Identifying the biggest need for every AFC West team

theScore goes division by division to identify the biggest positional needs for all 32 NFL teams entering free agency.

AFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST
NFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST

Kansas City Chiefs

Biggest need: Quarterback

Other needs: Cornerback, linebacker, wide receiver

The Chiefs are a quarterback away. For as great as he may be at taking care of the ball and running an offense, Alex Smith is not going to carry a team to the Super Bowl. If there's an addition to be made under center, Kansas City can't afford to waste any more time. The organization and the rest of the roster is at a championship level.

Marcus Peters is already among the NFL's top cornerbacks, that much we know. But as quarterbacks continue to shy away from targeting Peters' man, shortcomings elsewhere at cornerback become all the more glaring. The Chiefs need a corner capable of holding up on the other side of the field.

Derrick Johnson is no lock to be ready for the start of the 2016 season, and he's closing in on the end of his career anyway. Opposing offenses could continue to take advantage of the Kansas City defense on the interior if the linebacker spot isn't taken care of.

Potential free-agent targets: Tony Romo should be Kansas City's top target when he gets released by Dallas. He wouldn't be a long-term solution by any stretch, but such a move could be followed up by the drafting of a young quarterback to groom as his eventual replacement. Making a significant upgrade from Smith to Romo could conceivably have the Chiefs enter the season as a Super Bowl favorite.

Outside of an addition at quarterback, which is worth any cost the team may incur, salary cap issues should have the Chiefs looking for bargains on the open market. Sam Shields, Terence Newman, and Alterraun Verner are among the established veteran cornerbacks who could come cheap.

Provided that a thin position market doesn't push their value too high, Kevin Minter and Zach Brown could be realistic targets at inside linebacker. The latter was a breakout star for the Bills this past season, finishing second only to Bobby Wagner among NFL leaders with 149 tackles.

Oakland Raiders

Biggest need: Linebacker

Other needs: Running back, safety, wide receiver

A lack of playmaking ability at the linebacker position really hurt the Raiders' defense in 2016. Whether against the run, or matching up with tight ends and running backs in coverage, the unit was consistently responsible for big plays Oakland surrendered. Adding to this area of the roster is a must for the Raiders' defense to improve.

All indications are that the Raiders will let Latavius Murray walk in free agency, and that's probably the right move looking ahead. Finding a featured back in stacked group of incoming rookies is possible, but perhaps targeting the position in free agency can free up draft capital to be used elsewhere.

Safety is a bit of an under-the-radar need for the Raiders, as the early returns on first-round pick Karl Joseph appear to have the position in good shape. But that's only one of two safety positions, and Reggie Nelson isn't the long-term answer at the other. Oakland should be willing to move on from the veteran if a better opportunity presents itself.

Potential free-agent targets: On the surface, it would appear as though the Raiders have plenty of cap space at their disposal. Should they attack the offseason as such, Dont'a Hightower is the obvious choice to bolster the inside linebacker spot. But with monster extensions for Derek Carr and Khalil Mack on the way, Hightower may end up being out of the club's price range. Lawrence Timmons is one of several veterans who could be far more affordable on a short-term deal. The Chargers connections to newly hired defensive assistant John Pagano should also make Manti Te'o a fit.

The Raiders should be encouraged by what Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington showed in situational roles throughout their respective rookie seasons. There should be no shortage of potential lead backs to complement their skill sets in free agency, including Eddie Lacy, as well as recently released runners Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles.

Like the linebacker position, the Raiders could get either expensive or cheap at safety. The top free agent at the position not named Eric Berry, Tony Jefferson would demand a lucrative long-term deal. Micah Hyde could be a more cost-effective option that brings plenty of versatility to the secondary.

Denver Broncos

Biggest need: Quarterback

Other needs: Offensive line, defensive line, tight end

As is the case with the Chiefs, the lack of a top-end signal-caller is holding the Broncos back. Anything more than the subpar play Denver got from the position this past season would have put the club in strong position to defend its Super Bowl title. The Broncos staff can't justifiably be encouraged by what it saw from Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, so an upgrade should be explored.

Whoever it is taking snaps under center will need some more help up front. Additions at left tackle, right tackle, and right guard should all be on the table, as center Matt Paradis and left guard Max Garcia are likely the only linemen who have starting spots locked down for next year.

Denver could also stand to bolster its defensive line in an effort to maintain the dominance on that side of the ball. The interior pass-rush wasn't the same following the departure of Malik Jackson last offseason, and defensive tackle Sylvester Williams is now set to become a free agent himself

Potential free-agent targets: Romo is also an obvious target for a Broncos team looking to capitalize on its championship window, and Denver would have to be an attractive destination for the veteran quarterback. If healthy, he'd provide the offense with its best quarterback play since before Peyton Manning's late-career decline. Tyrod Taylor is another another name to keep an eye on if released by the Bills.

Russell Okung was never going to have his option picked up by the team. A deal to re-sign the left tackle at a cheaper price tag is possible, but the Broncos will likely explore possible upgrades first. Andrew Whitworth headlines the candidates to replace him, while Ronald Leary and Austin Pasztor are among the many possibilities at guard.

There are a number of cheaper options on the defensive front, and perhaps that's the route management ends up going. But if John Elway and Co. want to put the defense over the top, a certain Denver native could easily be worth his price tag on a short-term deal. The Broncos' pass rush would be borderline unstoppable with Calais Campbell on the inside.

Los Angeles Chargers

Biggest need: Offensive line

Other needs: Safety, wide receiver, defensive line

The Chargers' offensive line has been a glaring issue for the last several seasons running. Injuries have played a part, to be sure, but it would be a mistake not to address this area of the roster with multiple additions. Matt Slauson is a strong starter at center, so adding talent to at least one of both the tackle and guard spots should be the focus.

Why were the Chargers so set on letting Eric Weddle walk away last offseason? Opposing quarterbacks will be able to avoid a strong group of cornerbacks for as long as the team goes without solving the issues that remain over the middle of the field.

As has been the case with the offensive line, the Chargers' issues at wide receiver have largely been a result of injury. But that group could certainly stand to be bolstered if Los Angeles plans on getting Philip Rivers any sort of help for the years he has left.

Potential free-agent targets: The most obvious upgrade spot up front is on the left side. Assuming the Chargers want something more than a short-term fix, Kelvin Beachum could be a sensible signing. The former Pittsburgh Steelers tackle was one of the game's top pass-protectors before a knee injury hurt his value and forced him to settle for a one-year deal with a four-year option (which was eventually declined) in Jacksonville. Still just 27 and now a year-and-a-half removed from his injury, Beachum could provide plenty of value.

A coverage safety should be the top priority in the Los Angeles' defensive backfield, but the options for which may be better in the first few rounds of the draft. Free agents like Barry Church, Tony Jefferson, and John Cyprien, who defensive coordinator Gus Bradley coached in Jacksonville, will all come into play in a search for players who can excel closer to the line of scrimmage.

DeSean Jackson, a Los Angeles native, would be a particularly interesting fit to provide a vertical element opposite Keenan Allen in the Chargers' offense. Kendall Wright could provide plenty of value at a fairly inexpensive price tag, or maybe the team would be open to a short-term reunion with Vincent Jackson.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)