AFC Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

• Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated notes that Broncos OLB Von Miller‘s option for 2021 would pay him an $18 million base salary and carry a cap hit of $22.125 million. 
• Breer could see the Broncos negotiating a pay cut from Miller’s possible 2021 salary in the form of an extension.  
• Per KOA Colorado’s Brandon Krisztal, Broncos HC Vic Fangio said they’ll wait until closer to the game to decide if G Graham Glasgow will return. The performance of sixth-round G Netane Muti gives them a lot of confidence if Glasgow can’t go: “I think he’s healthy enough to play, the question is if he is at 80, 85 percent are we better off their or with Muti at 100%.”
• The NFL has told the Broncos that K Brandon McManus won’t clear the COVID-19 protocol in time to kick on Saturday, per Fangio. McManus will clear by Sunday. (Troy Renck)
• Fangio doesn’t expect Broncos CB Bryce Callahan (foot) to make it back this season. (Mike Klis)

Chargers

• Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated believes Chargers GM Tom Telesco has a “much better shot” at being retained this offseason than HC Anthony Lynn given Telesco still has three years remaining on his contract. 
• Breer points out the Chargers’ roster has sufficient talent which could lead to the team’s struggles falling more on coaching. 
• The Athletic’s Daniel Popper points out that Chargers WR Mike Williams will make $15.68 million on the fifth-year option in 2021, which would be the third-highest on the team. It’s hard to argue Williams is the third-most important player on the team, which Popper says means there’s a case for rescinding his option before it guarantees. 
• Whether that actually happens is another thing, as Popper says the Chargers love Williams’ work ethic and talent despite his injury history. An extension to lower his cap hit is a strong possibility. 
• Popper says the Chargers believe Dan Feeney has a strong future at center and are focused on getting him as many reps as possible this year. 

Chiefs

Saints HC Sean Payton said studying film of Patrick Mahomes as a rookie out of Texas Tech was among the best he’s seen “in my time in the NFL.”

“I remember getting on our owner’s plane thinking, ‘Man, that was as good of a quarterback evaluation as I’ve had in my time in the NFL,’” Payton said, via Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star. 

Mahomes said he “didn’t sense” that the Saints had much interest in him during the draft process back in 2017. 

“With the Saints, I didn’t sense (their interest) as much,” Mahomes said. “I know I definitely had a good workout. But I didn’t sense that they were going to pick me, obviously with Drew still being there and the success that he still had to this day.”

Raiders

• The Athletic’s Vic Tafur writes that while the Raiders’ free-agent spending spree at linebacker to bring in Nick Kwiatkoski and Cory Littleton caused a lot of excitement in the fanbase, he took note of former DC Paul Guenther‘s subdued tone when discussing them, which leads Tafur to believe they might not have been great fits for Guenther’s scheme. 
• He added Guenther felt really limited whenever first-round CB Damon Arnette was out of the lineup, which is a sign of just how much the Raiders love Arnette but also bad for Guenther given how much time the rookie has missed in 2020. 
• While veteran DC Wade Phillips is reportedly interested in the Raiders job in 2021, Tafur doesn’t get the sense HC Jon Gruden‘s interest is as mutual. 
• Raiders OC Greg Olson is out of commission for Thursday night’s game against the Chargers due to the COVID-19 protocols. (Vincent Bonsignore)