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AFC West: Will the Las Vegas Raiders be the team to beat?

By Mario O. Tovar

KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 12: Alex Okafor #97 of the Kansas City Chiefs sacks Derek Carr #4 of the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 12: Alex Okafor #97 of the Kansas City Chiefs sacks Derek Carr #4 of the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 14: Tyreek Hill #10 of the Kansas City Chiefs eludes the tackle of Nate Hobbs #39 of the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half of a game at Allegiant Stadium. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

The Raiders acquired Davante Adams while the Chiefs lost Tyreek Hill

Losing a three-time All-Pro in Hill and being expected to simply run away with the division as Wright predicts is ill-advised. The Chiefs still have Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, but the Raiders have their own duo in Darren Waller and Derek Carr. The arrival of Adams only helps to elevate this quarterback-tight end duo with how much the field will open now.

In addition, Adams’ being on the field will make things easier for Hunter Renfrow, one of the most underrated receivers in the NFL. Under new head coach Josh McDaniels, Renfrow could be on his way to the best year of his career.

The Raiders are the team to beat now…

KJ Wright (who played last year for Las Vegas) believes the opposite as far as who’s the team to beat. A Pro Bowl linebacker and Super Bowl champion’s opinion carries a lot more weight than that of a personality who’s known for consistently saying ridiculous things to garner a reaction.

"“Letting Tyreek Hill leave their building is going to take some time to overcome. You can’t just let him to leave the building and expect to be number one in the division. Who’s number one is going to be the Las Vegas Raiders. When you look at the offseason they put together, bringing in Josh McDaniels, he’s the quarterback guru. He has the blue print to getting guys to the Super Bowl. When you pair him with Derek Carr and you bring in Davante Adams, I cannot wait to see those guys get to work. On the defensive side, you bring in the best pass rusher in Chandler Jones and you pair him with Maxx Crosby, it’s going to be a fun time to watch. The Raiders are number one in this division.” – KJ Wright on the AFC West"

It’s definitely a hard pill to swallow if you’re a Chiefs, Broncos, or Chargers fan. Just because the best wide receiver in the NFL joined the Raiders doesn’t lessen his impact. The Raiders made the playoffs despite a difficult 2021 season that included Jon Gruden’s resignation, Henry Ruggs III’s imprisonment, and a slew of injuries.

If you plug someone of Adams’ caliber into a team with that level of poise, good things will happen.

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