NFL: Los Angeles Chargers Move Closer To Kansas City Chiefs In AFC West Predictions

KEY POINTS

The Los Angeles Chargers finished with a 5-11 record in the 2019 NFL season
Justin Herbert was selected as the 6th overall pick in the recent draft as a replacement for quarterback Philip Rivers
The Kansas City Chiefs are still favored to win the AFC West but the Los Angeles Chargers aren't too far off the predictions

The AFC West is home to the reigning Super Bowl Champions the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite this, teams such as the Los Angeles Chargers have made significant changes to compete with the Chiefs in the division standings.

It was a harsh year for the Chargers in their 2019 season as they finished with a 5-11 record. Their performance gave them the opportunity for a top ten pick in the recently concluded NFL draft. This was one of their key moves in the offseason as they used the 6th overall pick to select the talented Justin Herbert from the Oregon football program.

The arrival of Herbert signals a new era for the Chargers as they’re leaning on the 22-year-old to be an instrumental part of their revival. While the pressure is high for Herbert to deliver, the Chargers' front office ensured that the roster made some major improvements moving forward.

There were additional signings in the free-agent market by Los Angeles with the likes of Chris Harris Jr. and Linval Joseph deepening the team's defensive line. In addition to these, former Super Bowl winner and offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga adds to the experience of the squad.

Other deals such as acquiring Trai Turner from the Carolina Panthers was also a notable move by the Chargers. Couple this with another solid first-round selection of linebacker Kenneth Murray and Los Angeles is now ready to leave a mark in their division.

Per The Ringer’s Robert Mays, the Chargers are looking to be the AFC West’s most improved team. With all of their changes last year in losing quarterback Philip Rogers, Los Angeles bounced back and is full of promise.

“It’s not easy for a team to lose an entrenched starting quarterback and get better, but the Chargers might have done just that,” Mays said by way of Chargers Wire.

While the Chiefs are still the team to beat given they have the dominant Super Bowl MVP in Patrick Mahomes, the Chargers are looking to move towards a higher ranking in the division.

“Even without Rivers, this Los Angeles roster is much more talented from top to bottom than it was at the end of last season,” Mays continued.

With all of the changes in the team, it would be interesting to see how the revamped Chargers fare in the AFC West standings.