AFC Notes: Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

• ESPN’s Bill Barnwell outlines a hypothetical trade between the Falcons and Chargers with Los Angeles giving up a fifth-round pick and OT Trey Pipkins for K Younghoe Koo. 
• Barnwell explains the cap-strapped Falcons might not want to dedicate top kicker money to Koo after his contract expires following this season, whereas the Chargers’ kicking woes are well-publicized.

Chiefs

• ESPN’s Bill Barnwell outlines a hypothetical trade between the Chiefs and Rams swapping CB Deandre Baker for LB Travin Howard. Neither is playing much right now but could improve the depth for spots at which Kansas City and Los Angeles are weak. 
• He also thinks the Chiefs could send a couple of sixth-round picks to the Lions for DE Charles Harris as another avenue to add defensive help. 
• Regarding the Chiefs starting S Juan Thornhill ahead of Daniel Sorensen, DC Steve Spagnuolo said Thornhill deserved to start with Sorensen in a “bit of a slump”: “Juan deserved to be out there. Dan and I talked. He was in a little bit of a slump.” (Nate Taylor)

Raiders

Raiders RB Josh Jacobs said interim HC Rich Bisaccia brought a more laid-back atmosphere to their sideline rather than Jon Gruden‘s typical fiery attitude. 

“Man, the sideline … it was like (there was no) anxiety,” Jacobs said, via Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “It was weird. It was like everybody was calm. You didn’t have somebody cussing at you, or going crazy at the refs. None of that.”

Even after a bad play, Jacobs reiterated that they kept a good atmosphere on the sidelines. 

“It was like, ‘OK, not going to harp on it, next play.’ The guys all kind of motivated each other. You saw a lot of defensive guys standing up and offensive guys jumping off the bench when the defense made plays. I was like, that’s the right type of energy that we needed. I loved it.”

Regarding Raiders’ recently signed CB Desmond Trufant, Bisaccia believes the cornerback did well in practice this week and expects him to be in the “three-man rotation.” 

“He had a good day today,” Bisaccia said. “He’s been in the system. Maybe the verbiage was a little bit different, but we’re expecting him to be in the three-man rotation and contribute going into the game this week.”