AFC Notes: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

Broncos WR Courtland Sutton can see the passion that new HC Nathaniel Hackett is bringing to the team and is happy with where the team is currently.

“I think one of my biggest things is to watch Coach Hackett go play linebacker when we’re doing our little installs because he’s all into playing his little linebacker position,” Sutton said, via BroncosWire.com. “Just seeing him as involved as he is — not just with the offense, but also the entire team — I think everyone feels his entire love for this game, love for the team that he has, and the opportunity he’s been given to be the head coach of the Denver Broncos. I don’t see him taking this for granted. You can just tell by just talking to him. I’m sure you guys have seen it. He truly enjoys being able to come up here and do what he does. It bleeds all the way down from him to the coaches to the players. You love to see it.”

• Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, citing a league source, reports that the purchase of the Broncos franchise is Rob Walton‘s to lose, but there could be other credible bidders contending to acquire the organization.
• Florio writes that Walton’s competition has the ability to pay more than $5 billion for the organization, but the question is whether those bidders will force Walton to pay more than the $5 billion bid. 

Chiefs

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce said Kansas City’s offense should be more unpredictable in 2022 with the loss of WR Tyreek Hill, as teams won’t be able to focus in one just one or two players. Kelce believes having someone like QB Patrick Mahomes running the offense who is able to spread the ball around all over the field will create an advantage for them.

“That’s the excitement, in my mind,” Kelce said, via the Athletic. “I think it has to be a new offense. Teams are going to have to see how we’re going to come out and attack them. With a guy like (Mahomes) out there who knows where to go with the ball, I think it can be an advantage, for sure.”

Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster figure to play prominent roles in the team’s offense this year. 

“It’s awesome to see guys like Marquez and JuJu come in with the type of mentality they’ve come in with, the professionalism and just the work ethic,” Kelce said. “I feel like I’ve had to evolve, and that’s just the mentality that I have to always try and find a new way that coach Reid can utilize me. That’s where I’m most prideful is being able to move all over the field — in the backfield, out wide and obviously in the traditional tight end situations. That’s why I love being here.”

Mahomes held private practices in Texas with the team’s prominent pass-catchers. Chiefs HC Andy Reid believes that allowed the team to get a head start on building chemistry this offseason.

“I’ve liked what I’ve seen,” Reid said. “(Mahomes) was able to hit the base routes and they did a little bit of putting the routes together. With some of the new things, Pat is working through it with them and it’s been good. It’s way better execution than you’d think for a bunch of new guys.”

Mahomes has also been impressed with WR Justin Watson‘s speed.

“He’s been a pleasant surprise for me,” Mahomes said. “That dude can roll. He came down to Texas. I threw with him the first day, and I called (GM Brett) Veach and I was like, ‘Wait, how fast is this guy?’ He was running so fast that I was late on my throws. He’s had two great days.”

Raiders

NFL Network’s David Carr mentioned on the Rich Eisen Show that Raiders QB Derek Carr was pushing the organization to sign WR Davante Adams over the last five years. 

“It’s something they’ve tried to make happen for five years now, since Davante signed his contract extension several years ago with the Packers,” Carr said, via ProFootballTalk. “Derek was pushing to get him there. . . . A couple years ago they were really close to making that happen.”