NFL teams have all cut their rosters down to 53 players and assembled practice squads. The 2025 season is officially upon us and the reigning AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs are potentially due for their toughest division title defense yet.
The AFC West had three teams in the playoffs last year with the Jim Harbaugh-led Chargers finishing with 11 wins and in second place. Sean Payton's Broncos went from being the laughingstock of the league after the Russell Wilson debacle to winning 10 games and playing in the postseason for the first time since 2015.
A lot has changed in the AFC West once again in 2025. The Las Vegas Raiders made a bold trade to upgrade their QB position after hiring Pete Carroll as their new head coach. The Broncos made some big splashes in NFL Free Agency. Travis Kelce is no longer just Taylor Swift's "boyfriend." All kidding aside, we're going to look at each roster in the AFC West and rank them worst to best for the 2025 season. Teams are ready to truly threaten the Chiefs.
NFL Power Rankings: AFC West roster rankings heading into 2025 season
4. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are pretty much the NFL's definition of roster imbalance. This is a roster in a state of transition with a new general manager, new head coach, and a new quarterback. And as we saw last year with a number of teams, that isn't necessarily a bad potential combination.
Geno Smith should raise the floor at QB for the Raiders significantly. Ashton Jeanty is a huge upgrade for this team at running back. The Raiders also have one of the league's best all-around pass-catching weapons in Brock Bowers. There's a lot to like about the Raiders offensively, but defensively?
This might be the worst unit on paper in the league.
The Raiders' defense features Maxx Crosby, of course. Crosby is one of the best individual defensive players in the league and borderline accounts for two guys on that defense right now. He's going to have to with the rest of the crew the Raiders have. It could work out better than we expect, but the Raiders have a bunch of has-beens and reclamation projects on the defensive side of the ball right now. They desperately need some young players to unexpectedly emerge this season.
3. Los Angeles Chargers
There is obviously a lot to like with the Los Angeles Chargers, but plenty of reasons to believe that they will not be able to duplicate the success they had last year when they won 11 games.
The loss of left tackle Rashawn Slater to a knee injury is devastating. The Chargers were also already replacing starting right guard Mekhi Becton, so they've had to do some unwanted shuffling on that offensive line, which was very good last year. They also have been dealing with a significant injury to free agent running back Najee Harris, who was hurt in a fireworks incident on the 4th of July.
The Chargers also had the #1 defense in the NFL last year, but they lost Poona Ford and Joey Bosa, not that the latter was really available all that often for them anyway. The Chargers beat up on a lot of bad teams last year, and won't be able to do that again this year.
Justin Herbert is the straw that stirs the drink here, but he's got to do more for this team. As talented as Herbert is, it's interesting that Jim Harbaugh took the ball out of his hands more than others have in his first four NFL seasons. The Chargers' addition of Omarion Hampton could be a game-changer for the running game.