After having three teams make the playoffs last year, the AFC West has clearly proven itself as one of the best divisions in all of football. And after the Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos made it all the way to the playoffs, the Raiders went out and hired Pete Carroll, who brought his buddy Geno Smith along with him to Las Vegas.
These teams are in a race every offseason to keep up with Kansas City, who has formed a dynasty over the last eight or nine years. And they've all been aggressive during the 2025 offseason. But which moves for each AFC West team have flown under the radar?
Our latest NFL Power Rankings will take a look at four moves made by AFC West teams and which ones were the most underrated (for a variety of factors).
AFC West features some of NFL's most improved teams in 2025
4. Kansas City Chiefs: Drafting WR Jalen Royals (4th round)
The Kansas City Chiefs have loaded up at the wide receiver position in recent years, but they don't have much to show for it. Key guys at this position have gotten injured, leaving the team with no choice but to take drastic measures like they did last year by bringing back a guy like JuJu Smith-Schuster, an abject disaster during his time with the Patriots in 2023.
The Chiefs went out in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and landed Utah State's Jalen Royals, a clear and prime example of the ridiculous depth of the 2025 NFL Draft class at receiver. Royals was thought to be a 2nd-3rd-round pick by NFL.com and the Chiefs might have a steal on their hands. He's got speed, he's aggressive in the open field, and he has the 'my ball' mentality.
3. Las Vegas Raiders: Taking a risk on Eric Stokes at CB
The Green Bay Packers weren't able to get the best out of Eric Stokes, who spent four injury-plagued years with the Packers organization before they decided to move on.
Although I'm not in love with the idea of the team losing guys like Nate Hobbs and Trevon Moehrig on the back end, I don't hate the idea that someone like Eric Stokes could put it all together and figure things out. It's worthwhile to take a risk on talent, especially if you can do so without breaking the bank. For one year and just $3.5 million, the Raiders got a player who could be a longer-term fixture in their secondary.
2. Los Angeles Chargers: Signing Mekhi Becton at RG in free agency
The money says that there's nothing underrated about Mekhi Becton signing with the Chargers. The former first-round pick got paid and deservedly so.
Many folks are putting Benjamin St. Juste in this category as the Chargers' most underrated offseason pickup, and he warrants discussion, but a player like Becton is going to help push the rock up the hill for creating and really establishing the culture Jim Harbaugh wants to see on the offensive side of the ball.
Getting a player like this to play next to Joe Alt is going to make life a lot easier on Justin Herbert and Omarion Hampton.
1. Denver Broncos: Drafting CB Jahdae Barron
The Denver Broncos used their first-round pick on Jahdae Barron, but so much attention has been put on the other moves this team made in free agency and offensively that Barron is sort of getting lost in the shuffle.
The Broncos didn't go into the 2025 NFL Draft with a true need at cornerback, but you can never have too many good ones and he looks like a future starter. And with Barron, you're not just getting a guy who plays outside, but someone who plays inside, has been a safety, and can do a lot of things for your defense.
For a unit that was already majorly improved, Barron will be a major asset to Denver's roster defensively right away.