AFC Notes: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Chandler Jones

Broncos

Broncos WR Travis Fulgham has an uphill battle to make the roster in Denver, which is his fifth team going on four years in the league. If he plays like he did for that one month with the Eagles in 2020, however, he’ll run away with the job. 

“It was amazing, a dream come true,” Fulgham said via the Athletic’s Nick Kosmider. “I’ve probably never been happier in my life, just going out there and balling and doing what I love and being able to help a city like Philly win some games. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long, but people saw what I can do.”

Fulgham had a brilliant five-game stretch where he led the league with 435 yards on 29 catches and scored four touchdowns. But he fell off the map as quickly and inexplicably as he appeared, catching just nine passes in his final eight games. 

“It’s definitely a business first; I’ll say that,” Fulgham said. “All I can do is stick to my game and do what I do. I didn’t go anywhere. It’s just kind of how the situation ended up. But I haven’t gone anywhere. My game is still here. I can take over a game if I want to.”

Chiefs

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo admitted that their defense will likely go through some growing pains after losing several players over the offseason like S Tyrann Mathieu, LB Anthony Hitchens, and CB Charvarius Ward.

“There’s no question about that,” Spagnuolo said, via ChiefsWire. “Yeah, there’s gonna be a lot of new faces, there’s youth, the system’s new to a lot of the guys even if they’re not young. I’m going through an eyeball, ‘What should we do shouldn’t we do all the time.’ I’m throwing a lot at them right now and they’re probably talking that way — the volume is huge right now for a reason. You know, find out who can handle it, who can’t. We’ll never go into a game with all of this. So there’ll be mistakes out there that normally I don’t think we would make. There’s going to have to be some growth, you know, within the game, so to speak. There’s going to be — we’re going to have to live with some growing pains. I believe that, hopefully, we can overcome them. But I think that’s the only way we’re gonna get it to where we need it to go. Because you’re right. You just look at some guys are going to have to step up there and play.”

Spagnuolo is confident that the Chiefs’ defensive leadership will eventually reveal itself over time. 

“With the leadership, we just look and see where it goes right now,” said Spagnuolo. “Some guys are natural, they step up. I’m in their ears once in a while giving a couple pointers here or there. We’ll see where it goes. I think it’s going to take a little time. I think today was the fifth OTA where we can actually do some of the blending. But there are some positive signs, so hopefully it keeps going like that.”

Raiders

Raiders HC Josh McDaniels praised veteran DE Chandler Jones‘ ability to use his large frame and still thinks he’s playing at a “really high level” at 32-years old.

“He’s a very slick guy in terms of using his frame,” McDaniels said, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic. “He’s got long arms and he’s hard to get a big hit on, which I like because the more contact you get on some of those guys, the more physical toll it takes on their body. I know he’s into his 30s, but I see Chandler as a guy that is still playing at a really high level and he’s playing at that level on all three downs, which I love.”

Jones feels grateful to be reunited with DC Patrick Graham. 

“When I got into the league as a rookie, he didn’t just teach me how you get to the quarterback or how you set an edge,” Jones said. “He taught me things off the field, about how to be a man. Little things like tying your tie. Things like that, they go a long way.”

As for playing alongside DE Maxx Crosby, Jones said he admires his fellow defensive ends’ work ethic and has enjoyed getting to know him this offseason. 

“It’s funny with the different levels we are as far as experience — I am going into my 11th year and he is a very young player — but just the way that he works,” Jones said. “He is a premier example of a football player, and that’s something that you can’t coach. There is no magic pill that you can take. It’s just a love of the game, and to be around someone like Maxx Crosby, it’s insane. I have admired his work ethic and really enjoyed being around someone who loves football as much as I do. It’s very rare. That’s been fun for me.”