AFC Notes: Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

The Chargers generally got good grades from the folks that assign such things for their work in free agency and that generally held up for their peers in the NFL. Los Angeles made two big additions to the offensive line in C Corey Linsley and OL Matt Feiler while also adding veteran TE Jared Cook. 

“The Corey Linsley signing was a sneaky good signing,” an evaluator said via the Athletic’s Mike Sando. “You get a veteran center who was with one of the best quarterbacks, and you put him with your young quarterback, which I think is smart. Jared Cook is a better threat than Hunter Henry, who I think was overpaid on the (franchise) tag and declining. They signed the (Matt) Feiler kid, too, which helps their line.”

Others were not as impressed, though. 

“The Chargers got older, which is what they do,” an exec said. “They sign older players, they sign guys with injury histories, they draft guys with some injury concerns and then, surprise, they are unlucky with injuries.”

Chiefs

New Chiefs C Austin Blythe explained that he really wanted to be in Kansas City and play for a “great team.” Blythe was a starter for the Rams last season but took a deal for the minimum, though it was guaranteed, to leave for Kansas City. 

“I just wanted to be here,” Blythe said, per Matt McMullen. “I wanted to come in and play for a great team and play along the offensive line wherever I fit.”

• Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes‘ fiance posted an Easter picture that showed the quarterback still in a walking boot. The quarterback said he’s “all good” and is on track for training camp. (Pro Football Talk)

Raiders

The Raiders’ decision to scrap their offensive line and trade away RT Trent Brown, C Rodney Hudson and G Gabe Jackson was equally as baffling to people inside the league as it was outside of it. 

“I don’t get what they’re doing,” an exec said via the Athletic’s Mike Sando. “The only thing they did good last season was to be physically imposing and run the football. If you’re them and you don’t have that, I don’t know what you are good at.”

The move puts the onus on OL coach Tom Cable to coach up guys like C Andre James as replacements. 

“Guys like Cable sometimes like it when they don’t have the first-round picks and big-money signings,” another exec said. “They look for a certain style of play and they like coaching up their guys. ‘Give me a fifth-round pick or the guy who was a defensive lineman in college and I’ll make him a player.’ Sometimes that has worked and sometimes it has got them in trouble.”