AFC Notes: Derwin James, Lamar Jackson, Chargers, Chiefs, Ravens

Chargers

Chargers HC Brandon Staley said they are looking for the “right combination of players” for their defensive backfield. 

“Just getting the right combination of players out there that will execute consistently,” Staley said, via Daniel Popper of The Athletic. 

Staley mentions there is a lot of competition for playing time in Los Angeles’ secondary. 

“It’s fair to say that there’s going to be a lot of competition in the secondary,” Staley said.

Regarding the Chargers lining up S Derwin James in the “Star” role, Staley thinks the safety helps improve their front line against three-receiver personnel. 

“We felt like this really gets Derwin in a position to impact the game more, make our front stronger, especially in three-receiver groupings,” Staley said. “The strength right now of our team is our front seven. Make our front even stronger, and then get Derwin in a position that can unlock even a little more flexibility within some of those five DB groupings. I liked what I saw yesterday with him in that role.”

Chiefs

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy remains positive about the team’s wide receivers group despite the fact that they are currently leading the league in drops.

“We want to be able to, No. 1, score points, eliminate turnovers, eliminate penalties as an offense in general,” Nagy said in his press conference. “Then when the plays are there to be made, make the plays, that’s everybody. … We’ve been dealing with a good amount of guys here that are all great players that want to do well and succeed, and when you have a game like we did last night where there might be a little bit of a magnifying glass — whether it’s some of the drops, whether it’s a specific play it can be a little bit bigger than others it can definitely be a big deal, we understand that and the players understand that. In the end, we have a lot of trust in these guys, and we believe in them. I think that’s very very important. You hear that, and you see that from Pat. It’s something [where] we continue to stick together and keep working through — we know it’s not going to be easy. Honestly, the biggest thing is it goes back to, let’s not beat ourselves with turnovers and penalties in the end — and drops, that can be a part of it as well. When you lose a game, it gets magnified, when you win a game sometimes it gets deodorized, and I think we need to understand that we have good things ahead of us, let’s just stay positive and work through these and we’ll be alright.”

“There might be times where we’re in the building just getting through with a meeting and you look outside and see guys on the jugs machines getting extra work in, that’s probably the biggest one,” Nagy concluded. “Then it would be in between [practice] periods, they go over with the quarterbacks and they run specific routes that are in the game plan. Generally speaking, we have several routes that a lot of guys have been doing since OTAs, but then we may have a couple of routes that are a little more specific to that defense, so we try to work on the timing of those routes with the time permitted between periods and they stay afterward as well. … The mental side of it is understanding and just looking at the scheme of where you’re going to be. Physically getting those throws from Patrick is where they get that extra work in between periods and then those guys on their own you’ll see they’re outside more so on the jugs when Patrick is not out there.”

• Chiefs HC Andy Reid said WR Mecole Hardman (sprained right thumb) is the only player not practicing with the team on Wednesday. (Nate Taylor)

Ravens

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson doesn’t feel concerned about his left ankle injury and thinks he’s ready to go. 

“I believe I’m good,” Jackson said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “I believe I’m 100%.”