AFC Notes: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

Broncos OC Justin Outten, who was the Packers’ tight ends coach from 2019-2021, compared Denver’s running back combination of Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams to Green Bay’s Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon. 

“It’s kind of almost by the feel of the game,” Outten said, via NFL.com. “It’s kind of a similar situation to what we had in Green Bay with a speedier guy and a downhill guy. You want to utilize those guys because it is a long season. You don’t want to bang them up. You want to be smart with them, use their strengths, put them out on the field, and make them work. We’re excited to have both those guys.”

Outten believes that re-signing Gordon provides a strong “1-2 punch” with Williams, while RBs Mike Boone and Damarea Crockett are still capable backups. 

“With him being in the system, it’s going to be another opportunity for us to get another guy back there to run the outside zone in third-down situations,” Outten said. “[It’s about] having that 1-2 punch. All those guys are working their tail off as well. You have Mike Boone and [Damarea] Crockett. Those guys are really putting in the work, so it’ll be exciting to get him on the field as well.”

Outten wouldn’t officially label Williams as their No. 1 running back and plans on keeping “fresh legs” at the position. 

“I’m not saying that,” Outten said. “I’m saying guys are going to be on the field that can change up the game with their pace and with fresh legs. There’s not necessarily a one and a two right now.”

• ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler mentions the Broncos as a potential landing spot for QB Nick Foles, as they need a backup behind Russell Wilson.
• PFN’s Aaron Wilson reports the Broncos’ UDFA deal for DE Christopher Allen includes $180,000 total guaranteed with $150,000 of his base salary guaranteed and a $30,000 signing bonus.
• Broncos UDFA CB Ja’Quan McMillian received a $15,000 signing bonus, a $60,000 salary guarantee, and a $75,000 total guarantee. (Mike Klis)

Chiefs

• South Dakota LB Jack Cochrane joins the Kansas City Chiefs on an undrafted free agent deal that includes $150,000 total guaranteed, $125,000 of his base salary guaranteed, and a $25,000 signing bonus. (Aaron Wilson)
• Sam Houston State DT Joe Wallace was invited to rookie minicamps for the Kansas City Chiefs and Arizona Cardinals. (Wilson)

Raiders

Raiders GM Dave Ziegler wants to build up the team’s running back position after drafting Zamir White out of Georgia in Round 4 and Brittain Brown of UCLA in Round 7.

“If it would have been different, if there were other players there, if it would have been two tight ends or two receivers that happened to be there who we thought were the best available at the time, we would have taken those players, too,” Ziegler said, via Pro Football Talk. “But again, you can never have enough good players at any one position. We’ve talked about it from the beginning, we want to build depth in competition. That’s going to be a very important part of this program. It was an opportunity to take some swings and add two good players that happened to be at the running back position.”

“I think what we look at when we evaluate every position … there are different roles to be filled,” Ziegler added. “You have sub-running backs. You have change-of-pace running backs. You have first- and second-down running backs. There are different roles and there’s going to be competition for those roles, so, however, that ends up kind of filling out it fills out. We have a lot of talented players there, and so we always want everybody to compete. Everybody — we want to have that mentality that they’re competing for a spot and are motivated to compete for playing time and things of that nature, and running back will be no different.”

• ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports Dolphins college scout Lenny McGill is expected to become the Raiders’ west coast national scout. McGill has served as a scout for the Broncos, Dolphins, and Packers over the last 21 seasons.