ESPN NFL

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

A look at a key player from each AFC West team who needs to show something in offseason sessions:

Denver Broncos: Rahim Moore, safety: Moore will be closely watched to see if he can bury the memory of his colossal gaffe against Baltimore in double overtime in the 2013 AFC playoffs. Moore inexplicably allowed Baltimore receiver Jacoby Jones get behind him as the Ravens tied the game on a 70-yard desperation bomb in the final seconds of regulation. The Broncos thought Moore, a second-round pick in 2011, made great strides in his second season. They still believe in him. The team has been supportive of him this offseason, and Moore is saying all the right things. Still, he has to show his teammates and coaches in practices that the mistake is truly behind him.

Kansas City Chiefs: Jon Baldwin, receiver: Baldwin simply needs to get better. He was a first-round pick in 2011. Baldwin is superbly athletic and he has big-play ability. Yet he has made little impact in the regular season. He was terrific in training camp last season. This year, he needs to show new coach Andy Reid that he can perform in his system and that he is ready to become a consistent player. If Baldwin can make an impact, it will give a huge boost to the Chiefs’ offense.

Oakland Raiders: Matt Flynn, quarterback: Flynn has a chance to make the Raiders his team. Flynn has started two games in the NFL, and he will be 28 next month. He was expected to be the starter in Seattle last year, but he lost the starting job to Russell Wilson in training camp. The Raiders have Terrelle Pryor and drafted Tyler Wilson in the fourth round. Flynn will be given every opportunity to keep the starting job, but he must gain the trust of his coaching staff and teammates. That means Flynn must practice well and take command of the offense as soon as possible.

San Diego Chiefs: Ryan Mathews, running back: Mathews is the starting tailback. But he has to gain the trust of the new coaching staff and the belief of his teammates, who have seen him deal with injuries since he was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2010 draft. Mathews is a talented player and he has had success, but injuries have slowed him. He needs to show this offseason that he is strong, confident and ready to stay healthy. If Mathews has another season filled with injuries, the Chargers will probably look for a new lead back next year.

When the fourth round began, there was talk the Oakland Raiders could take former USC quarterback Matt Barkley with the third pick in the fourth round. After Oakland traded down, there was talk it could take Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib. He was taken two picks before Oakland's pick.

Undeterred, the Raiders continued the quarterback run by taking Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson with the No. 112 pick.

Thus, the Raiders were going to get that quarterback.

This is a fascinating pick.

Oakland has pressing needs throughout the roster. Yet, it took a quarterback fairly early in the draft. In the end, I don’t mind it because if you score a future starting quarterback in the fourth round, it is tremendous value. So in the end, why not take Wilson if you think he can be good?

I do think this says something about the other two quarterbacks on Oakland’s roster.

After Carson Palmer refused to take a pay cut, Oakland shipped him to Arizona and traded for Matt Flynn. They also have Terrelle Pryor.

I think the Wilson pick says much more about Pryor than Flynn. If the Raiders really felt Pryor would soon be ready to push Flynn for a starting job, they wouldn’t have added another young quarterback at a fairly premium pick. Pryor was taken two years ago by the previous regime in the third round of the supplemental draft.

Teams only have so much time to develop young quarterbacks. Trying to get two youngsters the requisite amount of reps on the practice field is difficult. Usually, teams can only develop one potential starting quarterback at a time.

Plus, regimes love their own guy. Wilson is now "the guy" of general manager Reggie McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen; Pryor is the hand-me down who this regime felt needed further competition.

Sure, Pryor can always develop and prove he is the guy, but the presence of Wilson means the Raiders want to see what he can do just as much as Pryor.

I don’t think this pick means all that much for Flynn. He is either going to be good or not. If he is good, he will keep the job. If Flynn, who soon turns 28 and who has started just two NFL games, fails, the Raiders will have to turn to someone else anyway.

It could be Wilson.

He is a big, strong-armed, smart quarterback who is as tough as they come. He has great moxie and I think he can develop. It may take some time, but he has a chance to become a starter. I think it is worth Oakland’s time to get him in its program and see what he can do.

Let’s face it: Next year’s quarterback draft class has a chance to be strong. If the Raiders have a shot at a franchise quarterback, they could take him.

It’s open audition time for the Oakland starting quarterback of the future and Tyler Wilson is the next in line.

Judging from the context of Dennis Allen’s conference call with media members, it appears new quarterback Matt Flynn will, as expected, get first crack at the starting quarterback job rather than Terrelle Pryor.

Allen said nothing changes and there will be competition. Well, that was the plan had Carson Palmer stayed, as the Raiders hoped. Allen said earlier this offseason that Palmer would head into camp as the starter. He had talked about specific packages for Pryor. On Monday, Allen continued to say that was the plan for Pryor.

“I don’t think it’s going to change a whole lot. Obviously, we feel confident about Matt Flynn as a quarterback and giving him the opportunity to potentially win the starting job,” Allen said. “I think we still feel positive about giving Terrelle Pryor an opportunity to compete and specifically having a package of things that he can do really well and giving him an opportunity. So I don’t know that there’s a whole lot that’s changed as far as the mindset of what we feel like we can do offensively.”

Allen also talked about Flynn -- who has started two games in five NFL seasons -- in the same category as Matt Schaub and Aaron Rodgers as players who had to wait before getting their turn. It is clear the Raiders are expecting Flynn to be the starter. Sure, Pryor can always beat him out (Flynn lost his job in Seattle last summer to Russell Wilson), but it seems the Raiders still think Pryor has to prove he can handle the job before getting it.

Meanwhile, Tracy Porter may decide where he is going to play in the next couple of days. He has visited Oakland and New Orleans. There is little chance Porter will return to Denver. The Raiders are also interested in Dallas cornerback Mike Jenkins.

The Cardinals cut quarterback John Skelton. It is another sign that the Palmer trade will go through with Arizona.

Along with NFC West blogger Mike Sando, I discuss what the Oakland Raiders' trade for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Flynn means for Flynn, Terrelle Pryor and the outgoing Carson Palmer.

The Oakland Raiders’ reconstruction of their roster has hit the most important position on the field: quarterback.

The Raiders acquired Matt Flynn from Seattle for two draft picks Monday.

Like many of the changes this year, the move was fueled by finances, and it is difficult to argue whether Oakland has improved at the position. The Raiders are going to give Flynn, a quarterback who has spent five NFL seasons as a backup and started just two games, a chance to play.

Flynn -- who was in Green Bay for four years with Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie -- was Oakland’s backup plan to restructuring Carson Palmer’s contract. However, Palmer, 33, was reluctant to chop down his contract, so Oakland was forced to go elsewhere. He is reportedly in the process of being traded to Arizona for a low draft pick.

Yes, the deal does give Oakland some final relief, although Palmer does count for more than $9 million in dead money on this year’s salary cap. But the move to acquire Flynn also cost the team some draft compensation, as Oakland will give Seattle a fifth-round draft pick in 2014 and a conditional pick in 2015. The Raiders have had a dearth of draft picks, and they didn’t want to lose any more choices. This is a franchise totally rebuilding, and it needs every pick it can get.

This move is a bitter one because Oakland gave up a first-round pick last year for Palmer, and it already owes the No. 35 overall pick in this month’s draft for him. These are all moves stemming from a desperation 2011 trade made by the previous Raiders regime.

The reality is the Raiders are now handing their quarterback position to a 27-year old player who is totally unproven. He will be learning on the job, and it also means the Raiders don’t believe in third-year quarterback Terrelle Pryor yet.

Oakland is very much in the rebuilding process. If Flynn -- who didn’t get any interest elsewhere -- doesn’t pan out, Oakland will be starting all over again next year.

This trade is defining for four quarterbacks, including top prospect Geno Smith. Let’s look how:

Flynn

Let’s make this clear: Flynn isn’t a huge get. He is a backup plan. But who knows, now that he's finally getting a chance to play, he could be good.

I’ve heard people compare him to Rich Gannon, who of course became a star for the Raiders.

Flynn has skills. But what we know is that he will be a first-time starter at age 28 (his birthday is in June) by the time the season begins.

He's in Oakland only because Palmer didn’t want to be. But this is his chance. I know Flynn was terribly disappointed to see Russell Wilson come in and beat him out last year. He thought Seattle was his chance to start after sitting behind Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay for so long. But once again, Flynn sat behind a better player.

The Seattle experience made Flynn a forgotten man around the league this year. No one else made a play for him once free agency began. Former Green Bay executive John Dorsey is now the general manager in Kansas City, and even the Chiefs ignored Flynn. Kansas City targeted Alex Smith all the way. Also, many in the league thought it was telling last year when Flynn’s offensive coordinator in Green Bay, Joe Philbin, never made a huge play for Flynn even though the Dolphins needed a quarterback.

To his credit, Flynn put up good numbers in a limited role with the Packers. Perhaps he will flourish in Oakland. ESPN's Matt Williamson thinks Flynn is a worthwhile endeavor for Oakland, but with limitations.

“I certainly understand the move,” Williamson said. “McKenzie & Co. are obviously very familiar with Flynn from their time together in Green Bay, but I hope they don’t think of him as the answer at quarterback.”

Pryor

This trade is not a good sign for Pryor. This is a team that is total rebuild mode. If the Raiders felt it was necessary to trade for an unproven quarterback instead of giving the ball to the third-year player who was already on the roster, it means the Raiders don’t think Pryor is ready for the job in any way.

That is a bit scary. When the Raiders thought Palmer would be in Oakland, McKenzie and coach Dennis Allen said Palmer was the starter, but Pryor would compete for the job.

I’m sure they'll say the same thing with Flynn in place. But this trade means the Raiders don’t believe in Pryor yet. He started the season finale last year, and though he was green, he showed some promise.

But the 2011 supplemental pick is still very much a work in progress. With Flynn coming in, the Raiders’ coaching staff will spend its time getting Flynn up to speed and Pryor will take a back seat.

If I were running the show in Oakland, I’d give the ball to Pryor and let him play. If he played well, the Raiders should have their answer at quarterback for the long term. If he played poorly, Oakland would know where it stands with Pryor in a season that likely didn’t have much promise anyway. Then Oakland could perhaps be in position to take a quarterback from what is expected to be a strong NFL draft crop next year.

Instead, the Raiders are rolling the dice on the veteran Flynn.

Palmer

Let’s face it; Palmer doesn’t look very good as he leaves Oakland.

He reportedly refused to take his contract from $13 million down to $10 million because he didn’t believe in the Raiders’ chances. Oakland wanted him, but he didn’t want Oakland. Now it is being reported Palmer is slated to make $8 million from the Cardinals.

So he is OK with making less money with another team whose playoff hopes are small?

This is the second time Palmer has deserted a team. He basically retired from the Bengals in 2011. The only reason the Bengals relented and traded Palmer is because the Raiders offered so much for him in a desperation move when Jason Campbell was hurt.

At the time, Oakland head coach Hue Jackson, who triggered the trade and who is now an assistant in Cincinnati, called it the best trade in NFL history.

He might have been right. The Bengals got a steal.

This is an all-time bad trade by Oakland, and it has to go down as one of the worst in league history. For Oakland to be forced to get rid of Palmer weeks before the Bengals get to use a second-round pick for him is crippling.

Palmer put up some nice numbers in Oakland, but he never helped the team become a winner. He was 8-16 as the Raiders’ starter. Consider this: All-time draft bust JaMarcus Russell was 7-18 as the Raiders’ starter.

In the end, the Palmer experience was almost as disastrous as the Russell era.

Smith

One thing I like about this turn of events is that Oakland very likely will not be taking Smith, the quarterback prospect out of West Virginia, with the No. 3 pick in this month's draft. With so many other needs, the Raiders can’t afford to bring both Flynn and Smith onto the roster this season.

The Raiders have major needs on defense. That is where the pick should be spent, not on Smith, who is no sure thing.

There is a negative to this reality, though. The Raiders would like to trade down to get more picks. With the threat of Smith no longer being there, it could be more difficult trading the pick.

In the end, getting Flynn is a move Oakland didn’t want to make that has major repercussions. The team can only hope it works out.

We have discussed extensively what the Kansas City Chiefs might do with the No. 1 pick. Now, leading up to the NFL draft (April 25-27), we will take deeper looks at possibilities for the three other teams in the AFC West. We start with the Oakland Raiders, who have the No. 3 overall selection:

EZEKIEL ANSAH, DEFENSIVE END, BYU

Why is he a top prospect? He has a great combination of size, speed and athleticism and is a hard worker.

How would he help? The Raiders have a need at defensive end and he could be an immediate contributor.

What are the risks? Ansah will turn 24 in May and is still pretty raw. There are worries that the NFL game would be too big for him.

How he could be the choice: He’d probably be considered a surprise. He is looked at more as a top-10 selection, not a top-three choice. But if the Raiders think he is the best defensive end, he could be the pick.

ERIC FISHER, LEFT TACKLE, CENTRAL MICHIGAN

Why is he a top prospect? He is a huge, athletic tackle who appears to be NFL-ready.

How would he help? He could be moved to right tackle and, along with left tackle Jared Veldheer, give Oakland a monstrous pair of bookend tackles.

What are the risks? Fisher comes from a small school and there is concern that NFL defensive ends could be too strong for him.

How he could be the choice: If the Raiders are bent on working on the offensive line, he could be the pick.

SHARRIF FLOYD, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, FLORIDA

Why is he a top prospect? Great athlete. He has all the tools. Scouts think he can be a dominant player.

How would he help? He would slide right into the middle of Oakland’s defensive line and become an anchor on a unit that is being rebuilt.

What are the risks? His game film didn’t always live up to the billing. He might look better than he plays.

How he could be the choice: If the Raiders believe his ability is too much to pass up, and if he gets past the first two picks, I think Floyd can easily be the choice.

LUKE JOECKEL, LEFT TACKLE, TEXAS A&M

Why is he a top prospect? Ideal NFL left tackle. Hard worker, wants to be great.

How would he help? See Fisher.

What are the risks? Some worry that he might not be stout or mean enough to be a great NFL player.

How he could be the choice: Many think Joeckel is the best player available. If the Raiders agree and think he is too good to pass up at No. 3, he could be the choice.

JARVIS JONES, OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, GEORGIA

Why is he a top prospect? Many people think he is the most productive and dynamic pass-rusher available.

How would he help? The Raiders are begging for a pass-rusher. They badly need one.

What are the risks? There are medical concerns (Jones has suffered from a narrowing of the spine), and he doesn’t have ideal speed.

How he could be the choice: He will probably drop, so he could be an ideal choice if Oakland trades down.

DION JORDAN, OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, OREGON

Why is he a top prospect? Great size and work ethic. Teams think he has a huge ceiling.

How would he help? Oakland needs great defensive players. Jordan could be one of the best players on this defense when he steps onto the field.

What are the risks? He might never reach his ceiling.

How he could be the choice: He is like Ansah -- a draft riser. But will he go as high as the third pick?

STAR LOTULELEI, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, UTAH

Why is he a top prospect? Great numbers across the board and he produces on the field. Very disruptive.

How would he help? Like Floyd, he’d fill a huge void on a rebuilding defense.

What are the risks? Medical evaluations at the combine discovered a heart issue, but Lotulelei has since been cleared. Still, teams will worry about his long-term health.

How he could be the choice: If Oakland feels good about his health and thinks Lotulelei is a better fit than Floyd, he could be the pick.

DEE MILLINER, CORNERBACK, ALABAMA

Why is he a top prospect? Many scouts think he is the best cornerback available. He has great speed.

How would he help? The Raiders are desperate for help at cornerback and Milliner could be a long-term solution.

What are the risks? Some scouts think that Milliner is not worth the No. 3 pick and that he might never become a great player.

How he could be the choice: If the Raiders believe they must get a young player at this pivotal spot, they could look to Milliner.

BARKEVIOUS MINGO, DEFENSIVE END, LSU

Why is he a top prospect? Classic pass-rusher. Long body, great athlete.

How would he help? Again, this team needs an impact pass-rusher.

What are the risks? He is raw and there is concern his great ability won’t translate to the NFL game.

How he could be the choice: If the Raiders believe Mingo has greater upside than most of the players on this board, I can see the fit. But right now, taking him with the No. 3 pick might be high.

GENO SMITH, QUARTERBACK, WEST VIRGINIA

Why is he a top prospect? He is the best quarterback available in a weak class. He has a good skill set.

How would he help? If Carson Palmer is cut and if the Raiders don’t trade for Matt Flynn and if they don't believe Terrelle Pryor is a long-term answer.

What are the risks? Scouts worry he will never be exceptional. There are a lot of question marks.

How he could be the choice: If the Raiders fall in love, Smith will be a Raider. There is no more important position on the field -- even if it means Oakland takes Smith instead of filling other needs.

The Carson Palmer situation in Oakland is taking another turn.

Apparently, the Oakland Raiders are still willing to pay Palmer a load of money. But he may not be interested in making a lot of money with the Raiders.

Thus, it seems if the Raiders don’t pay Palmer $13 million, he may be willing to take a lot less and even become a backup elsewhere rather than play on a team that may be among the NFL’s worst in 2013.

Yahoo! Sports reported that the Raiders simply want Palmer to take a pay cut from $13 million to $10 million. That seems fair for a 33-year-old quarterback who is on the decline.

There is little chance Palmer will be paid $10 million. There are some teams, perhaps Arizona and Buffalo, that would pay Palmer a solid rate to start, but it's likely not as much as Oakland is willing to pay. Teams would be interested in him as a backup, but at a much reduced rate.

If it is true that Palmer is reluctant to be paid well to play for a team that may not compete, Oakland should cut him right away. The Raiders need a quarterback who believes in them, no matter the challenge.

Again, we don’t know what is actually on Palmer’s mind. But I do think it may be getting clear that Oakland will have a new starting quarterback, whether it’s Matt Flynn, Terrelle Pryor or Geno Smith.

In other AFC West notes:

The Denver Post thinks Robert Ayers or a draft choice may be the Broncos’ choices to replace Elvis Dumervil instead of Dwight Freeney and John Abraham.

The Eagles are reportedly interested in former Kansas City right tackle Eric Winston. The Chargers are interested as well.

The NFL Network is reporting defensive tackle Tommy Kelly is getting a “ton” of interest. The Raiders cut him Wednesday.

The Carson Palmer issue in Oakland may finally see some resolution, as it appears the Raiders' quarterback could be on his way out.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that it is "highly unlikely" Palmer will restructure his contract. Thus, the Raiders will have to decide on Palmer's future.

It would be difficult for the Raiders to keep Palmer at his current salary because he is set to make more than $13 million this season, and his salary cap number is more than $15 million.

With Palmer playing hard ball, he clearly thinks he can get more on the open market if Oakland does release him. Arizona is a potential suitor, and perhaps the Raiders could try to get something in return in a trade. But if the Cardinals know the Raiders are in a tough spot, Oakland will likely lose any trade leverage.

Cutting Palmer would be difficult for Oakland to swallow considering it gave up its first-round pick in the 2012 draft and its second-round pick this year in a trade the previous regime made in October 2011.

If Palmer is moved, the third-year quarterback Terrelle Pryor could step into the starter’s role. Oakland likes Pryor, but coach Dennis Allen has been on the record saying Palmer is the starter for now.

If Palmer is cut, the Raiders could also consider taking West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, whom Oakland haas been reported to take interest in. The Raiders have the No. 3 overall pick in April's draft. That speculation will obviously only intensify if Palmer is out of the picture. Taking Smith would be risky because the Raiders have great needs on defense and there are some strong defensive prospects available.

But if Palmer gets cut, everything would be on the table.

Oakland could also bring in a veteran quarterback such as Jason Campbell even if it’s in as a backup role. Of course, that would be ironic. The Palmer trade was spurred when Campbell was lost for the season with a broken collarbone. The current Oakland brass didn’t make an effort to re-sign Campbell last year in free agency and he went to Chicago. There just aren’t many more backup quarterback options available.

One of the biggest questions in the AFC West is what is going to happen in Oakland with quarterback Carson Palmer.

The contract issue with Palmer has extended longer than expected. Tuesday, Oakland Raiders coach Dennis Allen did not add any clarity to the issue by saying, "Nothing has changed with our (quarterback) situation."

Palmer is set to make more than $13 million this year. There is little chance Oakland will want him at that salary, and it will likely want him to take a pay cut. If the reduced pay is not an option, Palmer could be released by the Raiders. However, Allen was not willing to shed any light on the issue Tuesday.

“No. 1, I’m not going to comment on anything regarding a contract,” Allen said. "Yeah, Carson enters the offseason as our starting quarterback, but we’ve been on the record as saying we want to have competition at every position.”

Anything can still happen, but it continues to seem like Allen is, at least for now, planning to have Palmer around and third-year player Terrelle Pryor will have top prove he is ready to unseat him.

But this situation has to be fluid because of the salary cap issue. Stay tuned. Still.

The NFL Network offered an interesting nugget when it reported the Raiders have had preliminary contact with former NFL quarterback Vince Young about a workout.

While Young’s name evokes some surprise, I wouldn’t get too hopped up about it. We’re just talking about a workout.

If somehow Young does find his way in position to be offered a job in Oakland, it wouldn’t be anything more than a backup gig, whether it is caddying for Carson Palmer or Terrelle Pryor.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting Chicago linebacker Nick Roach is visiting the Raiders. He started 14 games last season and had 66 tackles. The Raiders have plenty of needs on defense, and linebackers are among them. ESPN’s John Clayton also reports the Raiders are visiting with Bengals’ reserve defensive tackle Pat Sims.

In other AFC West notes:

NFL Network repots the Chargers are showing interest in cornerback Captain Munnerlyn.

One of the Oakland Raiders’ most pressing issues in the coming days is to address the contract of quarterback Carson Palmer as they try to get under the salary cap.

Oakland is trying to redo the contract of the 33-year-old quarterback who was acquired in 2011 for a 2012 first-round pick and a second-round pick this year. Palmer has a salary-cap number more than $13 million.

Oakland coach Dennis Allen said at the combine that the Raiders plan on Palmer going into camp as the starter. But that contract has to be redone. Here’s the rub: What if Palmer doesn’t want to take a pay reduction?

There haven’t been any indications that Palmer will be difficult during these talks, but there’s always a change he can balk at the idea of taking a pay reduction. If he did that, Palmer and his agent would be banking on one of two things happening: Oakland relents and keeps his salary or Oakland is forced to cut him and Palmer would get a good contract elsewhere.

Teams such as Arizona, Buffalo and even Cleveland could be interested. Cosnider this: If Oakland is offering Palmer $4-5 million and he thinks he could get $6-7 million from the Cardinals to throw to Larry Fitzgerald, would Palmer take that chance?

In the end, Palmer holds the cards. If he doesn’t want to cooperate with Oakland’s demands he doesn’t have to.

If that is the case, the Raiders would receive $9-plus million in cap relief, but they would have another need on an already long list. That would mean Terrelle Pryor would get a long look and it wouldn’t do anything to stop the talk Oakland would take West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith with the No. 3 pick.

Again, we have no reason to think these talks will get off track, but any negotiation is a two-way street and that can cause complications.

Dennis Allen doesn’t live in a black hole of denial and oblivion.

He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is well aware of the happenings across the bay in the final couple months of the 2012 NFL season.

As he was completing a disappointing first season as the head coach of the 4-12 Oakland Raiders, Allen watched the neighboring San Francisco 49ers ride the arms and legs of Colin Kaepernick all the way to the Super Bowl.

Kaepernick, an electrifying player in the mold of today's athletic quarterback, was a second-round pick in the 2011 draft.

Because of the 49ers’ success with Kaepernick in the starting lineup after starter Alex Smith suffered a concussion, many Oakland fans are asking the same question: Why don't the Raiders give their own young, athletic quarterback, Terrelle Pryor, a chance?

Allen has heard the questions and the comparisons of the situations. Obviously, Allen would love to see a quarterback be able to take his team to the Super Bowl. He also knows it’s not a simple process.

“But it’s not that easy,” Allen said at the NFL combine. “Every situation is different.”

Pryor -- taken in the third round of the supplemental draft a few months after the 49ers selected Kaepernick -- will be given a chance to develop. Oakland’s brass has maintained there will be competition at quarterback. But Allen has said that incumbent Carson Palmer -- assuming he restructures his contract from the $13-plus million now on the salary-cap books -- will go to training camp as the starter. Pryor will be the backup.

Allen said Pryor, who turns 24 in June, must show he can handle being the starter before simply being given the job. Just because Kaepernick had instant success across the bay doesn’t mean Pryor will.

“You just can’t roll the dice in this league and hope something pans out,” Allen said. “That’s not the way it works.”

Even though he is cautious, Allen made it clear he is a fan of Pryor and thinks he can develop into the starter. He just won’t be thrown into the starting lineup before it's time. Allen said if Pryor shows he is ready for the rigors of starting and shows the consistency to play regularly in the NFL, he will get the chance.

“When he shows he is ready to be the guy, he will be the guy,” Allen said. “I’m all for that. I want to win.”

Pryor -- 6-foot-4, 233 pounds -- must show Allen and his staff he is the guy in practice, the coach said.

Allen has seen the Ohio State product make progress. Allen and his staff were encouraged about Pryor’s long-term potential when he started in a loss to the Chargers in the regular-season finale, when Palmer was out with an injury. Pryor had his up and downs in the game, and his statistics were pedestrian: He completed 13 of 28 passes for 150 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception.

Allen praised the command Pryor took during the week leading up to the game and in the game itself. He showed the poise and confidence teams want to see from their starting quarterback. Pryor also practiced better during that week than he did earlier in the season.

“He was our starting quarterback that week,” Allen said. “He took command. It was good to see.”

Allen said Pryor is one of the team’s hardest workers and that his work ethic has exceeded Allen's expectations.

“Football is very important to him,” Allen said. “Those are good signs. … But he still has a long way to go.”

I get the feeling the Raiders believe Pryor needs seasoning, but they think he can get there. Still, I think the team believes that Palmer, 33, gives Oakland the best chance to win in the short term and would like to enhance the roster around him.

Pryor does have the long-term support of new Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Olson, but so does Palmer.

“I like the ceiling of Terrelle Pryor and where we think he can get to, but his skill set is completely different than Carson’s, so we go forward with the idea [that] we know what Carson Palmer is," Olson told reporters shortly after he was hired. "He’s played in the league a number of years. We know what he can do.”

The Raiders will have some packages in place to take advantage of Pryor’s athleticism, but I think the only way Pryor gets a chance to play in 2013 is if Palmer completely falters and the Raiders start very slowly, or if Palmer gets hurt.

If it happens, Pryor will get his chance to do his best Kaepernick impression.

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

Welcome to Eight in the Box, an NFL Nation feature that will appear each Friday during the offseason. This week’s topic: How each AFC West team needs to address the quarterback position.

Denver: A year ago, the Broncos' brass was quietly putting together a plan to court Peyton Manning and rid itself of the albatross known as Tim Tebow. The plan worked perfectly. Manning agreed to join the Broncos on March 19, and Tebow was traded to the Jets two days later. It was the story of the 2012 NFL offseason. The Broncos will make no such dramatic quarterback headlines this year. They are set with Manning as their quarterback and second-year player Brock Osweiler as backup. The Broncos love Osweiler and think he will be ready to start when Manning retires in two or three years. Thus, the Broncos are set here.

Kansas City: The Chiefs’ quarterback situation was as murky as any in the NFL, but the issue has been solved. The team has agreed to trade for former San Francisco starter Alex Smith. The Chiefs targeted Smith, and I think it was a smart move. First, he fits the team’s West Coast system, and he is game manager who doesn’t turn the ball over. He should fit with this roster and give the Chiefs a chance to improve. Also, Smith was the best option in a bad year to pick up a quarterback. Smith is far from great, but he is more than serviceable. The Chiefs could do a lot worse. Perhaps backups Brady Quinn and Ricky Stanzi could be brought back, but there will be a new starter in Smith as Andy Reid begins his Kansas City tenure.

Oakland: The Raiders plan to go to training camp with Carson Palmer as the starter. Third-year quarterback Terrelle Pryor will be given a chance to be the backup; Oakland will be looking closely to gauge whether he is ready to push Palmer. The Raiders say it will be a competition, but coach Dennis Allen has said that Palmer will go to camp as the starter. The Raiders liked Pryor’s poise and command in a Week 17 start in place of an injured Palmer but still think Pryor is raw. Still, Palmer is 33 and not getting better, so Pryor will get his chance at some point. But for now -- assuming he restructures his contract from its current $13 million-plus salary-cap number -- Palmer is the starter.

San Diego: The focus here is making Philip Rivers a top-level quarterback again. Both new coach Mike McCoy and new general manager Tom Telesco said the presence of Rivers was a major selling point for their respective jobs with the Chargers. Rivers, 31, has been subpar the past two seasons -- though he has lost a lot of weapons and his offensive line has been a shambles. The Chargers believe Rivers will be fine if they build around him. That will be the focal point of the offseason. Charlie Whitehurst, a favorite of the previous regime, was Rivers’ backup last season. It remains to be seen how this brass feels about Whitehurst. I wouldn’t be shocked if San Diego looks for another backup in someone like Matt Moore (who was in Carolina with McCoy) or in the form of a developmental quarterback in the draft.

 

New Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Olson is going to be a popular man in Raider Nation for several reasons, including the following:

1. He is not Greg Knapp, the man who was fired after one season because his system didn’t fit the Raiders’ talent on offense.
2. Olson counts former Oakland coach -- and lifetime Raider Nation key-holder --- Jon Gruden as a major influence on his NFL career.
3. He plans to go back to the attacking offense with which Oakland had solid success under with Hue Jackson.

The Raiders’ new assistants met with media members Wednesday to discuss their plans and philosophies. Olson told reporters that he plans to run an attacking offense with a heavy emphasis on play-action, designed to get running back Darren McFadden back on track. He also wants to utilize Pro Bowl fullback Marcel Reece. That is a smart call because getting the ball in Reece’s hands often produces results for Oakland. He had 276 rushing yards and 52 catches, both career highs, in 2012.

Meanwhile, new Oakland offensive-line coach Tony Sparano is excited about working with McFadden as well. McFadden struggled last season, but Sparano plans to run a blocking scheme better-suited to McFadden’s strengths in his final season under contract in Oakland.

Olson also addressed the thought of Terrelle Pryor competing for the starting quarterback job with Carson Palmer. Raiders leadership has made general comments about competition, and Olson kept to that stance. I think we will learn more about Pryor’s chances in the coming weeks.

If the Raiders keep Palmer, he will very likely be given the first chance to start. If not, the Pryor era could start in Week 1.

Earlier Tuesday, I had a Twitter discussion with several readers about the idea of the Oakland Raiders taking West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith with the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft.

There have been a lot of rumors that the Raiders could be interested in Smith. It provided a lively Twitter talk, so I thought we should bring it over to the blog.

At this point, just under three months before the draft, I don’t like the idea. I think it would be a mistake for Oakland to take Smith.

Oakland has major needs on defense. There are several high-quality defensive prospects in the draft. The Raiders should be able to get an impact defensive player with the third overall pick. Thus far, Smith hasn’t proven he is a top-of-the-draft prospect.

Also, the Raiders don’t have a pressing need at quarterback. Carson Palmer, who Oakland gave up a first-round pick for last year and who the team still owes the Bengals a second-round pick this year for, is 33 years old, and the Raiders can get by another year with him. Plus, 2011 third-round supplemental pick Terrelle Pryor still has a chance to develop.

I just don’t see why Oakland should bypass other needs for help at a position where it is not immediately needed. Unlike the 2013 draft quarterback class, the next couple of quarterback classes are shaping up nicely. Oakland can wait to take to a quarterback, all the while giving Pryor more time to develop.

There is no way to know if the Raiders are truly interested in Smith. Maybe word is leaking to drum up interest in the No. 3 pick. Oakland, which doesn’t have picks in the second and fifth rounds, could use some extra picks. Maybe the Raiders think Smith is terrible, but they want to get the Chiefs, who need a quarterback, to panic and take Smith with the No. 1 pick.

This is draft season. Everything is possible. But unless Smith becomes a sure thing in the next three months, I’m not a big fan of the idea of the Raiders taking him.