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Denver

Potential unrestricted free agents: P Mitch Berger, S Vernon Fox, T Brandon Gorin, Nick Greisen, G Ben Hamilton, G Russ Hochstein, DE Vonnie Holliday, CB Ty Law, WR Brandon Lloyd

Potential restricted free agents: LB Elvis Dumervil, OL Chris Kuper, WR Brandon Marshall, QB Kyle Orton, TE Tony Scheffler, DT Le Kevin Smith

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: The Broncos’ restricted class is talented. That will be the focus. It has been reported that Marshall, Orton, Dumervil, Scheffler and Kuper will all get one-year tenders. Marshall very well could be traded. It wouldn’t be a shock if Dumervil gets some action on the restricted market. Miami could be interested.

Kansas City

Potential unrestricted free agents: OL Andy Alleman, S Mike Brown, WR Chris Chambers, WR Terrance Copper, TE Sean Ryan, C Wade Smith, LB Mike Vrabel, WR Bobby Wade

Potential restricted free agents: RB Jackie Battle, QB Brodie Croyle, LB Derrick Johnson, LB Corey Mays, OL Ikechuku Ndukwe, OL Rudy Niswanger, OL Ryan O'Callaghan, S Jarrad Page

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: The Chiefs are interested in keeping some of their unrestricted free agents. General manager Scott Pioli said at the combine the team has been in contact with several of their free agents. Chambers is the focus. The team is trying to keep him. Brown and Vrabel could also return with new deals.

Oakland

Potential unrestricted free agents: S Hiram Eugene, G Cornell Green, T Langston Walker, LB Sam Williams

Potential restricted free agents: LB Jon Alston, OL Khalif Barnes, LB Ricky Brown, LB Jon Condo, QB Charlie Frye, QB Bruce Gradkowski, LB Thomas Howard, RB Luke Lawton, OL Chris Morris, LB Kirk Morrison, CB Stanford Routt, RB Gary Russell

Franchise player: DE Richard Seymour.

What to expect: The Raiders franchised Seymour and signed kicker Sebastian Janikowski to a record deal, so they’ve already been busy. It will be interesting to see how they tender Howard and Morrison. The Raiders could use some new life at linebacker and this could be the start of it.

San Diego

Potential unrestricted free agents: DT Alfonso Boone, TE Brandon Manumaleuna, C Dennis Norman, WR Kassim Osgood. T Jon Runyan, DT Ian Scott, TE Kris Wilson

Potential restricted free agents: OL Jeromey Clary, LB Tim Dobbins, WR Malcom Floyd, DT Antonio Garay, OL Eric Ghiaciuc, LB Marques Harris, WR Vincent Jackson, DT Travis Johnson, OL Marcus McNeill, LB Shawne Merriman, RB Darren Sproles, QB Charlie Whitehurst

Franchise player: None

What to expect: The Chargers have their hands full. It’s been reported they will give high tenders to Jackson, Merriman, McNeill and Floyd. Jackson and McNeill could still attract some interest on the restricted market. Sproles is not expected to be tendered, making him a free agent. The Chargers want him back. But if Sproles hits the open market, the multifaceted weapon could be scooped up quickly.

» AFC Free Agency: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

An early look at the free-agent situation in the AFC West.

Note: These projected lists reflect notable unrestricted free agents for each team. The NFL will not issue an official list of free agents until the signing period begins March 5.

Denver Broncos

Unrestricted free agents: P Mitch Berger, S Vernon Fox, T Brandon Gorin, Nick Greisen, G Ben Hamilton, G Russ Hochstein, DE Vonnie Holliday, CB Ty Law, WR Brandon Lloyd.

Key figures: There isn’t much here. The team could bring back Hochstein, Holliday and Law, but they are all complementary pieces. It’s all about the restricted free-agent class in Denver. The Broncos have to figure out what they are going to do with receiver Brandon Marshall, defensive end Elvis Dumervil, quarterback Kyle Orton and tight end Tony Scheffler.

Kansas City Chiefs

Unrestricted free agents: S Mike Brown, WR Chris Chambers, WR Terrance Copper, TE Sean Ryan, C Wade Smith, LB Mike Vrabel, WR Bobby Wade,

Key figures: Chambers will be Kansas City's priority. He gave the Chiefs’ offense a big spark after he was claimed off waivers in November. The team’s brass really likes what Brown and Vrabel bring to the team and both could be back in Kansas City at the right price. Wade also could be brought back.

Oakland Raiders

Unrestricted free agents: Hiram Eugene, G Cornell Green, K Sebastian Janikowski, DE Richard Seymour, T Langston Walker, LB Sam Williams

Key figures: It’s all about Seymour and Janikowski. The Raiders are trying to get long-term deals with both players done. If new deals aren’t struck, watch for Oakland to put the franchise and transition tags on them. Oakland will do anything it can not to lose either player.

San Diego Chargers

Unrestricted free agents: DT Alfonso Boone, TE Brandon Manumaleuna, C Dennis Norman, WR Kassim Osgood. T Jon Runyan, DT Ian Scott, TE Kris Wilson

Key figures: The team would like to bring back Osgood, one of the best special-teams players in the NFL. But Osgood wants a chance to be a receiver and the opportunity might not be in San Diego. The Chargers will spend most of their energy on their restricted class. The priorities are receiver Vincent Jackson, tackle Marcus McNeill, linebacker Shawne Merriman, running back Darren Sproles and receiver Malcom Floyd.

San Diego coach Norv Turner told reporters Monday that center Nick Hardwick is still a long shot to return Sunday against Cincinnati. He has been out since Week 1 with an ankle injury. Turner is hopeful safety Eric Weddle will return Sunday. He has missed the past two games with a knee injury.

• The Broncos placed rookie safety Darcel McBath on the injured reserve with a broken forearm, which he injured Sunday in a loss to the Colts. The team added safety Vernon Fox. He was on Denver’s roster last season.

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• The Broncos’ game at Philadelphia on Dec. 27 has been moved to a 4:15 p.m. ET start.

• Former Oakland head coach Jon Gruden brought his ESPN Monday Night Football friends to his old stomping grounds Sunday night.

• The Raiders signed offensive lineman Elliot Vallejo to the practice squad.

Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Here are some random AFC West notes from the Panthers' press box:

The Broncos are less than a half from clinching the AFC West championship. Kansas City has taken a 21-10 lead over the beleaguered Chargers. If San Diego goes on to lose, Denver clinches the division. The Chargers would be 5-9. Denver is 8-5.

The Chiefs-Chargers game was being played on the big screen in Carolina in the first half.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is having a bad day. He is not sharp and he had to be restrained from getting to the officials after a lost fumble. Guard Kris Dielman was ejected after throwing a punch at Chiefs' defensive end Tamba Hali on the play.

Broncos' receiver Brandon Stokley and Jake Delhomme are facing each other for the first time in their NFL careers. They were a pass-catch tandem at Southwestern Louisiana.

San Diego center Nick Hardwick was taken off on a cart with a knee injury that appeared to be potentially serious.

Denver star left cornerback Champ Bailey is inactive and will miss his seventh straight missed game against Carolina. He has a torn groin. Undrafted rookie Josh Bell will continue to spell him.

Weakside linebacker D.J. Williams is back for Denver after missing the past five games with a knee injury.

Denver safety Marlon McCree is out with a lingering ankle injury. He is being replaced by Vernon Fox.

Denver No. 3 receiver Brandon Stokley is playing after injuring his foot last week.

Denver fullback/linebacker Spencer Larsen is out with a groin injury.

Oakland's defensive line has one sack in the past 13 quarters,

Denver and Tennessee both have a chance to be lead their division after every game this season. The teams to do it the 2007 New England Patriots, the 2004 Atlanta Falcons, the 1985 Los Angeles Rams.

There is a rumor circulating around the league that St. Louis interim coach Jim Haslett could get interest from Oakland. Raiders' owner Al Davis likes Haslett and has talked to him about a job in the past. A potential obstacle is that the last 11 coaches Davis has hired all have offensive backgrounds. Haslett is a defensive coach.

San Diego defensive coordinator Ron Rivera's name has popped up for some potential jobs around the league,

There are many, many empty seats at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday.

Denver running back Cory Boyd is inactive. Denver's running backs Sunday will be Tatum Bell, Selvin Young and P.J. Pope.

Pope

Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson

Courtesy of the Broncos' PR staff, here are some quotes from coach Mike Shanahan and quarterback Jay Cutler today:

Shanahan

Mike Shanahan on ...

• Placing C Tom Nalen on injured reserve: "It is always hard to lose a great player and a great leader. I've been with Tommy right from the start, and he is everything you look for in a person and in a player. It is tough to see a guy like that be injured like he has and go through the rehab he has gone through. If there is anybody that can play with pain, it is him. When he can't play you know it is very serious."
  

• Whether signing C Casey Wiegmann had anything to do with Nalen's health: "To be honest with you, we were not really aware of any setback that Tom had. We thought Tom would be 100 percent. Casey (Wiegmann) was such a great player from Kansas City for so many years and we were just shocked that he was on the street. When we saw that he was on the street, we just tried to gobble him up as quickly as we could knowing that any injury is possible during the season."
  

• Newly acquired S Vernon Fox: "We just got him in. He was the special teams player of the year at Detroit. He played at Washington and he has a number of starts over the last couple of years. I am very impressed with the way he has handled himself as a person and how he played on special teams. Now we will get a chance to see first hand how he fits into our system. We will try to get him ready to play as quickly as we can."

Cutler

Jay Cutler on ...

• Whether the Broncos will overlook the Chiefs: "We are kind of a young team, so we are not going to overlook anybody. They have talent like any other NFL team. If you look at their record when they play at Arrowhead (Stadium)-it's a tough battle. We are not overlooking this one at all."
  

• People saying the Broncos are 'lucky': "It's fine. We can keep being lucky. It's fine with me."
  

• Whether it's hard for a Vanderbilt guy to wear orange: "It is. I had to get used to orange, especially orange hats. Vandy is 4-0 - What are we (ranked No.) 21 right now? The coaches over there are great. They are doing a great job. The talent has gotten better and better each and every year, so I'm happy for them. I talk to (Co-Passing Game Coordinator & Quarterbacks) Coach (Jimmy) Kiser every week, and I'm thrilled for them. Hopefully they can keep it going."

• Whether he is concerned about a letdown after starting 3-0: "You always have to be concerned. Letdowns are always possible, especially after two emotional wins. This week has kind of been up and down, but we have a good group of guys and I'm sure we will be ready."
  

• Tom Nalen being placed on injured reserve: "It's weird. I was just talking to him in the meeting. I asked him what he is going to do today. For the past 14, 15, 16 years, Wednesdays he has always been here. He will be around. It will be tough for him to stay away. He's one of the leaders on the offense, one of the leaders of the offensive meetings rooms, especially the O-Line. It's going to be tough. I think one of our best pickups in the offseason was getting (C) Casey (Wiegmann). He steps right in, doesn't miss a beat and is a leader on the offensive line."
  

• Whether he is comfortable with Casey Wiegmann: "Since Day 1 I've been comfortable, but stuff happens in the game. He's from a different system, it's loud out there and sometimes we're not clicking. But we work through it and he's great on the sideline. "He has seen it all. He knows all about the AFC West and what the Broncos are about. It's really like we never lost Tom (Nalen). He steps right in there and it's Tom all over again."
  

• The differences between Nalen and Wiegmann: "Not a lot. Tom is a little grumpier maybe. Physically they are about the same. They are not huge guys. In the locker room they are the same-they don't really say a lot. Casey doesn't say a lot unless he needs to talk to somebody. They are both great leaders and they go out there and do their job. We haven't lost a step with Casey in there."