AFC Notes: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

• ESPN’s Adam Schefter points out Broncos OT Ja’Wuan James’ contract tolled last year and he was owed $10 million guaranteed for skill and injury, to go along with another $10 million in 2022. 
• Schefter mentions Denver is no longer obligated to pay him the guarantees given he was not at the team facility when he suffered the injury. 
• Should the Broncos move on from James, Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post writes Denver won’t automatically regain $10 million in cap space and would have to carry a portion of his salary until a potential grievance is settled. 
• KUSA’s Mike Klis points out that Calvin Anderson is set to start at right tackle, while practice squad OT Quinn Bailey and rookie OT Drew Himmelman are “in the mix.”
• O’Halloran believes the Broncos should explore acquiring Lions OT Tyrell Crosby given he’s in the last year of his rookie contract. 
• Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater’s one-year, $11.5 million deal includes a $7,062,500 signing bonus paid by Panthers, $3 million of his $4,250,500 salary is fully guaranteed, and he can earn another $187,000 in per-game active bonuses. (Tom Pelissero)

Chiefs

• Chiefs’ UDFA QB Shane Buechele will receive $175,000 guaranteed, $160,000 of his first-year base salary guaranteed, and a $15,000 signing bonus. (Aaron Wilson)
• Chiefs’ UDFA Devon Key will receive $65,000 guaranteed, $50,000 of his first-year base salary guaranteed, and a $15,000 signing bonus. (Aaron Wilson)
• Chiefs’ CB Dicaprio Bootle will receive $45,000 total guaranteed: $25,000 of first-year base salary guaranteed, and a $20,000 signing bonus. (Aaron Wilson)

Raiders

Raiders GM Mike Mayock said he ignores criticism about reaching for OT Alex Leatherwood at No. 17 overall and mentioned that 

“I ignore it 100 percent, except for the fact that I think it’s part of my job to understand league value,” said Mayock, via ESPN.com. “So if you’re going to move up or down the board, you have to know what league value on players are.”

Mayock mentioned that a team inquired about moving up to No. 17 overall, but it was an offensive tackle-needy team that offered “very poor” value. 

“Just when we got on the clock a team did call us and inquired about moving up but they gave us a very poor trade offer and it was a team that needed a tackle,” Mayock said. “So the combination of the poor offer and their need kind of pushed us away from that. There’s a risk/reward scenario and, in this case, we didn’t feel that it was worth it.”

Mayock added that Leatherwood was the “highest-rated player” on their draft board when selecting in the first round. 

“In all honesty, he was the highest-rated player on our board at that time — offense or defense,” said Mayock. 

Leatherwood said his pre-draft ranking put a “chip on my shoulder” and he is eager to prove he is worthy of the No. 17 overall pick. 

“I mean, it definitely put a chip on my shoulder,” Leatherwood said. “It bothered me a little bit, but at the same time I’m not a media guy. I’m not the type of dude to get caught up in all that garbage, because I know what my film said about me. And the GM and the coach, they know that as well. I’m just grateful that they watched that film and they saw me as good enough to be the 17th overall pick. I’m more than excited to get to the program and prove them right. Not necessarily prove the haters, the people who made all the mock drafts and all this stuff wrong, but to prove to myself and the Raiders organization right.”