AFC Notes: Broncos, Ladd McConkey, Chargers, Travis Kelce, Chiefs

Broncos

The Broncos have had an impressive 10-7 season and qualified for the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Sean Payton said they determined back in the offseason that they would have to play younger players earlier than usual.

“We’re going to have to develop quickly and not be afraid of playing younger players earlier maybe than normal,” Payton said, via Nick Kosmider of The Athletic.

Broncos DT Malcolm Roach said he recognized the team’s potential back in training camp last summer. 

“I knew we had an opportunity (to be special) during training camp early, just the way we played as a defensive front and the way we were able to impact the passer,” Roach said. “When we had a joint practice against the Packers and I saw the way we were able to play as a front seven — as a defensive line along with Coop and Bonitto — I said we’d have a chance to affect the passer every game. When you can affect the passer and protect our passer, you’ve got a chance.”

Chargers

The Chargers’ upcoming AFC Wild Card game against the Texans will reunite WR Ladd McConkey and Houston CB Kamari Lassiter after playing alongside each other during their college career at Georgia. 

“Everything is coming full circle,” Lassiter said, via Aaron Wilson. “Really excited to play against him. Just excited to see him at this level and see myself at this level. That’s something we dreamed of. We had some good battles in college. Saturday, I expect nothing less.”

Lassiter elaborated on his close relationship with McConkey. 

“Ladd is a great person,” Lassiter said. “Really good person, I’ve got nothing but good things to say. That’s my brother. We go way back. We trained together in the middle of nowhere in Florida for three months. Ladd is one of my good friends, but he’s an even better football player. He came up from nothing, really. He was a walk-on, paved his own way, started on the scout team and then got drafted in the second round.”

Texans DC Matt Burke highly praised McConkey’s sharp route-running and becoming Las Angeles’ “go-to” receiver.  

“He’s a really good player, he’s proven that,” Burke said. “Obviously, had a good season. Formed a connection with the quarterback pretty early, obviously, you can see that. Very crisp route runner. Very sharp breaks, top of the routes, has it all in his bag, in breaks, out breaks, a lot of option stuff with him. So, hard to just pick one leverage with him, because he can run it all. So, for sure, he’s done a good job. He’s obviously kind of become the go-to guy for them, especially in some of the critical situations. And then we’ll just see how we take care of him.”

Chiefs

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce said the team didn’t intentionally lose to the Broncos in order to keep the Bengals out of the playoffs.

“I ain’t scared of f—ing nobody,” Kelce said, via PFT. “I wanted them in the f—ing playoffs. I want to slay every dragon one by one, like Mortal Kombat. I don’t even want this to be like we play the lowest seed. Just give me the best teams…AFC, NFC, give me all of them, Mortal Kombat-style. I’ll go through every f—ing one of them just giving them my best f—ing effort. I ain’t scared of a single soul, man.”

• Per Howard Balzer, the Chiefs hosted LB Shaun Bradley, LB Jaylon Smith and S Jason Taylor II for tryouts on Wednesday before signing Bradley and Taylor to futures deals.