Kansas City Chiefs: Best Roster In The AFC West?

Many consider the Kansas City Chiefs one of the best teams in the NFL.  So it’s no surprise that Chiefs Twitter went wild yesterday when it was suggested the Broncos have the best roster in the NFL.

Many pundits believe the Kansas City Chiefs will be playing in the toughest conference in the NFL this season.  The AFC West looks to be stronger than it has been in a very long time, with many analysts predicting that the conference will produce three playoff teams.  That, of course, fires up some old rivalries.  Over the past couple of days, that rivalry has been centered on who has the best roster in the AFC West.

The conversation was started when Denver radio personality, Ben Allbright, posted a tweet that proclaimed the Broncos to have the best 53 man roster in the NFL.  A nice round of applause for Allbright who understands how to drum up the chatter and controversy amongst his Twitter followers that include both fans and detractors.

Of course, nobody wants to hear that their team isn’t the best in the NFL, and perhaps even worse is to hear that a division rival could be the best.  That’s especially true when you know that it is dead wrong.  Hey, if Allbright is putting his opinion out there, then good on him.  I don’t think it’s even remotely true though.  So how about we lay it out there and compare rosters?

Now, comparing the entirety of a 53 man roster is a fool’s errand.  There is no way that anyone can have a full appreciation for the total talent of 32 NFL rosters from top to bottom.  Claiming to be able to do it for one team is pushing the limits of credibility.  However, we can compare starters to get an educated guess at the total strength of a team.  So that’s what I will do here.  Fortunately, I’m not bound to the “Law of 140” that is Twitter analysis.

Some Ground Rules

Before we begin, I’m going to explain some basic principles.  First off, the words “I think” are not a sound basis for analysis.  I think lots of things…and they are often wrong.  So do you.  Second, a rookie gets very little benefit of the doubt, and a later round pick even less than a top pick.  Don’t tell me that a player is inherently better because he was drafted in the first round.  Proven production will always outweigh possible potential.

Finally, the point system is simple.  4 points for a 1st place player/group, 3 points for 2nd, 2 points for 3rd, and 1 point for 4th.

Next: Best QB Under Center?