AFC Notes: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

“I think everything other than the financial aspect is pretty much in the green area of negotiations,” McManus told Mike Klis of 9news.com. “I think everything else, the health and safety, has pretty much been finalized. There’s a little bit of operational stuff with the traveling and hotels. I know they’re doing testing for the hotel staff members so they’re really going to an extensive level to make sure the players are safe. I think that’s going to go off without a hitch. I think the season is going to start on time. I don’t foresee anything that’s going to stop that.”

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes said everything went smoothly with contract negotiations on his 10-year, $450 million deal. 

“They really did. The best thing that happened was the Chiefs and my team, we went in with an open mind. We tried to figure out what was not only best for me and my family, but also what was best for the team moving forward. In order to build something great, you have to have that open-minded communication,” said Mahomes, via Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports. 

Mahomes said that he was unaware NFL contracts could go up to 10 years and wanted to make sure the Chiefs and his representation structured a cap-friendly deal. 

“100 percent. There were two things I said when we went into negotiations: I wanted to keep great players around me and I wanted to have long-term security for my family. I certainly wasn’t thinking 10 years. I didn’t even know NFL contracts did that,” said Mahomes. “With those two things in mind, the way we structured the deal and the way we did it, we’re going to have a lot of flexibility to keep great players around me and when you have great players around you, you’re going to have a great football team.” 

As for his relationship with Chiefs HC Andy Reid, Mahomes called the coach’s presence “very” important towards negotiations. 

“Very. When you have a great organization from top down, from ownership to personnel, to general manager, to coaches, to players, — we do stuff the right way. With Coach Reid building that culture of how to play football and how to just be people and how to have a culture of winning while at the same time just being great people to each other — that gave me the security to know that this is going to be something that’s going to be good for a long time.”

Mahomes feels he still can improve on the “mental part” of the game and will continue to develop with more experience. 

“There’s still so much I can improve,” Mahomes said. “The mental part of the game, you learn more and more every single year you’re in the NFL, especially at the quarterback position. You learn from reps, you learn from seeing different stuff, and we understand defenses are going to keep throwing different stuff at us and combat the stuff we do so well. I’m going to keep trying to learn as much as possible. I’m going to keep to drill in the fundamentals. I really have only been playing quarterback for six or seven years. It’s not like I’ve been playing for a very long time at the position, so I’m going to do whatever I can to try and get better and better at the fundamentals.”

Raiders

• The Athletic’s Vic Tafur notes the Raiders have a tough first five games before their bye week, so starting QB Derek Carr will face some pressure to hold off backup QB Marcus Mariota.
• Tafur’s colleague, Tashan Reed, notes the Raiders are deep at running back with Josh Jacobs, Jalen Richard, third-round rookie Lynn Bowden Jr. and Devontae Booker. However, Tafur doesn’t think Booker makes the team and Bowden could be brought along slowly as an offensive weapon. 
• At receiver, the two think WR Nelson Agholor provides some valuable veteran depth if the rookies aren’t ready immediately, but both are impressed with third-round WR Bryan Edwards, who could be ready to start sooner rather than later. 
• Tafur has the Raiders keeping four tight ends, with Foster Moreau and Derek Carrier rounding out the group with starters Darren Waller and Jason Witten. 
• Reed says Raiders Gs Jordan Devey, Lester Cotton and Erik Kush are battling for roster spots behind four other guards on the roster. 
• Tafur mentions the Raiders believe LT Kolton Miller is on the verge of having a Pro Bowl year in 2020.