It looks like the other teams in the AFC West are tired of seeing the Denver Broncos make all the splashes.

Dwight Freeney signed with the first team that got desperate enough to meet his financial demands. (Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports)

Dwight Freeney was signed by the San Diego Chargers over the weekend after losing Melvin Ingram for the season due to injury, and the Oakland Raiders have surprisingly jumped into the Charles Woodson hunt.

Previously it has been the Broncos making the most noise in free agency and the draft and they’ve been established as a favorite to win the AFC and the Super Bowl.

Denver showed last season they’re only a couple of pieces away from winning a championship. They were also in pretty good shape in regards to the salary cap when the offseason started. A team like that can afford to be aggressive in free agency and it can be good strategy.

But when you’re in financial purgatory like the Raiders, or if you’re more like 11 players away rather than one like the Chargers, spending big in free agency can end up hurting more than it helps.

In the Chargers’ case they were desperate and it showed with Freeney’s contract numbers. They have a lot of holes on their roster but the loss of Ingram meant they didn’t have a single legitimate pass rusher. They absolutely had to get one of the few big-name defensive ends left in the free agent market.

Considering the Chargers have one of the worst offensive lines in the league, seeing them spend a maximum of $13.35 million over two years on an old defensive end is good news for the rest of the division. Not to mention the Chargers will have to adjust their defensive scheme to accommodate him since he doesn’t fit well in a 3-4 alignment.

It also makes the one-year $1.4 million deal the Broncos gave ex-Charger Shaun Phillips look like an absolute steal. It will be interesting to see whether Phillips or Freeney ends up with more sacks in 2013.

As far as the Raiders go they need to do something to give their fans hope. But bringing Woodson to Oakland wouldn’t do much in terms of wins and losses. This year is a complete bust for them regardless of what they do before the start of the season and their front office knows it. A big name would give their fans something to cheer about and a reason to get dressed up like clowns on Sundays.

Woodson would bring value for sure, but Oakland is looking way beyond the one or two years he has left in the league. Other than to mentor the young guys he wouldn’t make a meaningful impact on the big picture. It just doesn’t seem that a stud like Woodson would be okay with that. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where he would choose to languish through a 2 to 4 win season when his career is coming to a close.

Even though Woodson may make a visit to Oakland tomorrow it’s highly doubtful he ends up there. The Raiders don’t have much money to spend and they certainly can’t give him the chance to compete for a Super Bowl. This looks like an obvious leverage tactic by the Woodson camp. They’re using the Raiders to get every last drop of cash they can out of a good team.

Odds are that Woodson will end up with a contender, and my guess is he’ll sign exactly where he’s wanted to sign all along; in Denver. He just wants John Elway to open that wallet a little bit wider before he does so.

With a club like the Denver Broncos living on the block teams will do almost anything to keep up, even if they’re just covering up crumbling houses with layers of paint.

The recent developments show that the rest of the division is pulling out all the stops. And at the very least they want to their fan bases to see they’re giving it a try. A lot of things come down to image in the NFL and these moves provide the right image.

Unfortunately for them any image they project won’t make a bit of difference. The Broncos have the AFC West locked down until Peyton Manning hangs up his cleats.

Make sure to follow @MileHighMonday on Twitter and Predominantly Orange on Facebook.

Jan 8 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (15) reacts after the win in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Sports Authority Field. The Broncos defeated the Steelers 23-29 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

While writing about our new Bronco D,
A great Facebook question did appear.
Bob in Thornton decided to ask me,
Where should Tim Tebow land this new year?

I know he’s not a Bronco anymore,
So I kind of questioned the relevance.
But that Thomas pass is now Bronco lore,
Plus the local coverage is evidence.

We’ll start with ten and get to one.
Will the Jaguars crack the list?
Back as a Bronco tight end sounds fun.
Perhaps a televangelist?

A baseball player is #10 to begin.
There are lots of awkward pitchers of note.
Tebow’s odd habits would fit right in.
At least that’s what Tim Kurkjian wrote.

At #9 is the AFL.
I know that sounds kind of funny.
I’m sure that he would do quite well,
But he won’t because of the money.

At #8 we have the CFL.
They pay well from what I’ve read.
His throwing arm is why he’d fail,
Of course that’s what Warren Moon said.

The Jaguars come in at #7.
Only Blain Gabbert is in the way.
In his home town there’d be Tebow heaven
Unfortunately, they said no way!

At #6 is a college ball analyst.
At ESPN he would fit right in.
A more appealing sports show wouldn’t exist,
But he’d rather wait for this to begin.

Miami’s on the list at #5,
With blocking skills and good hands.
A position change to keep his dream alive,
It sure would help to fill their stands.

At #4 comes our Denver Broncos.
He’d be our TE, RB guy.
There are lots of fans, as far as that goes.
It might just be worth a try!

A televangelist is #3.
He can be the brand new Joel Osteen.
He’d do stadium sermons on the TV.
He’d be the best the world’s ever seen!

Tebow’s certainly a gifted athlete,
And we all like to see him compete.
I don’t feel that his career is complete,
So these are the top teams that he should meet.

The Patriots are our #2.
McDaniels can show us what he can do.
Josh and Tim’s relationship will now be anew.
Only one more to go and we are through!

Our very top spot was almost #3,
Merely because it could rhyme easily.
RG3, Shanny and backup QB,
Not to mention they’re in Washington D.C.

The Redskins would be the best fit of all.
Keep in mind Griffin is a little bit small.
They’d have a backup runner if he were to fall.
Plus Mastermind and son with the offensive play call!

Until next Tuesday Bronco Country,
When we’ll share another fun rhyme.
Be sure to FB me or Tweet me
If you’ve got a little spare time!

Make sure to follow Predominantly Orange on Facebook and on Twitter.

Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos (18) smiles after catching a pass during practice for the 2013 Pro Bowl at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

It looks like you don’t have to actually play to be an influential athlete. In Forbes’ 2013 list of Most Influential Athletes, Tim Tebow came in with the No. 1 ranking.

A unique set of QB strengths and weaknesses and an affinity for wearing his Christian faith on his sleeve combine to make Tebow a compelling public figure, even as an NFL backup…Tebow, judged to be “influential” by 29% of respondents, certainly felt the wrath of the New York market, where fans and press harped on his acquisition as an ill-fated experiment that helped lead the Jets downhill. – Forbes

Peyton Manning was a few spots below him at No. 5. Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, and Derek Jeter fell in between the two.

The only other two NFL players on the list were Drew Brees (No. 6) and Aaron Rodgers (No. 8).

“[Nielsen] conducted the surveys over the past several months in partnership with E-Poll, a market research firm in Encino, Calif.”

Make sure to follow Predominantly Orange on Facebook and on Twitter.