AFC Notes: Joe Alt, Brock Bowers, Bo Nix, Broncos, Chargers, Raiders

Broncos

The Broncos moved on from QB Russell Wilson this offseason which opened up a visible need at the position. With pick No. 12 in the draft, Denver took QB Bo Nix after he caught HC Sean Payton’s eye with his experience. 

“You pay close attention to all the film study,” Payton said, via Aric DiLalla of the team’s website. “Obviously, he’s played a lot of football, but [he stood out in] sack differential, turnover differential, accuracy, third-down passing. [He was] first, first, first, first in this class. First in end-of-half, first in end-of-game, two-minute situations, second in red zone.”

“Then let’s do another passing statistic and remove a lot of the short, underneath throws. Obviously, that’s part of what they do offensively, and you remove that, and you come back with the analytics and it’s still first. I would say his arm strength — we saw it at the Pro Day, but even in the private workout — was very good.”

• According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter,  Nix “crushed it” when they sent him offensive play installs and they decided on taking him after they later watched him throw. 
• Broncos UDFA RB Blake Watson signed a contract with a $25,000 signing bonus and a $255,000 base salary guarantee. (Mike Klis)
• Broncos UDFA S Omar Brown signed a deal that included $250,000 total guaranteed. (Klis)
• Broncos UDFA OT Frank Crum signed for $275,000 guaranteed, including a $25,000 signing bonus and $250,000 in salary guarantees. (Klis)
• SMU DT Jordan Miller signed for $140,000 guaranteed, including a $20,000 signing bonus and $125,000 in salary guarantees. (Chris Tomasson)

Chargers

Regarding the Chargers’ decision to draft OT Joe Alt at No. 5 instead of taking a skill position, HC Jim Harbaugh said offensive linemen are paramount to their system’s success. 

“I know the question is going to come up, ‘What about a weapon?’” Harbaugh said, via ProFootballTalk. “Offensive linemen, we look at as weapons. That group, when we talk about attacking on offense, the offensive line is the tip of the spear.”

Harbaugh added providing protection for their quarterback is a strategy maintained from the Bill Walsh era. 

“It’s not just the running game with the offensive line,” Harbaugh said. “They protect and that’s why they get paid so much money . . . because the quarterback has got to be able to finish his throwing motion. . . . That comes from Bill Walsh. I’m stealing that one, I didn’t invent that one.”

Harbaugh said it’s his focus to play their best five offensive linemen. 

“Count on us playing our best five offensive linemen,” Harbaugh said. “What position each guy plays within the offense and within the offensive line is to be determined. . . . Competitors, welcome. Any country in the world, any state, any team . . . competitors, welcome.”

Raiders

Raiders GM Tom Telesco said drafting first-round TE Brock Bowers will not prevent them from playing second-year TE Michael Mayer. 

“[W]ith a player like Brock, just with the scouting staff, where they had him, what they thought about him, what the coaching staff thought, he was really pretty a consensus guy,” Telesco said, via ProFootballTalk. “Makes it a little bit easier, fully knowing that we have Michael Mayer, who is an excellent tight end, but there’s no rule in the NFL that you can only play one. We can play two tight ends, we can move people around.”

Telesco points out that Bowers and Mayer spent time at receiver during their college careers. 

“At Notre Dame, Michael was split out sometimes as a receiver. Brock has been split as a receiver, Brock’s even played some running back, and then our receivers can go inside and outside, so it’ll be a nice little group to work with.”

Telesco thinks the more options they have at tight end and receiver “the better.”

“There’s just different ways to attack people week to week and the more options we have available in the tight end room and receiver room, the better,” Telesco said.