AFC Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Colts

Chargers

Chargers RB Melvin Gordon is holding out in the hopes of getting a new deal that he hopes bucks the trend of teams devaluing the running back position. Gordon is campaigning to reverse that trend, claiming running back is the second-hardest position to play besides quarterback. He cites the impact runners like Ezekiel Elliott have and what happens when they’re not playing. 

“Clearly, you seen what happened when Zeke was out. It was a completely different team,” Gordon said via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams. “You can replace average backs. Yeah, just plug them in. But a great back? You can’t just replace a great back. People think you can do that. You can’t. It will be a difference. It will be a difference, man. We do so much for people to even try to devalue us. We block. We’ve got to run the ball. We’ve got to pick up protections. We have to catch the ball. We have to do what receivers do. We have to do our thing. We have so much that goes through us.”

Colts

Colts GM Chris Ballard said that the team’s draft room was “split” on trading down from No. 34 or selecting CB Rock Ya-Sin.

“The next day (Friday of draft weekend), there were five players we still liked who were available at No. 34, and the draft room was split,” said Ballard, via Pro Football Talk. “Half of the room thought we should trade again and acquire another second and third-round pick, and the other half wanted to stay at No. 34 and pick Ya-Sin.

In the end, Ballard and Colts HC Frank Reich decided that they could not pass on Ya-Sin. 

“Coach Reich and I huddled for a few minutes and we decided we couldn’t afford the chance to lose a blue-card player like Ya-Sin. He fit exactly what we wanted at corner and there was no way we could pass on him at No. 34.”

Ballard added that “half of the room” felt that the Colts could still acquire Ya-Sin if they traded down from No. 34. 

“The other half of the room—who wanted to trade back—thought we could still get Ya-Sin, but at a lower pick,” said Ballard. “There’s never a perfect alignment in the room, but once we make a decision, there is no looking back and second-guessing.”