I'll be honest, when it comes to football, I'm a rather impatient person.
The Oakland Raiders 2017 Training Camp commences in just over two weeks, but that feels like an eternity from now. Since the conclusion of the team's 2016 season, we've seen players come and go in free agency, and welcomed new faces through the 2017 NFL Draft. There's been plenty of news to go around, but I think we're all ready for some action on the field.
Before it gets underway though teams around the division are staying busy; the Kansas City Chiefs made a big front office move earlier this week, and the Denver Broncos kick off their countdown till training camp, so here's this week's edition of the AFC West Update.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos are excited for training camp to start, and who can blame them? Thursday morning, the team shared, per DenverBroncos.com, the first player to watch for when the Orange Crush hit the field for camp in Englewood, Colo.
So, who comes in first on their 15-day countdown? Running back Jamaal Charles.
Charles was acquired by the Broncos via free agency, and joins a team in the midst of a quarterback battle. After playing nine seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, he'll join the team he's spent the entirety of his career viewing as a rival. The Broncos believe that even though Charles has endured a multitude of injuries in recent memory, he's still capable of putting up big numbers.
There hasn't been much tape on the four-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro's integration into the Broncos offense just yet, but I'll certainly be looking to see how he gels with his new squad.
Kansas City Chiefs
Following the extension of Head Coach Andy Reid a couple weeks ago, the Chiefs decided to part ways with their General Manager John Dorsey. The former GM joined the team in 2013, the same season as Reid, and helped the group accomplish a record of 43-21 over the last four years.
Since letting him go, the Chiefs have undergone the process of finding a new General Manager, or at least that was the case until Monday. After searching for someone to fill Dorsey's shoes, the Chiefs opted to promote from within, and hire Brett Veach who served as the team's Co-Director of Player Personnel for four years.
Veach's football background extends to his days as a wide receiver at the University of Delaware, where he totaled 1,470 receiving yards, and also leads the school in all-time kickoff return yards with 1,558. With a roster already loaded with talent, Veach will take over a situation ripe with playmakers. The Chiefs first game against the Raiders comes in Week 7 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Bolts are entering a phase that's starting to resemble a changing of the guard; meaning, the amount of young talent on the roster is beginning to eclipse the amount of veterans.
Last year, the Chargers saw the emergence of their No. 3 overall draft pick in defensive end Joey Bosa, who totaled 10.5 sacks in just 12 games. This season, the team opted to add more depth to its wide receiver corps with the addition of No. 7 overall pick Mike Williams, but perhaps the most intriguing player on the team is second-year tight end Hunter Henry.
Veteran tight end Antonio Gates has held the reins at the position for over a decade now, but at 37-years-old, it's becoming abundantly clear "Father Time" is nipping at his heels. Cognizant of this fact, the Chargers incorporated the then 21-year-old Henry into the equation, and he didn't disappoint. While splitting time with Gates, Henry managed to tally eight touchdowns, along with 478 yards receiving.
Chargers Tight Ends Coach John McNulty shared his thoughts regarding the former University of Arkansas Razorback with Chargers.com.
"Hunter is a kid who is going to play a long time with a lot of successful seasons," he said. "For a young player, he's got a tremendous amount of poise. He has rare awareness and savvy for someone his age. You don't have to spell everything out A-Z for him."
The Raiders will get their first taste of the Chargers in Week 6 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
