AFC Notes: Mike Gesicki, Patrick Mahomes, Bengals, Chiefs, Texans

Bengals

While most of the focus of the Bengals offseason will be on wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, both QB Joe Burrow and OC Dan Pitcher have commented on TE Mike Gesicki and the role that he played in the team’s offense, noting that he has earned his flowers as well. 

“That guy was so valuable for us all year, and a guy that, in my opinion, we need to bring back,” Burrow said, via Ben Baby of ESPN.

“There’s just a major trust that’s been established with Joe that Mike is going to win in one-on-one situations,” Pitcher said. “That sounds simple, but, man, it takes time to really trust a guy to do that, and then he’s going to make difficult catches.”

Chiefs

Chiefs passing game coordinator Joe Bleymaier said putting together a game plan for an elite quarterback is stressful because he doesn’t want to put him in a position to minimize his abilities.

“It makes it so much more stressful,” Bleymaier said, via ESPN. “You feel the burden as a coach and as you’re putting a game plan together to not waste his abilities. To not go through a season where you don’t give him the opportunity. To not screw it up as the coaching staff. So rather than feeling like this just unbridled excitement that we could do anything, it’s actually more like a terror, like we cannot be the reason that we screwed this guy up or this team up.”

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes said the team didn’t do a good job of handling the pressure the Eagles’ defensive front generated.

“In order to make a team blitz, you have to be able to beat what they’re showing. And that’s what we didn’t do,” Mahomes said.

Texans

• Texans HC DeMeco Ryans highly praised recently promoted OL coach Cole Popovich: “I feel really strong about that. He helped a lot of our young players. Really great relationship with a lot of guys. Think really highly about Cole.” (Aaron Wilson)
• Ryans said WR Tank Dell said he is “on the right track” with his recovery from a knee injury, per Wilson. 
• Texans WR Stefon Diggs and DL Folorunso Fatukasi‘s contracts become void on February 17, per OverTheCap. 
• Texans OC Nick Caley said the coaching staff would play to their players’ strengths and won’t try to “pound a square peg into a round hole.” Caley said that the team would be fluid offensively: “Not beholden to one scheme.” (Lance Zierlein)