AFC Notes: Bills, Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs, Colts

Bills

Bills HC Sean McDermott confirmed he’ll be more involved on the defensive side following former DC Leslie Frazier stepping away from coaching.

“First and foremost, we’ve got a really good staff on the defensive side, and the offensive side, special teams as well. But I wouldn’t be able to do this without a really strong staff on the defensive side in particular,” McDermott said, via NFL.com. “It’s almost like you’ve got to have kind of a two-track mind. One as a head coach, and then also as a defensive coordinator. But it’s been great to this point. I was excited yesterday to get in the room a little bit, that group, the defense, and kind of rolling up my sleeves and getting back to wearing that hat again. So I’m excited about it.”

McDermott points out he has experience as a defensive coordinator with the Eagles from 2009-2010 and the Panthers from 2011-2016. 

“It’s part of how I got here,” McDermott said. “So I just think being in the defensive staff room, having those critical conversations that come up, solving problems, trying to evolve where we need to evolve, and where the game is going. And then working hand in hand with our players. Again, that’s been mostly the assistants to this point. Then together with the staff figuring some things out and it just feels good. It feels natural. And we’ll see where it goes in the future.”

Chiefs

Chiefs GM Brett Veach said the team could have a readjustment coming to QB Patrick Mahomes‘ contract sooner rather than later.

“We have a special relationship with [Mahomes] and his agent. We’re in constant communication,” Veach said, via PFT. “It’s one of those things — and I think coach [Andy Reid] hinted on this in his last press conference — where as soon as one guy gets done, it’s kind of the blueprint and the model. And a few years later, it’s jumped and exceeded. But I think that this organization and the relationship we have with Pat will always be working to make sure that we’re doing right by everybody. There will be a couple more contracts that still have to get done — Burrow and Herbert — and once they do, I think you kind of look at everything and assess where you are and what you can do and take it from there.”

Chiefs HC Andy Reid said that Mahomes placed the team first and foremost and gave them the flexibility to replace or re-sign players that could help them compete for championships.

“You can start chasing that and kind of forget about your job at hand, but Pat’s got a great feel for all that stuff,” Reid said. “The main thing he wanted to do, which my hat just goes off to him, is he wanted to do a deal that was team-friendly so that we could sign — if you lose a left tackle, you could go out and sign another one and have that flexibility there. So, you know, I think he’s got a great feel on all that.”

Colts

Colts HC Gus Bradley said free agent DE Yannick Ngakoue was great for them last season, but they feel it’s time to move in a new direction. 

“We lost Yannick Ngakoue,” Bradley said, via Joel A. Erickson. “He was a tremendous player for us. That’s the NFL. There’s some times you bring new guys in, and they have to step up, and every year’s a new year with the team.”

Colts GM Chris Ballard is confident new DE Samson Ebukam fits their system. 

“Samson, we think, fits our defense schematically,” Ballard said.

Bradley thinks Ebukam is “relentless” on the field and brings passion to his game. 

“On tape, (Ebukam’s) just relentless,” Bradley said. “He plays extremely hard, he’s got a passion for it.”