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Yes, the start of training camps is two months away, but it’s never too early to consider the coming season. A look at the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the Raiders in 2012.

Dream scenario (9-7): Maybe the Raiders get the Carson Palmer whom the last staff envisioned, and he regains his form from years ago. Although the tight end position is a nightmare, Oakland’s core of young wide receivers could burst onto the scene this season. Denarius Moore could be a superstar, and Juron Criner could be an ideal complement. Switching schemes can be dicey, but the Raiders’ offensive line looks better off in going to a zone-blocking scheme, and should be especially improved on the interior. Oakland also absolutely must cut down on penalties, and drastically reducing such mistakes seems like a reasonable and reachable goal. Also, only four teams threw more interceptions than the Raiders last season. Reducing picks along with having a exceptional pair of kicking specialists could greatly aid Oakland in winning the hidden-yardage battle.

Nightmare scenario (4-12): The Raiders have poor depth. They are also breaking in a new head coach and new schemes. As the season goes along, their depth will surely be tested -- and I don’t expect it to respond kindly. Oakland absolutely needs Darren McFadden to stay healthy this season. Of course, that has been a problem for its spectacular running back. When healthy, few in this league produce like McFadden, but the right tackle position looks like a trouble area. There also could be a drop-off coming on defense. The defensive line overall is strong, but where are the top edge pass-rushers and top cover men? In a passing league, that is a massive problem in my eyes. The best I can forecast for Oakland is to have great luck with injuries and sneak into the playoffs as a wild-card team, while their nightmare scenario could be selecting in the top five of next year’s draft.

Terrell Owens is campaigning to get back into the NFL, and his current targets are his first team and the team in which his previous quarterback plays for.

Owens went on “The Drive” on 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, in an interview that will air Monday, and said he’d like to play for either the 49ers or the Raiders. Let’s get this straight: Owens would like to play for any team. But thus far, there have not been any takers. Owens was out of football in 2011, and he turns 39 in December.

Yes, he’s a hard sell.

Yet, he is pushing for a chance to reunite with quarterback Carson Palmer. They played in Cincinnati together in 2010, and Owens worked out with Palmer and some Oakland receivers this offseason.

“If I had to prefer a team, I’d probably want to end where I started, but other than that, that’s not possible, but at the same time, anything can happen. That being said, there’s really only one team left in the Bay Area who I haven’t played for, that really, at this point in time is a viable option, and that’s the Oakland Raiders,” Owens said, “Given the opportunity, if that’s on their radar for me to come in and help them win some ball games, and ultimately help them try to win a championship, then I’ll take that challenge on.

"I definitely feel I have a lot of football left in me. I think Carson knows that. The guys that saw me running around, those receivers, they saw me first hand, so it’s just a matter of someone giving me an opportunity to make that happen. If that’s the case with the Raiders, I’ll assess that when the time comes.”

The reality is, it doesn’t matter if Owens is interested in playing for the Raiders. There are a lot of people in the world who would like to play for the Raiders. What matters is what Oakland’s brass wants. Thus far, it appears Oakland is satisfied with its young core of receivers. As I have expressed often, I think it is the right call.

Let’s see what fifth-round pick Juron Criner can do. Taking away repetitions from him in favor of a rusty 38-year-old with a history of being a locker-room distraction doesn’t make any sense.

In other AFC West news:

Tight end Dallas Clark reportedly visited the Patriots this week. He recently visited the Chiefs.

In an Insider piece, Mel Kiper says he thinks Kansas City linebacker Justin Houston will build upon his strong rookie season.

Denver signed fifth-round pick Malik Jackson. He is the team’s second draft pick to sign.

The Cincinnati Bengals have the most remaining unsigned draft picks in the division, but they became the first AFC North team to sign its first-round pick.

The Bengals announced they have reached a deal with cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, the 17th overall pick in the draft. He agreed to a four-year deal worth $8.6 million with $7.84 million of that fully guaranteed, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Kirkpatrick’s signing is the earliest by a top Bengals draft pick since 2003, when Cincinnati sealed a deal on April 24 with quarterback Carson Palmer, the top overall selection in that draft.

“It’s great for the club and great for Dre to have him signed this early,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. “Contracts can be a distraction for young guys drafted high, but now he can put all that behind him and focus on making himself better and making us a better team.”

Kirkpatrick could make an immediate impact this season for the Bengals. He could fill in for Leon Hall, who is still recovering from an Achilles injury, or he could beat out veteran Nate Clements.

“Dre was the tallest (6 feet 2) of the top corners in the draft, and with all the big receivers in the league right now, we see that as an extra advantage for us,” Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said. “He does a great job at the line of scrimmage. He’s been coached hard with a national championship team, so we really like his pedigree.”

The Bengals have four draft picks who remain unsigned: guard Kevin Zeitler (first round), wide receiver Mohamed Sanu (third round), defensive tackle Brandon Thompson (third round) and running back Dan “Boom” Herron (sixth round).

“Like Coach [Lewis] says, it’s just great to have this part done,” Kirkpatrick said. “I’m happy to officially be a Bengal, and I’m going to be the best player I can be for the team and our fans.”

The Ravens have signed their entire draft class, while the Steelers and Browns have two picks each who are unsigned.

ALAMEDA, Calif. – Carson Palmer gave himself a refresher course this offseason in what watching football without the modern convenience of high definition is like.

It brought him back to the late 1980s, when he watched football just because he liked what he saw without knowing the complications of the game.

This time around, it was for the benefit of his NFL career.

As part of his indoctrination into the West Coast offense, Palmer, 32, watched as much of the scheme's attack as he could. He went all the way back to the Bill Walsh San Francisco 49ers.

“It was pretty cool going back to those days,” said Palmer this week during a break in the Raiders’ organized team activities. “There were no HD films back then, so it was kind of gritty. … It brought me back to when I was 8 years old and I just wanted to see (San Francisco running back) Roger Craig score a touchdown. … You look at the game so differently now, but it was a good learning experience.”

Palmer’s West Coast cram sessions included several incarnations of the scheme. However, a primary focus was the 2010 and 2011 Houston Texans. Palmer watched every game the team played the past two seasons.

New Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp was Houston’s quarterbacks coach in those seasons. Knapp is bringing a version of the West Coast offense to Oakland. He is a disciple of the 49ers’ West Coast offense and has used versions of it as a coordinator in San Francisco, Atlanta, Oakland (in 2007-08) and in Seattle.

Palmer was in a West Coast offense in his first year at USC, at age 18. In a season during which he will turn 33, Palmer must adjust to the offense in what will be a crucial year for him personally. The previous Oakland regime traded two premium draft picks for Palmer last season in a desperate attempt to stay in the playoff hunt when starter Jason Campbell went down for the season with a broken collarbone.

Oakland was 4-2 when Campbell went down. It was 4-6 after acquiring Palmer from the Bengals. Thrown into the Oakland system after holding out in Cincinnati, Palmer’s rust showed as he threw 16 interceptions and 13 touchdown passes for the Raiders.

Palmer is now comfortable in Oakland, and though he is still adjusting to Knapp’s system, he says he is thrilled with the playbook because Knapp’s offense has so many variations. There are some classic West Coast schemes, but there is also zone-blocking running and other modifications. Palmer said he believes it is the most varied offense he has been in.

He thinks it will blend nicely with Oakland’s speed at receiver. Mostly, Palmer is confident his transition to the offense will be easy because of Knapp himself.

“He’s been fantastic with me,” Palmer said. “He’s amazing. He is a teacher in addition to a coach. … It will really help me get this offense down.”

New Oakland coach Dennis Allen said Palmer was a major reason why he chose to hire Knapp as his offensive coordinator. He said Palmer’s ability to adjust to Knapp’s offense made the Palmer-Knapp pairing a “great fit” in Allen’s mind.

Allen scoffs at concern that Palmer might not be athletic enough to run Knapp’s offense. He has repeatedly said he thinks that Palmer is athletic as Matt Schaub, who flourished under Knapp in Houston. Palmer often ran around the field freely Tuesday in addition to participating in a multitude of plays, including several deep passes, which mesh with his big arm.

“He moved around today,” Allen said Tuesday. “He’s plenty athletic.”

Allen also said the key is to be flexible -- not only on offense, but on defense, where the 4-3-based Raiders will use multiple front-seven sets. Allen -- who was Denver’s defensive coordinator last season -- saw the benefit of in-season coaching when the Broncos went to an option offense for Tim Tebow midway through the season. He said Tuesday he learned from that experience.

“We are running the 'West Coast offense,' but we’re going to do a lot of things,” Allen said. “We are going to take advantage of what Carson does best.”

While hopes are high in Oakland that Palmer will show he was worth the high price, some worry about the fit. Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. is in that camp.

“I have a lot of concerns with Palmer adjusting to the Raiders’ new offense,” Williamson said. “First off, it was the former staff/philosophy that wanted Palmer. He doesn’t anticipate routes well. When the receiver becomes open, Palmer throws it. Therefore, defensive backs get a better break on the ball and run-after-the-catch potential is more limited. Also, he has heavy feet and not a movement-based quarterback, which is ideally what they now want in Oakland. I do think Knapp will adapt his system to fit Palmer -- he will have to.”

To help Palmer adjust to playing for Knapp, Oakland signed Matt Leinart to be his backup. Leinart backed up Palmer at USC and the two Heisman Trophy winners have a close bond. Leinart was in Houston the past two seasons.

Leinart said this week he is happy to help Palmer with any nuances of Knapp’s offense. He said keys for Palmer will be to use bootlegs and rely on what should be a strong running game.

"I'm here for Carson, to help him with reads, to let him know that certain things are very good, just to stay on it," Leinart said. "Because when you're taught a new offense, there's things that you're not used to; you're used to doing it a certain way. Sometimes the reads are a little different. I told him today, 'Just stick with this route because it's a great route for us. It's going to be a great route for us.'"

And if he needs any reassurance, all Palmer has to do is flip on the old, gritty, grainy game film of the West Coast offense of yesteryear.

Quarterback Carson Palmer said both sides won when the Cincinnati Bengals traded him to the Oakland Raiders last season.

Not sure whether we should file this under "What did you really expect him to say" or "Players are sometimes delusional about their own situation." Palmer made this comment when asked if he needed to patch things up with his former team.

"It was time to move on and it was time for them to move on," Palmer said Monday on the Dan Patrick Show, "and they're in a better place and I'm definitely in a better place."

Palmer added, "I think in the years to come both organizations will look back and say this thing was the best thing to happen."

It's fair to say that Palmer's time with the Bengals had run its course. But it's inaccurate to say both organizations are happy with the results, at least based on last season.

The Bengals went to the playoffs with new quarterback Andy Dalton and received two additional draft picks (including cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick in the first round this year) in the deal with Oakland. Palmer ended up going 4-5 as the Raiders' starter and lost the head coach (Hue Jackson) who spearheaded the move to get him to Oakland. The Bengals even ended up with Jackson as an assistant. Not sure how Palmer is counting, but this was a win-win-win for Cincinnati.

For Palmer to justify Oakland giving up a first-round pick in 2012 and a second-rounder in 2013, he has to do more than lead the Raiders to the playoffs. He has to win postseason games and a good number of them. Some might say Palmer would have to guide Oakland to the Super Bowl to validate what the Raiders gave up for him.

» NFC pressure points: West | North | South | East
» AFC pressure points: West | North | South | East

Examining who faces the most challenging season for the Raiders and why.

Oakland’s brass isn’t facing much pressure. General manager Reggie McKenzie and new head coach Dennis Allen are starting a new regime, and they will be given time to build their program.

However, that doesn’t mean no one in Oakland faces pressure in 2012. The heat is on quarterback Carson Palmer. He is one of the keys to quick success in Oakland. If Palmer fails to deliver in 2012, the Raiders may have to think of the future, whether that means trying to draft a franchise quarterback in 2013 or turning to 2011 supplemental draft pick Terrelle Pryor.

Remember, the previous regime was the one that brought Palmer in last October. McKenzie and Allen believe in Palmer and will give him a chance to succeed, but he’s not their guy. They will not feel emotionally attached to him if he fails.

Oakland gave up its first-round pick this year and a first or second round pick next year (it’s a first rounder if Oakland goes to the AFC title game). They need Palmer to succeed.

He was so-so last year. Palmer threw 16 interceptions and 13 touchdowns in 10 games with Oakland. Now, Palmer, who will turn 33 in December, must adjust to the West Coast offense in Oakland.

Hopes are high for him, but if Palmer fails in 2012, so may the Raiders.

Adam Schefter and Wendi Nix revisit the Carson Palmer trade; Russell Wilson could start for the Seattle Seahawks; and some bold words from New Orleans Saints rookie Corey White.

Can the Raiders stay in the race in 2012?

The Oakland Raiders are a team in transition.

Steadying the organization with an eye on the future is the goal of new general manager Reggie McKenzie, who is taking over the direction of the team after the death of legendary Oakland owner Al Davis. Davis died at the age of 82 last October. Because Davis desperately tried to win in his final years, McKenzie was saddled with a poor salary-cap situation and a lack of draft picks.

The result is that Oakland has not been able to add many major pieces who can help right away. The problem is, Oakland’s three competitors in the AFC West -- Denver, Kansas City and San Diego -- all made significant additions.

The Raiders’ additions were more of the modest variety. If Oakland, which was 8-8 and lost the AFC West title to Denver via a tiebreaker last season, has a chance to win the division for the first time in 10 years, it must hope quarterback Carson Palmer finds his groove, running back Darren McFadden stays healthy, its young receivers continue to develop and the defense makes huge strides under new coach Dennis Allen.

Oakland has depth issues on both sides of the ball, so it can’t sustain many major injuries. There is talent in Oakland, and the team is on the right track for the future, but the question is: Can the Raiders compete in the immediate future?

As expected, Matt Leinart is headed to Oakland.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that Leinart is signing with the Raiders after having a tryout with the team. This connection has been expected for several weeks.

It was reported Monday that the Raiders were working out former Colts backup Jim Sorgi as well. Signing Leinart over Sorgi is the right call in my mind. Sorgi hasn’t played in three years. There are several reasons why Leinart should quickly become comfortable in Oakland.

Leinart played for Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp in Houston last season. Leinart has also been Carson Palmer’s backup in the past. Palmer was the starter and Leinart was the backup while at USC, and they remain close. Both share a bond as Heisman Trophy winners.

Leinart will be the backup and 2011 supplemental draft pick Terrelle Pryor will be the No. 3 quarterback. But Pryor is a project. If Palmer goes down, the Raiders will turn to Leinart as Pryor develops.

Here's a look at how the AFC West teams fared in our post-draft power rankings. I do not have a vote, but I do have an opinion:

Denver Broncos

Power ranking: 10

My range: 9-11

Comment: It’s all about Peyton Manning in Denver, but the key will be improvement on defense.

San Diego Chargers

Power ranking: 15

My range: 13-15

Comment: The Chargers had a tremendous draft after a strong free-agency period. This team got better.

Kansas City Chiefs

Power ranking: 17

My range: 11-13

Comment: The voters are sleeping are on the Chiefs. This team is strong.

Oakland Raiders

Power ranking: 26

My range: 17-19

Comment: The key in Oakland will be strong play by Carson Palmer and health on both sides of the ball.

A long-expected pairing is likely to occur.

Oakland will visit with and is expected to sign Matt Leinart to be Carson Palmer’s backup quarterback, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

This is no surprise. Leinart played for Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and as soon as Leinart was cut this offseason, we’ve been expecting a reunion. Plus, Leinart was Palmer’s backup at USC and they remain close. Both share a bond as Heisman Trophy winners.

I am not surprised at all that Leinart and not Terrelle Pryor will be the backup. Pryor is still very much a developmental quarterback. Plus, he wasn’t taken by this regime. They must watch and work with Pryor before putting him one play from becoming a starter.

In Leinart, Oakland has an experienced player who you can count on in a pinch. Most importantly, he is a player who is comfortable in Oakland’s system.

In other AFC West notes:

• Oakland third-round pick Tony Bergstrom is married to the sister of Baltimore linebacker Paul Kruger.
• Ronnie Hillman played for Snoop Dogg’s traveling youth team in Southern California as a youngster.
• San Diego second-round pick, defensive lineman Kendall Reyes, was a receiver in high school. He is now 295 pounds.
• Kansas City third round pick, tackle Donald Stephenson, is from Kansas City. His reaction to getting chosen by the Chiefs? “I’m speechless,” the Oklahoma product said. “I love the Chiefs. I’ve always loved them. To have a chance to play in my hometown is huge.”

There was a time -- like pretty much the last 50 years -- when a Heisman Trophy wasn’t a very good thing for a quarterback to have on his résumé as he entered the NFL.

When Baylor’s Robert Griffin III gets taken early in next week’s NFL draft, he could be the latest piece in the trend of turning around the apparent curse on quarterbacks who won the Heisman. It has started to change only recently, but all of the sudden it’s looking like the trophy isn’t an anchor guaranteeing NFL mediocrity or obscurity for a quarterback.

Look back at 2010 winner Cam Newton. He was last year’s offensive rookie of the year for the Carolina Panthers and set all sorts of rookie passing (and rushing) records. There’s big hope in St. Louis that 2008 winner Sam Bradford can get back to the promise he showed as a rookie after struggling through a rough 2010 season. Then there’s 2007 winner Tim Tebow. He couldn’t throw spirals in Denver, but he won games. That at least created a market for Tebow to get traded to the New York Jets, where it remains to be seen if he’ll ever be able to win the starting job away from Mark Sanchez.

But there’s at least hope that Griffin, Newton, Bradford and Tebow can go on to have long and prosperous NFL careers. Before they came along, there were decades of evidence that suggested quarterbacks should just quit the game after winning the Heisman.

Remember Troy Smith, Eric Crouch, Danny Wuerffel, Charlie Ward and Gino Torretta? How about Ty Detmer, Andre Ware or Pat Sullivan?

They had little to no success in the NFL.

And remember Jason White?

I honestly did not at first. I had to go back and look up White, who won the trophy not all that long ago. He won it in 2003 while putting up some gaudy numbers at the University of Oklahoma. White didn’t even get drafted and quit football altogether after a short training-camp stint with the Tennessee Titans. He never even played in a regular-season NFL game.

Guys like White, Smith, Crouch, Wuerffel, Ward, Torretta, Detmer, Ware and Sullivan all had some things in common. In general, they were able to win the Heisman because they put up big statistics at programs where they were surrounded by elite players. They also had limitations -- usually in size, speed or arm strength -- that prevented them from being taken very seriously by NFL talent evaluators.

But those same evaluators also missed on some Heisman winners who seemed to have what the NFL wanted. Remember Matt Leinart?

He came from one of those football factories (USC), where he was surrounded by guys like Reggie Bush, but Leinart was supposed to be the one whose college success could transfer to the NFL. That’s why the Arizona Cardinals drafted him in the first round. But Leinart was nothing short of a tremendous disappointment.

When he flopped, it looked like there really was something to the Heisman Curse.

Prior to Tebow, Bradford, Newton and Griffin, you’ve got to look at a list of 18 quarterbacks who won the Heisman before you find one who really made it big. You’ve got to go all the way back to Roger Staubach, who won it for Navy in 1963. He went on to have a great career for the Dallas Cowboys and earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Since Staubach won the Heisman, other quarterbacks have had to settle for just getting into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Sure, there have been a few Heisman winners to come out and have some success. Jim Plunkett won two Super Bowls, but his career didn’t really take off until he landed with the Raiders after mediocre stints in New England and San Francisco.

Vinny Testaverde had an extremely long NFL career and the longevity led to some impressive career statistics. But Testaverde never had the kind of career so many people imagined when he was coming out of the University of Miami and taken No. 1 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987.

Guys like Steve Spurrier and Doug Flutie bounced around and had some success. Then there’s Carson Palmer, who has had some bright moments, but still is trying to fully live up to the Heisman hype.

But Newton, Griffin, Tebow and Bradford finally might be able to put a stop to the near-half-decade drought of Heisman Trophy winners truly excelling in the NFL.

“Cam Newton is the best thing to ever happen to Robert Griffin III,’’ former NFL quarterback Chris Weinke said as we discussed this year’s crop of quarterbacks back in February. “Just like Drew Brees is the best thing to happen to [Wisconsin draft prospect Russell Wilson]. Cam showed that a big, athletic quarterback that can run can be great in the NFL. Brees showed that a guy that’s not 6-foot-4 or 6-foot-5 can throw for 5,000 yards in an NFL season. We all know the NFL is a copycat league. Cam’s success and Drew’s success helps the draft stock of guys like Robert and Russell.’’

Ironically, Weinke’s name is another one on that Heisman list. His story might be the most unique of all the Heisman-winning quarterbacks. Weinke enrolled at Florida State after giving up a minor-league baseball career. He won the Heisman in 2000 and seemed to have the talent of a classic drop-back passer, but the fact he would turn 29 in his rookie training camp, pushed him into the fourth round of the 2001 draft. The Carolina Panthers took him and he started under coach George Seifert as a rookie, but never could quite won over John Fox, who took over the next year.

Weinke spent the next five seasons as a backup in Carolina and finished his career in 2007 with San Francisco.

These days, Weinke has carved a niche as a quarterback guru. He is the director of football operations at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla. He has worked extensively with Newton and some other quarterback prospects over the past few years.

Weinke says he’s seen the game change just since his playing days ended. Like just about everyone else, he says the NFL has become more driven by quarterbacks. He says natural talent is a prerequisite for NFL success and he points to guys like Newton and Griffin, saying they could be a new prototype. And he goes back to his point about the NFL being a copycat league.

“People are always looking for what works,’’ Weinke said. “Cam obviously had a fantastic rookie season. So people look at Robert and say he can do the same thing because the skill sets are similar.’’

For Griffin, Newton and Bradford -- and perhaps even Tebow in his own way -- maybe the skill sets are so good that it no longer matters if a quarterback is lugging around a Heisman Trophy.

Breakdown: Don't play that lack of respect card this year Who Dey nation. After not making a prime-time appearance last season, the Bengals were rewarded with three after a surprising run to the playoffs. The last time the Bengals had more prime-time games was 2007, when they had four.

Cincinnati opens the season on Monday night at Baltimore, plays a home Sunday night game against Pittsburgh on Oct. 21 and a Thursday night game at Philadelphia on Dec. 13. The most shocking part of the Bengals' schedule is that the return of Carson Palmer to Paul Brown Stadium on Nov. 25 isn't on national television.

The Bengals will find out where they stand in the AFC North early -- four division games are in the first seven weeks of the season. Cincinnati then goes nine weeks without facing an AFC North team until it finishes at Pittsburgh and home against Baltimore.

Complaint department: There really isn't much to complain about. Four of the Bengals' first six games are on the road. But that could also be considered the easy part of the schedule, with only one of those road games against a playoff team from last season. After playing at Baltimore, the Bengals travel to Washington, Jacksonville and Cleveland.

Sellout streak?: It's no secret that the Bengals have had trouble selling tickets. Only two home games last season weren't blacked out (and one was the result of a "buy one, get one free" promotion). But there's no excuse for a lack of sellouts this year. The Bengals have a three-game home stretch in the middle of the season when Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning come to town. If the Bengals can't pack the stadium for those games, there's a major problem in Cincinnati.

Bengals Regular-Season Schedule (All times Eastern)
Week 1: Monday, Sept. 10, at Baltimore, 7:00 PM
Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, Cleveland, 1:00 PM
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, at Washington, 1:00 PM
Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, at Jacksonville, 4:05 PM
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, Miami, 1:00 PM
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, at Cleveland, 1:00 PM
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 21, Pittsburgh, 8:20 PM
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 4, Denver, 1:00 PM
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 11, NY Giants, 1:00 PM
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 18, at Kansas City, 1:00 PM
Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 25, Oakland, 1:00 PM
Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 2, at San Diego, 4:15 PM
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 9, Dallas, 1:00 PM
Week 15: Thursday, Dec. 13, at Philadelphia, 8:20 PM
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 23, at Pittsburgh, 1:00 PM
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 30, Baltimore, 1:00 PM

The rumored trade of linebacker Keith Rivers to the New York Giants appears to be a reality, even though the Bengals have yet to announce the move.

Multiple outlets, including the NFL's official website, are reporting that the Bengals received a fifth-round pick from the Super Bowl champions in exchange for the oft-injured Rivers. Even Rivers has confirmed the deal, tweeting out the "Theme from New York, New York." (On a side note, Rivers' first misstep is attributing the quote to "Frank Santria.")

Once again, the Bengals are the winners in a trade. Cincinnati is getting the 167th overall pick for a first-round pick who could never stay healthy. Rivers has talent but he missed 29 games in four seasons. A wrist injury sidelined him for the entire 2011 season.

So, the Bengals got a fifth-rounder when they probably would've taken anything to unload the disappointing No. 9 pick from the 2008 draft and his $2.1 million salary. That's the best offer that the Bengals could've received for Rivers, who lost his starting job to Thomas Howard and would've played special teams this season.

How lucky are the Bengals to get a fifth-round pick? The Texans got a fourth-rounder for middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who was the franchise's all-time leading tackler and a two-time Pro Bowl selection.

This is not a surprise because the Bengals continue to come out on top in such moves. Since last July, Cincinnati has traded away two players for draft picks and gotten the better end of the deal both times. The Bengals sent wide receiver Chad Ochocinco to the Patriots for a fifth-round pick this year and a sixth-rounder in 2013. Then, they dealt quarterback Carson Palmer to the Raiders for a first-round selection this year and a second-rounder in 2013.

The Bengals now have nine draft picks: First round (17th and 21st overall), second round (53rd), third round (83rd), fourth round (116th), fifth round (156th, 166th and 167th) and sixth round (191st).

The AFC West was the tightest division in the NFL in 2011.

The Broncos, Raiders and Chargers finished 8-8 with Denver prevailing as division winner via a tiebreaker. Kansas City was a game behind at 7-9. The Chiefs were a blocked field goal attempt against Oakland in Week 16 away from winning the division.

Each team marches toward 2012 with hopes of winning the division. While there is still some work to do in terms of the draft, let’s play the “what if” game. Below is five ways each team in the division could win the AFC West in 2012 if certain things occur. Hat tip to the reader who suggested the idea:

Denver

If Peyton Manning is fully recovered from a neck injury that kept him out of the entire 2011 season: Manning’s health is the key to Denver’s entire season. The team and Manning think he will be fine. If he is, the Broncos will be in great shape.

If Demaryius Thomas develops into a true No. 1 receiver: The third-year player has great potential and he showed great flashes last season. Playing with Manning should spark his career.

If Denver gets a running mate for Willis McGahee: McGahee had a great season in 2011, but he was dinged up a lot and he needs some help. If Denver can draft a player such as Miami’s Lamar Miller, Boise State’s Doug Martin or Virginia Tech’s David Wilson in the second round, they should be in great shape.

If Denver improves at defensive tackle: The Broncos need some help at the position and it is their most pressing need. Watch for Denver to take a defensive tackle at No. 25 in the first round and that player needs to contribute right away.

If the change at defensive coordinator is smooth: With Dennis Allen now the head coach in Oakland, former Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio is Denver’s seventh defensive coordinator in the past seven seasons. This change could be seamless, though, because Del Rio has previously been a coordinator on John Fox’s staff, and Fox plays a major role as a defensive coach.

Kansas City

If quarterback Matt Cassel plays better than he did in 2011: Cassel took a step back last season after a strong 2010 season. Instead of replacing him, though, the Chiefs gave Cassel more weapons. He has everything a quarterback needs to succeed. Now, he has to be a success.

If the Chiefs’ injured stars are recovered from serious knee injuries: Running back Jamaal Charles, safety Eric Berry and tight end Tony Moeaki all suffered torn ACL’s in their knees in September. All are expected back. If they are all fully recovered, the Chiefs should be fine.

If the Chiefs get an impact defender in the first round: The Chiefs have a strong defense, but they can use another stud. Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe or Boston College inside linebacker Luke Kuechly would both be solid fits.

If Stanford Routt fits in the defense: The Chiefs opted to sign former Oakland cornerback Stanford Routt and let Brandon Carr walk. Kansas City thinks Routt will flourish as the No. 2 cornerback next to Brandon Flowers. If Routt struggles, the defense will suffer.

If Romeo Crennel’s late influence is intact: Crennel went from the interim coach to the permanent coach because he sparked the Chiefs in the final three weeks of last season. His team played very hard for him and went 2-1. Let’s see if the good vibes continue.

Oakland

If quarterback Carson Palmer adjusts well to the West Coast offense: Palmer is both trying to re-energize his career and adjust to playing in a West Coast offense. The Raiders and Palmer believe it is a good fit.

If receivers Darrius Heyward-Bey, Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford continue to develop: I think these three players have showed flashes. If they continue to develop well, the Raiders will have a lot of firepower.

If running back Darren McFadden can stay healthy: McFadden has missed a total of 19 games in four NFL season and he has missed, at least, three games in all four seasons. He missed the final nine games of last season with a foot injury. With backup Michael Bush now in Chicago and Oakland having young backups, it is imperative the special McFadden stays healthy as much as possible in 2012.

If the defensive front can stay healthy: The Raiders’ defensive line is their best aspect of a defense in transition. It must stay healthy and be an anchor to the unit.

If rookie coach Dennis Allen can have fast success: At 39, Allen, who has just one year of experience as a defensive coordinator, is the youngest head coach in the NFL. He must prove quickly that he is up to the task.

San Diego

If quarterback Philip Rivers can avoid the interception bug: He threw a career-high 20 interception in 2011. Rivers threw a total of 22 interceptions in the previous two seasons combined.

If running back Ryan Mathews can take the next step: San Diego coach Norv Turner recently said he expects Mathews to have a breakout season in 2012, his third in the NFL. He has shown flashes, but he needs to be more consistent.

If the receivers, as a unit, can make up for Vincent Jackson loss: The Chargers like their receiving crew even after Jackson signed with Tampa Bay. San Diego added Robert Meachem and Eddie Royal and already has Malcom Floyd and Vincent Brown. Jackson is a star and he will be missed, but the Chargers think they have made up for his loss by having a deeper rotation.

If the Chargers' defense can be better on third down: San Diego had the worst third-down defense in the NFL last season. Improving in that area is a point of emphasis for new defensive coordinator John Pagano.

If the Chargers can add an impact pass-rusher in the first round: The Chargers need a young pass-rusher to emerge. It will be their top priority with the No. 18 pick.