AFC Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

• Broncos GM George Paton wouldn’t directly address QB Aaron Rodgers returning to Green Bay: “If a player we covet is available, we will pursue them. I cannot comment on (another team’s player).” (Troy Renck)
• Paton doesn’t want to put a timetable on the competition between Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater: “I don’t you think you put a deadline on it. You hope to see some separation as we get into Minnesota with the scrimmages.” (Kyle Newman)
• Paton said the team has over an 85 percent vaccination rate, while the coaching staff is at 100 percent. (Newman)
• Paton is excited about second-year WR Jerry Jeudy: “He just needs to complete developing route process. He has taken as big a step as anyone this offseason.” (Renck)
• Broncos HC Vic Fangio said Lock will get the first QB reps: “We have these first four days. Everything was 50-50 in OTA. What group worked with, drills. We will take look after first off day. Then maybe do (a) day where one gets 70 and the other 30 reps. It’s going to be 50-50.” (Renck)
• Fangio mentioned the team will manage WR Courtland Sutton‘s reps coming of his ACL injury. (Mike Klis)
• Sutton said he is almost ready to practice: “I feel very close to 100%. The last percent I need is football.” (Klis)
• Fangio said he would like to name a right tackle, between OTs Bobby Massie, Cameron Fleming, Calvin Anderson and Quinn Bailey, relatively quickly: “The sooner, the better. It’s not quite as critical as QB as far as naming that guy.” (Renck) 
• Fangio is excited about WR KJ Hamler, but the team will manage his reps: “We have to do a good job of keeping him healthy.” (Renck)
• Broncos CEO Joe Ellis said the team’s ownership transition will happen after the season. (Klis)
• Ellis added Brittany Bowlen becoming owner or a sale are both in play. (Renck)
• Broncos OLB Von Miller has been impressed with DT Dre’Mont Jones: “I’ve played with a lot of great defensive tackles and Dre’Mont, he’s more explosive than all of them.” (Klis)
• Miller added the team could surprise people: “I don’t know how many games we are going to win but we are going to win a lot of games.” (Renck)

Chargers

• The Athletic’s Daniel Popper thinks the Chargers will keep both QBs Chase Daniel and Easton Stick on the roster, though the veteran Daniel has the edge as the No. 2. 
• Popper writes Chargers RB Justin Jackson needs to stay healthy and have a good training camp to make the roster in 2021. 
• Popper likes TE Stephen Anderson‘s chances of cracking the roster even as the fourth tight end. 
• The competition for reserve defensive line spots is wide open, per Popper, with Cortez Broughton and Breiden Fehoko the early leaders based on experience. 
• Popper predicts K Tristan Vizcaino and LS Ryan Langan beat out K Michael Badgley and LS Cole Mazza for starting jobs. 

Chiefs

Chiefs S Juan Thornhill feels “100 percent healthy” and is ready to emerge as a leader on the team’s defense.

“The knee feels great,” said Thornhill, via Nate Taylor of The Athletic. “I love that Coach (Andy Reid) brought me out here on this little camp right here because I got a chance to get moving and get my feet back up underneath me. I feel better than I have in a long time.”

Thornhill admitted that he was not fully healthy last season.

“There were multiple times where I could’ve made an interception or knocked the ball down,” he stated. “But I was a half a second too late.”

Thornhill continued, stating that he had to challenge himself to get over the mental hurdles that come with playing through pain.

“I had to tell myself, ‘It’s going to hurt, but you’ve got to play through it.’ When the end of the season came, you saw me making more plays just because it’s more mental and I just pushed myself through that mental block.”

Thornhill utilized the offseason program to go through mental reps with DC Steve Spagnuolo, ensuring that his knee would be fully healthy in time for training camp.

“I’m making every single call, the corners’ calls and the safeties’ calls to make sure I know everything,” Thornhill said of his on-field discussions with Spagnuolo. “The biggest thing with him is just turning me into a leader.”

Raiders

• Raiders HC Jon Gruden said the entire coaching staff and every player put four or five guys are vaccinated. (Paul Gutierrez) 
• Gruden mentioned third-round S Divine Deablo had knee surgery and will miss a few weeks of camp. (Gutierrez)
• Gruden said DE Clelin Ferrell‘s best play is still ahead: “I think his best pass rush might be inside.” (Gutierrez)
• On the team’s new secondary, Gruden has high expectations: “I’ll be really upset if they’re not worth the price of admission.” (Gutierrez)