The AFC West may very well end up being the best and most competitive division in the NFL in 2025, although we have to be careful about crowning them too early.
Back in the 2022 offseason, the AFC West was also supposed to be the best division in football after the Broncos added Russell Wilson, and the division was seemingly loaded at quarterback with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Wilson, and Derek Carr.
It's wild how quickly things change, isn't it?
Heading into the 2025 season, Mahomes and Herbert remain, but the Broncos and Raiders have changed course. Bo Nix helped lead Denver back to the playoffs for the first time since the team won Super Bowl 50 and the Raiders swung a trade for Geno Smith.
How does this division stack up against each other as we get ready for training camp in just a couple of weeks? What's each team's strongest and weakest area right now?
NFL Power Rankings: AFC West rankings before training camp
4. Las Vegas Raiders
After winning just four games last season, the Raiders should be one of the most markedly improved teams in the NFL in 2025.
The addition of head coach Pete Carroll raises the floor of this team in a big way, but the addition of Geno Smith at the quarterback position could end up making the Raiders an actual problem on a week to week basis.
This team won't be an easy out for anyone in the division this season, but their fatal flaw right now is their defense. After losing Trevon Moehrig, Robert Spillane, and Nate Hobbs defensively, the Raiders simply didn't do enough in NFL Free Agency to compensate for the loss of talent.
While the offense in Las Vegas should be significantly improved in 2025, the defense might legitimately finish dead last in points allowed.
3. Los Angeles Chargers
There was something so underwhelming about the offseason for the Chargers in 2025.
Defensively, losing Poona Ford and Joey Bosa is the dark cloud hanging over the group. Offensively, the Chargers seemingly got a lot better. But getting better offensively means what, exactly?
The Chargers have a style and brand of football under Jim Harbaugh that isn't going to be compromised. They will want to play ball control offense and stingy defense. What we saw from them last year with 11 wins and the #1 defense in the league might be as good as it gets. This is not an offense that is going to light up the stat sheet week over week, even though Justin Herbert is capable of it.
He's also been capable of some serious clunkers. Herbert hasn't thrown for more than 25 touchdowns in a season for the last three years in a row, but his TD percentage was the highest he's had since 2022 last season and his INT percentage was the lowest of his career.
The Chargers beat up on some really bad teams last season as well. How will they do when the heat is turned up?