AFC Notes: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

• The Broncos have officially ruled out TE Noah Fant (ankle) from Week 6 and he did not travel with the team to New England. (Troy Renck)
• Denver also ruled out WR KJ Hamler (hamstring) and OLB Jeremiah Attaochu (quad) this week. 
• The Broncos also announced that RBs coach Curtis Modkins has tested positive for COVID-19 and did not travel with the team. 
• According to Mike Klis, Broncos’ coaching intern Jett Modkins is considered “high risk” for transmission despite testing negative given he lives with Curtis, his father. 
• Broncos released QB Blake Bortles. (NFLTR)
• Broncos signed DL Sylvester Williams to their active roster.
• Broncos promoting RB Jeremy Cox and ILB Josh Watson to their active roster. 

Chiefs

• Chiefs HC Andy Reid said he expects newly signed RB Le’Veon Bell to contribute going forward: “He’s been a heck of a player. I wouldn’t expect anything else here.” (Adam Teicher)
• The Chiefs officially ruled out WR Sammy Watkins (hamstring) from Week 6. 
• Chiefs placed G Kelechi Osemele on injured reserve. (NFLTR)

Raiders

Raiders’ DB coach Jim O’Neil had nothing but good things to say about both S Johnathan Abram and CB Trayvon Mullen after Las Vegas’ defense held strong against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

“He’s better than advertised,” O’Neil said of Abram, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic. “I love him. He’s exactly what this team needed and exactly what this defense needed. We needed an alpha dog in the back end that’s going to make the middle of the field a scary place and fly around and be a relentless player. John is one of those players who is truly all gas and no brakes. In my experience in this league, it’s a lot easier to slow guys down than it is to speed them up. As he plays more and more, he’s going to understand those situations where he can take a shot or when he’s got to just come under control and secure a good tackle or come under control and keep leverage in coverage. Being only six games into his NFL career, I know skill players on the other side of the line of scrimmage are finding him pre-snap because they want to know where he is.”

“I think Trayvon has taken a big jump,” O’Neil also said of Mullen. “He put on some good weight and really improved his lower-body strength, and the game slowed down for him a little bit. Instead of going to the line and just playing, he is going to the line with a plan and he’s executing his plan. You can see the confidence. That’s been our vision the last three years as we’ve built this thing. We looked for tough guys who love to play. And some of those guys you are going to have to put them in straight jackets to keep them out of the game. I think it’s impressive.”