AFC Notes: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

• Adam Schefter mentioned on ESPN’s Get Up that Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers still plans to move on from Green Bay.
• Schefter speculates that Denver could remain an option to acquire Rodgers either this year or next after the team reached out to Green Bay about a potential deal on the night of the 2021 draft.
• Ben Volin of the Boston Globe thinks that for 2021 the Broncos will settle on QB Teddy Bridgewater as their starter, pointing out they’re paying him a fair amount more than they are 2020 incumbent starter Drew Lock. 

Chiefs

• The Athletic’s Nate Taylor notes if new Chiefs LT Orlando Brown has a successful 2021 season, the team will plan to sign him to a long-term deal with the franchise tag a last-ditch resort to keep him. 
• Depending on just how well Brown plays, Taylor writes he could be looking at a deal between what Broncos LT Garett Bolles got (four years, $68 million, $17 million APY) and 49ers LT Trent Williams (six years, $138 million, $23 million APY, highest-paid left tackle). 
• Taylor notes the franchise tag would be an option for the Chiefs to keep S Tyrann Mathieu next season if they can’t agree on an extension, though both sides want to work out a new deal. 
• Chiefs DE Taco Charlton, DT Jarran Reed, and DT Derrick Nnadi are all also in contract years and could set themselves up for significant paydays in free agency, either from Kansas City or other teams, with strong seasons in 2021, per Taylor. 
• The Chiefs aren’t the most settled at cornerback but Taylor points out a good season from either CB Charvarius Ward or CB Mike Hughes could earn them a new deal with the Chiefs or another team. 
• Taylor adds Chiefs OT Mike Remmers, G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and C Austin Blythe are competing for starting and backup roles as they enter contract years. 
• Taylor thinks if Chiefs backup QB Chad Henne continues his career after 2021, it will be with another team. 
• According to Ian Rapaport, if DE Frank Clark misses time due to his legal issues, the Chiefs may sign free agent OLB Melvin Ingram. (CHIEFS HIGHLIGHTS)

Raiders

Abysmal is the best way to describe how the Raiders linebackers played in 2020 despite making significant free-agent investments in Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski. However, Las Vegas elected to bring back largely the same unit, including re-signing LB Nicholas Morrow, partially due to the financial commitment they already made and partially due to new DC Gus Bradley‘s background working with the position. He’s optimistic he can help turn things around. 

“Speed is such a factor, and I like what I see so far,” Bradley said via the Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed. “The game has gotten so spread out, with teams using the whole width and the whole length of the field. You have to have it, and we have some good speed. Now it’s just a matter of utilizing it.”