Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren got a true taste of life in the AFC West this past week.

	Mike Holmgren realized some realities of life during the weekend of the NFL draft.

The Chargers spent a total of $9.7 million a year to sign defensive end Marcellus Wiley and cornerback Ryan McNeil. The Raiders spent $6 million a year to re-sign defensive end Regan Upshaw and Pro Bowl defensive end Trace Armstrong, who has had some of his best career sack games against the Seahawks.

"Trace killed us single-handedly the last couple of years," Holmgren said. "The thing is that I think I have as good a chance in the division with Walter Jones and Chris McIntosh at tackle. We should be set against the outside guys."

But the problem of being in the AFC West is that once you solve one problem, the other teams find new ways of attacking and probing. It's not surprising that the AFC West kicked off the free agency period the most aggressive. That's the way of life in this division.

The AFC West is ruthless when it comes to personnel. Holmgren got into the fray himself by signing former Vikings defensive tackle John Randle and trading for quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. It's a start to an offseason of change. The Seahawks are bringing in the top free agents – linebacker Jamie Sharper, safety Kim Herring, defensive tackle Chad Eaton just to name a few. Holmgren has room for maybe two or three more free agent signings.

Whatever the Seahawks do, the Chargers will try to top them. Adding Wiley to the defensive line gives them what they believe is one of the better front fours in the AFC. They augmented the McNeil signing by bringing in cornerback Alex Molden.

On offense, Doug Flutie visited Tuesday, and he'd be a quarterback who could buy time for new Chargers offensive coordinator Norv Turner to develop Michael Vick if the Chargers make him the first selection in the draft.

"Our division is a great division and teams are willing to do stuff," Holmgren said. "John Butler had money and cap room in San Diego, so you knew something was going to happen down there. Denver is always aggressive. Oakland is Oakland. Kansas City lost some guys, so there is going to be a little bit of change."

	The beauty of the AFC West is that it's run by football people, so the emphasis is always on player acquisition. It's a division in which general managers thrive.

The beauty of the AFC West is that it's run by football people, so the emphasis is always on player acquisition. It's a division in which general managers thrive. Bobby Beathard built a Super Bowl team in San Diego. Carl Peterson had a decade long run of playoff teams in Kansas City, and he lured Dick Vermeil out of retirement to turn around his franchise. Oakland has Al Davis. Holmgren and Mike Shanahan have the dual role of coach and general manager but have owners who aren't afraid to spend on players.

Lesser divisions have taken the spotlight away from the AFC West in recent years. Part of the reason was the division went through dramatic change at quarterback. It went from a division of John Elway, Joe Montana in his final years and Stan Humphries to Rich Gannon of Oakland topping Brian Griese, Jon Kitna, Jim Harbaugh and Elvis Grbac.

Things are settling down in that department. Griese emerged as Elway's replacement last year and played at a Pro Bowl level before he suffered a third-degree, right-shoulder separation. Gannon took the Raiders to the AFC title game. Butler is fixing the Ryan Leaf fiasco through free agency and the draft. Holmgren is convinced that Hasselbeck has all the tools to be a top quarterback.

That leaves the Chiefs as the team in the biggest transition. Vermeil has to find a quarterback, a running back and a new identity.

The Armstrong signing clearly states that the Raiders believe they are a Super Bowl contender and don't want to waste time. They want to win a title before Steve Wisniewski, Tim Brown, Gannon and others are ready for retirement. For that reason, they will load the team with veterans.

Andre Rison is a key re-signing because Jon Gruden likes what he adds to the receiving corps as a veteran. They will add one or two veteran safeties. As always, the Raiders are on a one-year plan.

Butler's plan is two years, and he knows that all the Chargers' needs can't be resolved overnight. Getting a pass rusher, two coverage cornerbacks and three new quarterbacks were his prime objectives this year. If he can't get the right running back this year, he may have to hold off until next season.

But overall, the Chargers will have two solid years of drafts, and they have the cap room next year to complete two years of solid free agent acquisitions.

The Seahawks are in a similar position. Holmgren signed an eight-year contract, so he doesn't have to go for quick plans. Outsiders wondered if he was rushing things a bit when he gave a five-year contract and a $5 million contract to the 33-year-old Randle.

"I'm surprised that it was written that this was a gamble," Holmgren said. "There is no gamble there."

Holmgren signed Randle for his work ethic and impact on the defensive line. He signed him for his inside pass rush. He hopes that the Randle acquisition will have the impact in Seattle that Reggie White's signing had in Green Bay.

Sitting still doesn't work in the AFC West. Holmgren stole away a division title in his first year and is trying to climb back toward the top. He also learned what copycats there are in the division. If the Chargers and Seahawks get a pass rusher, the Raiders and others have to get some, too.

The funny part is that realignment comes next season, so this might be the Seahawks' last fling in the division.

"I could live with it for a year," Holmgren said of the AFC West's personnel competition.

John Clayton is the senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.