AFC Notes: Maxx Crosby, Derwin James, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

Chargers HC Brandon Staley said DB Derwin James‘ versatility will create flexibility for the team’s defense.

“That’s one of the things that he does best, is play closer to the ball,” Staley said, via Chargers Wire. “He can play Star or Money. That gives us a lot of flexibility in how we want to play because has a lot of those hybrid characteristics of a defensive back or a linebacker. We feel like we have a good group that coach at that position, but certainly having his ability to play there is a weapon for us.”

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes feels reassured with the wide receivers that are on the team this offseason and had previously said he can see a path for each one of them to make the 53-man roster for 2023.

“I think we’re deep. I think that’s the biggest thing,” Mahomes said, via Pro Football Talk. “Usually, you have a good feel for kind of who the guys are going to be and everything like that but with this group, it’s like every single guy I could see him making a path to making the team. And so, I mean that’s what you want. You want that competition. I thought even the young guys that have stepped in have stepped in and done a lot of great things and guys from other systems have stepped in and done great things. So, (there’s) a lot of competition in that room will play out through OTAs and camp but I’m happy with where we’re at in that receiving room.”

“I could feel where he would sit there and he would listen to guys like Trav, he would listen to Kadarius and those guys would talk and he would get a feel for how he was running the route,” Mahomes added. “And obviously, you know he has the explosiveness and the jump ball ability. But the way he was able to kind of feel throughout the zone coverages and pull up in the right spot, that’s more of a veteran-type mindset for a receiver so, I was very excited about that. And now we’ll just continue to work him in here and there and continue to push him to be better and better and he’ll have an impact in this offense this year.”

Raiders

Raiders pass-rusher Maxx Crosby thinks that the team will have a much easier time next season considering that they will have a full offseason of familiarity with DC Patrick Graham. 

“Last OTAs, it was a lot,” Crosby said, via Aidan Champion of SI.com. “Obviously, Pat was new. He was installing a bunch of new stuff trying to get everything in before we get to camp. So everything was just like, you’re just learning and trying to just figure everything out on the fly. But now, having another year, being able to help the guys that just got in, it’s going to help them as well. So things are going a lot smoother.”