If nothing else, the Denver Broncos have a larger WR room, but how do they rank compared to all four AFC West teams? When you look at the wide receiver rooms in this division, there isn’t exactly a lot of talent here.
And while the Broncos have struggled to find some WR stability over the past few seasons, they still don’t have the weakest unit in the division. As the 2024 NFL season progresses, the hope is that the Broncos will have a younger WR to handle WR1 duties for the team.
Let’s evaluate all four AFC West wide receiver rooms after roster cuts.
The splits of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason have left the Los Angeles Chargers’ WR room pretty bare. Their three best players on that unit right now are DJ Chark, Joshua Palmer, and Quentin Johnston. This really could be one of the three worst units in the entire NFL.
New head coach Jim Harbaugh and new general manager Joe Hortiz are clearly making plans for the future, as the Chargers’ roster is just not good overall. They also don’t have a viable WR1 yet, so that’s good news for the rest of the AFC West.
I can’t imagine the Broncos secondary will have much trouble closing that WR room. I could be wrong, but it’s just not good.
The Denver Broncos’ recent decision to part ways with Tim Patrick shows us that the youth movement is afoot, and I don’t hate it. Guys, you may think Patrick was still a serviceable receiver for the Broncos, but not only has this player been through two major injuries, but he’s also turning 31 this season.
If Patrick had done what he was supposed to do, he would have made the roster. It’s that simple. Right now, the Broncos’ top three WRs are Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds and Marvin Mims Jr. Rookies Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele fill out the back of that space, but only five WRs right now is a bit odd.
Many of us believe the Broncos have another WR transfer in store, but it’s hard to say which one it might be. At least the cap space seems to be large, which could bode well for rookie QB Bo Nix.
Rashee Rice has established himself well as a rookie in 2023 and Marquise Brown is a competent WR2, so the Kansas City Chiefs could be well-positioned at the top of their unit. Xavier Worthy is now the fastest man in NFL Combine history and, of course, was drafted by the Chiefs in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Chiefs’ roster has improved from last year, but the potential suspension of Rice could be a major blow to the team. Brown himself has also struggled to stay on the field at times, having played only one full season in five years in the NFL. He has also caught less than 60% of his balls in two years, so he is not particularly efficient when he is on the field.
If nothing else, the Las Vegas Raiders have the best WR players in the AFC West. Davante Adams is still a No. 1 target and Jakobi Meyers is as good a WR2 as there is in the NFL. Tre Tucker is expected to be the WR3 for the team and as a rookie in 2023 he had two touchdowns and averaged 17.4 yards per catch.
His 4.40 second time in the 40-yard dash also shows us how fast he is, so Tucker could be a shoo-in as a second-year prospect in 2024. Overall, the Raiders’ WR room is one of the better units in the NFL, but it’s a real shame that they don’t have a viable QB to pass them the ball.
