AFC Notes: Broncos, Chiefs, Colts

Broncos

Broncos CB Bryce Callahan had a disappointing season in 2019 after sustaining a broken foot, but finally has a clean bill of health after a screw from his surgery was recently removed.

“Coming off of last year, it was a big disappointment,” Callahan said, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “I don’t want to say I’ve got something to prove, but I’ve got something to prove to myself. I’ve never been more excited to get back out on the football field. This was my first year in 20-something odd years that I didn’t play football, so it’s a big year for me. I’ve never worked this hard in the offseason. I’m ready to get back out there. I’m full-go with no limitations. I’m not really even thinking about my foot. Everything is moving in the right direction. I just want to play all 16 games, stay healthy and ball out.”

Chiefs

Chiefs RB Damien Williams was a key part of Kansas City’s Super Bowl run during the playoffs, scoring six total touchdowns, including two in the Super Bowl and 133 total yards. Some thought Williams had a case as Super Bowl MVP, but the Chiefs used their first pick in the draft this year on a possible replacement — RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Chiefs RB coach Deland McCullough says Williams took Kansas City’s first-round selection of Edwards-Helaire in stride.

“As far as how he reacted to the drafting of Clyde, Damien is a competitor,” McCullough said via the Athletic’s Nate Taylor. “He’s going to continue to do the things he needs to do and control what he can control, embracing guys and continuing to move forward.”

Edwards-Helaire has drawn some lofty comparisons, including to Brian Westbrook and Darren Sproles, but McCullough wants to pump the brakes on the hype for the rookie who hasn’t even practiced with the team yet.

“Until I get him on the field, on this level, and we start doing some of the things we’re asking him to do, I don’t that’s a fair comparison until Clyde actually puts his cleats on and put a Chiefs uniform on and goes out there and starts balling, which I expect him to do,” he said.

Colts

In an interview with Andrew Walker of the official team website, Colts DC Matt Eberflus gave his thoughts on Indianapolis’ various notable offseason additions on defense. 

• On DL DeForest Buckner: “The question was posed to me, ‘Hey, if we get X player at 13, or this player at 13, or we could acquire DeForest…’ we did some thinking on that, and the thought process was, ‘Hey, we got a known player here that we’ve seen play in the NFL that’s young, that’s played a lot of snaps, has done a great job in terms of impacting football games. If we can get him, let’s go get him.'”
• On CBs Xavier Rhodes and T.J. Carrie: “You start talking about in the secondary, first you had Xav coming in at corner — I mean, that’s just another All-Pro player that we’ve acquired…That’s just gonna create competition for everybody and raise their level of play… And then acquiring T.J. … T.J. is a guy that’s got experience playing inside and outside. That’s certainly a piece we were missing at times last year once Kenny (Moore II) went down; we didn’t have the depth there that we thought we needed to develop more, and (Carrie’s) certainly a piece that can slide in and can slide out.”
• On DT Sheldon Day: “Sheldon is a guy that has the exact same thing with DeForest, which is motor. He’s got great motor. He’s one of those pieces inside that we we’re looking for in terms of having three or four players inside that can play.”
• On third-round S Julian Blackmon: “Yeah, the first thing you look at defensively…we see what kind of turnover activity he has. …If they take the ball away in college, they’re gonna take the ball away in the pros…. [Blackmon] has over seven interceptions in his career, he’s caused several fumbles, recovered fumbles, he’s a heck of an athlete. He’s what we’d consider a ball guy.”