ESPN NFL

The running back class was one of the slowest to develop in the early stages of free agency, and there are still a few capable players available on the market.

Don’t be surprised if some of the AFC West teams look into the position now that the draft is complete. Denver drafted San Diego State’s Ronnie Hillman in the third round, and San Diego draft Michigan State’s Edwin Baker in the seventh. Oakland didn’t draft a running back. Kansas City, which drafted Cyrus Gray of Texas A&M, appears set at the position.

Yet, I could see the Broncos, Chargers and Raiders looking for a veteran with Oakland being the most likely to add a veteran as they try to replace Michael Bush, who left for Chicago in free agency. As of now, Taiwan Jones and Mike Goodson are backing up the great, but oft-injured Darren McFadden

Among the best names available are Cedric Benson, Ryan Grant and Joseph Addai. Other running backs available include Tim Hightower, Justin Forsett and Ronnie Brown.

I think Benson can help any team, and I think he’d be a great fit in Oakland. He had 1,067 yards last season. He’d be a strong insurance policy for McFadden. Finances are an issue for Oakland, but, at this point, Benson would likely take what he can get.

The Addai-Peyton Manning connection from Indianapolis always makes it possible that Addai could join Willis McGahee and Hillman in Denver’s backfield. San Diego could add a veteran, and they have talked to Kansas City free agent Jackie Battle.

After a strong second round in the AFC West, I thought there were some interesting developments in the third round in the division as well.

Let’s take a look:

Denver will worry about getting a bigger back later, but it was clearly interested in getting a faster, smaller running back in the third round. The Broncos traded up 20 spots (it gave up one its three fourth rounders as well as No. 87) to take San Diego State's explosive Ronnie Hillman.

He has been compared to Darren Sproles and he should have a place in Peyton Manning's offense. Denver’s trade was made shortly after San Francisco took Oregon’s speedster LaMichael James, so I think the Broncos wanted either James or Hillman and decided to pounce on Hillman after James was taken.

Willis McGahee will remain the starter, but Hillman should be dangerous. I wonder where this leaves 2009 top pick Knowshon Moreno. He will either be a 5-8 carry option behind McGahee or he could be on the outside looking in.

Moreno blew out his knee last year and he has since gotten a DUI. Hillman is clearly more in Denver’s plans than Moreno. Again, Denver will need to find a young power back sometime, but Hillman has an immediate place in this offense.

While Denver traded up for Hillman, San Diego moved up to take LSU safety Brandon Taylor.

Folks, San Diego is killing this draft. It is just slaying it. A trio of pass-rusher Melvin Ingram (No. 18), defensive lineman Kendall Reyes (No. 49) and Taylor (No. 73) is a wicked group to bring into one defense. All three players were taken later than projected and could all make immediate impacts. Major kudos to San Diego for having a strong plan.

Kansas City took its second offensive lineman of the day at No. 74 in the form of Oklahoma tackle Donald Stephenson. He is a one-year starter who has a lot of potential. I think he is a developmental player who gives the Chiefs options if they don’t want to re-sign left tackle Branden Albert after next season.

This draft may give a hint into what the Chiefs think of Albert, the No. 15 overall pick in 2008. In the second round, the Chiefs took guard Jeff Allen. If Albert doesn’t have a good year or if he does prices himself out of the Chiefs’ plans, Kansas City has options.

Oakland made its 2012 draft debut with the final pick of the day when it took Utah tackle/guard Tony Bergstrom.

I know some Oakland fans were disappointed that the choice was a developmental lineman while there were some sexier names available. But the truth is, picking at the spot is difficult and the new Oakland regime has a plan. Bergstrom is a good player, who is tough. He is a fine zone-blocking player. He deepens the line and he could vie for a starting spot in a year or two.

Unless the Raiders get extremely lucky, getting solid developmental players in this draft has to be the goal.

Let’s look at one player on every AFC West roster who should be paying close attention when the draft begins Thursday:

Denver running back Willis McGahee: He will likely get a backfield partner early in the draft. McGahee is 30 and was nicked up a lot last season. He was fantastic, but will be best served if the Broncos get him some help.

Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel: The Chiefs have spent this offseason building around Cassel. Still, there is a chance Kansas City could take a quarterback early. If the Chiefs take Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill in the first round, Cassel’s future is Kansas City will be short. If the Chiefs bypass a quarterback in the early rounds, it’s a strong statement that Cassel is in the team’s long-term plans.

Oakland tight end David Ausberry: The Raiders like Ausberry, a second-year player, but they have also been scouting tight ends. Oakland not drafting one would be a clear sign that Ausberry will get every opportunity to play in 2012.

San Diego running back Ryan Mathews: He has seen Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert leave via free agency in the past nine months; Mathews needs a quality backup and I think he will get one. Mathews is making great strides, but he has some durability issues -- making a strong backup a must.

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.

Here are some reactions from ESPN’s network of analysts on the pending singing of Peyton Manning in Denver:

On Manning’s relationship with John Elway being a key part of the decision…

“What started out as a friendship between the two men -- them having played golf together before in the past -- grew over the course of the last 10 or so days, and I think without John Elway in the front office, the Broncos probably would not have been able to bring home Peyton Manning. That was probably the key element here.”

- NFL Insider Adam Schefter

“Everyone just got better, particularly on the offensive side. If you’re Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas, wide receivers, you are just thrilled, because the ball is going to come out with perfect timing in every single play. If you’re Knowshon Moreno or Willis McGahee or someone they draft, you know you’re always going to run into good looks, because if you get eight in the box, Peyton is going to get out [of] the play and throw the ball down the field. … Besides the skills set, the intelligence set, all players around him know they got a better quarterback.”

-- NFL studio analyst Ron Jaworski

On why Manning might have chosen Denver…

“Knowing Peyton Manning, he wants to be part of the process. It’s very important to him what the coaching staff is like, how flexible they are, how engaged they are in doing it maybe a different way, not just the way they’ve done it before. … Peyton is just smarter when it comes to football than most people in the NFL. His functional football intelligence is greater than 98 percent of the league. So, he sees things a little bit differently. He wants to go somewhere where he knows he can put his fingerprint on it, that the organization will support him, and I think Denver was probably the best fit from day one. … Peyton Manning makes everybody around him better. Not just players. He makes coaches better. He makes front-office people better. He puts everybody at a heightened awareness, and they do their jobs more efficiently and more diligently when he’s in the building.”

-- NFL studio analyst Trent Dilfer

“We can all speculate on why he made the decision. I think there’s no doubt that what he has in mind is to end his career by winning the Super Bowl. John [Elway] was able, along with [Broncos owner] Pat Bowlen, to sell that to Peyton Manning.”

-- NFL analyst and former Broncos linebacker Tom Jackson

On what the addition of Manning means to the Broncos and the NFL overall…

“He can really make a big huge difference for this team. It’s not just the one incremental step to the Super Bowl. If he can take this team to the Super Bowl, it really says ‘I did it.’ … There’s a lot of upside there for Peyton, and a nice comfortable fit. … This is a team -- young coaches that obviously can make adjustments. I think Peyton will be very careful. I don’t think he’s going to come in and break a lot of glass, but he will be collaborative and make sure he does his system.

“It’s going to force the whole country to kind of look west, and that will be good for everybody in the AFC West, but it will be a balance of power. Peyton Manning doesn’t have five or six, seven years to do this. He needs to do it now. The immediate result of him coming to Denver is Denver now needs to go win a Super Bowl -- quickly. That’ll be the story of the year. It will be interesting to see how quickly they do manage to get into the playoffs. They got into the playoffs with Tim Tebow. Now can they extend that with Peyton Manning?”

-- NFL analyst Steve Young

On how the Broncos will measure success with Peyton Manning …

“In the next two or three years, if they don’t win the division and win a playoff game, then it didn’t work. … The pieces are in place to be successful going forward throwing the football. Those pieces were not in place with Tebow.”

– "Monday Night Football" play-by-play voice Mike Tirico on ESPN Radio’s "Scott Van Pelt Show"

On what’s next for Tim Tebow with the Broncos’ addition of Manning …

“They’re going to try to do anything they can do to trade him. Ultimately, from a football perspective, if you talk to football people within this league, I don’t think any football people really want him on their football team … I don’t think they want to deal with the circus that is Tim Tebow, and also the fact that he doesn’t have the quarterbacking skills necessary to play in this league … I think the guy’s a good football player. I don’t think there’s any question about that. I don’t think he’s a good quarterback. I don’t think he has the skill set that you have to have to play quarterback in this league. And there’s a lot of teams, I mean, let’s face it -- I live in Denver -- I saw that circus on a week-to-week basis in person. And there’s not too many teams I think that really want to deal with that in their city.”

-- NFL analyst Mark Schlereth, a two-time Broncos Super Bowl champion who still lives in the Denver area

“The more I studied him in an NFL setting, the more disturbed I was that he has no clue what he’s looking at. His IQ as a football player is not very good. That is why they have to come down and make it some [kind] of a college-form system that he’s comfortable with in Florida. He can’t execute, from a cerebral aspect, a pro-style system.”

-- NFL analyst Merril Hoge

The odds now favor Michael Bush leaving the Oakland Raiders in free agency.

The team opted to give safety Tyvon Branch the franchise tag. That means Bush is likely on his way to free agency. A key backup, the Raiders would likely want to keep Bush in a perfect world. But because the Raiders have other needs and will likely have some cap limitations, Bush might get a better offer elsewhere.

Let’s see if he fits in with the other three teams in the AFC West:

Denver: I would list Denver as the favorite in the division to land Bush, and among the favorites in the league to sign him if he leaves Oakland. I think this is a perfect fit. The Broncos have a need at the position, and will likely draft a running back early if they don’t address the position in free agency. The Broncos were the No. 1 running team in the NFL last season. Going from one strong running offense to another would likely appeal to Bush. The Tim Tebow-led offense is best when the Broncos run the ball. Pairing Bush with Willis McGahee -- who was a star last season -- would likely be attractive to everyone involved. It would allow Bush to be the primary back, and allow McGahee to go back to a secondary role, where he might be best suited because of his age (he’ll turn 31 during the season), and because he suffered several injuries last season.

Kansas City: This would be a similar situation to Oakland. Like he was to Darren McFadden, Bush would be a bigger, change-of-pace and injury option for Jamaal Charles, who is coming back from a torn ACL. The Chiefs have a lot of money to spend, so perhaps they’d be able to convince Bush to sign there.

San Diego: The Chargers, who tried to trade for Bush a few years ago, could be interested if they do not re-sign Mike Tolbert.

With the offseason in full swing, let’s take a look at one major question facing each AFC West team as they begin preparations for the 2012 season:

DENVER BRONCOS

How will the Broncos build around Tim Tebow?

As a team, the Broncos -- surprise AFC West winners in 2011 -- don’t have a lot of questions, problems or issues. They are in great salary-cap shape and don’t have an overly daunting personnel situation.

The upstart Broncos just have to get better.

Of course, that starts with their biggest question mark -- quarterback Tim Tebow. The Broncos have committed to him being the starter going into training camp and want him to succeed. The likely scenario is that the final decision on Tebow will be made after this season. So the Broncos will need to build their roster around Tebow.

While the Broncos will be remembered for Tebow-led comebacks on their way to an 8-8 record and a trip to the divisional round in the playoffs, they made strides in 2011 because they ran the ball well and played improved defense. That formula has to continue.

The Broncos still need to get better on defense. They need to re-sign defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley and probably add another player on the defensive line. They could also use help at linebacker and in the secondary. If Denver can get two more impact players on defense, it could be a top unit.

The Broncos need to find a running back to pair with Willis McGahee, who ran for 1,199 yards in his first season in Denver. But McGahee is 30 and was dinged up a lot. Denver will likely add a running back in the early rounds of the draft unless it address that need in free agency. The Tebow-run offense was as its best when Denver ran the ball well, so help in that area is paramount.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Will the Chiefs keep their top free agents?

The Kansas City Chiefs in a terrific salary-cap situation, with more than $62 million in cap room -- meaning that they can do virtually whatever they wish. The Chiefs, entering their fourth year under Scott Pioli, have not spent wildly during his tenure as general manager though they have been in solid cap shape. He has maintained that he will not spend just to spend, and thus far, he has opted for mostly role players in free agency.

Still, Pioli has been extremely aggressive in signing the Chiefs’ best players before they get to free agency. Yet two young standouts -- receiver Dwayne Bowe and cornerback Brandon Carr -- are weeks from hitting the market. The fact that the team hasn't gotten a deal done with either may be an indication that both players want to see what is on the open market even though the Chiefs can match virtually any offer.

The truth is that Kansas City has too much cap room to just let the players walk unless it thinks it can get upgrades at those players' positions. Kansas City visited this week with cornerback Stanford Routt -- cut by Oakland last week -- and perhaps it is deciding between him and Carr. I wouldn’t be surprised if either Bowe or Carr is franchised.

Either way, Pioli is going to have to get aggressive and perhaps land a big fish or two from the outside. This is a young, intriguing roster that could make a big playoff push in a hurry with the right additions.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

How will the Raiders improve?

It is an exciting time in Oakland as the franchise makes a dramatic move in leadership. Oakland owner Al Davis died at the age of 82 in October. Since then, it has been a whirlwind of change for the Raiders, including the most prominent new faces -- general manager Reggie McKenzie and head coach Dennis Allen. Both are promising, young professionals and are primed to put their stamp on this franchise, which hasn’t been to the playoffs in nine years but has finished 8-8 in each of the past two seasons.

However, particularly as it pursues some new pieces on defense, Oakland will have to get creative in making major improvement. As of earlier this week, the Raiders were $11 million over the salary cap and have only fifth-and sixth-round draft picks. Oakland will get under the cap and it will likely get a couple mid-round compensatory picks, but will face a challenge finding impact players this offseason.

The Raiders’ best bet is create enough cap room to find a starter or two on defense in free agency, keep running back Michael Bush and safety Tyvon Branch (one will likely be franchised) and hope their young talent on both sides of the ball emerges.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Will the Chargers be aggressive in free agency?

This is a crucial offseason in San Diego -- and one that will definitely be the most closely scrutinized in the franchise's recent history. Chargers owner Dean Spanos put pressure on himself with his surprising decision to keep both general manager A.J Smith and coach Norv Turner after a second consecutive playoff-less season. Spanos kept both men because he thinks they are best able to lead the Chargers to a Super Bowl. However, if San Diego doesn’t make the playoffs in 2012, Spanos -- who is trying to secure the team a new stadium -- will have to jettison the pair and make the wholesale changes next January that he was expected to make this year.

Spanos doesn’t want to put himself in that position, so he must instruct Smith to do what Smith hasn’t done in free agency -- spend big. The Chargers have a good roster, but it can get better, especially on defense. The Chargers' defense needs some impact players and they must try to get at least one in free agency.

Smith has done a solid in keeping his own free-agent talent. San Diego has several quality free agents this year, starting with receiver Vincent Jackson. The Chargers could franchise Jackson a second consecutive year, but would likely rather give him a long-term deal. There will be competition for Jackson on the open market, but Jackson would like to stay. Allowing Jackson to walk in this crucial time in San Diego would create more questions and pressure for the Chargers' brass.

Let’s wrap up the 2011 AFC West season by giving our annual awards:

MVP: Denver running back Willis McGahee

He was the best player on the surprise division champions. Denver’s running game was ranked first in the NFL and the biggest reason was the terrific season by the 30-year-old, who was one of the best free-agent signings of 2011. The Tim Tebow offense worked best when McGahee was leading the way. He finished the season with 1,199 yards on the ground and he showed great leadership.

Offensive player of the year: San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers

It wasn’t Rivers’ greatest season of his career, but he straightened out toward the end of the season and ended up putting up solid numbers. If Oakland running back Darren McFadden didn’t get hurt in October, when he was on his way to this honor (or perhaps the division MVP), he would have been serious candidate. But it goes to Rivers, whom I still believe is the best overall player in the division.

Defensive player of the year: Kansas City linebacker Derrick Johnson

He is one of the more underrated players in the NFL. He is a tackling machine and a timely playmaker. Johnson was brilliant in 2011 as he had a career-high 131 tackles. Along with fellow Pro Bowl linebacker Tamba Hali, Johnson is the centerpiece to a potentially standout defense.

Coach of the year: Denver coach John Fox

Fox made his impact felt immediately in Denver. A player’s coach, Fox’s easy personality was exactly what the team needed after the Josh McDaniels disaster. The Broncos went from 4-12 to 8-8 and winning the AFC West. Fox helped guide a defensive resurgence and he adjusted well to playing with Tebow. This is a growing program and Fox is a big reason why.

Comeback player of the year: Denver defensive end Elvis Dumervil

There were concerns that Dumervil would be rusty and unable to make an impact in Fox’s 4-3 defense. No worries. After overcoming several inquires early in the season, Dumervil finished strong and he ended up with 9.5 sacks. Dumervil missed all of the 2010 season with a pectoral injury. But he came back strong and teamed with rookie Von Miller to become one of the best pass-rushing pairs in the NFL.

Most improved player of the year: Oakland receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey

Heyward-Bey deserves a lot of credit for the progress he made in 2011. I think he was one of the most improved players in the NFL. After catching just 35 passes in his first 26 games, Heyward-Bey had 64 catches for 975 yards in 2011. He still showed he has some issues with dropped passes, but his strides were huge and he took over some games. I can’t wait to see if can continue to make big progress.

Offensive rookie of the year: Oakland guard Stefen Wisniewski

Wisniewski looked like he was a 10-year veteran as a rookie. He is a natural player who is both athletic and intelligent. Born to be a Raider as the nephew of former Raiders great offensive lineman and current assistant coach Steve Wisniewski, Stefen Wisniewski upheld his family name well. There were times in the season when he simply took over. He was a steal at the No. 48 overall pick.

Defensive rookie of the year: Denver linebacker Von Miller

This was an easy one. Miller won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. The No. 2 overall pick in the draft was dominant before he broke his thumb in late November. He finished with 11.5 sacks. Miller needs to improve as a run-stopper, but he appears to have limitless potential and is already a team leader. Denver has to be thrilled with this pick.

Executive of the year: Denver’s John Elway

It’s early, but the results have been promising. Elway doesn’t seem to be one of those playing legends, front-office-disaster types. He has proven to be humble and hard working in his new role. Elway’s choice of Fox as coach was a winner and Denver had success in the draft and in free agency. No one expected Elway’s first year as Denver’s football leader ending up in the second round of the playoffs.

Specialist of the year: Oakland kicker Sebastian Janikowski

This is a significant award because I believe this may be the premier special-teams division in football. Janikowski stuck out as the best specialist in a division of specialist stars. He opened the season in style by tying the NFL record with a 63-yard field goal in Week 1 at Denver and he showed great consistency all season. He is a true weapon.

It is fitting that Brian Dawkins’ final game could be played in Hawaii.


The Denver safety was named to the Pro Bowl on Thursday, replacing Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu because of an injury. It is Dawkins’ ninth Pro Bowl — tied with John Lynch for the second-most career Pro Bowl berths by a safety.

Expect Dawkins, 38, to try to play. He missed all but a quarter of Denver’s final five games because of a neck injury, but the injury has been improving steadily in the past few days. Dawkins, a potential Hall of Famer, wouldn’t have accepted the invitation if he wasn’t going to be cleared to play.

Dawkins told a Denver television station last weekend that he will consider retirement. He played the past three seasons with Denver and has been the team’s undisputed leader. Dawkins played well in 2011 when healthy, recording 51 tackles and three sacks.

Dawkins joins a strong Denver contingent — the team's most at the Pro Bowl since 2001 — for the Jan. 29 game in Honolulu. Running back Willis McGahee and tackle Ryan Clady were named to the team as injury replacements. Cornerback Champ Bailey, defensive end Elvis Dumervil and linebacker Von Miller are also representing the AFC West champions.

When the Pro Bowl team was announced, I listed Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee as the player in the division that had the biggest beef for not being picked to play in Hawaii later this month.

Well, that problem has been solved.

The Broncos announced McGahee, who was a first alternate, will replace an injured Arian Foster on the AFC Pro Bowl team. Denver left tackle Ryan Clady, replacing the Miami Dolphins' Jake Long, will also join him.

Denver now has five players in the Pro Bowl. McGahee and Clady join Champ Bailey, Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller.

McGahee’s selection to the Pro Bowl team puts a bow on a great season for the 30-year-old tailback who was one of the best free-agent signings in the NFL last summer. McGahee had 1,199 yards rushing and he was a key to the No. 1 ranked rushing offense in the NFL. The Broncos set a franchise record for rushing yards in a season with 2,532 yards on the ground.

McGahee was tied with Foster for the NFL lead with seven 100-yard rushing games in 2011. This is McGahee’s second Pro Bowl selection.

According to the Broncos, Clady is the fifth offensive lineman in NFL history to start every game and make at least two Pro Bowls in his first four NFL seasons.

Tim Tebow may be the most dissected first-year starter in NFL history. Monday, Denver Broncos’ football czar John Elway ensured the dissection will continue in 2012.

That news will certainly prompt the anti-Tebow camp to complain wildly, that the Broncos are forever putting themselves in a hole.

However, Elway is not committing to Tebow for the rest of his career. Monday’s announcement doesn’t ensure Tebow will be the Broncos’ quarterback for the rest of the decade. It simply gives him the opportunity to earn it.

All Denver truly is doing is committing to Tebow for the 2012 season. For a player who had had 16 career starts and who has shown both promising and alarming signs, that’s all he can expect. Sticking with Tebow in 2012 is a better option that trying to develop a rookie or finding a stop-gap veteran option. If Tebow doesn’t become a consistent NFL passer in 2012, then Denver can look for a long-term answer elsewhere.

The following are things Tebow and the Broncos have to accomplish to make sure Tebow is the long-term answer in Denver:

Take advantage of the offseason: This will be Tebow’s first full offseason in the NFL. It will be paramount to his future success. Monday, Elway reiterated that he will work with Tebow in the offseason. Elway said he is not as worried about Tebow’s release as he is with his foot work, drops and timing. That is what Tebow will concentrate on this spring and summer.

Tebow’s 13 starts in 2011 were borne out of survival. He wasn’t given much time to work on his own game. Saving the season was the mission. Thus, I think the hard-working Tebow will benefit from stepping back and working on his game with Denver coaches in the offseason without any urgency. He had enough good games passing the ball this past season to show he can succeed. The offseason will give him time to hone his game.

Evolve the offense: The Broncos used a few versions of the option offense. The team must spend the offseason marrying the option and a more traditional offense. Teams were catching up to the Broncos. In a 45-10 divisional playoff loss to New England, the Broncos had 14 negative plays. According to ESPN Stats & Information, it was the most negative plays any NFL offense had this season. Denver was 1-4 in its past five games and Tebow’s production slid in the losses. The Broncos have to work to keep ahead of defenses. If Denver trots outs the same offense next year, it will be halted much like the Wildcat was in Miami.

Cut down on turnovers: Whether Tebow improves as a passer and whether Denver makes offensive adjustments, a Tebow-led offense won’t succeed with him turning over the ball. The Broncos won with Tebow when he displayed great ball security. They failed when he didn’t.

Tebow had 13 fumbles in his 11 starts (with six lost fumbles) in the regular season. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Tebow led the NFL both in fumbles and fumbles lost over the final 11 weeks of the regular season. He has to learn to hold onto the ball better. Denver can’t go into another season with Tebow being so prone to losing the ball.

Find another running back: Willis McGahee, who turned 30 during the season, was one of the best free-agent signings in the NFL. He ran for 1,199 yards in the regular season and he made the Tebow-offense go. This offense must be a run-first offense. The fact that Denver had the No. 1 ranked rushing offense in the NFL helped Tebow immensely. He’ll need more help. With McGahee aging, and dealing with several nicks this season and 2009 No. 12 overall pick Knowshon Moreno coming off a major knee injury and not expected to be a major factor for Denver, it must bring in another top running back to protect Tebow. Whether Denver signs a free agent such as Oakland’s Michael Bush in free agency or spends an early draft pick on a rusher like Miami’s Lamar Miler or Virginia Tech’s David Wilson, Denver needs to address this area.

Improve defense: The Denver defense made great strides in 2011 after being the worst defense in the NFL in 2010. Denver wouldn’t have made the playoffs in 2011 if it weren’t for the defense. Yet, it was crystal clear in Saturday's loss at New England, that the Denver defense still has work to do. Tebow may have fourth-quarter magic, but he isn’t the type of player to overcome falling way behind early. Denver needs a few more impact players on defense to ensure it doesn’t get blown out in 2012.

Tebow needs to make his own improvement in 2012 to make Elway’s commitment to him work out, but the rest of the Denver roster needs to be improved to help Tebow as well.

Four Broncos to watch Saturday night in a divisional playoff game at New England. Kickoff is 8 p.m. ET:

Brodrick Bunkley, defensive tackle: Bunkley had a terrific game against Pittsburgh in the wild-card round and he quietly had a solid season. He is going to have to disrupt the middle of the New England offensive line as the Broncos try to slow Tom Brady.

Quinton Carter, safety: Carter had a strong game against Pittsburgh. The rookie is really coming around. With New England focusing on tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez (who had a huge game against Denver last month) so often, Carter is going to have to come up big again.

Willis McGahee, running back: McGahee shredded the Patriots in Week 15 before he was injured. McGahee has been a star for Denver this year as he had 1,119 yards on the ground. He fumbled twice and lost one that allowed the Steelers to tie the game and send it to overtime on Sunday. McGahee is going to have to play a strong, clean game Saturday night.

Eddie Royal, receiver/returner: With Eric Decker out with a significant knee injury, Royal is going to have to play a big role in this game. He caught a touchdown pass against Pittsburgh. With Demaryius Thomas -- who had four catches for 204 yards, including an 80-yard catch to win the game in overtime --likely getting extra attention from New England, Royal is going to have to make some plays.

DENVER -- The Denver Broncos can thank Josh McDaniels for supplying one of the most improbable playoff wins in team history.

In fact, they can extend their gratitude to their reviled former head coach in person on Saturday night.

In an AFC West season that refuses to stop twisting chaotically, we will be treated to an unexpected storyline when the amusingly perplexing Broncos continue their unlikely postseason journey at New England on Saturday in an 8 p.m. ET kickoff. On a day the top-seeded Patriots confirmed McDaniels has rejoined the team, the Broncos qualified to face them with a thrilling 29-23 overtime victory over the heavily favored Steelers on Sunday in the best of the four wild-card games.

McDaniels, who spent the 2011 season with Rams, will be an offensive assistant for the playoffs and is expected to be the offensive coordinator in New England next season. He was the Patriots’ offensive coordinator prior to being hired as the coach in Denver. He was fired after 28 games in Denver.

A week ago, it seemed far-fetched that the Broncos would beat the Steelers and McDaniels would be actually coaching in the playoffs.

But that’s the 2011 season for you.

The Broncos-McDaniels showdown was made possible by an 80-yard pass play from redeemed quarterback Tim Tebow to receiver Demaryius Thomas on the first offensive play of overtime. According to ESPN Stats & Information, it was the longest overtime touchdown in NFL playoff history.

McDaniels targeted the pass-catch combination as a potentially dangerous postseason pair when he made Thomas the No. 22 overall pick and Tebow the No. 25 overall pick of the 2010 draft. It was McDaniels’ second and final draft in Denver.

McDaniels was widely criticized for drafting Thomas over Dez Bryant, who went No. 24 to Dallas, and for taking Tebow, period. First-year Broncos coach John Fox’s biggest challenge was trying to make something of the departed McDaniels’ criticized draft classes and the elephant in the room, Tebow.

Now, Fox, Tebow and company will take on McDaniels.

The Broncos go to New England with renewed faith in their passing game after improving to 4-0 in overtime games this season.

After struggling horribly in the past two games, Tebow regained his passing success, completing 10 of 21 passes for 316 yards. Thomas had 204 yards receiving on four catches.

From the first quarter of the Buffalo game in Week 16 through the first quarter Sunday, the Broncos had 18 punts and six turnovers in 28 possessions. They scored only 10 points in the stretch.

However, after going 0-for-2 passing in the first quarter, Tebow threw for 185 yards in the second quarter as Denver turned a 6-0 deficit into a 20-6 halftime lead. It was Tebow’s best quarter in his 15-start career.

Tebow had five passes of 30-plus yards Sunday against a Pittsburgh defense that was ranked No. 1 in the NFL against the pass this season.

During the week, Broncos football czar and Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway said that Tebow needed to “pull the trigger” and try to make some plays in the passing game. In the past two games, Tebow -- who was impressive against New England in Week 15 -- was tentative and reluctant to throw.

He appeared to start Sunday’s game that way, but after completing a 51-yard pass to Thomas second play of the second quarter, Tebow settled down and started to look like the improved passer he became earlier in December.

“I think that definitely gave us some momentum,” Tebow said of his early second-quarter success. “We were cooking pretty good from then on out.”

However, Tebow saved his best for last.

The Broncos’ offensive staff was planning to run the play to Thomas on their first play of overtime. Thomas said he thought he had a good chance to score when he saw he was in single coverage with Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor. Taylor had no chance.

Thomas beat Taylor off the line, caught a bullet from Tebow at the Denver 38, raced across the field to the end zone and into a tunnel as the crowd erupted, giving Denver its first playoff win in six years.

The unlikely day ended with Tebow taking a victory lap around the stadium, slapping the hands of fans.

Late in the week, there had been speculation that Tebow would be spelled by Brady Quinn on Sunday and talk about Denver needing to find a new quarterback this offseason got new life.

All that talk is off. It’s Tebow time again.

"He showed he’s an NFL quarterback today,” Broncos running back Willis McGahee said. "Case closed.”

Denver entered the playoffs with no juice at all. It was the eighth team in NFL history to enter the postseason with three straight losses and appeared to have no chance.

After Tebow showed again he can throw the ball, and the Denver defense continued its resurgence -- it pressured Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger all game and had five sacks -- the Broncos feel good about themselves again.

They remember they squandered a 16-7 lead with turnovers in a 41-23 loss to the Patriots three weeks ago. Sunday, the Broncos showed what can happen when they play with ball security.

“Everyone said we backed into the playoffs,” cornerback Champ Bailey said. “But we won a game in the playoffs and we’re moving on. We must be doing something right.”

Bring on McDaniels.

Three things to know about Saturday's AFC divisional playoff game between the Denver Broncos (9-8) and New England Patriots (13-3):

1. Hello, Mr. McDaniels: The Broncos thought it was strange to see Kyle Orton in a Chiefs uniform in Week 17. Well, the unexpected reunion tour takes another twist in the divisional playoff round when the Broncos, who beat the heavily favored Steelers 29-23 in overtime Sunday, face former coach Josh McDaniels. He was hired by the Patriots to be an assistant coach for the rest of the season and he is expected to be the Patriots’ offensive coordinator next season. He had that role in New England before he was hired by Denver in 2009. McDaniels was fired after 28 games.

2. Turnovers are the key: The Broncos were leading the Patriots 16-7 early in the second quarter in Week 15. However, Denver fumbled in its own territory three times in that quarter which New England turned into 13 points. The Broncos never recovered. Sunday, after the win over Pittsburgh, Denver cornerback Champ Bailey said the loss to the Patriots was “almost a reality check” and the Broncos know what they can’t do Saturday night.

3. Keeping running that ball: The Broncos ran for 167 yards in the first quarter against New England (finishing with 252 yards on the ground). But Willis McGahee got hurt and the fumbles forced the Broncos to turn to the passing game. Expect them to try to gash the Patriots early in this game as they attempt to pull off another playoff shocker.

» Wild-Card Final Word: Bengals-Texans | Lions-Saints | Falcons-Giants | Steelers-Broncos

Three nuggets of knowledge about Sunday's Steelers-Broncos wild-card game:

Sitting target: Ben Roethlisberger's high ankle sprain is clearly affecting his mobility, which has in turn affected his ability to handle the blitz. Roethlisberger has frustrated defenses over the years by shrugging off pass-rushers to extend plays and hit a wide receiver deep downfield. In his first 13 games, he completed 61.2 percent of his passes against the blitz (according to ESPN Stats & Information), throwing seven touchdowns and three interceptions. Since the injury, he hasn't been able to escape the pressure. As a result, his completion rate against the blitz has plummeted to 28.6 percent (6-of-21 passing). The Broncos' pass rush is led by Von Miller (11.5 sacks) and Elvis Dumervil (9.5).

Playoff road block: No one ran the ball better this year than the Denver Broncos. With running back Willis McGahee and quarterback Tim Tebow leading the ground game, the Broncos averaged 164.5 yards rushing, which is 11.5 yards more per game than anyone else in the league. The Steelers ranked eighth in run defense this year, but they are first when it comes to the playoffs. Pittsburgh hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in 17 consecutive postseason games, which is tied with the Redskins for the longest current streak. Teams didn't really test the Steelers' run defense this season. Opponents averaged 25 carries a game against Pittsburgh, which was the eighth-fewest in the NFL.

Backup plan: The Steelers placed starting running back Rashard Mendenhall on injured reserve this week after he tore his ACL. Statistics say Pittsburgh's running game will be more explosive without him. Since the start of 2010, Mendenhall averaged 3.9 yards per carry, the fifth-worst among the 28 players with at least 300 rushes in the past two seasons (according to ESPN S&I). Isaac Redman, who is expected to replace Mendenhall, is averaging 4.5 yards per carry over that span. Mendenhall also had the second fewest yards after contact (1.6 per carry) among running backs with at least 200 carries. The rest of the Steelers averaged 2.6 yards after contact.