AFC Notes: Frank Clark, Jerick McKinnon, Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs

Broncos

Broncos HC Sean Payton spoke about pass rusher Frank Clark joining the team at the start of training camp. 

“[He is] a pressure player and someone that I remember doing a lot of work on when he was coming out in the draft,” Payton said, via BroncosWire.com. “We followed him, obviously, in Seattle first and then in Kansas City. It’s one of the areas that we paid close attention to. We’ll find a role within what we are doing and where he can help us. I think it’s always a challenge to find those guys who you can say are pressure players, but he is one of them. Certainly, he’s excelled in the postseason, both in Seattle and in Kansas City. That’s the vision.”

“He will be starting at the start of training camp,” Payton added. “We knew that going in. He has a [Chiefs Super Bowl] ring ceremony coming up. That will be a little awkward. But anyway, it’s good to have him joining us.”

Chargers

Chargers S Derwin James talked about the growing confidence in CB Asante Samuel Jr. as he enters his third year in the league.

“To me, football is just confidence and knowing your job,” James explained, via ChargersWire.com. “I feel like if you know your job and you know it well enough, and you’re confident to go do it, you can do it. Year three with Asante, I feel like he is going to have a lot more confidence, for sure.”

Chiefs

Chiefs RB Jerick McKinnon spoke about his role as a veteran leader in the locker room among young running backs such as Clyde Edwards-Helaire, whom he praised for his maturity level. 

“It’s been fun because, you know, the thing about it is when you’re young, you want to make it to the NFL,” McKinnon said, via ChiefsWire.com. “And then you want to do great things, and obviously, things of that nature. But everybody has their own course and their own little story and what they go through. And I think that’s what makes everybody’s journey that special. So, you know, anyway that I can help out, relay to those guys that I might have been through to help them get through to that next level and just keep playing a high level, you know, I’m always happy to do so.”

“Of course, he’s definitely a locker room guy,” McKinnon added. “Go into the locker room and ask anybody on the team. Even though he’s a younger guy, his characteristics are a lot— he’s definitely older than his age — maturity level and things of that nature. So, you know, everything that he’s gone through, I think he’s handled it pretty well. Just to be here and keep grinding and keep stepping forward speaks on his character, speaks on his athleticism, and then just how much he can hold as a person, that could be a lot on a young guy.”