AFC Notes: Chargers, Jets, Raiders

Chargers

• The Athletic’s Daniel Popper believes the Chargers’ December 1 game against the Broncos in Week 12 following the bye makes sense for S Derwin James‘ return. 
• Popper says that while the coaches mentioned wanting to get OL Forrest Lamp reps at tackle “eventually” he worked exclusively at guard during camp and preseason. 
• Popper believes Chargers RB Austin Ekeler will start out getting 65 percent of the touches, with that ratio flipping toward RB Justin Jackson in the second half of the season. 
• Popper adds there’s a three percent chance Chargers RB Melvin Gordon reports before Week 9 and a 99.99 percent chance he reports after to accrue a season toward free agency. 
• He also doubts the Chargers will use the franchise tag on Gordon this offseason, as he could sit out and they’d lose access to more than $12 million in cap space.
• Popper notes Michael Schofield will be the first alternative at offensive tackle, either due to performance or injury, for the Chargers. 
• According to Popper, there is almost no chance Chargers QB Philip Rivers doesn’t play past this season, as he wants to play in the team’s new stadium which will be done next year. 

Jets

• The Jets announced former general counsel Hymie Elhai would be the new team president.
• Elhai played a key role in advising CEO Christopher Johnson during the search that ultimately landed GM Joe Douglas.
• The Jets are working out former Rams OL Brandon Hitner. (Aaron Wilson)

Raiders

• According to NBC Sports’ Scott Bair, Raiders HC Jon Gruden is hopeful to have fourth-round CB Isaiah Johnson back by about Week 8: “I think he has a chance to be as good a corner as we have here. He’s long. He’s a press corner. He’s talented. He got off to a great start. So hopefully late in the year there’s a spot for him.” 
• Johnson says he wasn’t just placed on injured reserve with a concussion, the rookie also fractured the right side of his face.
• Gruden was also optimistic that starting right guard Gabe Jackson would be able to return sooner rather than later from an MCL injury: “I saw Gabe walking around, so I followed him around to see how that knee is doing. Really happy to see the progress that he’s made. We didn’t put him on IR for that reason. We think after the first few ballgames he’ll be close to returning.” (Bair)
• Placing Jackson on injured reserve would have kept him out until Week 9. 
• The Raiders worked out UDFA DE Jamell Garcia-Williams, formerly with the 49ers and potentially a candidate for Oakland’s practice squad. (Matt Barrows)