Welcome back to part two of this series where I gauge the temperatures of all thirty-two front offices across the league, specifically for the head coaches and GMs. We started off the series with a look at the AFC East, which had pretty cold and safe seats throughout the division but now, over in the West, we have some seats that are a lot warmer! Let’s take a look and see where these teams stand.
Kansas City Chiefs: GM Brett Veach and Head Coach Andy Reid
Andy Reid finally won his first Super Bowl as a head coach during Super Bowl 54 against the San Francisco 49ers, which was also the first SB win for the Chiefs in fifty years! Last season, he coached them to a second consecutive appearance in the big game, only to be dismantled by none other than Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was evident, during that game, that they had glaring issues on the offensive line, as quarterback Patrick Mahomes was running for his life the entire night. A mixture of poor offensive line play and a defense that couldn’t stop big plays from happening lead to a lopsided defeat, which made for a less than memorable game. It seemed pretty obvious that the front office, led by Brett Veach, took note of those issues, which led to them attacking the position aggressively in the offseason. They traded for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. from the Baltimore Ravens, who wanted out because he was blocked by Ronnie Stanley at LT. In free agency, Veach made us all question the salary cap when he went out and signed OG Joe Thuney away from the New England Patriots and also by giving him almost $47 million guaranteed! It didn’t stop there, as they poached OG Kyle Long from retirement, signed Austin Blythe at center, added depth at RT with Mike Remmers, and drafted Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey at 63rd overall. Somehow someway, Brett Veach and his staff confirmed that the salary cap is indeed a myth (not really, it’s just a joke amongst the fans), and he was able to transform a weakness into a strength quite easily.
Seat temperature: Cold. As long as Patrick Mahomes and that offense is clicking on all cylinders and they are competing yearly for Super Bowl berths, neither Veach nor Reid need to worry about job security. It may as well be that Reid will win another Lombardi Trophy and have a chance of walking into the sunset before Kansas City starts a new search for a new voice.
Los Angeles Chargers: GM Tom Telesco and Head Coach Brandon Staley
“There’s always next year!” Time and time again, I’ve convinced myself that the Chargers are Super Bowl contenders, only for them to stumble into mediocre seasons over and over again… The Chargers fired former HC Anthony Lynn after being stuck in neutral for the past two years and not be able to build upon the 12-4 season in 2018. Tom Telesco and his crew ushered in a new era post-Philip Rivers with the Offensive Rookie of the Year, Justin Herbert, who took the league by storm. Some injuries on the defensive side, inconsistent play along the offensive line, and poor coaching situations led to less than desirable results on the field, however. Telesco saw the success that the Rams were having with young defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, so he promptly stole him away from their shared stadium rival. This team, like their rival Chiefs, also addressed the weakness at offensive line in an effort to protect their franchise quarterback and finally make some noise in the division. Until they take down the Chiefs, I’m not ready to fully crown them yet as top dogs, but I will say that I do like the direction that they are headed in.
Seat temperature: Cold. Tom Telesco and new HC Brandon Staley are very safe in their positions. Staley will get a chance to prove his worth as a head coach, and the team he’s inheriting has serious talent and potential to be highly competitive.
Denver Broncos: GM George Paton and Head Coach Vic Fangio
Okay, it’s finally time to turn up the heat now. Obviously, not every GM or head coach is going to be on the fringe of losing their jobs but, up to this point, the seats have been relatively cold for those I have mentioned. Denver is facing an important season because it has been a few years since they made some serious noise in the league, and their roster is very underrated… expect at the quarterback position. QB Drew Lock, a second round pick back in the 2019 draft, hasn’t fully lived up to the expectations set forth by the franchise, so he is basically facing a make or break year. Lock’s seat is certainly piping hot because it wasn’t new GM George Paton who selected him. It was John Elway, who is now taking on a different role within the organization. Paton is certainly aware that the QB position isn’t where it needs to be, which is why he traded for Teddy Bridgewater this past offseason to add some competition to the QB room. While Paton isn’t losing any sleep about his job, his head coach, Vic Fangio, is certainly tossing and turning wondering if his QB will help him win some games. One thing was clear, though: they didn’t value any of the draft eligible QBs this year highly enough to pick them. Only time will tell if they made the right choice to pass on one, but I do want to make one thing clear: if this team somehow manages to trade for Aaron Rodgers, they will absolutely be my favorite to win the SB! This could potentially save Fangio’s job, and would absolutely put Paton on the map as a top tier GM in the league. Rumor also has it that embattled Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson (who is also looking to get traded) wants to land in Denver, but I don’t see anyone touching him at the moment, not before his legal issues are solved. The roster is very good, but it’s just that the most important position on the team has plenty of question marks. Unless Lock can make a huge jump, I don’t see them being better than the Chargers, and obviously not the Chiefs. As if his on-field performances haven’t put enough pressure on him already, he will also have Teddy Bridgewater breathing down his neck and the constant rumors of Aaron Rodgers (and Deshaun Watson) potentially circling over his head… Yikes!
Seat temperature: GM George Paton: Rocky Mountain Cold. This is his first year at the helm, and he still has an opportunity to potentially trade for one of the best QBs we’ve ever seen in this league. HC Vic Fangio: Hotter than the Sahara Desert. If this team doesn’t improve and misses on the playoffs yet again, he’ll certainly be out of a job.
Las Vegas Raiders: GM Mike Mayock and Head Coach Jon Gruden
“Just win baby!” If you’re a fan of the Raiders, I hate to say it but you’ve seen a lot of losing lately. I know, up top, I wrote that the GM is Mike Mayock but we all know that HC Jon Gruden makes all of the decisions and pretty much runs the show. Since coach Gruden has returned to the silver and black, the results have been pretty mediocre. They have technically improved on their win totals every year since he’s been back, but this team has lacked a killer instinct and has failed to separate themselves from a tough AFC West. I can’t quite figure out if Gruden likes QB Derek Carr or not but, when you’re mentioned as a suitor for Aaron Rodgers, that pretty much tells me that you are ready to move on. Carr has definitely improved with Gruden as his head coach, and it showed last year with him throwing for just over 4000 yards (4103, to be exact), 27 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions. What Carr can’t control is the defense, which looks so bad that they probably wouldn’t be even able to stop a nose bleed, it seems like! However, the front office did make it a priority to address the defense in free agency (adding four defensive linemen, including Yannick Ngakoue, and a cornerback from their division rivals in Casey Heyward) and also in the draft (where they took a linebacker, a cornerback, and… three safeties? Interesting!). Could this team thrive off of a full stadium in Vegas and overachieve? It is quite possible, but they could also still be inconsistent throughout the season. If they can’t prevent teams from scoring, they’ll just watch them spike footballs into their new club end zone and have a party on their own turf.
Seat temperature: GM Mike Mayock: Very hot. I can definitely see him being fired before Gruden, as he doesn’t have that $100 million dollar contract keeping him safe in Vegas. Personally, I would rather see Mayock back on the NFL Network giving his draft analysis than being stuck on a team that he may not even have control over. HC Jon Gruden: Warm, I guess? His contract will certainly be a pain to get rid of, but I think that he will at least have the opportunity to make this team compete for a wild card spot before he is booted off. I don’t think his job is necessarily safe but it’s not exactly in jeopardy either. I guess what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas but, if losing is what keeps happening, then neither will be staying for long!
Be sure to come back next week for my look at the AFC South! Until then, be well, all!
