The New York Jets are an option for Derek Carr, who enjoyed a "great trip" to meet the team and head coach Robert Saleh.

Quarterback Carr is a free agent after leaving the Las Vegas Raiders earlier this month following his decision to decline waiving a no-trade clause in his contract.

The Raiders wanted to send Carr to the New Orleans Saints, but he now has the chance to decide on his own future after reportedly rejecting a pay cut to facilitate a trade.

According to Carr's older brother David, a former first-round draft pick who won a Super Bowl ring with the New York Giants during an 11-year NFL career, the 31-year-old "hit it off" with Jets coach Saleh.

"It was a good trip," David Carr said on the NFL Network.

"It's not just going to be a situation where he gets on a plane to go have fun in New York. Derek had a great trip.

"He went there to get a feel how they work, from the top down, and everyone he met, we knew he would love Robert Saleh – he's fantastic – and they hit it off and they would love to work together."

However, Carr is still weighing up his options.

"But there's a lot of questions that have to be answered," David added.

"He has to find out how the front office works but also, the most important thing for him as a veteran quarterback, what is it going to be like as a play-caller. Todd Downing is there (as passing-game coordinator), he has a relationship with Todd. Nathaniel Hackett (offensive coordinator) is also there.

"They had a good chat, they talked about a lot of different things. Obviously, the team needs a quarterback, some stability there. They have a lot of good components, there are a lot of things that are very positive about the Jets.

"He had a great trip. It's going to be a long process, though. He really only has the Saints, the Raiders and the Jets and to compare those three places, so he wants to do his due diligence to see as many places as he can, to see what the best place will be."

Carr was drafted by the Raiders in 2014 and holds franchise records for his 35,222 passing yards and 217 touchdowns.

Derek Carr has left the Las Vegas Raiders after refusing a trade to the New Orleans Saints, the franchise confirmed on Tuesday.

The Raiders and Carr parted ways after nine seasons together ahead of the February 15 trade deadline.

Carr's release was expected after his refusal to join the Saints, in a trade deal that had already been agreed between the teams, which was reported on Sunday by ESPN and NFL Network.

The quarterback's exit before the deadline meant he will not receive the guaranteed $40.4million in future earnings under his previous contract in Las Vegas.

The 31-year-old reportedly rejected a pay cut to facilitate a trade to New Orleans and will instead enter free agency for the first time in his career.

"We have a lot of respect for Derek Carr and what he has meant to the Raiders organization for the last nine years," Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Zeigler said in a statement.

"Derek has done great things in this league and we're thankful to have been able to work with him this past year.

"He is a true professional and we appreciate his hard work in striving to produce the results we all desire. We wish Derek and his family all the best in the future."

Carr's agent, Tim Younger, posted on Twitter: "We wish the @Raiders the best of luck. This is the tough part of this business. That's the point; it's just business.

"Time now to reset for both sides. Derek chooses to hold on to many good memories and friendships, without any ill will. That's who he is. Onward and upward."

Carr had been with the Raiders since he was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft and holds franchise records for his 35,222 passing yards and 217 touchdowns.

As starting QB for Las Vegas he went 63-79, but the Raiders made just two playoff appearances during his time – in 2016 when he was injured and five years later when they suffered a wild-card exit.

Las Vegas finished third in the AFC West in 2022 after struggles for Carr, who is said to be wanted by the Saints and the Carolina Panthers.

The Raiders were linked to Tom Brady before he retired and fellow veterans Aaron Rodgers and Jimmy Garoppolo as potential replacements.

The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to release quarterback Derek Carr after he informed the team he would not accept a trade to the New Orleans Saints.

Carr's refusal to join the Saints, in a trade deal that had already been agreed between the teams, was reported on Sunday by ESPN and NFL Network.

Reports earlier in the week had detailed Carr's plan to visit the Saints after he was given permission to speak to the team.

However, it is said the contract on offer in New Orleans would require Carr to take a pay cut.

That was not something the QB was willing to do, refusing to waive his no-trade clause, and with only the Saints approaching the Raiders about a trade, the obvious alternative was for the player to be released.

The Raiders would have to cut Carr by Wednesday to avoid paying his full salary in 2023 and instead allow him to enter free agency.

Carr has been with the Raiders since he was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, but he said goodbye to fans in an emotional social media post in January.

Las Vegas had hoped for a big season in 2022 but finished third in the AFC West as Carr struggled for form.

The New Orleans Saints have emerged as a candidate to acquire Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.

The Raiders granted Carr permission to speak with the Saints' front office and he will visit the team on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. It will be the first known meeting between Carr and a potential suitor.

Previous reporting indicated that the Raiders would only allow Carr to meet with teams willing to meet the team’s asking price in trade negotiations.

While there is reportedly no trade imminent, the visit firmly establishes New Orleans as a serious contender to land the nine-year veteran quarterback.

Carr, who has a no-trade clause, signed a three-year, $121.5million extension last April, but was benched for the final two games of the 2022 season in what was called a mutual decision.

Over $40m in Carr's contract becomes guaranteed on February 15, after which the four-time Pro Bowler would become cumbersome to trade.

The trigger date, which Carr has declined to renegotiate, forces the Raiders to urgently pursue a trade partner that both meets the team's asking price and pleases Carr enough to convince him to waive his no-trade clause.

The Saints are looking to improve a quarterback group that included Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton last season, with Taysom Hill continuing to take snaps as a gadget option.

New Orleans are projected to be well over the 2023 salary cap as currently constituted, and would need to restructure a number of contracts – including Carr's – if a trade were to materialise.

Saints coach Dennis Allen was the Raiders' head man in 2014 when the franchise drafted Carr in the second round and started him as a rookie.

The New Orleans Saints have emerged as a candidate to acquire Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.

The Raiders granted Carr permission to speak with the Saints' front office and he will visit the team on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. It will be the first known meeting between Carr and a potential suitor.

Previous reporting indicated that the Raiders would only allow Carr to meet with teams willing to meet the team’s asking price in trade negotiations.

While there is reportedly no trade imminent, the visit firmly establishes New Orleans as a serious contender to land the nine-year veteran quarterback.

Carr, who has a no-trade clause, signed a three-year, $121.5million extension last April, but was benched for the final two games of the 2022 season in what was called a mutual decision.

Over $40m in Carr's contract becomes guaranteed on February 15, after which the four-time Pro Bowler would become cumbersome to trade.

The trigger date, which Carr has declined to renegotiate, forces the Raiders to urgently pursue a trade partner that both meets the team's asking price and pleases Carr enough to convince him to waive his no-trade clause.

The Saints are looking to improve a quarterback group that included Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton last season, with Taysom Hill continuing to take snaps as a gadget option.

New Orleans are projected to be well over the 2023 salary cap as currently constituted, and would need to restructure a number of contracts – including Carr's – if a trade were to materialise.

Saints coach Dennis Allen was the Raiders' head man in 2014 when the franchise drafted Carr in the second round and started him as a rookie.

The NFC emerged victorious to secure the first edition of the NFL's new Pro Bowl Games, defeating the AFC 35-33 in the final flag football contest.

In a new format, the NFL decided to scrap the traditional Pro Bowl game as the injury risk of a real football game led to a mediocre product in recent years, with players only going at half-speed.

Instead, they replaced it with a series of mini-games – including dodgeball, and a best catch contest utilising a trampoline – spread over multiple days.

The two teams competed in four events on Thursday, with the NFC only securing victory in the dodgeball event. For the AFC, Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer's 320-yard bomb won the long drive competition, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr guided them to victory in the precision passing, and the team combined to win the three-event lightning round.

That gave the AFC the lead heading into Sunday's finale, although the NFC trimmed into the margin when Detroit Lions receiver Amon Ra St. Brown won the best catch contest.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith delivered the winning touchdown pass to Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb with 12 seconds remaining to take the first of the three flag football games for the NFC, before the AFC won the next to force a decider.

In the second, Bills receiver Stefon Diggs caught the game-winning touchdown, but not before he accidentally threw an earlier interception to his brother, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was the hero in the final game, throwing passing touchdowns to team-mate Justin Jefferson as well as San Francisco 49ers pair George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk to secure the victory.

NFC players received $84,000 each for taking part and coming away with the win, while AFC players earned $42,000.

The NFC emerged victorious to secure the first edition of the NFL's new Pro Bowl Games, defeating the AFC 35-33 in the final flag football contest.

In a new format, the NFL decided to scrap the traditional Pro Bowl game as the injury risk of a real football game led to a mediocre product in recent years, with players only going at half-speed.

Instead, they replaced it with a series of mini-games – including dodgeball, and a best catch contest utilising a trampoline – spread over multiple days.

The two teams competed in four events on Thursday, with the NFC only securing victory in the dodgeball event. For the AFC, Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer's 320-yard bomb won the long drive competition, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr guided them to victory in the precision passing, and the team combined to win the three-event lightning round.

That gave the AFC the lead heading into Sunday's finale, although the NFC trimmed into the margin when Detroit Lions receiver Amon Ra St. Brown won the best catch contest.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith delivered the winning touchdown pass to Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb with 12 seconds remaining to take the first of the three flag football games for the NFC, before the AFC won the next to force a decider.

In the second, Bills receiver Stefon Diggs caught the game-winning touchdown, but not before he accidentally threw an earlier interception to his brother, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was the hero in the final game, throwing passing touchdowns to team-mate Justin Jefferson as well as San Francisco 49ers pair George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk to secure the victory.

NFC players received $84,000 each for taking part and coming away with the win, while AFC players earned $42,000.

The Las Vegas Raiders have granted quarterback Derek Carr permission to speak with teams who have agreed to their trade demands.

Carr, 31, has spent his entire nine-season career with the Raiders, but he found himself benched for the final two weeks of a disappointing 6-11 campaign.

Something had to give in Vegas, and previous reports had indicated head coach Josh McDaniels would not be fired after the first season of his four-year contract, in part because the franchise can not afford another massive contract buy-out.

NBC Sports reported in November that the Raiders were still feeling the effects of their fallout with former head coach Jon Gruden, who signed a 10-year, $100million contract in 2018. He only completed three-and-a-half years before resigning when racist and misogynistic emails were unearthed, with the franchise settling the rest of his contract for an undisclosed figure.

With McDaniels sticking around, the other franchise-altering move the team can make is at the quarterback position, and to get Carr out of the way they have allowed the veteran to speak to clubs who have already met their demands for a potential trade.

Crucially, Carr's current contract includes a no-trade clause, which he said he would enforce if he deemed it necessary. This means the Raiders can not simply send him to the team with the strongest offer, as Carr will need to sign off on it.

Things could move quickly in the next 10 days, as his $40million guaranteed for this season will become triggered on February 15, or they could cut him and eat a relatively minor cap hit of $5.6m, while getting nothing in return.

Carr already bid farewell to Raiders fans in emotional social media post on January 13, making it exceedingly unlikely he remains on the roster beyond February 15.

After nine years with the Las Vegas Raiders, Derek Carr appears to heading elsewhere in 2023 after saying goodbye to the fans.

The quarterback only signed a three-year $121.5million extension in Las Vegas last year, though with an exit option included and a dead cap number of $5.6m if the team decided to cut or trade him before June 1, 2023.

Three-time Pro Bowler Carr was sidelined by Josh McDaniels for the final two games of the season, though the coach cited a desire to give younger players a longer look, with Las Vegas essentially eliminated from playoff contention and Jarrett Stidham coming in.

Posting a message to the "Raider Nation" on Twitter on Thursday, Carr said: "It breaks my heart I didn't get an opportunity to say goodbye in person.

"We certainly have been on a roller coaster in our nine years together. From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful and appreciative of the years of support you gave to my family and me. We had our share of both heartbreaking moments and thrilling game winning drives, and it always felt like you were there next to me.

"It's especially hard to say goodbye because I can honestly say that I gave you everything I had, every single day, in season, and in the off season. It certainly wasn't perfect, but I hope that I was able to leave you with more than a few great memories as Raider fans."

The 31-year-old was intercepted three times as the Raiders were held to 201 total yards in his last outing, the 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and had been picked off nine times in his last six starts, completing 55 per cent or fewer of his pass attempts in four straight games for the first time in his career.

Carr compiled a 68.7 per cent completion rate over the course of the 2018 to 2021 seasons, second only to Drew Brees among quarterbacks with at least 1,000 pass attempts during that time frame.

Derek Carr will not start the Las Vegas Raiders' final two regular-season games, marking the possible beginning of the end of the veteran quarterback's nine-year tenure with the franchise.

Coach Josh McDaniels made the announcement on Wednesday, with Jarrett Stidham to make his first NFL start in place of Carr when the 6-9 Raiders host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

McDaniels cited a desire to give younger players a longer look, with Las Vegas essentially eliminated from playoff contention.

"It's more about the opportunity," McDaniels said of the decision. "We're all accountable to where we're at, and I think this is more about an opportunity to see a guy that we haven't seen play in a situation like this against a couple of good teams, really good teams."

Stidham, a fourth-round pick for the New England Patriots in 2019, has seen spot duty in 11 previous NFL appearances. The 26-year-old has completed 32 of 61 passes (52.5 per cent) with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Carr has started all but two of the Raiders' 144 regular-season games since winning the starting quarterback job as a rookie in 2014.

Both he and the offense have struggled lately, however.

The three-time Pro Bowler was intercepted three times as the Raiders were held to 201 total yards in last week's 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Carr has been picked off nine times in his last six starts and has completed 55 per cent or less of his pass attempts in four straight games for the first time in his career.

Carr compiled a 68.7 per cent completion rate over the course of the 2018 to 2021 seasons, second only to Drew Brees among quarterbacks with at least 1,000 pass attempts during that time frame.

"It's never on one person," McDaniels said following the Pittsburgh loss. "I know that statistic gets applied to one person, but certainly there's other factors.

"Look, that's not good enough. And for us to be able to win at this time of the year and be productive, offensively you have to throw the ball better than what we've thrown at times here in the last month and a half."

Speculation will now turn to whether Carr has played his final game in a Raiders uniform. His $32.9million base salary becomes fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster three days after the Super Bowl, while the team can save over $29m by releasing him before then.

McDaniels said Carr will be inactive as the third quarterback for Sunday's game, with rookie Chase Garbers to be promoted from the practice squad to serve as Stidham's backup.

"Derek was great," McDaniels said when asked how Carr handled the decision. "He understands the scenario that we're in and the situation and is very supportive of the two young guys. He'll do anything he can to help them."

Justin Herbert continues to show why he is one of the most promising young quarterbacks of his generation as he led another fourth-quarter comeback for the Los Angeles Chargers, defeating the Arizona Cardinals 25-24.

The Chargers were trailing all day, beginning with a first-quarter touchdown throw from Kyler Murray to Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins. 

Los Angeles briefly hit the front in the second quarter after touchdown passes to Keenan Allen and DeAndre Carter, but in his return from a two-game hamstring injury, Cardinals quarterback Murray scrambled into the endzone to send Arizona into half-time leading 17-14.

A six-yard James Conner touchdown catch had the Cardinals up by seven late in the fourth quarter, and a punt would give the Chargers one more chance with one minute and 48 seconds remaining.

As he has done so often in his young career, Herbert marched downfield with the game on the line, finding running back Austin Ekeler for a one-yard score with 15 seconds on the clock – and they had no interest in sending it to overtime.

Instead of kicking the extra point, the offense stayed on the field for a game-deciding two-point conversion, and got it done with a quick pass to tight end Gerald Everett.

Herbert completed 35 of his 47 passes for 274 yards, three touchdowns and no turnovers, helping the Chargers improve their record to 6-5 and keep their playoff chances alive.

Jacobs powers the Raiders past the Seahawks

Josh Jacobs had the game of his life to carry his Las Vegas Raiders to a 40-34 overtime win on the road against the Seattle Seahawks.

Jacobs finished with 33 carries for a career-high 229 rushing yards and two touchdowns, ripping off a 30-yard score in the second quarter before ending the contest with a walk-off 86-yarder in overtime.

He now leads the NFL in rushing yards with 1,159 – 149 more than second-placed Derrick Henry (1010).

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was on the verge of tears as he faced the media following his side's third consecutive loss, dropping their record to a borderline unsalvageable 2-7.

The Raiders were favourites at home against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday after the visitors named a new interim head coach and offensive playcaller during the week, but an explosive performance from running back Jonathan Taylor carried the Colts to a 25-20 win.

Las Vegas committed no turnovers, but struggled to move the ball, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry on 24 attempts, while the Colts had 207 rushing yards from 30 attempts, buoyed by a 66-yard touchdown scamper from Taylor.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Carr had to pause several times to gather himself as he tried to explain how it does not feel to him that every member of the team is giving their all.

"I can't speak for everybody – I know where I stand, I love the silver and black, and I'm going to give it everything I can every time I'm out there," he said. 

"I love [head coach] Josh [McDaniels], I love our coaches. They've had nothing but success – way more than I've ever had. 

"I'm sorry for being emotional, I'm just p***** off about some of the things that a lot of us try and do just to practise, and what we put our bodies through just to sleep at night.

"For that to be the result of all that effort, it p***** me off, it p***** a lot of guys off. It's hard… I wish everybody in that room felt the same way about this place.

"As a leader, that p***** me off, if I'm being honest."

He said there was a players' meeting immediately after the loss where leaders addressed their concerns "man-to-man".

"We had our leaders address it man-to-man just now," he said. "It was good, it needed to be done, it needed to be said, and I think for me, I'm always going to just show the way.

"I'm going to show the way, show them what it looks like, show them how hard it is. In the huddle in the second quarter I told them 'this is going to be hard, but we're going to come back and win this game, I believe it'.

"It's going to be hard, though. It's not going to be easy, you've got to do the hard things. Josh always preaches 'do the hard things right'.

"I'm not perfect, I'm never going to be perfect, but the love I have for this place and the effort I give is going to be second-to-none every time.

"I think the emotion of just nine years of stuff hit me today, for how much I really love this place. It's not going to change anything, I'm going to come out here and fight and compete next week, and that's what I'm going to do."

When asked if he believes the coaching staff needs to take accountability for their six losses by one-possession margins – including three blown leads of at least 17 points – Carr refused to point the finger.

"We all take accountability, and the NFL, it's one-score games all the time," he said. "So this team has to learn how to finish those.

"There's been so many of them – six, right? You flip all of those, and everyone is feeling good about it, and I'd feel great about everything.

"That just isn't the case, but it's on all of us. But for me, I'm going to speak for myself and I'm going to come in, take my coaching from Josh, and he'll be hard on me like he always is.

"And I'm thankful for it, we'll keep going forward, and all that. I think if everyone takes that mindset, that's when you get better."

The Raiders travel to take on the Denver Broncos in Week 11, needing a win to keep their slim playoff chances alive.

Josh McDaniels admitted the Las Vegas Raiders have already "lost the sprint" as he held out hope they could be marathon specialists instead, following another painful defeat.

The Raiders went down 30-29 on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, missing a late chance to pinch the game.

Davante Adams got on the end of his second deep touchdown of the game after a 48-yard bomb from Derek Carr, but instead of kicking the extra point to tie, the Raiders opted to go for two and were stopped short.

Last season saw the Raiders finish with a 10-7 record under interim coach Rich Bisaccia, but they are 1-4 so far in this campaign, McDaniels' first at the helm.

"This is a marathon. If it was a sprint, we lost the sprint," McDaniels said. "Fortunately for us, it's a marathon. We understand what these games mean and they each matter. They're each significant at the end of your season, we know that. They add up.

"But I think the thing we have to focus on is take the positives and then also try to learn from the things that we're not quite doing well enough.

"That's our job. That's what we're going to continue to do. That's what we've done after we've won, that's what we've done after we lost, and we're going to continue to do that. There's progress we've made and that's a good football team out there."

The Raiders have only lost by single-digit margins so far, therefore McDaniels sees the scope for them turning around those tight games.

Quarterback Carr completed 19 of 30 for 241 yards and two touchdowns, passing 200 career passing touchdowns, a landmark for which he said he was "thankful".

McDaniels said the Raiders "gave ourselves an opportunity, and we just didn't make one or two plays at the end to finish it".

As the Chiefs improved to 4-1 with their win, Raiders coach McDaniels added: "Hopefully we'll learn from this and be better."

Star tight end Travis Kelce pulled down four touchdown catches to carry the Kansas City Chiefs to a 30-29 home win against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night.

Kelce became the first player in NFL history with four touchdown catches of fewer than 10 yards in a single game, finishing with just 25 yards from his seven catches as he was used heavily near the goal-line.

While it was the Chiefs who came out on top, it was the Raiders who started on fire, jumping out to a 17-0 lead one minute into the second quarter after Josh Jacobs' one-yard touchdown run followed a big 58-yard touchdown catch from Davante Adams, arguably the best receiver in the league.

Kelce would catch a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter, before securing a four-yard score and an eight-yard score on back-to-back drives in the third term. He would cap off his day with another one-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to put his side up 30-23 with seven minutes remaining.

In response, Adams got on the end of his second deep touchdown of the game as he got behind the defense on a 48-yard bomb from Derek Carr, but instead of kicking the extra point to tie the game, they opted to go for two, and were stopped short.

That decision came back to haunt the Raiders, as they never got back into field goal range.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 29 of 43 passes for 292 yards and four touchdowns, while Carr completed 19 of 30 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Neither quarterback committed a turnover.

Adams and Jacobs both had massive games for the Raiders, with Adams finishing with 124 yards and two touchdowns from just three catches, while Jacobs rushed 21 times for 154 yards and a score.

The AFC West has been dominated by the Kansas City Chiefs in recent seasons, with six division titles in succession.

In fact, if the Chiefs can extend that streak to seven, they will tie each of the Denver Broncos, the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers on 15 division titles.

Unfortunately for those in Kansas City, their rivals appear especially determined to ensure this year is different.

No division has prompted as much intrigue during the offseason as the AFC West, which has appeared at the centre of numerous big trades as its pretenders attempt to become contenders.

So hard to split is the division that Stats Perform has not even attempted to try – instead explaining what needs to happen for each of these teams in turn to be successful...

Kansas City Chiefs

After topping the AFC West in six straight seasons, there are plenty of reasons to believe the Chiefs can be toppled in 2022: Patrick Mahomes is coming off perhaps the worst season of his career, Tyreek Hill is gone, and the competition in the division is intense.

Yet those are also three reasons why Mahomes will be determined to lead the Chiefs to another strong year.

One of the game's leading lights will hope the 2021 season, with its 3-4 start and hugely disappointing finish in the AFC Championship Game, does not live long in the memory, but his attempts to move on swiftly could easily be hampered by the departure of WR1 Hill to the Miami Dolphins.

However, tight end Travis Kelce – the career leader in Mahomes targets (540), completions (383) and passing yards (4,960) – remains in Kansas City, and the quarterback has the ability to make a partnership work with any receiver.

Mahomes just needs time, and that is what he can expect to get behind one of the best offensive lines in the game.

The Chiefs rebuilt their O-line last year, and they ranked third in the NFL in pass protection win percentage (80.16) in 2021. Crucially, that unit improved as the season went on; the six games in which Mahomes faced the most pressures were all before the Week 12 bye.

Mahomes' pass completion rate of 77.4 per cent when not pressured ranked second among QBs with 100 or more attempts last season; this dropped to 56.7 per cent when pressured – only marginally above the league average in such scenarios (56.6).

Widely considered the most talented passer of his generation, the Chiefs have focused on protecting Mahomes rather than worrying about who he is throwing to, and that should be a safe bet despite his postseason wobble.

Las Vegas Raiders

As one elite receiver leaves the AFC West in Hill, another arrives. Davante Adams has quit the Green Bay Packers to bring his star power to Vegas.

Since his rookie season, Adams ranks fifth in the NFL for catches (669), sixth for receiving yards (8,121) and second for receiving touchdowns (73), although he has spent his entire career playing with four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.

Now, Adams will be paired with zero-time MVP Derek Carr, who threw for 23 TDs and 14 interceptions last year, ranking 24th in touchdown percentage (3.7). Rodgers, by comparison, threw for 37 scores and four picks, with his 7.0 TD percentage the best in the league.

Yet Carr will surely benefit from having Adams to throw to. He saw 25 passes dropped in 2021 – tied for the third-most in the NFL – and a solid completion percentage of 68.4 could have been better, as his expected completion percentage of 74.5 trailed only Mahomes (75.9).

Carr is clearly an accurate passer; he just needs a little help turning this talent into tangible rewards.

Adams is the ideal man to do that, with the duo teaming up previously for two years at Fresno State, in which time the receiver's 38 TDs led the FBS by some distance.

Last year, Adams – who dropped a career-low one pass, just 0.6 per cent of his targets – added 633 yards after the catch, fourth-most in the league, and led the way in recording a first down with 49.7 per cent of his targets.

He can have a transformative impact on a team who were already the Chiefs' nearest challengers in this division and will now be overseen by former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as coach.

Los Angeles Chargers

This division is so exciting not only because it contains four potentially great teams but because it contains four potentially great offenses.

For the Chargers, there are few doubts on that side of the ball. They have largely brought back the same offense that made Justin Herbert a star in 2021 with just the 14th 5,000-yard passing season in league history. Of course, the 17-game season helped in that regard, but only Tom Brady (5,316) outperformed Herbert (5,014) on the year.

As a result, the Chargers were fourth in the league in yards per game (390.2) and fifth in total points scored (747).

So, why did they miss out on the postseason?

Well, the Chargers had a bottom-10 defense in terms of yards per game (360.1), and only two teams allowed more points across the season (459). That Herbert-powered offense ranked 23rd in time spent on the field, with the defense giving them too much to do in too little time.

There are reasons to believe that will change this year, though, with the acquisitions of Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson particularly notable for a team that ranked in the bottom half of the league for takeaways (21).

Only three players have had eight or more interceptions in a single season over the past two years; Jackson, one of those three, has done it twice.

No player has ever previously had eight or more picks in three straight seasons, but Jackson has shown no signs of slowing and could be exactly the type of superstar the Chargers need on defense to complement Herbert's efforts on offense and seize control of this division.

Denver Broncos

These might not be the four most talented quarterbacks in the NFL, but they may well be the four most motivated.

Russell Wilson undoubtedly has a point to prove after ending a 10-year stint with the Seattle Seahawks that went downhill fast in its final 18 months. In early MVP contention after a 5-0 start to the 2020 season, Wilson went 13-12 over the rest of his Seahawks career.

He last year missed the postseason for only the second time and, according to Seattle, pushed for a trade. "I didn't initiate it," was Wilson's reply. "It was definitely mutual."

Regardless, Wilson will find a very receptive audience in Denver, where Broncos fans were desperate to see an end to the QB merry-go-round that had them in a spin for six straight years after Peyton Manning's farewell Super Bowl 50 win. They have had 10 different starters under center since 2016, second only to Washington (11).

In that time outside the title picture, though, the Broncos have rebuilt the rest of the roster, waiting for the sort of QB-coach combo they now have in Wilson and former Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett.

Denver allowed the eighth-fewest yards per game last season (326.1) and the third-fewest points (322); on offense, a better QB than Teddy Bridgewater would have made more use of playing behind an O-line that ranked eighth in pass protection win percentage (78.64).

With personnel changes at the two most important positions, the Broncos can expect to be much, much better than 19th for yards per game (330.5) and joint-23rd for total points (335).

That improvement should take the Broncos from nowhere to somewhere, even in this AFC West.