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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 Jaguars in 2012.

Dream scenario (10-6): Mike Mularkey’s offensive scheme does for Blaine Gabbert what it did early on for Matt Ryan in Atlanta. Gabbert silences his stable of critics, playing with a newfound poise and confidence and finding himself in situations where he’s comfortable and can show off the arm that was a big reason he was a top 10 pick.

The second-year quarterback is well-protected as he works his way through progressions and spreads the ball around to a much-improved receiving corps headed by Laurent Robinson and Justin Blackmon. With the passing offense faring far better, Maurice Jones-Drew's hammer hits even harder because his carries are less predictable.

Defensively, the team is healthy all season long in karmic payback for last year’s slew of injuries.

Defensive tackles Tyson Alualu and Terrance Knighton put it all together with middle linebacker Paul Posluszny playing great behind them, and no one can even ponder running up the middle against the Jaguars. Rookie second-rounder Andre Branch provides a serious boost to the pass rush and the linebackers get involved in pressuring the quarterback. When they don’t get a sufficient push, the coverage holds up.

And rookie punter Bryan Anger regularly hits bombs and pins teams deep, semi-justifying his third-round draft status.

Mularkey wins coach of the year as the Jaguars qualify for the playoffs.

Nightmare scenario (4-12): New coaches, a new system and new receivers don’t make for a new Gabbert, and he struggles in his second season much as he did as a rookie. A rough start means the fan base calls for backup Chad Henne, and Mularkey finds himself in a tough spot with a quick quarterback controversy.

Henne eventually gets the call but doesn’t play much better, so the team is over-reliant on the run game. The defense, meanwhile, can’t overcome the lack of a pass rush. It gives up too many passing yards and too many big plays because quarterbacks have time to wait for targets to break open. Then the Jaguars begin to blitz more to amp things up, but pay a price by giving up big plays out of high risk, high-reward situations.

Owner Shahid Khan, used to life as a businessman who wins, says or does something controversial that makes things even messier. The Jaguars actually finish a game worse than they did in Jack Del Rio’s final season, leaving Denver’s defensive coordinator shrugging and people removing some responsibility for 2011 from him.

Yeremiah Bell will not be the one who provides depth to the Kansas City Chiefs’ secondary.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the safety has signed with the New York Jets. Bell visited the Chiefs on Wednesday, and they were one of four teams he was considering.

The Chiefs were interested in Bell as a third safety. The Chiefs also looked at veteran O.J. Atogwe.

In other AFC West news:

Here is a call for the Raiders to cut troubled middle linebacker Rolando McClain. He was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2010 draft. He has been a disappointment on the field and a distraction off it.

Once again, in a radio interview, LaDainian Tomlinson, said he’d consider playing for the Chargers again. And, once again, I just can’t see that happening.

New Denver defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, in radio interview, said he expects his unit to be a top-10 defense. For that to be possible, the defensive tackles would have to mesh quickly.

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South


Despite talk of grabbing the best player available, it’s funny how often needs and picks seem to line up.

Of 31 picks, I count four that don’t technically qualify as addressing needs: Jaguars fifth-round linebacker Brandon Marshall, Titans fifth-round tight end Taylor Thompson, Jaguars sixth-round cornerback Mike Harris and Colts seventh-round quarterback Chandler Harnish.

We saw the Texans replenish at outside linebacker, on the offensive line and at kicker and add to their options at receiver. The Colts loaded up on help for No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck -- seven of their other nine picks bring offensive players to Indianapolis . Jacksonville addressed its big needs right out of the chute, then made a couple of odd selections. Tennessee didn’t take two players at the same position.

BEST MOVE

The Jaguars came into the offseason in dire need of upgraded weaponry for Blaine Gabbert. They started last season with wide receiver Jason Hill as a starter, and he was cut before the season ended. Mike Thomas was miscast as a top-of-the-group guy when he should be a No. 3. Cecil Shorts showed he needs a lot of time to develop.

Mike Mularkey hired a solid receiver coach, Jerry Sullivan. He’s a tremendous upgrade from Johnny Cox, who was quickly fired after Jack Del Rio was dismissed during the 2011 season. Free agency brought Laurent Robinson, who should help, and Lee Evans, who’d be gravy if he can revive his career.

The Jaguars successfully sold pundits on the idea they’d be trading down, then only gave up a fourth-rounder to move up from No. 7 to No. 5 to draft Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon. He’s a dynamic receiver who can catch balls outside his frame and cause matchup problems.

Outside of Luck, no team in the division got a player who can cure an ill better than Blackmon can fix what ails the Jacksonville offense. Now it’s on Gabbert to show he can effectively get the ball to the new star receiver.

RISKIEST MOVE

The Titans didn’t touch a defensive end until Scott Solomon in the seventh round, and they didn’t add an offensive lineman at all. And pass rush and run blocking were two areas that qualified as weaknesses at the end of last season.

Tennessee hosted Scott Wells, Chris Myers, Jeff Saturday and Dan Koppen and saw all four sign elsewhere. On Saturday, coach Mike Munchak made those meetings sound like information-gathering get-togethers rather than courtships, a stance that’s pretty insulting to veterans who wouldn’t waste time making visits without the possibility of a contract.

The defense of incumbent starters on the interior -- Eugene Amano and Leroy Harris -- has entered a new round now. Munchak said the team felt no “dire need there” and that “we have guys we can win with.” Still, watch for a key undrafted addition or free agent or two.

The Titans added one big piece this offseason to its insufficient pass rush in the form of free-agent end Kamerion Wimbley, who was a cap casualty in Oakland. He may provide a big boost but also probably shouldn’t be on the field for every play. Tennessee’s only attempt to bolster itself on the edges came with the 211th pick, end Scott Solomon from Rice.

The Titans face a pretty good slate of quarterbacks this season. Those passers may have a lot of time to throw.

MOST SURPRISING PICK

We hit it hard Saturday night, but the Jaguars' selection of Bryan Anger in the third round was a baffler. Yes, the team will benefit from a big leg and stands to gain field position.

But Jacksonville overrated special teams’ impact by deciding to draft Anger so early rather than addressing other needs where it could have selected a player with a chance to play.

The Jaguars have a recent history of messing up at the position, and teams that struggle with stability at a spot are prone to overreach in an effort to correct it.

I believe that’s a good piece of what happened here. They could have gotten him or a punter who still would have been a big upgrade later.

The Jaguars found Terrance Knighton, Derek Cox and Will Rackley in the third round in Gene Smith’s previous three drafts. They are all starters who affect games more than a punter can.

They can rationalize this pick. And we can stridently disagree.

FILE IT AWAY

Six receivers came into the division -- Blackmon, Kendall Wright in Tennessee, T.Y. Hilton and LaVon Brazill in Indianapolis and DeVier Posey and Keshawn Martin in Houston. That’s two first-rounders, two third-rounders, a fourth-rounder and a sixth-rounder.

The countermeasures?

Just two incoming cornerbacks -- Titans fourth-rounder Coty Sensabaugh and Jaguars sixth-rounder Harris.

Secondary depth could be severely tested by good quarterbacks and receivers, especially when the division faces the NFC North and the high-powered passing offenses of Green Bay, Detroit and Chicago.

The Colts have no proven corners beyond Jerraud Powers. The Texans lost Jason Allen, who played a reasonable amount. The Titans need to unearth a new nickelback now that Cortland Finnegan is gone. Only the Jaguars have fortified the spot, adding two-time Super Bowl winner Aaron Ross, presumably getting Cox and Rashean Mathis back healthy and drafting Harris.

The AFC South is a big running back division, but it’s become more equipped to sling it and may not have the people needed to cover offenses with a lot of downfield weapons.

“It tells you that this is a wide-open league, the offensive focus is on scoring points probably more than ever,” Titans general manager Ruston Webster said. “It’s becoming more of a quarterback-wide receiver league probably every day.”

Derek Wolfe might not have been the sexist name among available defensive tackles, but he might have been the safest pick at No. 36.

The Denver Broncos frustrated some fans Thursday night when they twice traded down, going from No. 25 to No. 31, then No. 36.

After the first round, Denver czar John Elway basically said the team's top targets at defensive tackle were not available, so the Broncos went down to a spot where they thought they could good value for a player they wanted.

Bypassing the better-known Jerel Worthy of Michigan State and Kendall Reyes of Connecticut, Denver went with Wolfe out of Cincinnati.

I think the pick works. Defensive tackle was Denver’s greatest need and he should step right into the rotation.

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper has been beating the drum for Wolfe to Denver for weeks; Friday he said he thought Wolfe is one of the more underrated players in the draft. He is a high-motor player who has outstanding pass-rushing skills as an interior player. He can also stop the run. Kiper called him the most productive defensive tackle in the draft.

He will be well coached in Denver by John Fox and Jack Del Rio; I expect him to be a nice player. The Broncos have another pick in the second round and a pick in the third. They have three picks in the fourth round and I could see them trying to get another third-rounder.

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.

Barring a setback from the neck injury that cost him the entire 2011 season, Peyton Manning has the Denver Broncos’ offense covered. That side of the ball will be fine and will be in playoff form.

But what about the defense?

That side of the ball will be a key to Denver's season. If the 2012 Denver defense can make the strides it did in 2011, the Broncos have a chance to be a serious contender.

Bill Polian, who knows Manning well, has said he thinks the potential of the Broncos' defense is one of the reasons Manning chose to play in Denver. Polian, the Colts’ former general manager who brought Manning to Indianapolis and who is now an ESPN analyst, said last week he thinks the Denver defense could be a spark for the Manning-led offense.

“John Fox is going to coach up that defense and it has a chance to play great defense,” Polian said. “That will only help Peyton.”

However, I believe the Broncos have work to do before they can start playing great defense.

This unit is a work in progress. It went from No. 32 in 2010 prior to Fox’s arrival to No. 20 in 2011 under the guidance of Fox and coordinator Dennis Allen, who is now the head coach in Oakland. The 2011 Denver Broncos will be remembered for the wild days of Tim Tebow, but it was the defense that rose up and solidified the team. With Manning running the offense and former Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio running the defense, the team has a chance to go to the next level.

The defense in Denver starts with pass-rushers Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller. The pair combined for 21 sacks last season and they should be one of the most dynamic pass-rush duos in the NFL for years to come. Polian called the pair special and an anchor for the defense.

Denver upgraded at cornerback by signing Tracy Porter of New Orleans. He is a solid No. 2 cornerback and will make a strong pairing with the aging, but still dominant Champ Bailey. Porter, who has had challenges staying healthy, is an upgrade from Andre Goodman. Underrated safety Mike Adams was signed from Cleveland. He will pair with second-year player Quinton Carter, who made strides as the season went on. The team will give 2011 No. 2 pick Rahim Moore a chance to rebound from a rookie season in which he regressed. But Adams and Carter should be a serviceable pairing.

There are some problems, though. Outside linebacker D.J. Williams, one of the better defenders on the team, is facing a six-game NFL suspension for using a banned substance. He is fighting it in the form of a lawsuit. Defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley signed with New Orleans. Bunkley was a tone-setter, and even though he played only 43 percent of the snaps, he will be missed.

Denver has a major void at defensive tackle and it probably will take advantage of a strong draft class at the position and use the No. 25 pick on a player such as Mississippi State’s Fletcher Cox, Penn State’s Devon Still or LSU’s Michael Brockers. They also want to re-sign Marcus Thomas and hope 2011 free-agent signee Ty Warren is healthy after missing the past two seasons.

There is no doubt this is still a building project and that concerns Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc.

“I was very worried about this defense, but now I feel a little better about it after it signed Porter, who is a very solid No. 2 behind Bailey,” Williamson said. “But I still have my worries about the defense up the middle. Losing Bunkley hurts quite a bit, but maybe Ty Warren can help out this year. The safety position worries me. But they can sure rush the passer. The question is will be they be able to handle a physical offense.”

After being the bright spot of a surprise team in 2011, the Denver defense must take the next step in a year when, suddenly, much is expected from this team.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Denver coach John Fox spoke to the media Thursday at the NFL combine. Let’s look at the highlights of his session:

Fox downplayed the comments free-agent backup quarterback Brady Quinn made about starting quarterback Tim Tebow. In an interview with GQ, Quinn questioned Tebow’s impact on the team’s success, among other things. Quinn questioned the context in which his quotes were used and he has apologized to Tebow.

Fox said Quinn and Tebow have a close relationship and he is not worried about the impact of the comments. He said the comments may have been “lost in translation” and he was pleased Quinn apologized to Tebow.

Asked if the comments would lessen Quinn’s chances of returning to Denver, Fox said, “We still like Brady Quinn."

Still, the odds of Quinn coming back to Denver may not be great. Denver will look at other options in addition to Quinn. Fox declined to say what type of quarterback Denver will look for. It could opt for a mobile quarterback like Tebow or it could bring in a more traditional quarterback.

Fox did have praise for Tebow. “We’re very comfortable with Tim,” Fox said. “He did turn us from a 4-12 team to a playoff team.”

Asked about dealing with Tebow-mania last season, Fox said he didn’t really feel it until the season was over because he was so fixed on the happenings of the season.

“I think it’s a great story and I think he’s a kid that ought to be celebrated,” Fox said. “In today’s society ... these types of guys don’t come around very often. So, I think it’s kind of neat.”

Fox said the Broncos’ defense would have continued to evolve even if 2011 defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wouldn’t have left to become the head coach of the Raiders. Former Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio (who was Fox’s coordinator in Carolina in 2002) was hired as Allen's replacement. Fox said the defense is a work in progress and more sets, alignments and schemes will be put in.

Translation: This is Fox’s defense, and his system will be implemented regardless of who the coordinator is. That’s why I think the fact that Denver is on its seventh defensive coordinator in seven years is overblown. It’s Fox’s second season in Denver and that’s what is important.

Fox wouldn’t say what the Broncos’ plan at running back is, but he made it clear that having a “stable” of running backs is important. Expect Denver to address the position either in free agency or early in the draft.

Fox said he expects linebacker Von Miller -- who won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award -- to continue to “get better and better in every phase” as his career goes on. It’s clear Fox views Miller, the No. 2 overall pick last year, as the centerpiece of the improving defense.

NOTE: Fox was the first AFC West official to speak to the media on Thursday. Over the course of the next few days, Kansas City’s Scott Pioli and Romeo Crenel, Allen and Denver’s John Elway are expected to speak to the media. We will have coverage of all the sessions.

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.

Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio addressed the media to discuss his new role. Let’s look at some key parts of the transcript, courtesy of the Denver public relations staff.

On his relationship with Denver head coach John Fox:

“It’s good to be back with him. He’s a good man. He’s a good coach, and I know the types of things he is looking for with this staff and what my responsibilities would be. I’m very comfortable with that.”

My take: This opportunity was clearly appealing to Del Rio. He coached for Fox in 2002 and their familiarity will help everyone involved.

On if he would like to be a head coach again:

“Right now, I’m excited to be here. I had nine good years in Jacksonville, and maybe someday. But that’s really not in the forefront of my thinking. First and foremost for me is to get settled in here and get to work in terms of evaluating the tape and the season and getting ready for the offseason, personnel and all those things -- system adjustments -- and getting my family settled. We’re excited about this opportunity and help this fine organization get started.”

My take: That is a good answer. Denver is on its seventh defensive coordinator in seven seasons. The Broncos desperately want some stability on its staff. Still, after seeing Dennis Allen go from this staff to Oakland in a year, Del Rio has to know this is solid stepping stone if he performs well.

On the defensive tackle position:

“I know we have a lot to evaluate, and certainly that position will be part of it. Defensive line play is important. It really begins in the trenches. I believe that we have to take a good look at who we have here and make those decisions. We haven’t begun that process yet, and we’ll get started here shortly. When I was in Baltimore, we played outstanding defense. We had a couple really good tackles. If you’re going to play that four-man front, having two guys in the middle really allows you to do things, and that carried over in Carolina when I was there the one year with John. It carried over into Jacksonville when we were really good on defense early in my time there, and then this past year we were very good, Terrance Knighton and Tyson Alualu, were two forces in the middle. That definitely helps when you’re playing a 4-3.”

My take: This will be a key position to watch this offseason. Brodrick Bunkley and Marcus Thomas are free agents and Denver will likely add to the spot even if they re-sign both.

Here are some thoughts on Denver coach John Fox's quick hiring of former Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio to succeed Dennis Allen, who has been named Oakland’s head coach.

Nice score: Many Denver fans might have upset that Allen left; however, Del Rio is a terrific hire by the Broncos. Fox said Wednesday that he was in no hurry to find a replacement for Allen, but the quick hiring of Del Rio shows Fox felt great about this move. Though Del Rio had been on the market for several weeks, this reconnection between Del Rio and Fox — Del Rio was Fox’s first defensive coordinator in Carolina in 2002 before becoming Jacksonville head coach in 2003 — should ease the mind of Denver fans.

Seven is not a problem: Though Del Rio is Denver’s seventh defensive coordinator in seven years, this shouldn't be an issue due to the compatibility between Del Rio and Fox, who has a defensive background himself. Del Rio knows that this is Fox’s team and it is his defense. Allen deserves a lot of credit for turning Denver’s defense – the worst in the NFL in 2010 – into a competitive group. But the coaching started with Fox. He will continue using his system.

Fox loves familiarity: Fox closed the deal so quickly with Del Rio that there wasn’t time to find other candidates. Clearly, Fox focused on his former assistant as soon as Allen took the Oakland job. That means Fox is confident in his new choice.

More experience than Allen: Allen, 39, got the Oakland job after one year’s experience as the Broncos coordinator. Del Rio, 48 and coming off nine seasons as a head coach, is much more seasoned.

Recruiting means something: Even though Denver improved as a defense under Allen, it still needs to reload. Perhaps Del Rio will turn for help to a pair of defensive ends he coached in Jacksonville — Matt Roth and Jeremy Mincey, both free agents.

There’s no doubt the Denver Broncos should be disappointed that they are losing defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

When the Broncos hired Allen last year, they knew he’d likely get some head-coaching opportunities, but they thought he’d stick around Denver for two or three years. Yet Allen was plucked by Oakland as its head coach after one season as head coach. The Broncos’ defense improved immensely under Allen’s guidance.

Now Denver's defense will have its seventh defensive coordinator in seven seasons. Think about that. Champ Bailey and D.J. Williams have both worn a Denver uniform since 2004. They will now have their seventh coach in seven years.

The transition this year will not nearly be as difficult because Denver head coach John Fox is defensive-minded. While Allen did a good job, Fox deserves a lot of credit for Denver’s improvement and will ensure the Broncos don’t take a step backward on defense.

I think the two names we have to look at as a candidate to replace Allen are former Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio and Denver linebacker coach Richard Smith. Del Rio was a coordinator for Fox in Carolina and Smith is extremely experienced as well.

The Broncos will miss Allen, but I think they are in better shape on defense than it may appear.

Here is a look at the Broncos’ defensive coordinators in the past six years: Larry Coyer (2006, fired), Jim Bates (2007, fired), Bob Slowik (2008, fired), Mike Nolan (2009, departed in mutual decision), Don Martindale (2010, fired), Allen (2011, hired by Oakland).

It appears the Oakland Raiders are focusing on staying in the AFC West for their next head coach.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen are reporting that the team is working on the final steps of making Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen its next head coach. Schefter and Mortensen reported that candidates Marty Mornhinweg and Mike Tice have been told the Raiders have identified their man.

Allen, 39, has one year of experience as a defensive coordinator with the Raiders’ rival, the Denver Broncos.

While this deal is not done, here are some initial thoughts on the possible (probable?) pairing:

Reggie McKenzie paves his own path: McKenzie was hired as the Raiders' GM earlier this month to lead the organization in the wake of owner Al Davis' death in October. If Allen is McKenzie’s hire, it will end a decades-long tradition in Oakland. John Madden, hired in 1969, was the last defense-minded head coach of the Raiders. This hire would mean McKenzie is not worried about the past and is going with the man he wants.

Raiders could use a defensive boost: Even though he was a first-time coordinator, Allen had a major impact in Denver. The Broncos were last in nearly every major defensive category in 2010. However, under Allen’s guidance, Denver’s defense improved immensely in 2011 and was a big reason why the Broncos improved from 4-12 to 8-8 and why they ended up as division champions. Oakland has a lot of talent on defense, but it has been giving up way too many big plays. If Allen gets the job and straightens out this problem, Oakland could be dangerous.

Denver’s defense would be in flux again: In addition to improving his own team, McKenzie would weaken a rival with this move. That’s a nice bonus. If Allen leaves, Denver would be hiring its seventh defensive coordinator in seven years. A potential replacement would be former Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio. He was Broncos coach John Fox’s first defensive coordinator in Carolina.

Bad omen? Davis went the route of bringing in a Denver assistant as his head coach. He hired Broncos offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan in 1988. Shanahan didn’t last two seasons in Oakland. McKenzie will have to hope his ride to the Rockies ends up better than Davis’ did.

The Oakland Raiders’ search for a new head coach has taken an interesting turn that could cause an issue in Denver.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is going to receive a second interview with Oakland GM Reggie McKenzie this week in Mobile, Ala., where the Raiders are scouting the Senior Bowl. McKenzie will also interview Chicago offensive coordinator Mike Tice in Mobile on Tuesday.

The fact Allen is getting another interview likely means he is a finalist. It will be interesting to see who else gets a second interview. Schefter has reported that Philadelphia offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg may be a favorite. McKenzie told CSN Bay Area on Monday that he may make a hire by Saturday.

Allen may be an interesting hire for Oakland. He has been a defensive coordinator just one year, but Denver’s defense vastly improved under Allen’s leadership. He is a 4-3 coach, so the Raiders would likely remain a 4-3 defense if he's hired. John Madden was Oakland’s last defensive-minded coach. Former Oakland owner Al Davis, who died in October, was partial to offensive coaches as his head coach.

If Allen gets the Oakland job, Denver would have to hire its seventh defensive coordinator in seven seasons. One candidate to replace Allen could be former Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio. He was the defensive coordinator in Carolina under Denver coach John Fox in 2002 before he got the Jaguars’ job.

Monday’s news that defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder has left the Falcons for a position at Auburn is probably just the beginning of many changes for Atlanta.

VanGorder had been the coordinator since the arrival of coach Mike Smith in 2008. His defense this season was good, but certainly not great. That was kind of the theme for the entire team, and this is a change that will be healthy for the Falcons in the long run. This team obviously needs some change.

As soon as VanGorder left, speculation started that former Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio could be a possible replacement. That’s very logical. Smith was Del Rio’s defensive coordinator in Jacksonville before taking the Atlanta job. The two have a close relationship, and Del Rio would be a good fit.

Del Rio has only one year of experience as a coordinator. That came with Carolina in the 2002 season, and it was a prosperous year for the Panthers’ defense. Del Rio, a former NFL linebacker, quickly established a reputation for being aggressive.

That’s something the Falcons could use. Their defense was capable of slowing offenses in 2011, but didn’t produce a lot of big plays. Smith obviously has a lot of say in Atlanta’s defense, and he needs to adjust a little bit. Adding an aggressive coordinator would be a step in the right direction.

But the Falcons face some other major decisions on defense. Cornerback Brent Grimes, middle linebacker Curtis Lofton, defensive end John Abraham and safety Thomas DeCoud are all potential free agents.

All were starters and key players this season, and I suspect the Falcons at least want to keep Lofton and Grimes. Abraham is aging and could decide to retire. If he wants to continue playing, the Falcons might want him back. Even though he’s slowing down, Abraham still is a strong pass-rusher, and the Falcons need pressure up front.

Atlanta’s defense needs to improve in the secondary and needs to come up with more big plays all around. I doubt Smith will make drastic changes to his scheme. But this defense needs to tweak its personnel in several areas, and needs to come up with a lot more big plays in 2012.

The Kansas City Chiefs committed to stability on Monday.

Perhaps it won’t be long-term stability, considering Romeo Crennel is now the second-oldest permanent head coach in the NFL. But if Crennel gives the Chiefs four good years, it will be a winning hire.

For the immediate future, though, Crennel gives the Chiefs' head-coaching office stability, something it hasn't had over the past three seasons.

Crennel -- who has been the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator since the 2010 season -- replaced the fiery Todd Haley. Haley, who was fired last month with three games left in the regular season, was hired by Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli in 2009.

One of the primary reasons Haley was fired was his inability to get along with Pioli -- the two had friction throughout their time together -- assistant coaches and players.

In finding a new head coach, Pioli needed to find someone with whom he could get along. This is Pioli’s second head-coaching hire since he was brought in as the Chiefs’ leader three years ago. He had to get this hire right. It this one fails, Pioli's tenure in Kansas City could be over.

Well, Pioli eliminated the potential for GM-head coach friction with this hire. Crennel is known as one of the most genial, calm people in the NFL.

Plus, he already has shown he has a chance to succeed in this role. The Chiefs were 2-1 with Crennel as their interim head coach after Haley was fired. The Chiefs’ two wins under Crennel were biggies. The first was a home win over then-undefeated Green Bay, and the second win was at Denver in a game in which the Broncos were trying to clinch the AFC West title.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say there would have been a mutiny in the Kansas City locker room had Crennel been bypassed for this job. However, he has universal support from the players, and they already showed they'll play hard for him. The Chiefs have a good, young roster, and they should be a lot healthier in 2012. The future is bright.

Kansas City interviewed Green Bay offensive coordinator Joe Philbin and former Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio. Crennel was the right choice.

I understand the concern in Kansas City about Crennel’s age. It is indeed becoming a young man's coaching league. At 64, Crennel trails only the Giants' Tom Coughlin as the NFL’s oldest coach. Yet, Crennel is still in good shape and he certainly should be able to fulfill his three-year contract.

There was no doubt Crennel was the right man for this job. In a decision he had to get right, Pioli did.