AFC Notes: Jim Harbaugh, Antonio Pierce, Broncos, Chargers, Raiders

Broncos

When asked about what went wrong in their two-year experiment with Russell Wilson, Broncos GM George Paton said their offense wasn’t strong enough but Wilson tried hard to make things work. 

“We took a shot on a quarterback who’s had a lot of success in this league,” Paton said, via Mike Klis of 9News. “Nine pro Bowls, won the most the first 10 years in this league. It wasn’t just Russ. There’s a lot of contributing factors as to why we didn’t win. At the end of the day, we didn’t play good enough offense. We didn’t win enough games. I’m accountable for that. No one tried harder than Russ to make this work. Appreciate his effort, the professionalism he showed. Total pro. Wish him the best in Pittsburgh, he’s going to a good team. Just wish the best.”

Broncos HC Sean Payton thinks it’s important to limit their sacks and address the offensive line. 

“Well I think this: No. 1, we can’t take as many sacks,” Payton said. “If you looked at any of the data relative to what it does for your drives, I think that was the big thing that hurt us a year ago.”

Paton feels it important to have stability in the head coaching position with Payton after overseeing three other coaches with Vic Fangio in 2021, Nathaniel Hackett in 2022, and Jerry Rosburg as their interim following Hackett. 

“I think it starts with stability at the head coach,” Paton said. “We’ve had three coaches, really four coaches in three years. You’re not going to win many games doing that. It starts with the head coach, and we have the right head coach, Sean Payton. You could see that last year. We were a team that was 1-5, and everyone gave up on us, and yet this team stood together. We got back in the mix, we were relevant in December and that’s a credit to Sean and his coaching staff.”

Chargers

New Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh commented on trading WR Keenan Allen to the Bears and thinks he will be happy in Chicago under his current contract.

“It’s the business part of it,” Harbaugh said, via Kris Rhim of ESPN. “And everybody does what’s in their best interest. And Keenan, I mean, make $23 million a year and play in Chicago, you know, who’s got it better?”

• Harbaugh says picking fifth “is like the first pick of the draft” because of the chance a QB is taken with the first four picks: “We know we got a great player that’s gonna be there.” (Ian Rapoport)

Raiders

Raiders HC Antonio Pierce talked about 2023 fourth-round QB Aidan O’Connell and mentioned his desire for O’Connell to take more of a leadership role.

“What you saw at the end of the season: taking care of the football; managing the game; putting points on the board,” Pierce said, via the Raiders’ YouTube. “I would love to see him become more vocal.”

“One thing I’d love to see him do is be more vocal. You don’t want the quarterback being a church mouse. I don’t need him to be a rah-rah guy either, but when things are wrong I need him to fix it and be vocal about it.”