<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%"><u>Denver Broncos</u></span>Defensive end: Denver has not solved its defensive end problems since losing Bertrand Berry and Reggie Hayward in free agency over the past three seasons. The Broncos do not have that guy on the outside who can get consistent pressure on the quarterback. They have used a group of players, including Ebenezer Ekuban (7 sacks), Kenard Lang, Courtney Brown (IR) and John Engelberger (1 sack). Other than a healthy Brown, who is much better versus the run, this team does not have a player who strikes fear into any offensive tackle with his speed or edge quickness. Denver needs to find a legitimate pass-rush threat who can take pressure off the rest of the defense.Safety: John Lynch is going to be 36 next season. Although he is still a very good run support player, he is very limited in coverage at this point of his career. Fellow starting safety Nick Ferguson finished the 2006 season on injured reserve with a knee injury and provides very little big-play ability when healthy. No. 3 safety Sam Brandon finished the season on injured reserve with a knee injury. The Broncos don't have a lot of young talent here either, so this position could really use a complete makeover this offseason.Wide receiver: The Broncos have a No. 1 receiver in Javon Walker. Towards the end of 2006 Walker was seeing more and more double coverage because the Broncos lack a threat opposite of him. Veteran Rod Smith has had an illustrious career, but the time has come for him to retire. He has been a great player and leader on that team, but he just can't get open or separate anymore. No. 3 receiver Brandon Marshall and No. 4 receiver David Kircus make plays, but the Broncos can't go into next year assuming either will step up and be more than a backup. Walker needs some help and Denver needs a young receiver to start grooming to eventually become a No. 1 target.Defensive tackle: If you look at the entire Denver defensive line, you would say this is a unit with very good depth across the board. The problem is the lack of a dominant force or consistent playmakers. Like the defensive end position, the Broncos don't have a guy inside at tackle who can take a game over. Michael Myers is an unrestricted free agent who might not be back in 2007. He started the 2006 season well but wore down late. Gerard Warren is never going to be better than average. He had a toe injury that really hindered his play, but even when healthy he takes way too many plays off. Elvis Dumervil played inside last season as a nickel rusher, but he lacks the size to be an every-down player at end or tackle. Denver needs a disruptive force inside -- a guy who can penetrate and make plays on the other side of the line of scrimmage.Running back: The Broncos have two running backs, but they do not have a feature back. They tried to use a rotation of Tatum Bell and Mike Bell last season, but neither could really get in a groove. The team does not like the lack of toughness Tatum Bell, who missed time again last season, has shown. Tatum Bell also was in the doghouse late in the year for putting the ball on the ground. Mike Bell was an undrafted free agent last season and did some good things, but he does not give them a lot of big-play ability. Together, Tatum and Mike Bell are a nice combination, but Denver needs one guy who can be counted on from week to week.<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%"><u>Kansas City Chiefs</u></span>Wide receiver: It is hard to remember the last time this team had a legitimate receiving threat on the outside. Veteran Eddie Kennison can't run or separate consistently anymore. Samie Parker has been inconsistent at best. He has excellent speed but struggles to keep separation because he is not a very good route runner. Parker also drops way too many balls. We say this every year, but the Chiefs must get a legitimate receiving thereat to take pressure off running back Larry Johnson and tight end Tony Gonzalez.Offensive tackle: With the sudden retirement of left tackle Willie Roaf and the substance abuse suspension of right tackle John Welbourn, the Chiefs were scrambling to find reliable offensive tackles last season. The team began the season with undersized tight end Kyle Turley at left tackle. Kevin Sampson did an adequate job at right tackle prior to getting injured and being placed on injured reserve. Welbourn eventually came back late in the year, but he is not the player he once was. Jordan Black saw a lot of time at left tackle, but he is better suited as a backup. The interior of their line is solid even though right guard Will Shields is close to the end of his career. The Chiefs needs a big-time offensive tackle, which has always been a staple of their solid teams.Defensive tackle: The Chiefs have tried using high draft picks, mid-level picks and free agents, but they still have not been able to come up with a dominant interior player. Finding a quality interior presence would be huge because it would help defensive ends Jared Allen and Tamba Hali become even better players. A big-time playmaker inside would also give their athletic linebackers more room to run.Cornerback: Ty Law and Patrick Surtain are both on the downside of their careers but the Chiefs would be able to live with them both for another season. The team is not grooming any young, quality corners to eventually take their places, though. They need to add a young player in the early part of the draft who can start to learn from two savvy vets. The Chiefs play a lot of Cover 2 so they don't need a shutdown guy, but they need an infusion of young players who can step in and fill the void when Law and Surtain are gone.Quarterback: The Chiefs addressed the quarterback position last offseason when they drafted Brodie Croyle. They have a lot of uncertainty surrounding this position going into next season. Starter Trent Green missed half the 2006 season after suffering a serious concussion, and when he returned it appeared the game had passed him by. Green will be 37 next season. Backup Damon Huard played very well in relief of Green early in the season, but he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. Croyle played in one game and has attempted seven NFL passes. Even with Croyle, the Chiefs may add another young quarterback to the mix to go along with Green or some other veteran because the team needs to start really focusing on the future at this position.<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%"><u>Oakland Raiders</u></span>Quarterback: The Raiders' quarterback situation is in disarray. If they decide to keep the No. 1 pick in the 2007 draft, they can take either LSU's JaMarcus Russell or Notre Dame's Brady Quinn. Veteran Aaron Brooks played worse than he played in New Orleans and does not have the moxie to make a bad situation better, so he is a poor fit in Oakland. Young quarterback Andrew Walter made plays in spurts, but he lacks mobility and maturity. The coaching on this team was so poor it is hard to know if Walter can develop. The Raiders should keep him, but they need to draft a true quarterback of the future.Offensive tackle: Robert Gallery appears to be on the verge of being a bust, but you have to wonder if he could be better with better coaching. Langston Walker has excellent size, but he can't move his feet and gets beaten consistently by edge pressure. The team lacks quality depth here. Even if Gallery can get better this team needs to put an insurance plan in place in case he truly does turn out to be a bust.Wide receiver: Once a strength on this team, the position is a mess right now. Randy Moss does not care about football and plays as such. Jerry Porter had a falling-out with former head coach Art Shell and was banished to the bench for much of the season. The bottom line is this: These two guys can play when they want to play. With a new regime in place, the wise move is to cut bait with malcontents such as Moss and Porter and start fresh. The Raiders have a few decent backups in Ronald Curry and Johnnie Morant, but they need to address the fact that they do not have anything that might resemble a No. 1 receiver on their roster.Guard: The team has spent draft picks acquiring young players in Kevin Boothe and Paul McQuistan. Until the new staff is in place, it is hard to say whether they can get better. Both have solid individual skills but have struggled in this offense. The Raiders need to get some help in case these players can't reach their full potential next season.Running back: LaMont Jordan will be coming back from offseason knee surgery after finishing the year on injured reserve. Like a lot of players on the Raiders, he was a little outspoken last year and you have to question whether his heart is into playing on this team. If Jordan can come back at 100 percent and wants to be there, then they will be fine. They don't know if that will happen, though, and for that reason alone they need to take a running back in the first day of the dradt to assure themselves of having something to work with for the future.<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%"><u>San Diego Chargers</u></span>Wide receiver: The Chargers do not have a legitimate No. 1 receiver. Last season they were one of the better offenses in the NFL because of two players -- running back LaDainian Tomlinson and tight end Antonio Gates. You can imagine how much pressure a No. 1 receiver would take off of those two guys. This offense will be downright scary in 2007 if the Chargers can find a playmaker on the outside.Safety: The Chargers have quality numbers at the safety position, but they don't have that No. 1 guy in the back end. Both starters, Terrence Kiel and Marlon McCree, are much better versus the run than the pass. The Chargers need a safety who has some range in coverage and can take some pressure off the corners.Inside linebacker: Both starters on the inside -- Donnie Edwards and Randall Godfrey -- played well last season but are on the downside of their careers. The team did re-sign Stephen Cooper, but he has never been a full-time starter. Although the depth is very good, the Chargers don't have any backups who can be considered playmakers. For that reason they should draft and start grooming a young inside linebacker who can develop into a force in the middle of that defense.Guard: This need will depend on what happens with soon-to-be free agent Kris Dielman. One of the biggest surprises last season for the Chargers was the solid play of the offensive line. General manager A.J. Smith drafted rookie Marcus McNeill, and re-signed Nick Hardwick and Shane Olivea. Dielman is going to become an unrestricted free agent and Mike Goff, though solid, would be the weak link of their line. They need to find an guard if Dielman does indeed hit the open market.Nose tackle: They have one of the best in the business at the position in Jamal Williams. However, Williams will be a 31-year-old, 10-year veteran going into next season. He has been very durable and dependable but you have to think he is going to eventually wear down from the years spent gobbling up blocks along the interior of this defense. The Chargers need a young nose tackle to start grooming behind Williams, who would be an excellent mentor to a young player who could eventually step in and replace him.</div>
