AFC Notes: Broncos, Colts, Raiders

Broncos

Broncos QB Drew Lock believes the running back tandem of Melvin Gordon and Phillip Lindsay will be a “nasty one-two punch” for the team’s offense. 

“That’s going to be a nasty one-two punch with him and Phil,” Lock said, via DenverBroncos.com. “I think just being able to have guys that can bounce it like Phil can, [and] I know Melvin can do the same. Good hands out of the backfield. I said good — great hands out of the backfield. You watch a lot of clips of him catching the ball out of the backfield, which will be big for us. And then being able to pound it on third-and-short, fourth-and-short. Being able to trust a big, heavy-bodied guy to go get that first down for us. I think he’s also going to be a good teammate … just from when I’ve been talking to him, a couple text messages that we’ve had. It seems like we’re going to have a pretty good relationship.”

Going forward, Lock looks forward to getting more experience, which he believes will bring him more confidence as Denver’s starting quarterback in 2020.

“I think any time you get more experience under your belt, you’re going to be more confident,” Lock said. “I look back on last year and watch those games and saw some bonehead decisions, but also saw some really good things. Obviously you want to try and duplicate the really good things you’ve seen. I think being able to go back, watch that film, take in what I need to take in from it and be able to go in this year knowing that I can do it [is the biggest takeaway].”

Colts

Colts HC Frank Reich said he is “so confident” that veteran QB Philip Rivers‘ physical tools aren’t “diminishing at all” despite him being 38-years old and coming off of a disappointing season. 

“I was so confident that physically he was the right player and he had not lost anything,” Reich said, via Kevin Bowen of 1075TheFan. “All the throws that I saw on film and as I go back and study them compared to previous throws, I really didn’t notice any physical gifts diminishing at all. I really didn’t.”

Reich added that their decision to sign Rivers did not have to do with Jacoby Brissett and they just saw a “unique opportunity” to sign an elite quarterback. 

“It wasn’t so much about what Jacoby (Brissett) wasn’t doing, it was about a unique opportunity to get who we feel is an elite, Hall of Fame quarterback and can help our team.”

Reich praised Rivers’ ability to make plays downfield and avoid checking down for lesser yards. 

“As long as he thinks he has a chance to win, he’s throwing the ball down the field,” Reich said. “And when other quarterbacks might be taking check downs, he’s trying to make chunk plays. And the result of that is that he throws a few more interceptions. That’ll be a goal (to cut down). There’s no doubt we want to greatly reduce that number. He knows the responsibility from that position.”

Raiders

• NBC Sports’ Scott Bair writes the Raiders could still draft a defensive tackle, as projected starters Jonathan Hankins and Maliek Collins are each on deals that expire after 2020. 
• After the additions of LBs Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski, Bair says the Raiders are set at linebacker for both the short and long term. 
• Bair adds the addition of S Damarious Randall solidifies that position group as well. 
• Bair expects the Raiders to target a starting cornerback with one of their two first-round picks.