AFC Notes: Nick Bolton, Greg Dulcich, Michael Mayer, Broncos. Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

Broncos HC Sean Payton said TE Greg Dulcich (hamstring) is close to being available and they have been encouraged with him. 

“He’s close,” Payton said, via BroncosWire. “He’s had all the work done. We’re encouraged. I think you’ll see him sooner than later, and we want to be smart.”

Payton added that Dulcich’s rehab has gone well and thinks he’ll be ready for mandatory minicamp next month.

“His rehab has gone well,” Payton said. “It’s not going to be we don’t see him until training camp.”

Chiefs

Following two consecutive Super Bowl titles, Chiefs LB Nick Bolton has become one of the core members of their defense. Bolton named continuity one of the biggest contributors to their confidence through the offseason programs.

“Since being here, guys have been in the same system, kind of growing together. We’re learning the ins and outs of the scheme together at the same time, so we understand the communication part and weaknesses of the coverage — I think that’s a big thing for us,” Bolton said, via Logan Lazarczyk of the Chiefs Wire. “We have a lot of young guys like Chamarri Conner coming back. We’ve got veterans as well. It’s a group effort, and we’re all trying to get better every single day.”

Raiders

Raiders’ second-year TE Michael Mayer described his reaction to the organization drafting TE Brock Bowers at No. 13 overall and is just focused on playing well in 2024. 

“It is what it is,” Mayer said, via Paul Gutierrez of ESPN. “I mean, they drafted me last year, so I’ve just got to come here, keep my head down, keep working hard, try to win as many games as possible. I mean, that’s totally out of my control, so I’m here to play ball.”

Mayer thinks he’ll combine well with Bowers in both the passing and running game. 

“How are you going to stop [us]?” Mayer said. “Brock has a lot of speed … I’ve gotten a little bit faster, and I think there’s a ton of things — No. 1, in the run game, Brock will be able to help me out with, too, blocking. But then No. 2, who’s going to guard both of us? If you put a ‘backer here, put a small safety here? I’m a big body, Brock’s a big body, so it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Mayer feels that new OC Luke Getsy is easier to understand than the system under Mick Lombardi last season, with Mayer admitting there were times when he didn’t know what to do. 

“I’d say it’s a little bit more simple, yeah … easier to understand,” Mayer said. “I’d say about halfway through the season last year, my blocking really turned on. But those first seven, eight games, I really didn’t know what the heck I was even doing out there, so I’ve definitely got better at that. … And then I feel like through the rehab process, strengthening my hips, strengthening my hammies, everything, I’ve been able to sort of become faster, a little bit more twitchy, things like that.”