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SAN DIEGO -- Antonio Garay has been around a while for being a guy who arrived in the NFL at the age of 31.

In a rare story of extremely late NFL development, Garay emerged as one of the better nose tackles in the NFL last season following several non-descript years as a professional.

Garay entered the NFL in 2003 with Cleveland, where he stayed for two years (though he did not play in a game in 2004). He was out of the NFL in 2005 and then played two seasons in Chicago. He was out of the league again in 2008. Last season, seven years after he entered the NFL, Garay started his first game in the league. He ended up starting 15 games last yearat nose tackle and emerged as a Pro Bowl-quality player. He played in 16 games last season. He played in a total of 16 games in five previous NFL seasons.

Garay quietly dominated several games as a replacement for the departed Jamal Williams in 2010. Garay had 48 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He was a force against the run and often collapsed the middle of the field.

Even though he’ll turn 32 this season, Garay feels like he is entering his prime.

“I’ve always been a late bloomer,” Garay said. “A lot of the guys I came in the league with are out now. I still feel like I got a lot of miles left in me.”

He said his time away from the game in 2008 gave him a chance to reflect and he promised himself he’d take full advantage of his next opportunity, which came in San Diego partially because several of his former coaches in Chicago were on the San Diego staff.

“I was hell bent on doing what it takes to being successful,” Garay said. “I feel like I’m just starting out.”

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. doesn’t think Garay’s 2010 season was a fluke. He thinks Garay is a difference maker. Williamson said San Diego should consider moving Garay out to defensive end some to save him from the constant grind of playing nose tackle.

“He has great aggression and he is a leverage player,” Williamson said. “He’s a heck of a player.”

There is still a long way to go before a new labor agreement is reached. But there appears to be progress between the owners and players.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted that the expectation is that any player with 4-6 years of experience with an expiring contract would become an unrestricted free agent. There are some interesting names in the AFC West that would be affected. ESPN Stats & Information prepared a free-agent primer. Listed below are key AFC West players who would be affected if Schefter’s expectation plays out:

QUARTERBACKS

6 or more seasons: Billy Volek

4 to 5 seasons: Brodie Croyle, Bruce Gradkowski

RUNNING BACKS

6 or more seasons: Darren Sproles

4 to 5 seasons: Laurence Maroney

WIDE RECEIVERS

4 to 5 seasons: Malcom Floyd

TIGHT ENDS

6 or more seasons: Randy McMichael

4 to 5 seasons: Zach Miller

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

6 or more seasons: G Robert Gallery, T Langston Walker, C Casey Wiegmann

4 to 5 seasons: T Jeromey Clary, C Samson Satele

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

6 or more seasons: Jamal Williams

LINEBACKERS

6 or more seasons: Kevin Burnett, Mike Vrabel

CORNERBACKS

6 or more seasons: Nnamdi Asomugha

SAFETIES

4 to 5 seasons: Michael Huff, Eric Weddle

San Diego’s Vincent Jackson, Kansas City’s Tamba Hali and Oakland’s Kamerion Wimbley were given the franchise tag. Schefter expects the franchise tag to be part of a new deal. Wimbley has already signed his tender, while Jackson and Hali haven’t.

» NFC Underrated Players: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A team-by-team look at the most underrated players in the division.

Denver Broncos

D.J. Williams, linebacker: Williams was a first-round pick in 2004, and the Broncos paid handsomely to keep him a couple of years ago. He is appreciated in Denver, but this athletic, smart linebacker doesn’t get much national notice. He has never been to a Pro Bowl, yet Williams is a tackle machine. He has had at least 119 tackles in three of the past four seasons. He is versatile and has played virtually every linebacker position possible.

Kansas City Chiefs

Brandon Carr, cornerback: I chose Carr over stout guard Ryan Lilja and playmaking linebacker Derrick Johnson. Carr is younger than Lilja and Johnson, and he may eventually get the recognition he deserves. One of the reasons Carr is overshadowed is that he plays opposite fellow four-year cornerback Brandon Flowers. Flowers was a second-round pick in 2008, and Carr was taken three rounds later. The terrific Flowers has gotten most of the accolades, but Carr is a standout as well. He is approaching free agency soon, and he’ll hit the cornerback jackpot with the Chiefs or some other lucky club.

Oakland Raiders

Marcel Reece, fullback: The fullback is becoming extinct in the NFL. Many teams just don’t have a use for this position. The fullback, however, thrives in Oakland, a franchise with a rich tradition of fullback play. The Raiders have scored again with Reece. A college receiver, Reece gives Oakland’s offense a delicious variation. He is a key blocker in one of the NFL’s best running attacks, and he is a receiving weapon in short-yardage situations. Plus, the intelligent Reece has become a leader of the unit. The fullback position is alive and well in Oakland.

San Diego Chargers

Antonio Garay, defensive tackle: Garay had an incredible impact on the No. 1-ranked defense in the NFL last season. The Chargers’ defense was long ignited by the ferocious nose tackle play of the massive Jamal Williams. When Williams got hurt in the first game of the 2009 season, ending his career in San Diego, the Chargers were worried that their defensive identity was gone. But Garay, a 31-year-old journeyman, took over in 2010. He instantly became an anchor on the defense and dominated the line of scrimmage. The dominance of the nose tackle has continued in San Diego with Garay.

Going to school at Georgia gave Kansas City third-round pick Justin Houston a head start when it comes to learning the Chiefs’ defense.

Baltimore was hoping to take UCLA safety Rahim Moore, who was taken by Denver with the No. 36 pick. The Broncos should be excited by that fact. The Ravens recognize defensive talent as well as any team in the NFL. If Baltimore liked Moore, he’s probably the goods.

Here at the AFC West blog, we’ve examined the Richard Seymour trade numerous times. Now, they’re they’re looking at it at the AFC East blog. It’s interesting to see it from another perspective.

Desperate for help at defensive tackle, the Broncos bring back Justin Bannan and Jamal Williams at a reduced pay rate after not addressing the position in the draft. Both players were cut before the lockout. I’d think Bannan might be the more reliable of the two players. Williams has been injury prone and is 35. Bannan was a surprise cut. He wasn’t terrible in his only season in Denver.

The Arizona Republic adds fuel to the speculation that the Cardinals could be a landing spot for Denver quarterback Kyle Orton in a trade.

The San Diego Union Tribune has a look at one of the key new additions in San Diego as it tries to fix its biggest problem in 2010.

Chargers’ receiver Malcom Floyd could be a target of the Chicago Bears if he hits unrestricted free agency.

Earlier Friday, we looked at the risk of taking a defensive lineman with a top-five pick. Over the past 20 years, taking a defensive end or a defensive tackle early has not always turned out well.

The Denver Broncos are in the midst of studying defensive linemen in the draft. The Broncos have the No. 2 pick of the draft and are considering taking a defensive lineman.

It’s no surprise they are still trying to find an answer on the defensive line. They’ve long tried to score at the position. From 194-2003, there were a dozen defensive linemen who were taken in among the top five picks.

Denver acquired five of those 12 players after they failed elsewhere. They were Dan Wilkinson, Simeon Rice, Courtney Brown, Gerard Warren and Dewayne Robertson. Only Warren had some form of success in Denver. Denver traded for Wilkinson but the deal was eventually rescinded because Wilkinson refused to report.

All of those players were brought in by former coach Mike Shanahan. Former Denver coach Josh McDaniels didn’t have much luck with defensive linemen, either. He signed free agents Jamal Williams, Justin Bannan and Jarvis Green last year. Green was cut before the season and Williams and Bannan were cut this offseason.

Now, it’s new Denver coach John Fox’s turn to try to finally score on the defensive line in Denver.

The Denver Broncos’ quest to find the correct choice for the No. 2 overall pick is taking the next step Tuesday.

Denver’s leadership brain trust of John Elway, Brian Xanders and John Fox flew to Alabama on Tuesday morning to check out Auburn’s pro day. While Cam Newton is the headliner, Denver will most be interested in the show defensive tackle Nick Fairley puts on. Fairley is a candidate to be Denver’s top pick.

Then, Denver will check out Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller. They are also candidates to be Denver’s top pick.

In other early Tuesday afternoon AFC West notes:

Denver second-year quarterback Tim Tebow admitted that he hears the criticism about his play and the doubts that he will ever be an effective NFL starting quarterback.

"I think the politically correct answer would be that, no it doesn't affect me or I don't worry about it," Tebow said. "But that's absolutely 100-percent not true. It does affect me and because, honestly, deep down I'm kind of a people pleaser and I like making people smile. I like hanging out with people and having fun so, when you get people that talk bad about, even if it's how you play, I take it personal."

Say what you want about Tebow, but he plays with a purpose and serious fire. Perhaps it’s the criticism that lights him up.

Kansas City owner Clark Hunt is taking part in the labor talks Tuesday. Hunt is from one of the most respected families in the NFL. There is history in this family and having Hunt present for talks shouldn’t hurt the proceedings.

The governor of California isn’t hot on the idea of helping the Raiders get a new stadium.

Would potential free agents Darren Sproles and Michael Bush fit in the backfield in Miami?

Would potential free agents Michael Huff and Eric Weddle fit in the secondary in Dallas?

Is Kyle Orton Arizona’s answer at quarterback?

Elway suggested Denver could look to re-sign defensive linemen Jamal Williams and Justin Bannan at some point. They were cut last week.

Hours after cutting defensive linemen Jamal Williams and Justin Bannan, Denver agreed to terms with defensive lineman Kevin Vickerson on a multi-year deal, the team announced. Vickerson will likely play defensive tackle in Denver’s 4-3 defense and be a rotational player. He was going to be a free agent.

• San Diego receiver Vincent Jackson and Kansas City linebacker Mike Vrabel are among the players who have agreed to be Name Plaintiffs in pending antitrust action if the NFLPA union decertifies, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. Jackson held out for several months last year and the Chargers have given him the franchise tag this year. Jackson is expected to honor the tag.

• Jacksonville is parting ways with receiver Mike Sims-Walker. I could see a potential fit in Kansas City and Oakland once free agency starts. He is a good deep threat.

• While we don’t know the particulars of what restricted free agents will be until a new CBA is hammered out, the Kansas City Chiefs followed suit of many teams Thursday and offered tenders to cornerback Brandon Carr, defensive end Wallace Gilberry and tackle Barry Richardson. Carr received a first-round tender while Gilberry and Richardson received second-round tenders.

The new Denver Broncos’ brass continued to say good-bye to expensive aging players.

A day after tight end Daniel Graham was cut, the team waived defensive lineman Justin Bannan and Jamal Williams. Both players were signed last year by former coach Josh McDaniels.

It is not surprising since the Broncos are moving from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense. Denver did indicate last month that Bannan could be kept, but it is clear Denver is looking for wholesale changes on the defensive front.

Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers -- linebackers in the 3-4 -- will be rush ends, but otherwise there will be major changes on the front four. Marcus Thomas, who was given a restricted free agency tender this week, could return at defensive tackle. Denver is expected to seriously consider defensive linemen Da'Quan Bowers, Marcell Dareus and Nick Fairley with the No. 2 pick in the draft.

Thursday’s moves shows that the Broncos are not interested in players who are poor fits for the new defense. Denver will concentrate on defense in the draft and in free agency since the Broncos were last in total defense and points allowed in 2010.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Williams, a former San Diego great, decides to retire at the age of 34.

The next tough decision may be safety Brian Dawkins. He is 37 and his play slipped in an injury-plagued 2010 season. Plus, he is very expensive. I wouldn’t be shocked if he was the next to go, although new Denver coach John Fox does respect him.

Meanwhile, running back Laurence Maroney wasn’t tendered by the Broncos. He is a free agent and is not expected to be back. Denver gave up a fourth-round pick for him last season and he had little impact on the team.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Random thoughts from the session with new Denver head coach John Fox:

Fox said the Broncos are totally open with their No. 2 pick. He said the team will take the best available player. Still, defense is expected to be the area Denver pursues with the pick.

Fox said he hasn’t studied Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers enough to compare him to former Carolina defensive end Julius Peppers. That comparison has often been made. The Panthers took Peppers with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2002 draft, Fox’s first draft in Carolina.

Fox said Denver will use parts of both the zone-blocking and traditional power-blocking schemes this season. Denver moved to the power-blocking scheme last year after using the zone-blocking scheme for 15 years.

Fox said he envisions Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers as defensive ends in the 4-3 defense. Fox said D.J. Williams will either be a middle linebacker or weakside linebacker in the 4-3.

Fox said the primary reason he is switching from a 3-4 to a 4-3 is personnel.

Fox was very complimentary of new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who will be Denver’s sixth defensive coordinator in six seasons. Fox said he can see Allen, who was New Orleans’ secondary coach, becoming a future head coach in the NFL.

Fox said he is hopeful receiver Demaryius Thomas can return at some point early in the season. Thomas ruptured his Achilles earlier this month. The team expects Eddie Royal to return in May from hip surgery. Fox said he doesn’t expect the two injuries to change Denver’s draft needs at receiver.

Fox would not rule out the return of right tackle Ryan Harris.

Fox said he thinks nose tackle Jamal Williams can transition from the 3-4 to the 4-3. Still, the team will have to decide whether to bring back Williams.

The deadline to place the franchise tag on players is Thursday. There had been speculation that Oakland could place the tag on tight end Zach Miller. The franchise tag for a tight end is $7.3 million. However, there is no guarantee Miller will be an unrestricted free agent under the rules of a new CBA, so Oakland could roll the dice and not tie itself to the franchise tag. No matter what happens, I don’t see Oakland losing Miller this offseason.

• There is confusion about whether or not the Raiders’ buyback contract option for linebacker Kamerion Wimbley is in accordance in league rules and that Wimbley could end up being a free agent this year. If Wimbley is a free agent, he will be a priority for Oakland. He had nine sacks last season.

• The Broncos have some big-money decisions to make on veteran like Brian Dawkins and Jamal Williams. Williams is a better fit for the 3-4 defense and Denver will move to a 4-3, so he could be expendable. Fox loves veterans like Dawkins, so I could see Denver trying to work something out with Dawkins at a reduced price.

» NFC Wrap-ups: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 14
Preseason Power Ranking: 8

Biggest surprise: Running back Mike Tolbert and defensive tackle Antonio Garay. Both entered the season as role players. Both ended the season as players the Chargers want to lock up with long-term deals. Tolbert proved to be a terrific running back; he ran over opponents and was a great counter-punch to rookie running back Ryan Mathews. Tolbert is also good as a short-yardage back. Garay, a Chicago castoff, filled the role left by Jamal Williams wonderfully. Many NFL scouts thought he was one of the better nose tackles in the league this season. It looks like San Diego scored big with these little-known talents on each side of the ball.

Biggest disappointment: The season as a whole. There’s no way the Chargers expected this season to unfold the way it did. They finished 9-7 and saw their four-season reign as AFC West champions end. The Chargers finished the season ranked No. 1 in total offense and total defense. Yet, special teams problems and injuries took a toll. The unit seriously hurt the Chargers for the first three quarters of the season, so it’s no surprise that the Football Outsiders ranked San Diego’s special teams last in the NFL. The team fired special teams coach Steve Crosby after the end of the season. The Chargers also were battered, especially at receiver and linebacker. They used 73 players, one off the NFL record. Quarterback Philip Rivers completed passes to 17 players. In the end, the Chargers’ record was a lot worse than what this offense and defense showed they were capable of doing.

Biggest need: The Chargers’ No. 1 ranking on both sides of the ball shows that this is a very talented roster. Assume the Chargers will be healthier next season and this should still be a good team. But it could always use some depth. Expect the Chargers to look for help at safety, linebacker and defensive end. If this team could find a pure pass-rusher in the draft, it would help immensely. The Chargers could also use offensive line depth and perhaps another receiver, especially if they don’t put the franchise tag on free agent Vincent Jackson. San Diego should be well equipped to get what it wants in the draft with extra second- and third-round picks coming. The Chargers will have five picks in the first three rounds, which will give it trading power and the ability to stockpile picks.

Team MVP: Rivers. At 29 years old, the quarterback just gets better. Expect him to get some NFL MVP votes. He is the third player to have a passer rating of 100.0 or more for three straight years, joining Steve Young and Peyton Manning.

The numbers lie: The 2010 Chargers showed that statistics aren’t everything. Since 1970, five previous teams led the NFL in total offense and defense. All five made the playoffs. The Chargers had a plus-119 point differential in 2010, fifth best in the NFL. It was the highest plus-point differential for a non-playoff team since the 1991 San Francisco 49ers, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Denver cornerbacks Champ Bailey (foot) and Andre Goodman (thigh) didn’t practice for the second straight day as the Broncos prepare to face Peyton Manning and the Colts on Sunday. Denver coach Josh McDaniels said the players are making progress. Right tackle Ryan Harris didn’t practice Thursday after being limited Wednesday. Harris missed the first two games with an ankle injury. Defensive tackle Jamal Williams didn’t practice Thursday because of an undisclosed non-injury reason.

• Kansas City defensive end Tyson Jackson did not practice again Thursday. He missed Sunday’s win over the Browns with a knee injury. At this point, you have to wonder if the Chiefs will rest Jackson on Sunday against San Francisco in the final game before the Chiefs’ bye. Linebacker Tamba Hali is practicing fully. He had been dealing with a foot injury.

• Oakland guard Robert Gallery may miss his game with a hamstring injury.

• San Diego receiver Malcom Floyd practiced fully Thursday after missing Wednesday’s practice with a leg injury.

• In a radio interview, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers talks about his relationship with holdout receiver Vincent Jackson.

• Chris Leak is in Canada, but he’s keeping up with former Florida teammate Tim Tebow.

Washington coach Mike Shanahan would not discount the idea of his team pursuing San Diego holdout Pro Bowl receiver Vincent Jackson. Shanahan didn’t say he'd go after Jackson, but he didn’t deny it, either. The Redskins did consider Jackson earlier in the summer.

Jackson could return for the fifth game to a new team if it acquires him between Friday and Wednesday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that it will take a lot of money and a “premium” draft pick to make Jackson trade possible. It makes sense. That’s been the case all along.

• San Diego linebacker Stephen Cooper did not practice for the second straight day because of a knee injury. Linebacker Shawne Merriman, who didn’t play last week, continued to be limited with an Achilles problem. Merriman tweeted Thursday that he expects to play against Jacksonville.

• Oakland running back Michael Bush was limited Thursday after practicing fully Wednesday. That could be a strong sign he won’t be ready to play Sunday against S. Louis. Bush broke his left thumb Aug. 28.

• Kansas City defensive end Tyson Jackson missed his second straight practice with a knee injury and he likely won’t play Sunday at Cleveland. Fellow defensive end Wallace Gilberry didn’t practice Thursday, either. He has a back issue.

• A former teammate of Laurence Maroney said he was not happy that New England traded him to Denver this week. However, Maroney is said to be excited about reuniting with former New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in Denver. Maroney didn’t practice Thursday with a thigh injury that kept him out of the Patriots’ season opener.

• Starting offensive lineman Chris Kuper (ankle/knee) and Ryan Harris (ankle) did not practice for the second straight day. Denver coach Josh McDaniels said both players have a chance to play. If not, the Broncos could be in trouble. The offensive line is already stretched thin. Defensive tackle Jamal Williams did not practice, but it was non–injury related.

Three things Denver needs to work on this week in preparation for Sunday’s opener at Jacksonville:

Dominant in the passing game: The best thing Denver has going for it going into the season is quarterback Kyle Orton. He had an outstanding preseason and he has a nice rhythm going with his receivers. With the Denver running game banged up and uncertain headed into the Jaguars game, the Broncos will have to win in the air.

Contain the run: The Broncos had the No. 3 pass defense in the NFL last season. But their run defense struggled down the stretch. The Jaguars can run the ball pretty well with Maurice Jones-Drew. He had 1,391 yards on the ground last season. He can wear defenses down. Denver’s front seven, starting with nose tackle Jamal Williams, must set the tone and not allow Jones-Drew to dictate the game on the ground.

Prepare for the heat: Sunday’s forecast in Jacksonville is 90 degrees and cloudy. The Broncos have struggled historically in Florida in the early season. The humidity can beat down teams. The Broncos must be mentally prepared for unpleasant conditions.

Scouts Inc. has released its list of the 200 top players in the NFL heading into the 2010 season. It is based on grades from scouting reports. Below is the list, and then I rank the 20 AFC West players on the Scouts Inc. list based on my opinion. Please note there are ties at every ranking spot by Scouts Inc.

Denver

22. Champ Bailey CB

22. Ryan Clady OT

70. D.J. Williams LB

99. Brian Dawkins S

133. Elvis Dumervil LB

157. Jamal Williams DT

Kansas City

112. Brandon Flowers CB

112. Tamba Hali LB

157. Jamaal Charles RB

Oakland

3. Nnamdi Asomugha CB

70. Richard Seymour DT

157. Shane Lechler P

157. Zach Miller TE

San Diego

14. Philip Rivers QB

19. Antonio Gates TE

51. Marcus McNeill OT

84. Vincent Jackson WR

99. Kris Dielman OG

112. Quentin Jammer CB

157. Shaun Phillips LB