It wasn't all that long ago ? before a Hall of Fame quarterback reeled in a future Hall of Fame quarterback to work in Denver ? that the Broncos were stuck in the AFC West basement.
Even as the preseason hype is in full force about what the Broncos can be in 2013, how far they can go and whether there is a trophy at the end of the road, they know what square one looks like.
"It all starts in your division," Broncos coach John Fox said. "That's your only guaranteed way into the playoffs. Our guys know that. Whatever people say ? we call that outside noise ? doesn't matter because you have to understand the only guaranteed way to get in the tournament is to take care of your division.
"When you have success, you have a bull's-eye on your chest. Everybody is out to get you. We swept our division a year ago, so all those cats are out there right now planning to not let it happen again."
With NFL training camps set to open soon, the offseason plans of the Broncos' AFC West brethren are largely in place. When personnel executives look at the West, they still see a clear favorite in the Broncos with three other teams in various stages of rebuilding.
In the Chiefs, NFL personnel people see the team with the most potential to chase Denver if they live a charmed life in Andy Reid's first season as Kansas City's head coach.That starts with Reid finding a way to repair the league's worst passing offense in 2012 (169.6 yards passing per game) around their biggest offseason acquisition in quarterback Alex Smith.
Smith should fit quickly into Reid's version of the West Coast offense, which emphasizes quick decisions and efficient play. Smith is plenty efficient ? he was 20-6-1 in his past 27 starts for the run-heavy San Francisco 49ers.
But Reid is trying to add a little spice to the mix and put the threat of the deep ball back into the Chiefs' attack by clearing Smith to take a few well-placed risks. Smith threw 30 touchdown passes over his past 25 starts as a conservative game manager in Jim Harbaugh's offense in San Francisco.
The Chiefs used the No. 1 pick in the draft to acquire Central Michigan offensive tackle Eric Fisher, protecting their investment in Smith.
The Chiefs hope Smith can mesh with another play-action run offense with Jamaal Charles in the Kansas City backfield. Smith was the league's highest-rated passer out of play-action plays last season, with a rating just better than 132 before he was sidelined with a concussion, then benched by Harbaugh to put Colin Kaepernick in the lineup.
The Chiefs also signed cornerback Dunta Robinson and wide receiver Donnie Avery in free agency and re-signed wide receiver Dwayne Bowe to a multiyear contract.
"I loved being in the NFC East all those years, but the AFC West, that looks challenging to me," Reid said.
In Oakland, the Raiders continue to remake themselves in the second year of former Broncos defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's tenure as coach. General manager Reggie McKenzie's biggest move also came behind center when he traded Carson Palmer and his substantial contract to the Arizona Cardinals and acquired Seahawks backup Matt Flynn has the Raiders' starter.
Flynn has started only two games in his five NFL seasons, but Allen anointed Flynn the team's No. 1 quarterback and compared Flynn's career track to that of Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub and the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers. But the Raiders also used a fourth-round pick in April's draft on Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson to go with Terrelle Pryor on the depth chart.
After signing a lucrative deal in Seattle in 2012, Flynn was beaten out by rookie quarterback Russell Wilson in training camp. Flynn was easily the Raiders' biggest offseason acquisition, in addition to signing veteran safety Charles Woodson, as McKenzie took a low-key, draft-heavy approach to the roster this offseason.
In San Diego, former Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy inherited a proven quarterback in Philip Rivers, but McCoy and first-year Chargers general manager Tom Telesco faced an almost total rebuild in the team's offensive line.
The Chargers have put their faith in veteran free agent offensive linemen Max Starks and King Dunlap to go with their first-round pick from April in D.J. Fluker.
McCoy also hired former Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt to help smooth out Rivers' play. Rivers has thrown 35 interceptions over the past two seasons combined. With a long to-do list, the Chargers took a measured approach to the offseason, with two of their high-profile signings ? Starks and pass rusher Dwight Freeney ? coming in May.
"I'm excited about what's there, but we know we have some work to do to get our program in place and make clear what we expect," McCoy said. "We all know there's plenty to do, and what's been done in Denver is the kind of success we're looking for. We just have to get to work and make sure we're ready to make the most of all of the opportunities we have."
Jeff Legwold: jlegwold@denverpost.com or twitter.com/jeff_legwold
Comparison shopping
With training camps set to open across the league during the next two weeks, NFL personnel executives say the Broncos are the favorites in the AFC West by a wide margin. Here's a snapshot of the work their fellow West teams have done this offseason:
Kansas City Chiefs
2012 record: 2-14; 0-6 in AFC West.
Notable numbers: Finished 32nd in passing yards (169.6 yards per game), and defense was 27th in run defense (135.7 rushing yards allowed per game).
Broncos dates: Nov. 17 in Denver; Dec. 1 in Kansas City.
Biggest acquisition: QB Alex Smith.
Oakland Raiders
2012 record: 4-12; 2-4 in AFC West.
Notable numbers: The Raiders have lost at least 11 games in eight of the past 10 seasons. They have not won 10 games since an 11-5 finish in 2002.
Biggest acquisition: QB Matt Flynn.
San Diego Chargers
2012 record: 7-9; 4-2 in AFC West.
Notable numbers: QB Philip Rivers has thrown 35 interceptions combined over the past two seasons and has been sacked 79 times in that time, including a bone-numbing 49 times in 2012.
Biggest acquisition: Rookie OT/OG D.J. Fluker.
Jeff Legwold, The Denver Post
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