He is versatile and can rotate with 2012 first-round pick Dontari Poe. This could make Poe, who played well at the end of last season, even better. Strong move.

Oakland: defensive tackle Pat Sims. The football people I’ve spoken with believe Sims has among the best upside of the players the Raiders have brought in this offseason -- affordable, young, fringe-starter types who will be asked to take the next step in Oakland. Sims has a chance to stand out. If he can stay healthy and prove he can handle the rigors of being a full-time starter -- he was mostly a rotational player in Cincinnati -- Sims has a chance to be among Oakland’s better players. He is highly skilled, and he can be disruptive.

San Diego: guard Chad Rinehart. Scouts really like this signing. Yes, the Chargers’ offensive line still has question marks and yes, seeing Vasquez go to Denver hurts. But if he can stay healthy, Rinehart has a chance to step in at guard and provide a strong, stable presence. Many scouts thought he was one of the best bargain players available in free agency. He has a chance to develop into a strong starter. He played for new San Diego offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris in Buffalo. D'Alessandris pushed for Rinehart, and there is probably good reason he did so.

The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to terms with defensive tackle Mike DeVito.

DeVito is considered a strong player. He is a run-stuffing lineman and should make a nice pairing with Dontari Poe in a rotation that should benefit both players. The Chiefs are getting more stout up front.

DeVito played for new Kansas City defensive coordinator Bob Sutton with the New York Jets, where he spent the first six seasons of his career. The Chiefs, who have been immensely busy in the past couple of weeks, signed DeVito, tight end Anthony Fasano and quarterback Chase Daniel on Tuesday. They have also brought in starting quarterback Alex Smith and cornerback Dunta Robinson in addition to keeping several key free agents.

Kansas City, which went 2-14 last season, has to be one of the early winners of the NFL offseason.

In other AFC West news:

Former Green Bay linebacker Erik Walden reportedly had interest from the Chiefs and Raiders before going to the Colts.

Great statistic from the Broncos: New Denver right guard Louis Vasquez, who signed from the Chargers on Tuesday, has played 3,435 snaps in the NFL with just one penalty. Some offensive lineman can’t go one set of downs with just one penalty.

The Raiders re-signed cornerback Phillip Adams to a one-year deal. He is a decent rotational player.

Linebacker Stewart Bradley is set to visit Denver.

Linebacker Karlos Dansby, cut by the Dolphins, could be a fit in San Diego.

Perhaps no draft prospect is rising up the NFL draft boards faster than Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd.

He is a great athlete, he is coming off a great combine and teams think he can be the next great difference maker on the defensive line. The question is can he make his way all the way up to the No. 1 pick and the Kansas City Chiefs?

The Chiefs are wide open in their search for the top pick. Many options abound. I wonder if Floyd could be one of those options. Of course, with every prospect the Chiefs are considering there are fit questions.

Floyd is considered a traditional 4-3 defensive tackle. The Chiefs run a 3-4 defense. I asked Steve Muench of Scouts Inc. if he thinks Floyd could play in a 3-4 defense and fit with 2012 Kansas City first-round pick, defensive tackle Dontari Poe.

This is what Muench had to say: “Floyd has the athletic ability and enough size to play defensive end in a 3-4 so he and Poe can coexist. That said, Floyd can be a difference maker regardless of the scheme but I think he is a better fit playing defensive tackle in a base 4-3. While he has decent quickness for an end, he’s much more disruptive and his shorter arms aren’t as much of a concern on the inside.”

Thus, the concern is Floyd could be underutilized in the 3-4. The Chiefs just went through that with 2008 No. 5 overall pick Glenn Dorsey. He was a misfit in the 3-4 and he has had an underwhelming career. Dorsey is a free agent and he is expected to join a team that runs a 4-3 defense.

The No.1 pick can‘t be taken on a player who might be a forced fit in a system, so the idea of taking Floyd may be too risky for the Chiefs no matter how good he may be.

Chiefs players named running back Jamaal Charles the MVP of their 2-14 team in 2012; nose tackle Dontari Poe, the team's first-round draft pick, was named rookie of the year. Both sound like solid choices to me.

The Chiefs are inducting former defensive back Gary Barbaro into their hall of fame Saturday night.

I could see San Diego having some interest in bringing back running back Michael Turner, who was just cut by the Falcons. The Chargers need a reliable complement to Ryan Mathews. Turner began his career as LaDainian Tomlinson’s backup in San Diego. It is a new regime in San Diego and Turner only knows a handful of Chargers players, but there is reason to think this could be a fit.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Here are some notes from the news conference of new Kansas City general manager John Dorsey at the combine Friday:

Dorsey shares the same philosophy as new Kansas City coach Andy Reid when it comes to using the No. 1 pick in the draft. The Chiefs are going for talent.

“It is an ongoing situation, and at the end, we will see what happens, but it will be the best available player,” Dorsey said.

Like Reid said Thursday, Dorsey also said he is open to listening to trade offers for the top pick.

“Well, it’s a very unique situation sitting here in the first spot, but I can say this, if anybody wants to come up, they’re more than welcome,” Dorsey said. “But then again, I’m going to select the first available player, or I’m going to trade. It all depends on the options that are presented to me. That’s why I’m sitting here, because I want to explore every opportunity possible and what’s best for the Kansas City Chiefs.”

Dorsey said the team will meet with between six and eight quarterbacks at the combine. Quarterback is the team’s greatest need.

Dorsey said the team has been in touch with pending free agents receiver Dwayne Bowe and left tackle Branden Albert. He said the talks are ongoing. Dorsey also said the team has been in touch with quarterback Matt Cassel and defensive end Tyson Jackson. Cassel almost certainly will be cut, and Jackson will have to take a major pay cut to avoid being cut.

Dorsey praised the Chiefs’ 2012 first-round pick, defensive tackle Dontari Poe. He said he thinks Poe came on strong last season and he thinks Poe can be a standout.

Midweek mail call:

Niko from Lake Villa, Ill., wants to know if I think the Raiders could get a second- or third-round draft choice for running back Darren McFadden in the offseason.

BW: I think the Raiders would jump on it if they could get a third-round pick for McFadden. Perhaps they could, but it won’t be easy. McFadden has just one more year left on his contract and he is injury-prone. I’m not sure another team would commit too much to get him. But if a certain team thinks he would be a great fit and a player to spark a deep playoff run, it might be worth a third-rounder.

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Wes from Houston, Mo., wants to know what I think about the season Kansas City first-round pick Dontari Poeis having.

BW: I think Poe is fine. The scouts I speak with think he is really coming along. He has been dealing with some double-teams and he is handling those well. His statistics aren’t gaudy, but that isn’t unusual for a nose tackle. I think Poe has a chance of being a fine player.

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Jerry Porter from Evanston, Wy., wants to know what I think about the play of Denver defensive lineman Mitch Unrein.

BW: Unrein has had a good year and he is a quiet part of a solid defensive line rotation. He is a stout, hard-nosed player and as he showed a few weeks ago, he can be an offensive threat when he caught a touchdown out of the backfield against Tampa Bay.

Much has gone wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs this season. Things could get more complicated after the worst season in recent memory for the franchise.

Things are so bad for the Chiefs, even the lone benefit of having a disastrous season may not automatically play in the their favor. It looks like 2013 is going to be a bad draft year to need a quarterback.

Kansas City is 1-8 and on pace to get the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Despite their awful record, the Chiefs do have talent throughout their lineup. Their most glaring hole is at quarterback. Matt Cassel has lost his starting job and Brady Quinn appears to be a stop-gap answer. Ricky Stanzi, a fifth-round pick in 2011 doesn’t appear to be the answer, either. The Chiefs need a quarterback, but they may be a year too late.

The 2012 quarterback draft class may go down as one of the great all-time quarterback draft classes. Five rookies from that draft class are starting and Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, the first two picks from the draft, appear to be transcendent talents.

What about the 2013 class? Scouts Inc. college scout Steve Muench calls the upcoming quarterback class “terrible.” West Virginia’s Geno Smith, USC’s Matt Barkley and North Carolina State’s Mike Glennon may be the only quarterbacks worthy of a first-round pick, but none of those players appear to be sure things. And if they go in the top three overall picks, they might be massively over-drafted.

In fact, Muench thinks Barkley’s draft stock is ”free-falling” and Muench believes Glennon will have work to do between now and late April to secure a spot in the first round. ESPN draft experts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper have both often said this fall that this quarterback class lacks certainty. Much like the 1984 and 2000 quarterback classes that immediately followed terrific quarterback classes, the 2013 class appears to lack the tremendous talent level of the quarterback class of 2012.

“The Chiefs need a quarterback, so they have to look hard there,” Muench said this week. “But it would have been nicer if they were in this position last year. It would have been a lot nicer. ... There’s no Lucks here.”

Are the Chiefs, who definitely appear headed for a top-three pick, out of luck in the 2013 draft?

Not necessarily, but it appears there aren’t any clear-cut easy connections for Kansas City at any spot. There appears to be better value at the top of the draft at other positions. (Remember, this is always subject to change, especially during the time of the NFL combine in late February.)

Muench said the top five players on Scouts Inc.’s list include Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, Notre Dame inside linebacker Manti Te’o, Alabama guard Chance Warmack and Texas A&M defensive end Damontre Moore.

None of those positions are major need areas for the Chiefs, certainly not in the same scope as quarterback. Would the Chiefs really take a guard at No. 1? I Don’t think so, either.

Still, Muench thinks, as of right now, Lotulelei and Jones will be worth the No. 1 pick and the Chiefs should consider taking either players if they get the top pick. He thinks both players will be superstars and instant impact players.

The issue is neither player is a great fit for the Chiefs. Lotulelei may be the better fit for the Chiefs because of his value. Muench thinks he’d be a terrific defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. Kansas City, which has drafted three defensive linemen in the top 11 of the draft since 2008, could put Lotulelei at an end position to pair with 2012 first-round pick Dontari Poe at nose tackle.

“That could work,” Muench said.

Jones, whom Muench describes as an “absolute terror," is a dynamic 3-4 pass-rushing outside linebacker, but the Chiefs are stacked there with Tamba Hali and Justin Houston.

Muench does think if the Chiefs end up with the top pick, they should seriously consider taking Smith over Lotulelei and Jones. Yes, the two defensive stars appear to be more of sure things, but the quarterback factor is huge. Quarterbacks have more value and they often get drafted higher than players at other positions because of their chances of becoming stars.

Muench thinks Smith is a middle-of-the-first-round talent. Yet, he does think he can become a franchise player.

“He is not near Luck or Griffin,” Muench said of Smith. “But I do like him and he can hit big. He needs to get better under pressure, but he is excellent in the pocket and he has a lot of skills. I think he will be taken very highly because of the position and the potential, and I think the Chiefs very much should consider him if they get the No.1 pick. There is no sure thing, but he could hit big. What if he becomes a star and the Chiefs don’t take him? They’d still have a hole at the most important position on the field and they would blow a chance at a star. That’s hard to recover from.”

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. doesn’t think the Chiefs’ dilemma is big at all. He doesn’t care about the risk or the chance to get a better overall player elsewhere. Here are his thoughts on the subject: “It has to be a quarterback for Kansas City.”

It may be a year late, but the Chiefs’ draft thoughts may have to start at quarterback, regardless if it’s not a golden year at the position.

 

The chances are increasing that the San Diego Chargers will enter their pivotal game at Denver on Sunday without left tackle Jared Gaither and running back Ryan Mathews.

The two players missed their second straight day of practice Thursday. Mathews has a neck injury and Gaither missed last week’s game with a groin injury. Neither player is definitely out, but they must show some progress Friday to have a chance to play. San Diego linebacker Antwan Barnes was limited Thursday after not playing Sunday with a hamstring injury.

San Diego (4-5) trails Denver (6-3) by two games in the division. A loss would put San Diego behind by three games, and since Denver holds the tiebreaker, it would give an enormous lead in the division race with six games to go.

The Broncos are also dealing with a significant injuries. Defensive end Elvis Dumervil didn’t practice for the second day with a shoulder injury. Like Mathews and Gaither, odds are currently against him playing. Cornerback Tracy Porter continues to be out with an illness that has already cost him four games. Denver guard Chris Kuper was limited again by a severe ankle injury that kept him out of Week 10.

In other AFC West news:

Kansas City guard Jon Asamoah will not play Sunday at home against Cincinnati. He had surgery on his thumb and he will be replaced by Rush Hochstein.

Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel said receiver Jon Baldwin has not been cleared to practice because of a neck/head injury he suffered at Pittsburgh on Monday. Defensive tackle Dontari Poe (knee) and receiver Dwayne Bowe (thigh) were both limited Wednesday, but both practiced fully Thursday.

John Elway talks about the difference between Tim Tebow fans and Broncos fans in an interview with USA Today.

ESPN Stats & Information looks into the Adrian Peterson-Peyton Manning Comeback Player of the Year debate.

ESPN’s experts make their Week 11 picks.

UPDATE: The Denver Post reports Denver linebacker Von Miler was fined $21,00 for a low hit on Carolina quarterback Cam Newton on Sunday. Miller has now been fined at least $84,250 in less than two seasons.

San Diego running back Ryan Mathews missed practice Wednesday with a sore neck he suffered at Tampa Bay. He will be monitored through the week as the Chargers prepare to play a pivotal game at Denver on Sunday.

San Diego left tackle Jared Gaither missed Wednesday’s practice because of a groin injury. He didn’t play at Tampa Bay and he has missed five games this season. He will be monitored through the week as well.

For Denver, defensive end Elvis Dumervil (shoulder) and cornerback Tracy Porter (illness) did not practice Wednesday. Denver coach John Fox said Dumervil is day-to-day with a muscle strain. He still has a chance to play Sunday. Porter has been out for four games.

Denver guard Chris Kuper did practice on a limited basis after missing Sunday’s game at Carolina with a severally sprained ankle he suffered in Week 9. Still, I think Kuper may be a longshot to face the Chargers.

Fox said linebacker D.J. Williams looked good Wednesday in his first practice since serving a two-tiered nine-game NFL suspension. He will be eased back into the playing rotation.

In other AFC West news:

• Barring a setback, expect Khalif Barnes to become the starting right tackle in Oakland on Sunday. He has been out since September with a groin injury. Willie Smith took over for Barnes and he struggled.
• Add rookie nose tackle Dontari Poe (knee) to the list of the Chiefs who were limited in practice Wednesday.
• Oakland receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (hamstring) and tight end Brandon Myers (shoulder/concussion) were among the limited players in Oakland’s practice.

The folks at ESPN Stats & Information have put together a great chart on rookie snap counts. Let’s look at some significant AFC West figures.

Total snaps by team

1. Denver Broncos: 513

2. Kansas City Chiefs: 499

3. San Diego Chargers: 326

4. Oakland Raiders: 298

What does it mean? The majority of Denver’s snaps come from second-round pick starting defensive end Derek Wolfe. Denver is getting some production from picks throughout the draft. Kansas City is getting good production from its top picks, nose tackle Dontari Poe and guard Jeff Allen, who has been a nice injury replacement. San Diego is getting solid work from top picks Melvin Ingram and Kendall Reyes. Expect third-string pick, safety Brandon Taylor, to potentially get some snaps in the coming weeks. Oakland, which had just five picks, is getting good snaps from linebacker Miles Burris. His playing time should only increase.

Top five individual pick snaps

1. Derek Wolfe, Denver, defensive end, second round 395

2. Jeff Allen, Kansas City, guard, second round, 269

3. Dontari Poe, Kansas City, defensive tackle, first round, 209

4. Miles Burris, Oakland, linebacker, fourth round,195

5. Kendall Reyes, San Diego, defensive lineman, second round, 174

What does it mean? What stands out is the production from picks spanning the second round on. All of these players were considered future projects, but they are all contributing now. Even though he was picked at No. 11, Poe was considered a project, so he too is also getting excellent early-career work.

In the end, Brandon Flowers’ foot did not improve enough for him able to play in the Kansas City Chiefs’ opener against the pass-happy Atlanta Falcons.

Thus, the Chiefs will be without four defensive starters Sunday and with two starters who were listed as questionable on the injury report.

I picked the Chiefs to win the AFC West this season. I still stand by that pick, but today could be rough for the Chiefs playing with such a depleted defense against such a potent offense. The Chiefs must control the game clock with their stout running game featuring Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis.

There was hope Flowers could play after he practiced on a limited basis all week. Expect him to be able to play next week at Buffalo unless there is a setback, Jacques Reeves will replace Flowers.

Also out for the Chiefs’ defense are star pass-rusher Tamba Hali (one-game NFL suspension), safety Kendrick Lewis (shoulder) and nose tackle Anthony Toribio (ankle). First-round pick Dontari Poe, who improved steadily in the preseason, will start at nose tackle.

The Chiefs did get some good injury news. Linebackers Derrick Johnson (ankle) and Jovan Belcher (groin) are active. They were listed as questionable on the injury report.

In Other AFC West news:

• CSN Bay Area reports the Raiders have decided on who will be their kick and punt returners Monday night.
• The Broncos are wearing a ribbon on the back of their helmet that features the state flag. The ribbon is in remembrance of the victims of the July movie theater shooting in suburban Denver and the wild fires that ravaged the state this year.

A look at a rookie from each AFC West team, who will be a key factor in Week 1:

Denver, defensive end Derek Wolfe: The second-round pick is going to start at left end. The versatile Wolfe can slide inside as well. Wolfe has been a terrific player this summer for Denver, and the Broncos don’t think the game will be too big for him in the regular season.

Kansas City, nose tackle Dontari Poe: Poe may not start, but he will get his snaps. The No. 11 overall pick had a solid preseason and he seemed to improve steadily.

Oakland, linebacker Miles Burris: The fourth-round pick is in line to start with Aaron Curry out at least six weeks with a knee injury. Burris has a chance to be a very good player. He will likely have his ups-and-downs early, but this fast rise to NFL playing time will only help him.

San Diego, left tackle Mike Harris: This will be one of the most closely watched players in the division in Week 1. The undrafted rookie is starting for the injured Jared Gaither. Harris’ task is to protect Philip Rivers’ blindside against the best defensive line in the AFC West. Best of luck to him.

Click here for the complete list of Kansas City Chiefs' roster moves.

Most significant move: I found it interesting that defensive tackle Amon Gordon was cut. Gordon is solid, but far from special. But it could open a spot for Shaun Smith. Smith, who was recently cut by the Titans, tried out for the Chiefs on Tuesday. He played for Romeo Crennel in both Cleveland and in Kansas City. Smith could be added to a defensive-tackle group that includes first-round pick Dontari Poe, Anthony Toribio and Jerrell Powe. It was also significant that rookie defensive back DeQuan Menzie was put on injured reserve. The Chiefs have a lot of injuries in the secondary (they also cut veteran Donald Washington) and will need to do something. Young running backs Cyrus Gray, Nate Eachus and Shaun Draughn all made the team, giving Kansas City some intriguing youth in the backfield. Interestingly, the Chiefs kept five tailbacks, but no fullbacks. What does it mean? The will be doing a lot of multiple-tight-end and -receiver sets. It’d also be nice to see Jamaal Charles and Peyton Hillis share a backfield on occasion.

Onward and upward: The Chiefs cut rookie receivers Junior Hemingway and Josh Bellamy. The Chiefs like both of those players, but they are deep at the position. Both should be headed to the practice squad. As expected, second-year quarterback Ricky Stanzi made the team. He will be the No. 3 quarterback and given another chance to develop. Defensive lineman Jerome Long, a draft pick, could also be headed to the practice squad.

What’s next: Whether or not the Chiefs sign Smith (doing so after Week 1 would avoid guaranteeing his 2012 contract), I think they could add to the defensive line. I think they certainly will look at help for the secondary because of injuries, and if the right linebacker becomes available, the Chiefs could add some depth. I also think the offensive line might be an area in which Kansas City looks for depth -- it has been trying to add a veteran all summer. One name to keep an eye on is former New England offensive lineman Dan Koppen. He has a history with Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli.