Denver Broncos

After visiting with the Tennessee Titans, and with word that the San Diego Chargers were interested, CB Drayton Florence has decided to sign with the Broncos. They've agreed on a two-year deal, potentially worth $4.5 million (which is a bargain).

Denver had signed free agent CB Tracy Porter to a one-year deal earlier in the offseason, so Florence will most likely work as the team's nickel CB and be ready to start in case of injury.

Oakland Raiders

Darius Heyward-Bey, who showed signs last season of finally filling his potential as a former first round draft pick, has been charged with a DUI after being arrested on the Bay Bridge over a month ago. It's not the end of the world, by any means, but it's a step backwards during an offseason when the team needed the WR to continue to make strides forward.

By the way, you should check out DHB's contract at some point. Specifically, the $21+ million that was paid in base salary to him in 2010. Then wonder about how the Redskins and Cowboys got punished for spending during the non-cap season and how the Raiders escaped a similar fate.

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Denver Broncos

I'll say this once: If you are not terrified of the Broncos, you are delusional.

You can't just sit back and say "Peyton Manning is still injured!" without proof. Actually, the number of teams that were abandoning their starting QB for a chance to woo Peyton is proof that he's probably passed every test thrown at his neck thusfar. If Peyton is 80% of the QB that he was two seasons ago with the Colts, Denver just upgraded to a Top 5 offense. In case Peyton wasn't enough on his own to do that (and he is), they are signing receivers for him like gangbusters (Joel Dreessen and Andre Caldwell).

Oh, and lest we forget Denver's overwhelmingly awesome pass rush. Von Miller is only going to get better and Elvis Dumervil is only going to get healthier. They also, hilariously, added Tracy Porter to their defense yesterday. Porter, for those who forget, picked off Manning to clinch a Saints Super Bowl victory a few years back.

Signed: Peyton Manning, Andre Caldwell, Joel Dreessen, Mike Adams, Joe Mays (re-sign), Tracy Porter, Manny Ramirez (re-sign), Wesley Woodyard (re-sign)

Lost: Brodrick Bunkley (Saints), Daniel Fells (Patriots), Spencer Larsen (Patriots), Brady Quinn (Chiefs), Dante Rosario (Chargers), Eddie Royal (Chargers)

Interested: William Gay (Steelers)

The other two non-Chargers teams in the AFC West are covered after the jump.

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The AFC certainly got a bit more competitive today. In the NFL's version of "The Decision," Peyton Manning has finally come to a decision after a two-week media circus (I know, it feels like far longer to me).

We all know the story by now. The Colts released Manning less than two weeks ago for numerous reasons. He visited and worked out with several teams, namely: the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and we later learned he secretly worked out with the San Francisco 49ers.

Throughout that time, it seemed the Broncos were the perennial front-runners to land Manning, and today that feeling has finally come to fruition as this morning Manning called up John Elway and told him he's looking forward to playing for Denver.

Two positive side effects from this: more #ManningFace, less #TebowMania.

It's not quite a done deal yet. The Broncos and Manning still need to reach a contract agreement. He had just signed a 5-year, $90 million contract with the Colts this past August. It's been said that the contract he signed with the Colts will just be the starting point for whichever team lands him. With him turning 36 this year, the first few years of his contract will be the most crucial.

What does this mean for Tim Tebow? Does he stay with the Broncos and learn how to be a proper QB from one of the game's best? Or do the Broncos trade him away, discarding him like common trash? Who knows?

The biggest loser in all of this? The 49ers. Alex Smith finally showed he could be an NFL QB this past year, and now he's a Free Agent. By making a play for Manning, the 49ers may have just lost their chances at retaining Alex Smith. So instead of having either a Hall-of-Fame caliber QB, or their QB of the last 7 seasons who finally showed he could play, they may end up with neither. Ouch.

Yes, this instantly makes the Broncos better on Offense. Johns Fox and Elway have told Manning that he'd have carte blanch with the Broncos' offense, and he could build whatever system he'd like. But I have to imagine it'll take Manning a while to instill the system he's most comfortable with (although that timeline could be sped up with additions like free agents Jeff Saturday and Dallas Clark). Maybe the Broncos will end up in a situation like the 2008 Jets had with Brett Favre. As a division rival, that's what I'm most hopeful to see. However, Manning is a far better QB than Favre ever was, so I just don't see it happening.

For the Chargers, looking to win their first AFC West title in three years, that task just got a little bit tougher. Hopefully this lights a metaphorical fire under the butts of the Chargers' players, realizing now the AFC West is no longer a cake-walk and that a 9-win season just won't cut it anymore. To those of you thinking the Chargers will walk all over Peyton since the he's been defeated by San Diego 5 of the last 6 meetings, don't get so cocky. This is an entirely new team around him including a defense that held the Chargers to 13 points at home last year, and the Bolts won't have the Manning Terminator Stephen Cooper seeking him out on every play.

In a move that surprises, well, no one, the Oakland Raiders have notified linebacker Kamerion Wimbley he has been released. The Raiders are doing everything they can to shed or restructure big contracts in an effort to give themselves some room under the salary cap. The team had been hoping to restructure Wimbley's contract this week but neither side could come to an agreement, so they released him before his $17.5 million in guaranteed money was set to kick in today.

Wimbley has been on Chargers fans' radar ever since it came out that Wimbley could/should/would be released since he's a legitimate pass rusher and fills one of the Chargers' top needs. Here's the thing: the Chargers more than likely won't even make a play for him, let alone sign him. There are plenty of other teams out there with more cap room than the Chargers have right now and will be willing to throw more money his way than the Chargers can afford.

With the exception of Jarret Johnson, it seems the Chargers have focused primarily on addressing the Offense in Free Agency. A Pass Rusher is a distinct need for this team, but they seem content addressing it through the draft — where they presumably could get more value for the money — instead of getting into a bidding war for the few legit pass–rushing free–agents this year.

If you've been around these parts long enough, you're familiar with j-man. j-man, whose name is Jason if you're looking to be more formal with him, is a Denver Broncos fan and someone that pays more attention to the rest of the division that most of the BFTB staff. Every so often, he has thoughts on it. Now, with free agency and the NFL draft looming, is one of those times....

These are j-man's opinions and do not necessarily represent my own nor should they be taken as the official opinions of Bolts from the Blue.

Denver Broncos

Denver is going to need another running back. Willis McGahee is too old, he fumbles too much and Lance Ball is a backup at best. The WR group is good, but they need a quick slot guy (maybe Wes Welker?).

Another offensive lineman could only help, since Ryan Clady is the only starter than can pass-block currently.

The DEs (Elvis Dumervil, Von Millers, Robert Ayers) were obviously a strength, but the Giants showed once again that you can never have enough pass-rushers.

The Broncos need a starting-level CB badly. Champ Bailey has 2-3 good years left, tops, at CB but could last a few more if they move him to Safety.

Needs: WR depth, 3rd Down RB, DE, CB and Safety

2012 Prediction: Denver will finish somewhere between 10-6 and 6-10. Jack Del Rio provides an upgrade on the defensive side of the ball, but the offense still has big issues.

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With the San Diego Chargers' coaching roster set (I'm assuming), the rest of the AFC West is still scrambling to find the best of what's left to complete their coaching staffs.

Kansas City Chiefs

69-year old Bill Muir, dragged out of retirement by Todd Haley to be the Offensive Coordinator of the Chiefs after Charlie Weis left town, has retired once more. To replace him, the Chiefs have hired Brian Daboll. Daboll was the OC for the Miami Dolphins last season and spent the two years before that as Eric Mangini's OC with the Browns. Daboll previously worked with Chiefs Head Coach Romeo Crennel with New England years ago.

It would appear that Crennel, like Todd Haley (now OC for the Steelers) before him, is not too eager to give up control over his side of the ball. He will retain the title of Defensive Coordinator while also being the Head Coach. Perhaps he's trying to earn two paychecks.

Denver Broncos

To replace the new Oakland Raiders Head Coach Dennis Allen, John Fox brought back recently-fired Jaguars Head Coach Jack Del Rio to be his Defensive Coordinator once more. Del Rio was Fox's DC for one season with the Panthers (2002, when the Panthers had one of the best defenses in the league) before getting hired by Jacksonville.

Oakland Raiders

Dennis Allen went into the college ranks, pulling former co-Defensive Coordinator for the Stanford Cardinal Jason Tarver to be his DC in Oakland. Greg Knapp, who was the Raiders' Offensive Coordinator from 2007-2008 before being fired by Tom Cable, has been brought back to once again run the offense. Perhaps he'll have better luck with Carson Palmer (and Terrelle Pryor) than he did with Daunte Culpepper and JaMarcus Russell

After the Oakland Raiders fired Hue Jackson, it seemed like a sure thing that one of the Green Bay Packers Assistant Coaches would end up taking the job and turning Oakland into "Green Bay West". Weeks later, it seemed like the Raiders were left staring out at an open field and waiting for the corn to grow. There were no good candidates left that would coach the Raiders.

Enter Dennis Allen. Despite looking 14 years old, Allen is actually 39. His extensive NFL coaching experience includes being the Secondary Coach for the New Orleans Saints from 2008-2010 and being the Denver Broncos Defensive Coordinator last season. Actually, that's pretty much his entire coaching resume.

Here is where I point out what I've been pointing out all season. The reason the Broncos defense went from one of the worst in the league to one of the best in Allen's first year had everything to do with them adding two elite pass rushers (Von Miller, Elvis Dumervil). Miller was a rookie this past season and Dumervil was coming back from missing the entire 2010 season (after leading the league in sacks in 2009). In addition to having an instant top-tier pass rush, Allen was handed Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins to take care of the back end of the defense. Not exactly the world's most difficult task.

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When the Chargers released David Binn in the offseason I think many Bolts backers had hoped he'd ride off into the sunset. He could sit back in a rocking chair, reflect the glory days of playing in a Super Bowl with the blue and gold and know that his was a good long career as just a San Diego Chargers. Today, we have found out that will not be the case. The Broncos official twitter sent out this blast:

I'm sure plenty of you were already going to tune into the game, but maybe this is extra added interest for Chargers fans. Perhaps you'll root for Binn in hopes that he can get a Super Bowl ring. Perhaps you want to root against him because he's tainting his Chargers legacy. Whatever your feelings, it adds a little bit more intrigue to the game.