AFC Notes: Keenan Allen, Sean Payton, Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs

Broncos

Broncos HC Sean Payton drafted TE Adam Trautman when he was with the Saints and later traded for him again in Denver, giving up a total of five picks across two teams. Payton explained what makes Trautman so desirable to him.

“I would say you know exactly what you’re getting,” Payton said, via Broncos Wire. “In other words, there are certain things he does well. I think he has a good feel in zone coverage. I think he’s a good blocker. I think he’s smart. We felt with [Greg] Dulcich, and we felt with [Chris] Manhertz that there was a role for each one of these players, and certainly, with Adam. [I] drafted him out of Dayton. We kind of knew exactly what we were getting, and there’s something to be said for that. Sometimes when you’re game planning and putting together a plan, what can be frustrating is if you don’t know what you’re getting week-to-week from a player. I was pleased. His pitch count was higher yesterday and not as high a few weeks back. The catch he made was important. He’s a smart player. We’re glad we have him. I’m glad we didn’t have to give up the back end of our draft to get him.”

Chargers

• Per Daniel Popper, Chargers WR Keenan Allen is practicing after missing two days due to a quad injury.

Chiefs

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy feels like rookie WR Rashee Rice is starting to loosen up as a receiver. 

“No wide receiver, no quarterback, no player in general wants to play like a robot,” Nagy said, via ProFootballTalk. “When you are learning the offense, you probably feel like you are because you’re trying to understand, when you look at a playbook and you see a line in the playbook you want to run it like that. The more and more you start running plays you have less robot to you, and he’s just having more plays which allows him to say, ‘OK hey, I’ve run this play seven times, and now I can put my little feel to it.’ Which is not being a robot versus earlier in the year, you haven’t had to run it so you’re going to run that line.”