AFC Notes: Khalil Mack, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

Chargers DE Joey Bosa is grateful to be playing alongside recently acquired DE Khalil Mack next season.  

“It’s amazing,” Bosa said, via NFL.com. “Just to have another guy like that to lean on, to look at — I was just talking to, I can remember who, today about it. Just getting to know him, he’s a really nice guy. I was talking to [OLBs coach] Giff [Smith] about how he reminds me of [former Chargers DL Brandon] Mebane a little bit; his temperament, he’s a chill dude. He’s great to talk to. Along with that, he’s obviously an unbelievable player, so having a guy like that on the other side is going to be really fun.”

Bosa says that he looked up to Mack early on in his career and believes they “complement each other really well” on the Chargers’ line. 

“He’s the guy that I feel like, early on, he was one of the guys I looked at and was like, ‘Dang, I have to compare to these guys? I can’t do that,'” Bosa said. “But, obviously, I’ve really worked hard to kind of get to that point. I think we complement each other really well. We rush really differently, so we’ve been bouncing ideas off of each other, just talking technique because we really have two pretty distinct styles of rushing. Obviously, we’re not going to totally switch up what we do, but if we could learn something here and there from each other — just a guy with experience like that, I’m really excited just get out there and see what it’s like together.”

Chiefs

• Chiefs HC Andy Reid said they re-signed RB Jerick McKinnon because he’s a “very intelligent” running back and a leader of the team: “We feel like he still had juice left. He’s very intelligent & good in the passing game. He’s a good leader.” (Nate Taylor)
• As for Chiefs’ franchise OT Orlando Brown‘s possible extension, Reid said that the situation requires time: “These things don’t ever happen overnight. That’s not how it works.” (Aaron Ladd)
• Regarding Tyreek Hill‘s recent criticisms of being underused in Kansas City, Mahomes responded that he was surprised by Hill’s comments: “I’m surprised a little because we love Tyreek here.” (Harold R. Kuntz)
• As for Mahomes’ recovery from a foot injury last offseason, the quarterback feels more explosive this year without a rehab to deal with: “I’m at a better point as far as explosiveness.” (Nate Taylor)

Raiders

New Raiders DC Patrick Graham made the case for Josh McDaniels being the best play-caller in the NFL. 

“One, he’s really smart. Two, he works hard. And there’s an extreme attention to detail,” Graham said, via Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. “[When] I was working on the opposite side of the ball in New England, you could see that. When you see him from afar, when I was at Green Bay and had to play against him, when I was at Miami and had to play against him, you could see that. … I would argue he’s the best play-caller in the league.”

• Raiders QB Derek Carr said he’s excited about McDaniels’ offense system: “Their system, our system, is different than anything I’ve ever been in. You see what it’s a success…I’ve always been a fan of his and Coach Belichick.” (Paul Guiterrez)