AFC Notes: Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

• Chargers HC Brandon Staley said the hope is that LB Kenneth Murray will be activated off of injured reserve this week. (Daniel Popper)
• Chargers second-round CB Asante Samuel Jr. remains in the concussion protocol, per Staley. (Gilbert Manzano)

Chiefs

A theme of the Chiefs’ struggles on offense in 2021 has been QB Patrick Mahomes seemingly pressing too much to hit the big play despite every single opponent selling out to stop it. That was highlighted by one play on Sunday where Mahomes bypassed a wide open TE Travis Kelce past the first-down line for an incomplete bomb to WR Mecole Hardman who had two defenders close on his tail. Mahomes said after the game he saw Kelce open, he just wanted to try for the big play. 

“I kind of wanted to give (the deep pass) a chance,” Mahomes said via Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star. “Even though defenses are playing so deep, you want to still have the chance to take those shots. I missed a couple of them. You have to know when to take them and when to take the underneath. That’s something that I continue to have to get better at as the season goes on.”

Mahomes struggled again and the Chiefs had just 13 points, though it was enough for a win against the shorthanded Packers. Chiefs HC Andy Reid was fine with Mahomes’ decision on the play and didn’t criticize his quarterback’s aggressive approach. 

“He knows there are a handful of plays in the game plan if I call them, he’s got the freedom to shoot if he can get guys (in) 1-on-1 type situations,” Reid said. “Mecole, he had a pretty good opportunity to go grab it. (Mahomes) felt like that was a viable throw. I’m OK with that. “If you complete it, great. You’ve got to try, or you’re never going to complete it — within realism on that. You’ve got a realistic view of it, and that’s what he felt he had. I’m OK with that.”

Raiders

Raiders GM Mike Mayock said the team released CB Damon Arnette after videos emerged online of Arnette threatening to take a life with a gun. There were other issues with Arnette but Mayock said that was the last straw. 

“There have been a series of bad decisions over the last year or so, but we cannot stand for the video of Damon with a gun, threatening to take a life,” Mayock said, via The Athletic. “The content was unacceptable, contrary to our values, and our owner Mark Davis has been very clear and very consistent that this is not how we will conduct ourselves in this community. The bottom line, the Raiders will not tolerate this type of behavior.”

After losing two first-round picks due to off-the-field issues in less than 18 months after being selected, Mayock believes that the team still has a solid young core to build around.

“I understand the perception from the outside looking in because of this past week,” Mayock said. “I get it. I understand it. But we couldn’t feel further from that perception. We think the truth is we got a good, young core.”

Mayock admitted cutting Arnette was a “very painful decision.”

“We spent significant time, effort and resources trying to help him in facets of his life,” Mayock said.

Mayock admitted that the team missed on Arnette, while adding there was a certain level of comfortability between the organization and Ohio State’s coaching staff to where they felt they could help put Arnette in a position to succeed both on and off the field.

“What kind of tilted everything in the direction of ‘OK, let’s go ahead and draft him’ was that we knew that coaching staff pretty well,” Mayock said. “We knew what they had asked him to do his last year at Ohio State. They felt very strongly that they knew who we had on our staff and that we’d be able to work with this young man, and not only help him on the football field, but help him in his life. Obviously in hindsight we weren’t able to do it.”

• NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reports the Raiders gave WR DeSean Jackson $1 million for the rest of the year.