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Apparently, it’s never too early for a mock draft.

Four days after the end of the 2012 NFL draft, Todd McShay of Scouts Inc. has come up with his initial mock draft for 2013. Of course, many things will happen, so give credit to McShay for taking a shot at this. The draft order was compiled by the current power rankings of Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.

Let’s take a look at McShay’s mock.

No. 6, Oakland Raiders

USC quarterback Matt Barkley

My take: Another USC quarterback to Oakland. I could see it. But I have a feeling Barkley is going to be drafted first or second. I don’t see Oakland getting close to being able to draft him.

No. 16, San Diego Chargers

North Carolina guard Jonathan Cooper

My take: If the Chargers don’t make the playoffs for a third straight year, they’ll need to get more than guard.

No 18, Denver Broncos

Notre Dame inside linebacker Manti Te'o

My take: Denver’s needs continue to evolve, but Te'o is a good player and a good fit.

No. 19, Kansas City Chiefs

Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones

My take: The Chiefs will likely get a quarterback next year if Matt Cassel doesn’t have a great season. Will Jones be available at No. 19?

DENVER -- It is not John Elway’s fault the Tim Tebow experiment is failing, but it will be on his hands if he doesn’t find a solution.

It is clear the Denver Broncos' quarterback of the future is not on the current roster. It must be Elway's primary job to start making plans to fix the problem in Denver. The first step is to realize Tebow probably is not going to be the answer.

Whether it’s figuring out a way to land Stanford star quarterback Andrew Luck via a trade (Denver looks like it is on its way to a top-five pick, but it might have difficultly stinking enough to get the No. 1 pick), zoning in on USC’s Matt Barkley or Oklahoma’s Landry Jones, or even considering pursuing injured Raiders veteran Jason Campbell as a short-term answer in free agency, Elway must start his post-Tebow game plan.

I hate to jump to early conclusions, but it is safe to say Tebow currently is far from being a competent NFL quarterback and that the Broncos have arguably the worst quarterback situation in the NFL.

It was all there to see in blue and orange for the home folks Sunday during the Broncos’ 45-10 loss to the Detroit Lions. Tebow was terribly ineffective all game, and the Broncos were overmatched. The patented Tim Tebow spark? Nowhere to be found. Denver was lethargic on both sides of the ball all game.

There was no wild comeback for Tebow after a mostly bad performance like last week's against the inept Dolphins. Instead of playing poorly for 55 minutes before turning on the jets, Tebow was consistently bad for an entire game Sunday.

There was no playmaking. All we saw were badly overthrown passes, late decision-making and wild scrambles that netted little. Need statistical proof? Tebow was 18-of-39 passing for 172 yards. The Broncos had seven straight three-and-out drives, and Tebow had an interception and a fumble that were brought back for Detroit touchdowns.

“We are embarrassed,” Denver tight end Daniel Fells said.

Added the always-earnest Tebow: “I’m just going to get up early [Monday] and go to work and try to get better tomorrow and consistently improve and be the best person and quarterback for this organization and continue to improve.”

Broncos coach John Fox was asked after the game who his quarterback will be next week in Oakland. He said he needs to look at the film. Clearly, some of the shine on Tebow has been lost.

I don’t necessarily think Tebow should be pulled now. Is Brady Quinn really the answer? We know Kyle Orton isn’t. Tebow deserves more time, but there is no way the 2-5 Broncos can sit through nine more of these types of games with no offensive rhythm. Fox will lose his veteran players if he continues to start Tebow and if Tebow can’t quickly become a capable player.

“It’s only been two games,” Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey said. “But we only got 16 games.”

The problem with Tebow is he isn’t showing any signs of improvement as a traditional quarterback, and that’s what the Denver brass wants to see. There is something technically wrong with every snap he takes. The Broncos want Tebow to show them he can be an effective pocket passer in the NFL. Rookie quarterbacks such as Cam Newton, Andy Dalton and Christian Ponder already have shown they have the makings of being quality NFL passers. Tebow, the No. 25 pick of the 2010 draft (a pick made by the previous Denver regime), is light years behind those players.

I know the Broncos aren't interested in just rolling out the ball every week, and letting Tebow wing it and try to make something happen.

They worked during the week on his delivery; they altered their game plan to spread out the offense and speed up the tempo to help Tebow. But strides were not made. In Tebow’s past three starts (including Week 17 last season), the Broncos are 0-14 on third-down conversions in the first half of games.

Tebow looks a lot more like a quarterback who is close to losing his job than a quarterback who is ascending.

In the end, I believe, working for Elway will shorten Tebow’s window of opportunity. Elway -- in his first year as the Broncos’ top football decision-maker -- was a Hall of Fame player. Watching that amateurish display on his home field had to worry him. He won’t let this go on forever.

One veteran Broncos player I spoke with Sunday said he understands why Denver’s brass turned to Tebow and why he must be given a chance. But he also wondered when Elway and Fox will lose patience. And there is a feeling in Denver that once fans -- who clamored for Tebow to be made the starter -- see that he is so far from being an NFL-ready quarterback, perhaps the Broncos will be able to move on.

Remember, the Broncos didn’t turn to Tebow because they suddenly felt he was ready to be a star. They turned to him because they were ready to give him a chance. Performances such as Sunday’s must show Elway & Co. that now is the time to start thinking about the future at quarterback in Denver -- and it’s difficult to believe Tebow will be part of it in 2012.

Weekend mail call:

Cedric from Memphis, Tenn., wants to know if Josh McDaniels could be a fit for the Chiefs as head coach if Todd Haley is fired.

Bill Williamson: I think general manager Scott Pioli would consider hiring McDaniels — with whom he worked in New England — if Haley ends up being fired; he could even be a favorite. Had McDaniels not been hired in Denver before Pioli landed in Kansas City in 2009, the Chiefs would likely have gone with McDaniels. I think he’d have to be considered a candidate if there is an opening in Kansas City.

Isaac from Twin Falls, Idaho, wants to know if the Broncos could show interest in Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore in the draft next year.

BW: I think Moore is a second-round-type talent — though if he has a good offseason leading up to the draft, he could move into the first. But I think the Broncos might have a chance for Oklahoma’s Landry Jones or USC's Matt Barkley if they don’t win the Andrew Luck sweepstakes and if they don’t want to move forward with Tim Tebow. I don’t know if Moore is a fit at this point.

Henry from Fairbanks, Alaska, wants to know if I think there is added pressure on Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor since he was Al Davis’ final draft pick.

BW: I don’t think so. It’s interesting that he was Davis’ last pick, but I don’t think that will be Pryor’s legacy. He was indeed a Davis-like pick — Davis loved athletic players with fantastic measurables and that’s Pryor. Davis stuck to his scouting persona to the end.

There have been major changes at the most important position on the field in the AFC West this week. In Oakland, the Raiders turned the NFL world upside down by spending wildly to get Carson Palmer to replace the injured Jason Campbell. In Denver, the much-awaited Tim Tebow era is about to begin.

Because of the major happenings in the division at quarterback, let’s rank the quarterback situations in the division. Please note we are ranking the overall situations (not just the current standing of each team’s starter), putting both this season and beyond into consideration.

1. San Diego: This one is easy. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is the best player in the AFC West. In my opinion, he is the best player in the NFL who doesn’t own a Super Bowl ring. He will turn 30 in December and is under contract in San Diego through 2015. He is in the second year of a six-year, $90-plus million deal.

The Chargers won’t have to make a decision on Rivers until he is 34. Billy Volek is considered a quality backup if Rivers misses some time. The Chargers may soon need to develop a youngster, but overall this is an extremely solid situation.

2. Oakland: It’s gets very tough here. I could see an argument for any combination of the Raiders, Chiefs and Broncos in the final three spots. All three quarterback situations have major questions moving forward.

But I’m going with the Raiders at No. 2 for now. With the high price Oakland sent to Cincinnati for Palmer (a 2012 first-round pick and a conditional 2013 pick that could be a first-rounder), the Raiders are clearly committed to Palmer for the foreseeable future.

The only question is if Palmer can still be productive. His numbers have slipped in the past three seasons and he will soon be 32. He has suffered major knee and elbow injuries in the past. So, he has a lot of miles on him. But Palmer is an accurate, experienced quarterback who can help the Raiders.

Palmer is under contract through 2014. Tuesday's trade means Campbell, who made good strides this season before he got hurt, will likely look to become a starter elsewhere next season as a free agent. This is shocking because just prior to his injury Sunday, it seemed plausible that Oakland would consider giving Campbell a contract extension.

The Raiders also have rookie Terrelle Pryor to develop. He has a long way to go before playing, but the Raiders seem to have a quarterback structure in place. They just need to see it work.

3. Kansas City: This is an interesting situation. The Chiefs triggered the option on his six-year, $40 million deal this year, so they are committed to him. Cassel made great strides in 2010 (his second season in Kansas City), but he struggled in the final two games of last season (including a playoff loss) and the first several games of this season. Yet, Cassel has been terrific in the past 10 quarters.

But there are long-term questions about whether Cassel can be a well-above-average player.

“Cassel is just a stop-gap player,” Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said. “Last year might have been his ceiling. I would suggest drafting someone high to groom.”

I think if Cassel, 29, continues to play well this season, the Chiefs will feel good about sticking with him. However, if he stumbles and the injury-ravaged Chiefs end up with a top-10 pick, they could consider taking someone such as Oklahoma’s Landry Jones in the first round. Still, I doubt the Chiefs will make a play for a new starting quarterback in the offseason.

The Chiefs drafted developmental quarterback Ricky Stanzi in the fifth round this season. He will continue to be developed and could be a player the Chiefs turn to in the future. There are questions about the Chiefs at the position, but the cupboard is far from bare.

4. Denver: In a division with many questions at the position, the biggest questions are in Denver. There is a chance Denver could move above Oakland by next summer or it could stay on the bottom of the division.

If Tebow plays well in the final 11 games of the season and convinces the Broncos’ brass he is their quarterback of the future, the Broncos will be set. If Tebow is awful and Denver gets a chance to draft Stanford’s Andrew Luck (that would require having the No. 1 pick or trading a load to get him), Jones or USC's Matt Barkley, the Broncos could be set for the future.

Denver has to see how Tebow does before figuring out which way it is going at quarterback. It is the team’s biggest issue heading into the 2012 offseason, especially considering the other two quarterbacks on the roster -- former starter Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn -- are free agents.

The following is some highlights from our AFC West chat, which was held earlier Thursday:

DENVER

S from Denver: If the Broncos miss out on Luck, who do you think they would take?

BW: I could see them looking at Oklahoma's Landry Jones or USC's Matt Barkley, probably in that order. I think quarterback is the first place Denver looks in the draft next year.

KANSAS CITY

Jonathan, Chicago, Il.: Do you think (Jonathan) Baldwin will be incorporated more into the Chiefs' offense especially after the bye? Also, do you think it would be wise for the Chiefs to sign T.O. to take some pressure off (Dwayne) Bowe?

BW: Yeah, probably after the bye. They want to get him in this week. But he is behind so it will take some time. But the bye week will be great for him to catch up.

OAKLAND

AJ from Oakland: Hi Bill, Don't you think the Raider's reason for leading the league in penalties every year starts at the top with Mr. Davis. On numerous occasions he has made it clear that he feels the NFL has it in for his team. Players then aren't careful in games because they figure as Raiders their going to get screwed over with penalties against them no matter what.

BW: I'm not sure about that. But the truth is, the Raiders have been one of the most penalized teams for years. Hue Jackson is tired of it and he wants it to stop and it needs to stop now.

SAN DIEGO

Nathan from SD: The Chargers game was blacked out last Sunday for the 1st time in a while. Do you see this trend continuing, and what does this mean for the future of the Chargers in SD?

BW: They dealt with it last year once or twice. If they keep winning, it shouldn't be a problem. Their next two home games are against Green Bay and Oakland. Sellouts shouldn't be an issue.