AFC Notes: Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

• The Chargers are hosting Louisiana-Lafayette DT Tyland Humphrey for a top 30 visit. (Matt Lombardo)

Chiefs

• Chiefs HC Andy Reid says he and GM Brett Veach told QB Patrick Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce that they were planning to trade WR Tyreek Hill: “There’s a pretty good chance there’s a change that’s going to take place throughout your career…I don’t think it will be significantly different.” (Andrew Siciliano)
• Reid commented on WR Mecole Hardman replacing Hill as a speed receiver: “We know what Mecole can do and we have a lot of confidence in what he can do. Mecole has the speed like a Tyreek had. A different player, but he gives you a nice skill set.” (Nate Taylor)
• Reid said that RT Lucas Niang “has done a good job” with his recovery from a knee injury but wouldn’t give a timetable for a possible return. (Herbie Teope)
• Mahomes admitted his initial reaction to the Hill trade was “shock.” He knew it was a possibility but it still surprised him. He added he’s happy for Hill and focused on keeping things rolling in Kansas City. (James Palmer)
• Mahomes also mentioned Hardman as a potential replacement for Hill, not as a one-for-one match but as someone with a potent skillset of their own: “I expect big things from him…He can be a great player in this offense.” (Teope)
• As for what the offense will look like without Hill, Mahomes said they want to be “more diverse” and spread the ball around more. (Palmer)

Raiders

Raiders QB Derek Carr‘s new deal with Las Vegas hits the $40 million a year bar that is becoming the new normal for quarterbacks. But a closer look at the deal reveals that Carr really didn’t push all of the leverage he had and took a team-friendly pact in the end. He explained he did it for a few reasons. He’s not hurting for money, it’s really important to him to stay in Las Vegas for the rest of his career, and above all else, he wants to win and is willing to leave money on the table for other players to accomplish that. 

“We’re in the middle of what I dreamed of doing,” Carr said via the Athletic’s Vic Tafur. “I wanted to be someone when all is said and done that my name would be at the top of a lot of lists on the stat sheets and all that stuff. And then I wanted to hold trophies and all that.

“Well, we haven’t done some of those things yet, but I wanted to leave my mark on this organization. I got four more years for that opportunity, that’s exciting for me because people have trusted me all this time. The people that make decisions when other teams were calling, or this or that, they’re like, ‘No chance. This is our guy.’ I look back at those moments and I’m thankful because I have another opportunity to go out and prove it again.”

• Ohio State OL Thayer Munford had a Top 30 visit with the Raiders. (Justin Melo)