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The Buffalo Bills, owners of the 10th pick in Thursday's first round of the NFL draft, are reportedly high on Alabama safety Mark Barron. There has been rampant talk that the Chargers would like to trade up to get Barron.

San Diego has the No. 18 pick. It previously appeared that the Chargers would have to get to the No. 12 range to get Barron; perhaps they will have to climb higher. If the Chargers want to jump ahead of Buffalo to grab Barron, they might have to part with that No. 18 pick, the No. 49 pick and a late-rounder.

We might soon see exactly how much the Chargers covet Barron.

In other AFC West news:

NFL Network reported that the Giants could potentially part with pass-rusher Osi Umenyiora for a third-round pick this week. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but if I think the Chargers should consider it.

Oakland’s first pick in the draft is No. 95. The last team to have its first pick past that selection is Cleveland in 2008. Its first pick was No. 104.

Kansas City tight end Tony Moeaki reiterated Tuesday that he expects to be back for training camp. He suffered a torn ACL last September.

The Oakland Raiders need depth, and they just added some to their deepest position. A source confirms Dave Tollefson has agreed to a deal with the Raiders.

Tollefson will not change the Raiders’ defense, but he is a solid player who bolsters the defensive front.

Tollefson is a solid third defensive end who is versatile enough to play tackle and linebacker in some sets. That makes him a perfect rotational fit for new coach Dennis Allen’s plans to use multiple fronts.

The Raiders could use Tollefson since the promising Trevor Scott signed with New England and Jarvis Moss is unsigned and probably not in Oakland’s plans. Tollefson had five sacks last season. He will provide a good pass-rushing burst as a backup. Again, Tollefson is not a premier player, but there is plenty of value in this signing.

He is signing for two years. The Raiders offered Tollefson more guaranteed money than other suitors. Tollefson is a Bay Area native who was on Oakland’s practice squad in 2007.

In other AFC West news:

• I could see Denver, Kansas City and San Diego all considering Chris Crocker, who was just cut by the Bengals. All three teams could use a veteran safety and have considered options this offseason. Crocker, who has durability issues, is 32 and he was a captain.
• ESPN Stats & Information looks at how the Broncos have gotten stronger in an attempt to help new quarterback Peyton Manning.

The San Diego Chargers are giving Roscoe Parrish a chance to revive his NFL career.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported San Diego has signed Parrish to a one-year deal. He played in two games with the Buffalo Bills last season and in eight games the season before. Parrish has played his entire career with the Bills since joining the league in 2005, has 134 career catches and has been a successful return man.

At 29-years-old Parrish will have to impress the Chargers’ brass to make the team. At best, he will be a option at the bottom of the rotation and perhaps be a possibility as a returner.

In other AFC West news:

The Contra Costa Times reports New York Giants’ free-agent defensive end Dave Tollefson said his visit with the Raiders went well Tuesday, but he is planning to visit the Titans on Thursday. He is also being pursued by the Packers. Tollefson is from the Bay Area and he was on the Raiders’ practice squad in 2007.

ESPN’s Andrew Brandt reported that New York Giants’ defensive end Dave Tollefson will be visiting the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday.

The Raiders have long been considered a suitor, as Tollefson is a Bay Area native and is a former member of the Raiders’ practice squad. Brandt reports the Packers are also interested in Tollefson, and the word is the Packers want to get a deal done.

Tollefson was an underrated, versatile part of the Giants’ defensive line. He is a solid third defensive end and special teamer, and he'd be a nice pickup by Oakland if the price is right.

In other AFC West news:

• Oakland linebacker Quentin Groves reportedly has tried out for the Giants. Groves doesn’t appear to be in the plans of the new Oakland regime.
• Connecticut defensive tackle Kendall Reyes may be on the Broncos’ radar with the No. 25 pick.
• The Chargers are losing the timetable game in their quest for a new stadium.
• Chargers owner Dean Spanos addressed several topics in an interview with the team’s website.
• Denver left tackle Ryan Clady is visiting ESPN’s campus Tuesday and will appear on several shows.

An NFL.com columnist reports some scouts believe Peyton Manning began to slide some before his neck injury last season. My thoughts? He’s 36. We are not going to see the 2004 Manning, but would you bet against that guy having solid season in the next couple of years? Nah, me neither. Meanwhile, a Sports Illustrated piece follows Manning’s process as he chose to play with the Broncos.

As expected, Manny Lawson is not going to be a Raider. The defensive end/linebacker is headed back to the Bengals.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting former Giants’ running back Brandon Jacobs is heading to the Bay Area. But he‘s going to the San Francisco 49ers, not the Oakland Raiders. Jacobs was considered a potential replacement for Michael Bush, who signed with Chicago, but the Raiders have too many other needs and too much salary-cap limitations to sign a player like Jacobs. Oakland will likely look for a bigger back later, perhaps in the draft.

The Denver Post looks at the Broncos’ remaining needs.

Silver and Black Editors reports defensive tackle John Henderson has retired. He was recently cut by the Raiders after two seasons with the team. He has experienced several injuries recently.

Denver free-agent defensive lineman Derrick Harvey has signed with Cincinnati. He was a non-factor in Denver last season.

Oakland is still in on Cincinnati defensive end/linebacker Manny Lawson. But so is Green Bay and Indianapolis.

New York Giants defensive lineman Dave Tollefson visited Seattle. Oakland has shown interest in Tollefson, but finances may be an issue. Tollefson is a Bay Area native and former Oakland practice squader.

Cincinnati re-signed defensive tackle Pat Sims, winding down the market at the position even more. Denver badly needs a defensive tackle. It will probably draft one at No. 25 in next month’s draft.

UPDATE: Not so fast. The folks who reported the Henderson story said they made a mistake and Henderson is not retired. Translation: If someone offers a Henderson a deal he likes he probably will consider playing. Two years ago, when he signed with the Raiders, Henderson did so in June and this year could be a similar situation.

UPDATE II: I just talked to Henderson’s agent, Joel Segal. Here is what he had to say: “John is absolutely not retired.” So, there you go.

Cincinnati receiver Andre Caldwell tweeted that he has signed with the Broncos.

Caldwell, 26, has been a backup, possession-type and would be a back-of-the-rotation player for Denver. He had 37 catches for the Bengals last season; in 2009, he had 51 catches for 432 yards.

The Broncos are reportedly interested in reuniting new quarterback Peyton Manning with former teammate Brandon Stokley. If signed, he too would be a rotational receiver.

In other AFC West news:

The Raiders are reportedly are among the teams interested in Giants defensive lineman Dave Tollefson. The Bay Area native was on the Raiders practice squad in 2007. There is no movement on the Manny Lawson front. The Raiders are among several teams interested in him.

Random thoughts and notes on the biggest story to hit in the AFC West in a long, long time:

• Mel Kiper looks at five possible fits for Tim Tebow in a trade.
• Aaron Schatz looks at how good the Broncos are with Manning.
• Matt Williamson thinks Denver should sign some of Manning's former Colts’ teammates. Brandon Stokley and Jeff Saturday are reportedly already in the team’s sights.
• Willis McGahee's reaction to the Manning signing in an interview with Sirius radio: “Music to my ears, baby. Music to my ears. I’m happy that he made a decision, he chose Denver. It’s a great place to play and the fans are going to really embrace him when he comes in. I think it just took our team to a whole ‘nother level with him saying he’s coming to Denver.”
• The Broncos will play both the AFC South and NFC East in 2013, meaning Manning is poised to play his former team, the Colts, and his brother, Eli’s team, the Giants, in the same season.
• Manning will have his choice of numbers in Denver. There have been indications No. 18 will stay retired in Denver and that he will wear No. 16. But the man who wears No. 18 in Denver, Frank Tripucka, has said he will happily unretire the digits for Manning to wear it.
• Denver’s odds of winning the Super Bowl have reportedly increased from 70-1 a month ago to 10-1 because of the Manning addition.
• It’s so funny how things change. Six months ago, it seemed like John Elway would bring in fellow Stanford graduate quarterback Andrew Luck when the Broncos stated 1-4. Now, Luck is headed to the Colts, which helped push Manning to Elway.
• I have a feeling former Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore will come to Denver in some capacity -- perhaps as a consultant. Moore and Manning are very close.

The Denver Broncos arrived in North Carolina on Friday to find out there is another player in the Peyton Manning sweepstakes.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter report that the San Francisco 49ers have emerged as a player in the Manning chase and that San Francisco officials have already seen Manning throw. Denver’s brass will watch Manning throw Friday.

The Titans are also in the mix. Schefter reports that Miami is already out and that the Cardinals are expected to move on.

Earlier in the process, Schefter reported that Manning would prefer to stay in the AFC. Manning’s younger brother, Eli, is the quarterback of the New York Giants. The Giants beat the 49ers in the NFC title game.

If Manning is picking his next team based solely on talent, the 49ers may have the edge on Denver and Tennessee. Schefter reports that the 49ers may be a long shot, but their interest shows that this process is still fluid.

The Denver Posts reports money will not be an issue in Denver’s pursuit of Peyton Manning. He is visiting the team Friday.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Carson Palmer's restructured contract got the quarterback $7.5 million more in guaranteed money for 2012 and also will save the Raiders about $9 million in salary-cap room. Oakland is working to get under the salary cap by Tuesday.

UPDATE: The Raiders have cut cornerback Chris Johnson to save cap room, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. This move has been expected. Johnson was not in Oakland's plans. Yet, his release signals how big of a need cornerback is in Oakland.

ESPN's John Clayton reports the Raiders are now $5.6 million over the cap. They have some more easy-to-restructure deals and they may cut a player or two. So, the Raiders will get under the cap by Tuesday.

The Giants are reportedly cutting running back Brandon Jacobs. I think all four teams in the AFC West could show interest in the bruising Jacobs under the right circumstances. He is not a primary back, but he serves a role that could be of interest to each of the AFC West teams.

Mid-week mail call:

Justin R. Blacksburg, VA. wants to know if Denver free agent receiver/return man Eddie Royal could be a fit in San Diego.

Bill Williamson: I’m not sure Royal will be a priority for any team, but he could be an interesting, experienced player for San Diego to look at. He could be intriguing because he’d fit both as a No. 3 receiver and as a return man. I could see the Chargers, at least, considering Royal. I think the favorite to land Royal is Washington, which is coached by Mike Shanahan. He drafted Royal in Denver in 2008.

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Jason K. from Wichita wants to know why the Chiefs cut tackle Jared Gaither especially since he flourished in San Diego and may be re-signed there.

BW: He was cut after making a crucial penalty in loss to Pittsburgh. After he was cut, then-Kansas City offensive coordinator Bill Muir said Gaither didn’t have “explosiveness.” He missed all of 2010 with a back injury and he was slow to respond in Kansas City. Yet, once he was signed by San Diego, Gaither played very well and he is once again considered a potentially top tackle. I could see the Chargers trying to keep him in free agency. Should have Kansas City shown more patience with the immensely-talented Gaither? Perhaps, yes.

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Parker Keegan from Seattle wants to know to know if the Oakland Raiders could potentially trade tight end Kevin Boss to the New York Giants since they had two tight ends suffer major knee injuries in the Super Bowl.

BW: I like where you are going with this, sir. New York tight ends Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum are expected to miss part of the 2012 season after being hurt in the Super Bowl. Boss is a former Giants’ tight end who the team wanted back. The Raiders could use draft picks and perhaps a trade would help both teams. Boss would likely command a conditional mid-round pick. I could see the fit here. Nice idea.

NFL.com reports cornerback Stanford Routt will visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday. The Oakland Raiders cut Routt on Thursday. ESPNDallas first reported the Chiefs’ interest in Routt last Friday.

Routt was in Buffalo on Monday for his first visit since becoming the best available free agent on the open market. He has several other visits planned and the process could take some time to develop. If the Chiefs, who have more than $62 million in salary-cap room, sign Routt, it will be an indication they are not interested in signing Brandon Carr, who is going to be one of the better free-agent cornerbacks available on the market. The Chiefs could be looking at Routt to compare what he wants to what Carr is looking for in a deal.

Like Carr, Routt would be a good fit with Kansas City No. 1 cornerback Brandon Flowers. Routt was better as the No. 2 cornerback to Nnamdi Asomugha before he became the lead cornerback last season when the Raiders chose to give Routt a big contract instead of Asomugha. Oakland’s new leadership cut Routt last week.

Meanwhile, Oakland guard Cooper Carlisle is considered a candidate to be salary-cap causality. However, there are indications the Raiders will consider keeping him. New Oakland offensive line coach Frank Pollack tried to recruit him to Houston few years ago as a free agent and Carlisle is a natural fit for the zone-blocking scheme Pollack coaches.

Jack Bicknell Jr. will reportedly be the Chiefs’ offensive line coach. He was the Giants’ assistant offensive line coach.

Thursday, we looked at the possibility of cornerback Stanford Routt staying in the AFC West. It appears that one team in the division is indeed considering the idea.

ESPNDallas.com reported that the Kansas City Chiefs are one of the teams that have interest in Routt, cut Thursday by the Oakland Raiders. Kansas City has yet to arrange a visit with Routt.

If the Chiefs sign Routt, that likely means they will allow cornerback Brandon Carr to become a free agent. The Chiefs could yet choose to place the franchise tag on either Carr or receiver Dwayne Bowe.

The Chiefs could be comparing the price tags for Carr and Routt; they could also be showing interest in Routt to demonstrate to Carr that they would be willing to go elsewhere.

I think it is a smart move for the Chiefs to at least see what Routt is looking for and to give themselves options in case they think Carr will leave. Because there is so much interest in Routt, this process could take some time.

In other AFC West news:

New Denver defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio talks about adjusting to his new unit in a radio interview.

The Chiefs reportedly are interested in a member of the Super Bowl champion Giants for their offensive-line coaching job.

Super Bowl rings do talk.

In an extremely close vote, our readers voted that the Chargers' trade of Eli Manning nearly eight years ago was not worth it. Manning just won his second Super Bowl ring with the Giants.

As of 2:15 p.m. ET Wednesday, 51 percent of the voters believe it was a poor choice and 49 percent think it was a good move.

It’s a difficult call. I think Manning is better off in New York and Philip Rivers is better off in San Diego. Remember, Manning never wanted to be a Charger and Rivers has developed into the face of the San Diego franchise. It worked out for both teams, but, again, Super Bowl rings carry weight.

The Chargers sent Manning -- whom they took with the No. 1 pick -- to the New York Giants for a package that included Rivers, who was the No. 4 pick, and picks that resulted in linebacker Shawne Merriman (who was a star before injuries derailed his San Diego career) and reliable kicker Nate Kaeding in a draft-day deal in 2004.

Thanks to everyone who played along.

There is no doubt Philip Rivers has been good for the San Diego Chargers.

He is the leader of the team, he’s the face of the franchise, and he represents the team’s best chance to make a run at a Super Bowl title.

However, do you think the Chargers are better off from their 2004 draft-day trade when they sent Eli Manning -- who they took with the No. 1 pick -- to the New York Giants for a package that included Rivers, who was the No. 4 pick, and picks that resulted in linebacker Shawne Merriman (who was star before injuries derailed his San Diego career) and reliable kicker Nate Kaeding.

Manning, of course, just won his second Super Bowl ring. Please take out AFC West poll and let us know what you think. Remember, Manning never wanted to be a Charger, so the team felt it was necessary to make a deal. We will review the poll results Wednesday.