Broncos
Broncos HC Sean Payton talked about EDGE Nik Bonitto taking another step as he enters his third season in the league.
“I think to his defense, he had more opportunities relative to the depth in his second year,” Payton said, via Broncos Wire. “I think that will continue to trend that way. It’s that growth we always talk about from Year 1 to Year 2, but I think he had more playing time snaps, too.”
Chargers
Chargers QB Justin Herbert said HC Jim Harbaugh is bringing a winning mentality and is excited to play for him.
“He’s a competitor,” Herbert said, via NFL.com. “He’s done such a great job taking this team and getting them where he wants them to go. He’s won wherever he’s at. He’s a guy that everyone wants to follow and play for. So we’re really excited to get to play for him.”
Chargers S Derwin James said Harbaugh “lights up the room” and has the attention of all his players.
“He just loves football a lot,” James said. “When he walks in the room, he lights up the room. Everybody, it’s full attention. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, what you’ve been through … he gets your attention, and it means something to him.”
Herbert said Harbaugh has been getting physically involved in minicamp practice, including pulling sleds.
“It’s a cool experience to be able to share that with your head coach,” Herbert said. “Whether we’re pulling sleds, he expects to be the fastest or to pull the furthest, and when we’re carrying those med balls, he’s wanting to go the furthest, he wants to go the fastest.”
Raiders
Raiders senior defensive assistant Rob Ryan is excited about the direction of the franchise and said that it’s been a pleasure being back with the team.
“I love this franchise,” Ryan said, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic. “And God knows I’ve been on 10 of them, so I should know. When I worked with the great Al Davis, I was there five years with four head coaches. The reason why he kept me, well … I was great.”
Ryan expects the defense to gradually improve over the course of the season like they did last year.
“We were getting better each week, and I think by the end, you saw a great defense,” Ryan said. “I think that’s what you’re going to see this year.”
Ryan believes Raiders HC Antonio Pierce is building a great foundation in Las Vegas and notices the energy in the building.
“You got a whole stadium yelling for ‘AP, AP,’ That was the coolest thing ever,” Ryan said, referring to the last home game of the 2023 season. “He’s real … the genuine article. He’s straight out of Compton, literally, so he’s a complete badass. He wants our players and our coaches to be themselves and (then) bring them all together and create a culture. He ain’t boring nobody. He is going to be himself, and he’s going to make us winners.”
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