Everyone has their own path, and for many players in professional sports that path doesn't always coincide with their own plan. Players bounce around from team to team, or sit the bench for a while until it's their time to shine. This is the case for a lot of individuals, but more often than not it develops character, and one player who has benefitted from these experiences is Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian.
Siemian hopes to be an important piece to the franchises future, and a lot of other teams around the AFC West are making moves in hopes of solidifying futures of their own.
Here's a look at this week's edition of the AFC West Update:
Denver Broncos
With the 250th overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected Northwestern quarterback Trevor Siemian. The 25 year old joined the team at the start of Peyton Manning's final season in the league, and sat back as he observed the future Hall of Famer go to work. As most rookies do, Siemian watched from afar, and took notes as he prepared for his named to be called.
In 2016, the former Wildcat competed for the Broncos' starting quarterback position, and won the job out of training camp. In his first year as the team's starting signal-caller, Siemian threw for 3,401 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Now entering his third-year in the league, he'll have to compete for the starting job once again with second-year player Paxton Lynch.
According to DenverBroncos.com, Siemian embraces this challenge, due to the fact he served as a backup in college, and in his first year with the team. Most importantly, he's gained the trust of his peers, and is considered a leader among them. After leading the team to an 8-6 record when he was under center, Siemian will look to build on his progress in 2017.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs possess arguably two of the most dynamic players in the NFL with wide receiver Tyreek Hill and cornerback Marcus Peters. Hailing from Oakland, Calif., Peters has already established himself as one of the premier defensive backs in the league. Over the course of his two seasons in the NFL he's totaled 14 interceptions, two touchdowns, a pair of Pro Bowl appearances, and made an appearance on the 2016 First-Team All-Pro squad.
Hill on the other hand took the league by storm in 2016 with his electrifying speed and playmaking ability on special teams. It's scary to think that both of these players are still in the early stages of their careers, and both were recently named to NFL.com’s All-Under-25-Team. With youth on their side, Hill and Peters can continue to build on their hot starts as athletic playmakers in the league.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Bolts saw a lot of players go down last season, and were riddled by the injury bug a majority of the year. The team was depleted at a variety of positions, but one player that consistently produced was running back Melvin Gordon. In his second season with the team he rushed for 997 yards, 10 touchdowns, and added 419 receiving yards to go along with a pair of receiving touchdowns. While the team is likely pleased with his offensive output, the Chargers have opted to add more depth around their Pro Bowl running back.
Thursday afternoon, Branden Oliver re-signed with the Chargers to return for next season as one of the team's running backs. In his two seasons with the team, he's totaled 690 yards and three touchdowns, and is also a versatile option in the passing game.
In addition to Oliver, the Chargers have acquired running back Kenjon Barner, who had a great career at the University of Oregon, and will provide the team with a burst of speed. Barner's previous two destinations include a one-year stint with the Carolina Panthers, and he spent the past two with the Philadelphia Eagles where he rushed for 253 yards and two touchdowns.
