AFC Notes: Davante Adams, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

Chargers DL Sebastian Joseph-Day believes the increased familiarity with the team’s system will help improve performance.

“I think this year, that chemistry is built,” Joseph-Day said, via LA Times. “Chemistry is built through trials and tribulations. I really believe that that is going to shape us in a way better way moving forward.”

Joseph-Day added that the addition of LB Eric Kendricks and his ability to process information quickly will help the team play faster.

“I think having Eric in there is definitely going to help us get those adjustments faster — less wasted time, less thinking,” Joseph-Day said. “He’ll be able to see that faster and get that communicated to us. That will help, honestly, everyone play faster. At the end of the day, you can’t play defense slow. The moment you’re a step behind or you miss something, that’s how you get got.”

Chiefs

Chiefs K Harrison Butker is doing everything he can in order to stay in football shape, including eating large meals, doing Olympic-style lifting, and getting good sleep. His attitude towards staying in shape has drawn praise from LS James Winchester.

“If I want to be the best kicker in the world, then sleep is important,” Butker told Dan Pompei of The Athletic. “I’m trying to find the smallest things that make a difference. For me to have the muscle I do have, I really have to be intentional. Otherwise, I’ll just turn into a stick basically — or more of a stick.”

“I have no idea how he does it,” Winchester said of Butker’s sirloin steak meals. “He puts mustard and all kinds of stuff on it to choke it down, but it’s pretty impressive. He puts his perfectionist mind to work and makes us better as a whole. He pushes us, always looking for an opportunity to get better. He’s probably the hardest-working kid I’ve ever had the opportunity to play with. He just never stops working on his craft, and he is so in-depth and detailed. I’ve never been around anybody like him. We’re very fortunate to have him in Kansas City.”

Raiders

Raiders WR Davante Adams says he proved last season that he doesn’t need QB Aaron Rodgers in order to thrive in the NFL. 

“Now people can’t say that,” Adams told TheRinger.com. “That’ll never be the narrative ever again. It proved that I am me. A quarterback doesn’t make me. I make me. And I can do it consistently at this level. That’s why [last] season meant a lot. Even if I went and played like dog shit next year, they can’t say it. Because now I’ve already proved it throughout the course of a season, played every game, and put together a résumé that says I do not need. You can erase all the numbers. You can just write in: He didn’t need Aaron Rodgers.”

Adams also shared his point of view on the future of the Raiders organization, noting that he doesn’t share their current vision. 

“[The front office] think this is the best bet for us right now to put us in a position to be urgent,” Adams said. “We don’t see eye-to-eye on what we think is best for us right now. I’m going to have to buy into this and try to be as optimistic as possible … It’s not what I expected to happen, but it’s something that’s the reality now.”