AFC Notes: Broncos, Jets, Raiders

Broncos

• Mike Klis of 9News writes that this will be a make or break season for former first-round QB Paxton Lynch. If Lynch ends up sitting behind Case Keenum for the entire season, the Broncos will obviously decline his fifth-year option.
• However, Klis wouldn’t be surprised to see the Broncos hold onto him for the 2019 season rather than trade him.
• Klis says that Devontae Booker and rookie Royce Freeman will be the Broncos’ top two running backs. Although, Klis notes that rookies David Williams and Phillip Lindsay both received a surprising amount of reps during offseason workouts, so it remains to be seen how the depth chart will play out.

Jets

Jets LBs coach Mike Caldwell believes things are starting to come together for former first-round LB Darron Lee, as he prepares for his third season in the NFL.

“He can be as good as he wants to be,” Caldwell said, via Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. “He has all the tools. He’s getting better by being able to see things faster. His eyes are better. He’s just learning the game. Coming from college, it took him a while to understand the professional game. He’s done a good job of finding his niche.”

Raiders

Both Raiders HC Jon Gruden and DC Paul Guenter believe CB Gareon Conley is in line for a big season.

“He’s had a terrible injury he had to rehab from, he’s had to change coaches, learn a new system, and it’s been a slow and steady process. But, man, is he a good player. When he’s feeling good, you can see why we picked him,” Gruden said, via ESPN.com.

“Most importantly, he’s out there and he’s doing good,” Guenther added. “He’s really understanding the little details of everything: the press techniques that we’re teaching; some of the different coverages, we have a lot of different coverages in now. He’s done a really good job for us.”