Training camp is rolling across the AFC West, and the Raiders have plenty to keep an eye on even when Las Vegas isn’t the team in the headline. Denver, Kansas City and Los Angeles all opened veteran camp this week, and each rival brought a different kind of problem for a Raiders team trying to climb back into the mix in the league’s toughest division.
Denver’s biggest buzz wasn’t even about what happened on the field. The Broncos unveiled a new $175 million training facility, and players such as Quinn Meinerz and Patrick Surtain II were raving about the upgrades, from underground parking to a golf simulator.
It’s the kind of investment that tells you ownership is thinking bigger than one good season. For the Raiders, that matters.
Denver’s not acting like a team satisfied with a flash in the pan, especially after winning 14 games last year.
But the Broncos aren’t without questions. Outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper reported to camp while an unresolved felony assault case continues to hang over him, with a court date set for late August that could turn into a season-long distraction. There was also movement with veteran left guard Ben Powers, who took a pay cut as he enters the final year of his contract, which leaves some uncertainty about where that position is headed long term.
None of that screams collapse, but it does give Raiders fans something to watch. Sean Payton’s teams have a history of slow starts, and Denver’s early schedule is no joke. If Las Vegas is going to make a move in the division, catching the Broncos before they settle in could be one of the cleaner paths.
Kansas City has its own issues, starting with a serious family situation involving offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy that will keep him away from the building for the foreseeable future. That’s a real disruption for a coaching staff heading into a crucial stretch of camp.
On the roster side, the Chiefs are leaning hard into rookies and internal growth instead of making a splash. First-round defensive lineman Peter Woods is already earning praise for his versatility.
Up front, Kansas City added more depth to an already strong interior offensive line and sent Wanya Morris to Atlanta. Kenneth Walker III now gives them a true three-down running back, something they haven’t had next to Patrick Mahomes in years.
Still, there are openings. The receiver group beyond Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy is unsettled, and there are questions at cornerback and defensive end. For a Raiders defense that wants to force mistakes and get after the quarterback, that’s the kind of uncertainty worth circling.
Then there’s the Chargers, who may be the most settled team in the division right now. A number of players - Ladd McConkey, Troy Dye, Donte Jackson and Justin Eboigbe among them - kept coming back to the same word: continuity.
They’re not starting over. They’re building on what they already know, especially on defense under coordinator Chris O’Leary.
McConkey said he’s fully recovered from the hamstring injury that slowed him in the offseason, and left tackle Joe Alt sounded just as confident about his own health. On offense, the Chargers are entering their first year in Mike McDaniel’s system, which should mean less thinking and more speed. That’s not exactly comforting for a Justin Herbert-led attack that already gave the Raiders trouble in 2025.
Depth was another theme that kept surfacing. Several Chargers described this as one of the deepest and most complete rosters they’ve been around. If they stay healthy, they have a real case as the biggest threat to Kansas City in the AFC West.
For the Raiders, the takeaway is simple: Denver is spending big and building for the long haul, Kansas City is dealing with some real unknowns, and Los Angeles looks deep, healthy and comfortable. Different teams, different problems. But all three are part of the same division picture, and all three are part of the scouting report Las Vegas has to keep in mind as camp moves forward.
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Powers-Johnson has already tried to make his case by showing up early with the rookies, a small but telling sign of how seriously he is taking the challenge. For Las Vegas, the bigger question is whether that kind of commitment translates into a cleaner, steadier camp once the pads come on and the competition starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]