Early, sure, but you are reading and I am writing.
I'm not going to talk about the Broncos roster, but rather the other AFC West teams. Who did they lose, who did they get, what threat do they pose in 2017?
Chiefs (12-4)
Staff - Lost Ballard, director of football ops, to Colts.
Veterans - Lost Poe, will plug his spot with DT Bennie Logan (6 AV career guy from PHI). Also lost Nick Foles as backup QB. Re-signed Eric Berry and others.
Developing/aging players - WR Chris Conley is a 2d year guy, 3 1-year guys on defense will now be 3d years (RILB Wilson, LCB Peters, RCB Nelson). Tyrique Hill is a 2d year guy now. Derrick Johnson will be 35.
Draft:
1 - Mahomes, QB
2 - Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE Villanova (freakish specimen who has underwhelmed in live-fire drills)
3 - Kareem Hunt, RB Toledo (my #5 RB behind the big 3 plus Mixon, reliable 3-down back with great pass-catching skills. Fumbled once in 800 touches.)
The starting lineup is about the same as in 2016. Logan will replace Poe in general so it's not a big hole. This team is still dangerous, but to me the big question is how much will Alex Smith go Jake Plummer since the Chiefs drafted Mahomes by making the big move? Smith is only 33 this year, and looks to have a lot of football left in him. Adding Hunt to the roster is about the only roster-shaping move that I see, since the first two picks in their draft aren't 2017 impact guys. If Kpassagnon was manhandled at the senior bowl, the NFL will be even less friendly to him.
I think the chiefs are about the same as last year, although they are a youngish squad that isn't starting any rookies this year...
Raiders (12-4)
Staff - Lost OC Musgrave to Broncos. Huge pickup in terms of having Carr intel.
Vets - Signed Jared Cook TE, Marshall Newhouse (OL depth) and Cordarrelle Patterson (KR/PR..wr3)....& BEaSTMoDe
Lost: ST ace Andre Holmes, LB Malcolm Smith, DT Stacy McGee, RB Latavius Murray, St/S standout Brynden Trawick (think D. Bruton)
Draft:
1- Gareon Conley, CB
2 - Obi Melifonwu, S
3 - Eddie Vanderdoes, DT
So...a healthy Carr is the big thing. MVP quality signal caller. Backfield was meh last year, but the OL was mauling. Be interesting to see if Marshawn Lynch is truly an upgrade to what some Raider fans considered was a dainty Latavius Murray. The Raiders receiving corps became more legit with the additions of Jared Cook and C. Patterson to go along with Cooper and Crabtree. The offense is serious. What about the questionable defense? The main loss is LB Malcolm Smith, a 7 AV guy without a clear replacement. Other than that, the main thing is that Khalil Mack is a 3d year player on a squad with a lot of older dudes...and if Conley and Melifonwu are starters, it might improve the weakest links on the Oakland D.
This team looks as dangerous as it did in '16, perhaps the receiving options are improved for Carr. Much of their team success will depend on the performance of the rookie secondary draft picks. . .
Los Angeles Chargers (5-11)
Staff - Lost HC McCoy (Broncos OC) . . . not sure of the other turnover. Whisenhunt and J. Pagano as coordinators, not sure who is still there. Who is the new HC for the LAC (not clippers)?
Vets - Replaced King Dunlap (LT) with Russell Okung. Have fun with that. Lost Philip Rivers favorite target Danny Woodhead. Retained Melvin Ingram, Jahleeel Addae, and some others.
Developing - RB Melvin Gordon, WR Tyrell Williams, TE Hunter Henry, LBs Kyle Emanuel and Denzel Perryman.
Aging - QB rivers (36), TE Gates (37), NT Mebane (32), FS Lowery (31).
Draft
1 - WR Mike Williams
2 - OG Forrest Lamp
3 - OG Dan Feeney
The secondary is still a disaster, but things look improved on offense. Adding a legit WR1 target with Keenan Allen makes for a dangerous passing attack. If Lamp and Feeney mesh with the 2017 O-line, that could improve pro-bowler Melvin Gordon's chances in 2017. Much depends on how LAC shores up a crap secondary, and if the young LB corps takes a step forward. This team was decimated by injuries in 2016, and Rivers is still the best QB in the division...don't count them out. A healthy squad was at least an 8-8 team last season. Don't overlook this team, it is very dangerous as long as Rivers is throwing the ball. Losing Woodhead hurts.