AFC Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Raiders

Broncos

• Broncos HC Vic Fangio is happy both QB Teddy Bridgewater and QB Drew Lock played well in their first preseason game: “I want it to be a hard decision.” (Troy Renck)
• Fangio added he doesn’t think either Lock or Bridgewater separated themselves: “I thought they both played very well. Kind of validated what I’ve been saying all camp that they’re even-steven. … I don’t think any separation happened today if anybody’s looking for it.” (Mike Klis) 
• Mike Klis reports S Trey Marshall will be out a few days with a sprained ankle.

Chargers

New Chargers HC Brandon Staley is making a concerted effort to prevent some of the injury issues that have played the team for years. 

Staley has instituted sports-performance parlance, which is an activation period that is designed to get the players’ bodies warm and ready to practice. 

“When I got my shot, I really wanted to be a team of teams,” Staley tells Albert Breer. “It was really lengthened across all phases—football, sports performance, personnel. Those are the teams that stand the test of time. I want our offense to know how we play on defense. I want our defense to know how we play on offense. And then I want them to know how we bring it all together in the kicking game, and I think there’s a lot of benefit to that.

“Corey Linsley can help Linval Joseph. I think Derwin James can help Justin Herbert. And I think you bring people closer and they get invested because they know what’s going on. And it’s the same thing in sports performance and all the other things we do. This is the reason why we’re going to meet the way we do the night before at the hotel, this is the way we’re going to travel on the plane. I wanted the way we play, and then the way we train and prepare and perform, I wanted all that coming from a central place.”

Chargers QB Justin Herbert says the players are appreciative of Staley and his staff’s efforts to help ensure they’re as healthy as possible. 

“The mindset behind it is the Chargers have been plagued by injuries the last couple years late in the season,” Herbert said. “It’s a long, long season of football, you have to be ready for 17, 18 games, hopefully more in the playoffs. And I think what they’re trying to do now is really build your body up. They’re doing three days on, one day off, recovery day, and then building it, slow it down, giving us a lot of time to stretch, warm up, do things so when we go to practice, we’re able to go.

“I think it’s all for the players, and I know the older players are appreciative of it, talking with Chris Harris and Bryan Bulaga, that’s kind of what they’ve advocated for.”

Raiders

• Vic Tafur of The Athletic notes several players who did well in the Raiders’ first preseason game, including RB Trey Ragas, RB B.J. Emmons, WR Zay Jones, CB Nate Hobbs, CB Amik Robertson, CB Keisean Nixon, and LB Javin White.
• Tafur also points out some who had a lackluster performance, including S Dallin Leavitt, G John Simpson, T Brandon Parker, T Jarryd Jones-Smith, CB Damon Arnette, and CB Rasul Douglas.