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J.D. Walton’s return to the field will have to wait and the Denver Broncos will have to figure out who will get the ball to Peyton Manning.

The Denver Post reported Walton recently had another ankle surgery and he could miss the entire 2013 season. The paper reported that Walton will be out at least half the season. The team has been expecting the issue in recent weeks because Walton was not recovering as expected. He was lost for the season last September.

Manny Ramirez was working with the first unit at center during the offseason. Denver was happy for him, but I could see them looking at free agents. Dan Koppen is available. He took over for Walton last year. Koppen did well, but he tailed off toward the end of the season.

If the team doesn’t go with Ramirez or bring back Koppen, they could consider Eugene Amano. He was recently cut by the Titans. He has 68 career starts. He was injured all of last season. Denver also has Philip Blake. But he has dealt with injuries and I’m not sure the team feels like he is ready to start. It’s not completely out of the question that Denver considers using Chris Kuper at center. The oft-injured Kuper is the odd man out at guard.

Overall, this is an issue, but I get the sense Denver had known Walton’s recovery was not going well in the past month or so. So this doesn’t come as a surprise and that Ramirez and Manning have been working together knowing it would for the long haul.

In other AFC West notes:

An Insider piece shows the Broncos and Chiefs were strong run-blocking teams in 2012 while the Chargers must pick it up.

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

The major question facing each team in the division as summer break looms.

Denver Broncos: How long will the Super Bowl window be open? The talk at Denver’s minicamp this week is that there is a sense of urgency in the building because this might be the team’s one year to make it to the Super Bowl. If it doesn’t happen, all will be lost in Denver. I think that is a little off base. Of course, this current team’s window is not wide. It all revolves around quarterback Peyton Manning, who is 37. So, the window is narrow. It’s probably two years. Denver signed Manning last year with the short term in mind. The brain trust thought Manning gave the team its best chance to win for the next few years and it went for it. The same thinking prevailed when the Broncos signed receiver Wes Welker for two years. He was the best player available to help the team win now. Denver also brought in some other veterans. But if you look at Denver’s roster, there is plenty of young talent, as well. The bottom line is the current window will be open as long as Manning is healthy and effective.

Kansas City Chiefs: Can Alex Smith be the difference-maker? There is excitement in Kansas City. The new regime added several pieces to a roster that was much better than the Chiefs’ 2-14 record indicated. The coaching staff is also much improved with head coach Andy Reid leading the way. But in the NFL, ultimate success starts with the quarterback. There is no doubt Smith, acquired in a trade with San Francisco, is an upgrade over Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn. He will make the Chiefs better. But how much better? Can Smith help the Chiefs make the playoffs? At the end of the day, he is more of a game manager than a game-changer. But Smith has won before. He seems to be a good fit for Reid’s system, and he does not turn the ball over. The Chiefs have a shot to be a contender this year, and it’s up to Smith to make it happen.

Oakland Raiders: Is this young roster ready to compete? There are few established NFL starters on Oakland's roster. The Raiders do have several players who have potential to become good players. That can be said at virtually every position. This is a team at the beginning of a rebuild. In two or three years, coupled with the youngsters getting experience and a refreshed salary-cap outlook, Oakland appears to be on the right track for the long haul. But all that matters now is the 2013 season. Can this roster compete now? I think the coaching staff feels good about it because the roster, as a whole, loves football and the players want to get better. There are holes, so being competitive on a regular basis won’t be easy. But if these young players take advantage of their opportunity, Oakland could become competitive faster than some think.

San Diego Chargers: Can the Chargers protect Philip Rivers? New San Diego coach Mike McCoy said this week that there is not a doubt in his mind that Rivers will have a great season. Rivers has struggled for big chunks of the past two seasons. A major reason is a lack of protection. The Chargers' offensive line has been riddled by injuries the past two seasons, which has hurt Rivers. The Chargers have tried to improve on the offensive line, namely taking Alabama right tackle D.J. Fluker with the No. 11 overall pick. The line should be better, and it is deeper than in recent years. But it is not an above-average unit yet, so there still may be growing pains. But the bottom line is Rivers needs better protection or the offense will continue to suffer.

The Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers will all hold their mandatory minicamps this week. Kansas City held its mandatory camp last week.

Here is a story line for each of the team’s minicamps this week:

Denver: Manning’s offense: This is the last time before training camp the Broncos will get together. A theme of the offseason has been quarterback Peyton Manning ramping up the offense in his second season with the club. It has been the goal to play at a faster tempo, and thus far Denver feels good about it. Also, Manning appears to be stronger than last year when he was coming off four neck surgeries. This is one last tune-up for Manning and crew before it all starts late next month.

Oakland: General competition: As part of their rebuild, the Raiders are young and inexperienced throughout the field. This mandatory minicamp will concentrate on overall growth. Oakland coach Dennis Allen is excited about the attitude of this team and how much the group loves to work. This week is about continuing that mission.

San Diego; Manti Te'o: T’eoMania will not get close to matching TebowMania. But there is increased interest in the rookie linebacker from Notre Dame as a result of the bizarre hoax he was involved with a dead fake girlfriend. The Chargers, who took Te’o in the second round, have kept Te’o away from media covering the team in recent weeks. He is expected to be available Tuesday. It will garner a lot of attention. On the field, the Chargers expect Te’o to continue to make strides this week as he marches toward a starting job.

The glove talk in the AFC West is clearly not complete.

Late last season, it was all about Peyton Manning wearing a glove in the Denver cold. Now, the attention is turning to San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers. Rivers wore a glove on his throwing hand late last season and he experienced success and he stopped turning the ball over. Now, Rivers says he may wear a glove early in the season.

It is it significant?

Well, it all comes down to whether Rivers is comfortable with it. If his 2012 results are any indication, it appears the glove is a good fit for Rivers, who has committed too many turnovers the past two years. His Chargers are 3-0 in games Rivers wore the glove. He threw seven touchdowns and was not intercepted. In the 13 glove-less games? The Chargers were 4-9, Rivers threw 19 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

So it’s no surprise Rivers is considering using the glove regardless of weather. CBS Sports points out Rivers’ new offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt saw Kurt Warner bounce back from turnover troubles by wearing a glove in Arizona.

The glove love in the AFC West may just be starting.

In other AFC West notes:

Denver running back Willis McGahee, who is still recovering from a knee injury, is continuing to stay away from volunteer OTAs. He is expected back next week for the team’s mandatory minicamp. Because of his advance age and his health, there is no guarantee McGahee will be part of the mix in Denver this year. The team is expected to lean heavily on second-round pick Montee Ball in the ground game.

Former San Diego returner/receiver Micheal Spurlock signed with Detroit.

Condolences go out to the family of the great Deacon Jones, who died Monday night. Remembered as a Ram, the great sack master played for the Chargers in 1972-73.

Our AFC West positional rankings continue with a look at an underwhelming group of tight ends:

1. Antonio Gates, San Diego: Gates is not longer an elite player, but he is by far the most dangerous one on this list.

2. Jacob Tamme, Denver: Tamme is not flashy, but he does a lot of things well -- and he has chemistry with Peyton Manning.

3. Anthony Fasano, Kansas City: He is an underrated type who always gives a solid effort.

4. Joel Dreessen, Denver: He can stretch the field and is a solid rotational player.

5. Tony Moeaki, Kansas City: Injuries have hurt his career. Moeaki has big talent, but can’t stay on field.

6. John Phillips, San Diego: The Chargers are excited about this premier blocker. Not a stats guy, but he will help.

7. Ladarius Green, San Diego: We are into the "has potential" portion of this list. Green, 23 and entering his second season, could replace Gates some day.

8. Travis Kelce, Kansas City: I have a feeling the new Chiefs regime will give Kelce a chance to play a lot as a rookie.

9. David Ausberry, Oakland: Ausberry gets first crack, but he hasn’t shown much. Sixth-round picks Nick Kasa and Mychal Rivera are awaiting their chances.

10. Richard Gordon, Oakland: See above.

11. Virgil Green, Denver: He has skills, but has to take next step. Perhaps fellow young Denver tight end Julius Thomas can stay healthy and get on this list next year.

• We have previously discussed how close San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick was to becoming an Oakland Raider. Monday, Sports Illustrated revisited the possibility with former Oakland coach Hue Jackson and Kaepernick. Imagine how different things could have been had Oakland drafted Kaepernick in 2011.
• New Oakland safety Charles Woodson was still wearing No. 2 at the team’s OTA practice Monday. Woodson’s No. 24 (he wore in his eight-year stint in Oakland that ended in 2005) is being worn by (at least for now) by cornerback Tracy Porter. Woodson donned No. 2 at Michigan where he won the Heisman Trophy. Defensive backs are not allowed to wearing that number in the NFL. Odds are Woodson ends up back in No. 24 at some point.
• Oakland first-round pick D.J. Hayden is watching the practice. He is recovering from stomach surgery to clear up scar tissue stemming from a life-threatening heart surgery he had last November. The cornerback is expected to be ready for training camp. While it will hurt Hayden to miss these practices, at least he can get some mental work in now. With Hayden out, Porter is playing first-team cornerback with Mike Jenkins.
• New San Diego pass-rusher Dwight Freeney can’t wait to hit Denver quarterback Peyton Manning. The two are close friends and were longtime teammates in Indianapolis. Freeney will get his chance to hit Manning twice this season.
• Denver running back Knowshon Moreno is still not ready to go after hurting his knee in the Broncos’ playoff loss to Baltimore. With Willis McGahee also coming back from an injury, there is little mystery why Denver took Wisconsin’s Montee Ball in the second round of the April draft and expects him to play a major role as a rookie.

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

A look at a player entering a contract year on each AFC West team who must deliver in 2013:

Denver Broncos: Left tackle Ryan Clady. Clady will likely deliver just fine in 2013 -- he's an upper-echelon left tackle whom the Broncos have given the franchise tag. He had a strong season as Peyton Manning’s blind-side protector in 2012. Denver wants to sign Clady to a long-term contract and an agreement is likely. However, there is a good chance it won’t come until after the season -- so Clady must continue to play well. He is missing the Broncos' offseason program because of a rotator cuff injury, though that is not expected to be an issue during the season. If Clady continues to play at a high level, he will surely get a rich new contract, whether in Denver or elsewhere.

Kansas City Chiefs: Left tackle Branden Albert. Albert’s contract has been a story all offseason. He was given the franchise tag and signed it early in the process. But he stayed away from the team while the Chiefs considered trading him (with the Dolphins the most seriously interested party). But despite the trade talks and drafting of Eric Fisher (who will play right tackle, though left tackle is his natural position), the Chiefs want Albert to stay. Coach Andy Reid asked Albert to rejoin the team -- and he did a few weeks ago. If the sides don't reach a new deal before the season starts, Albert must remain focused.

Oakland Raiders: Running back Darren McFadden. This is a big year for McFadden. He is coming off a poor season and has been plagued by injuries his entire career. The Raiders are hoping for a McFadden rebirth with Oakland's return to the power-blocking scheme in which he has excelled. He did not fare well in the zone-blocking scheme Oakland used last season. If McFadden can perform well and stay healthy, Oakland will very likely give him an extension -- it will have plenty of cap space. But if McFadden’s injuries persist or if he doesn’t return to form in the new offensive scheme, Oakland will likely allow him to walk.

San Diego Chargers: Receiver Danario Alexander. Alexander is in a position of strength. He has a chance to make himself a lot of money. Long considered a solid prospect because of his size and speed, Alexander’s career stalled because of injuries. But he signed with the Chargers off the street last season and became a huge contributor. The Chargers love him and will give him a chance to have a big role this season. If he can continue his upward climb, Alexander will get big money from San Diego or elsewhere. If Alexander plateaus or gets hurt again, he will likely not command much in free agency.

Montee Ball has Peyton Time after practice time.

After the Denver Broncos' OTA workouts, quarterback Peyton Manning has set aside time for himself and the rookie running back from Wisconsin to go over some things. The reason? Manning expects the second-round pick to be a big part of the Broncos’ offense this season.

It’s time to get Ball up to speed with the quarterback.

“I have taken Montee after practice each day and just kind of going through plays, going through games, getting him comfortable hearing audibles at the line of scrimmage,” Manning told reporters in Denver. “We are going to count on him in a big way this year. He’s a rookie, but Coach (John) Fox is not going to bring him along slowly. We are going to put him in there and make him a contributor this year. So, the more repetitions we can get out here talking football, talking scenarios, I think the more comfortable he’ll be once the regular season gets here.”

We already knew that the Broncos had plans for Ball. But after reading Manning’s comments, there is no doubt the Broncos plan to make Ball an immediate centerpiece in the ground game.

Quentin Jammer made it clear why he signed with the Denver Broncos.

“A chance to win a championship,” he told reporters in Denver on Thursday after his first practice with the team. The 12-year veteran, who spent his entire career with San Diego, signed with Denver on Wednesday. The 34-year-old is being converted from cornerback to safety and will play rotationally.

“You look at this team and what they did last year, and what Peyton Manning brings to this football team. I get to play with a guy like Champ Bailey. Hands down, if you look across the league, what better place to go than Denver to have a chance to play for a championship?”

Jammer said it wasn’t difficult making the switch to a division rival. He had interest in returning to the Chargers, but the new San Diego brass wanted to go young in the secondary. Denver was looking for veteran help at safety.

“No, it wasn’t really that tough,” Jammer said. “Obviously I had spent so much time in San Diego, to uproot and leave and go somewhere and uproot your family, it’s hard. It’s a difficult thing to do. But when you’re forced to, you have decisions to make. The next decision that you have to make is you have three to four more years left in you. What are you going to do with your life? I want to win a championship. Like I said, I think Denver gives me that opportunity.”

Jammer said he is excited to have his new role in Denver. The Broncos are looking for improvement in covering tight ends, and Jammer will get a chance to help there.

“I can cover (as a) safety, I can cover wide receivers,” Jammer said. “I can pretty much cover anybody on the field. I’ve been doing it for 11 years. Why stop now?”

Jammer received a hearty welcome from his new quarterback upon his arrival in Denver.

“I am excited about Quentin Jammer,” Manning told reporters in Denver on Thursday. “I played against Quentin a number of times. San Diego and Indianapolis were almost like division teams for a number of years playing every single season because we both won the division, and playing in the playoffs. He is a veteran corner. He’s seen it all. I know Coach Fox and Coach (Defensive Coordinator Jack) Del Rio are glad to have him because of the versatility that he brings. Whether he is playing corner, possibly playing some safety, he’s a guy they can put in in the dime package and let him cover an athletic tight end … So, we are glad to have him, and I know he’s excited to be here.”

Eric Mangini discusses his expectations for Peyton Manning in his second season with the Broncos.

Reggie McKenzie’s first draft pick in Oakland is facing some spring competition.

The Bay Area News Group reported that Lucas Nix was working ahead of Tony Bergstrom at left guard Tuesday at the Raiders’ organized team activities (OTAs). Of course, it is early, and I’d expect both to compete through the summer at the spot previously occupied by Cooper Carlisle, who has since been released.

That said, it has to be a bit disappointing that Bergstrom, a third-round pick in 2012, is not taking the early lead. Nix was an undrafted free agent signing last year out of Pittsburgh.

The Raiders drafted Bergstrom as a fit for the zone-blocking scheme Oakland used on offense last season -- an unsuccessful approach the team has since scrapped in favor of a more traditional power-blocking scheme. In February, I asked McKenzie, who took over as general manager in 2012, if he was confident Bergstrom could be part of the future. He was firm in his belief that Bergstrom could indeed fit in the new scheme.

Bergstrom failed to make to a push for major playing time as a rookie. Now it appears he will have to fight Nix moving forward.

In another interesting Oakland OTA note, second-year player Christo Bilukidi and free-agent pickup Vance Walker were working with the first unit at defensive tackle. Bilukidi showed flashes as a rookie late in the season. Walker was a productive situational player in Atlanta.

As at many positions in Oakland, the Raiders want to see some players take the next step and grab a lead role at defensive tackle. While it is early, Bilukidi and Walker are getting the chance to show they deserve to start.

In other AFC West notes:

Peyton Manning is enjoying this offseason much more than last, when he was recovering from four neck surgeries and adjusting to life in Denver.

Former No. 3 overall pick Tyson Jackson is impressing the new Kansas City brass at defensive end.

Some bookkeeping reminders: Oakland gets $8 million in salary-cap relief for the Michael Huff cut and San Diego gets $4.5 million relief after cutting Jared Gaither on Saturday. Both teams will primarily use the money to sign draft picks.

We continue our AFC West positional rankings with a strong group of receivers:

1. Demaryius Thomas, Denver: Thomas is developing into one of the best receivers in the NFL. He has it all -- and he has Peyton Manning.

2. Wes Welker, Denver: Welker has a specific role, but you can’t argue with his production. He is a special player.

3. Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City: Bowe was No. 1 on this list last year. He hasn’t regressed. He is still top-notch. But the group is better.

4. Eric Decker, Denver: Decker completes what is probably the best trio of receivers in the NFL.

5. Donnie Avery, Kansas City: There is a drop-off here. But Avery is a pro. The free-agent pickup will help the Chiefs.

6. Denarius Moore, Oakland: Moore is a good, young player. He didn’t make the strides he was expected to in Year Two, but the skills are there.

7. Vincent Brown, San Diego: Brown can zoom up the list this season. Big things were expected in 2012, but he missed the entire season with a broken ankle.

8. Danario Alexander, San Diego: He came off the street and made a difference last season. He has big ability. Health is the only question.

9. Malcom Floyd, San Diego: How much has this group improved? Floyd was second on this list a year ago.

10. Rod Streater, Oakland: I wouldn’t be surprised if Streater makes a big leap on this list next year. He was very polished as an undrafted free agent in 2012.

11. Jon Baldwin, Kansas City: The Chiefs are still waiting for the talented 2011 first-round pick to develop.

12. Keenan Allen, San Diego: I expect the rookie to be an instant contributor. The Chargers got a steal in the third round of the draft.

13. Jacoby Ford, Oakland: If he can stay healthy, Ford can make an impact.

14. Dexter McCluster, Kansas City: McCluster can finally make an impact in Andy Reid’s offense.

15. Juron Criner, Oakland: He opened eyes in camp as a rookie, but didn’t do much last season. Still, a solid developmental player.

16. Robert Meachem, San Diego: He can still show something after being a total dud as a free-agent pickup last season.

Give the San Diego Chargers credit. They were forced into a bad situation, and they answered it by securing arguably the best player remaining on the free-agent market.

Pushed into a corner, rookie San Diego general manager Tom Telesco responded with his highest-profile acquisition of the offseason by signing pass-rusher Dwight Freeney on Saturday. Freeney agreed to a two-year contract, according to ESPN’s Ed Werder. Telesco was in Indianapolis' front office when Freeney played for the Colts from 2002 to 2012.

Their reunion had little chance of occurring until 2012 San Diego first-round draft pick Melvin Ingram tore his ACL in noncontact OTAs on Tuesday. It was a crushing blow. Not only did the Chargers think Ingram was ready to dominate but he was their top pass-rushing option after the free-agent departures of Shaun Phillips and Antwan Barnes.

San Diego has a young, exciting defense, but the Ingram injury left a glaring hole. No NFL defense can truly succeed without a legitimate pass rush. There were no better pass-rushing options available than Freeney.

Yes, he is aging at 33 and he has just 13 of his 107.5 career sacks in the past two years. There is no doubt that Freeney, who is known for having one of the best spin moves in the history of the game, is near the end. But this pairing makes sense simply out of desperation. The Chargers weren’t going to find a better replacement for Ingram than Freeney, and Freeney was not going to get a better situation than San Diego. There were few places Freeney would have had a bigger role.

There are questions of whether Freeney is an ideal fit for the Chargers’ 3-4 defense. He played in it last season in Indianapolis and wasn’t as strong of a fit as he was in the 4-3.

I don’t think it is going to be an issue, however. San Diego coach Mike McCoy told Werder that the team would adjust to Freeney. That doesn’t mean the Chargers (whose defensive coordinator is John Pagano -- the brother of Chuck Pagano, who was Freeney’s coach in Indianapolis last year) are going to totally scrap the 3-4 for a 33-year-old player. It means that the Chargers are multiple in their pass-defense looks and that Freeney could line up often in his customary 4-3 defensive end position.

In short, the Chargers will put Freeney in his comfort level. Many think he will succeed in San Diego.

“I like it, and I do think he has something left,” ESPN NFL Insider Matt Williamson said. “The Chargers are not a super strict 3-4, and Freeney did show that he can still be disruptive last year. … I wouldn’t give him all the snaps, but he certainly should be useful.”

ESPN analyst and former Indianapolis general manager Bill Polian told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen this: "There's no question he can fit with that scheme. There are no strict 3-4 defenses, or not many. … You take Dwight, you get his hand on the ground and play him for 30 to 40 snaps, let him get after the quarterback."

One of the quarterbacks Freeney will be going after twice a season is close friend Peyton Manning. The two were longtime teammates with the Colts. Manning tried to recruit Freeney to Denver this offseason after Elvis Dumervil departed to Baltimore. Denver was considered the front-runner for Freeney, but the two sides couldn’t come to a financial accord. Somewhat ironically, Denver signed Phillips from San Diego instead. Had Freeney ended up in Denver, it likely would have been Phillips who would have replaced Ingram. USA Today reported that Denver had late talks with Freeney, but I suspect those were more cursory just to gauge whether it could steal him at the last moment.

In the end, I’m not sure whether the Chargers are better than they were before Ingram’s injury. They spent more money than expected, especially with a hole remaining at left tackle. The team is still talking to Max Starks, and the Chargers will get some cap relief June 1 as part of the Jared Gaither cut.

But the Ingram injury and Freeney signing are prime examples of the always-changing NFL world. The Chargers were put in an emergency situation. I don’t think they could have responded better than securing a potential Hall of Famer as a solution.

The San Diego Chargers are still interested in signing pass-rusher Dwight Freeney even though his visit has ended.

It could come down to finances. Freeney, who would be the Chargers’ best rusher, has been looking for a good contract since leaving the Colts. Freeney is considered the best pass-rusher on the market.

I doubt he’d bring down his price, knowing he’d have a big role in San Diego. The Chargers have limited cap room and needs along the offensive line. So, there may be some haggling to do.

Perhaps the Chargers, who are around $5 million under the salary cap, may wait until after June 1 to try to get the Freeney deal done. They will get an additional $4 million in cap room then from cutting Jared Gaither. Freeney has been on the market for months and has not been in a hurry to get a deal done, so perhaps an agreement can be made in a few weeks if it can’t get done now in San Diego.

Whether San Diego signs Freeney or not, it must get more pass-rush help after 2012 first-round pick Melvin Ingram tore his ACL this week in a non-contact OTA drill.

In other AFC West notes:

Former Oakland running Mike Goodson was arrested in New Jersey on drug and gun charges. He left the Raiders for the Jets in free agency this offseason.

The Broncos made some minor language changes in the contract of quarterback Peyton Manning. Nothing changes for him financially or for the team’s salary cap. The change is procedural and involves Denver getting insurance money in case Manning, 37, doesn’t play in 2014.

New Oakland returner Josh Cribbs is not worried about his progress from a knee injury. He should be ready to go when the season starts.

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

A look at key players for each AFC West team who are coming back from injuries:

Denver Broncos: Center J.D. Walton is coming back from a broken ankle. He was lost for the season after getting injured in Week 4 last year. Walton is a young, promising center. The 2010 draft pick started all 36 NFL games for which he was healthy. He is a tough, hard-nosed player who has solid potential. Walton was building a good working relationship with Peyton Manning when he was hurt. Now that he is healthy, it’s time to continue to build that relationship.

Kansas City Chiefs: Center Rodney Hudson broke his leg in Week 3 last year and was lost for the season. The injury was particularly frustrating for Hudson because he was just beginning his starting career. The 2011 second-round pick watched as a rookie. He had a strong training camp and he played well before his injury. Now, entering his third NFL season, Hudson in a lot of ways is still a rookie. There is no doubt he is a starting-quality player, but he is still learning the game as he now adjusts to playing in Andy Reid’s system and to playing with new quarterback Alex Smith. For Hudson, this is another learning year.

Oakland Raiders: Explosive receiver/returner Jacoby Ford missed all of last season with a foot injury. The same injury cost him six games the previous season. Ford has big ability as both a receiver and a returner. He has had some terrific games for Oakland. But I don’t get the sense this Oakland regime, which has never seen Ford healthy, is counting on him. The Raiders have several young, promising receivers and they just signed a similar player in Josh Cribbs. Yet, the group is a work in progress. If Ford can bounce back and stay healthy, there will be a place for him. The Raiders would happily give Ford a chance to contribute if the foot cooperates. If not, he could be on his way out in Oakland.

San Diego Chargers: The Chargers are counting the minutes to get receiver Vincent Brown back on the field. They think he can be a star. Brown came on strong toward the end of his rookie season in 2011 and then was outstanding in training camp. However, he broke his ankle in the preseason and was lost for the entire 2012 season. The Chargers’ offense badly missed him. He is now healthy, and the Chargers are going to unleash Brown. He should be a major focal point of the offense. Brown and quarterback Philip Rivers were building a strong chemistry, and they will continue to work on it in training camp.