AFC Notes: Bo Nix, Travis Kelce, Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs

Broncos

After the fallout with QB Russell Wilson this offseason, the Broncos stood pat at pick No. 12 and selected QB Bo Nix in the first round. Denver GM George Paton believes Nix is more game-ready than the other quarterbacks in the class.

“You look at it, it’s hard because this is new but 24 years old is not that old for football,” Paton said, via Mike Klis of 9News. “You evaluate it but you’re really evaluating the player, you’re evaluating the person. Evaluate how they fit in with the organization, especially for a quarterback. To me the age, they’re going to be more, especially with a guy like Bo Nix, 61 starts, we feel like he’ll be more game-ready than if we were going to draft a 21-year-old.”

• A team source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler it felt like Broncos HC Sean Payton and Paton were determined to leave this draft with a quarterback to fix the position once and for all. 
• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer says the Broncos’ analytics department gave Nix high grades, among the best in the class. 
• Denver hired Joey DiCresce as a full-time football data scientist after he was a data science intern with them previously. (Seth Walder)

Chargers

Chargers GM Joe Hortiz said he feels good about the state of the wide receiver position after the draft and they’ll continue adding depth at every position.

“I mean, we drafted three, so I definitely feel like we got a lot deeper there,” Hortiz said, via Chargers Wire. “I’ve talked about depth for our team from the beginning, that’s one of the goals. I feel like we got deeper there. I think the group that exists is going to go out and compete and challenge each other and try to win for the Chargers,” Hortiz said. “If we feel like we can add a player to any group on this team that helps us do those things, we’re going to add them. It doesn’t matter the position.”

Chiefs

When appearing on his New Heights Podcast, Chiefs TE Travis Kelce said he is happy to increase the highest average annual salary for his position. 

“I’m so excited and so thankful to this organization for getting it done, making me feel appreciated and compensated the right way and on top of that I got to move the needle for the tight end room,’‘ Kelce said. “It’s everyone else’s job to keep making that tight end AAV go up and up with every single contract that’s better than mine in the future.”