AFC Notes: Omarion Hampton, Patrick Mahomes, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

Chargers GM Joe Hortiz admitted that he didn’t think that RB Omarion Hampton would be on the board when the team selected at No. 22.

“He was one of those unanimous guys and you kind of anticipate unanimous guys being gone. But we’re fired up he was there,” Hortiz said, via Eric Smith of the team’s website. “This is a guy, through the process in the fall, the scouts identified early on as a guy they really love. Coaches got involved, same thing. A lot of love for him, a guy we felt could impact our team and really a guy who’s held his water through the entire process.”

“I go back to last year when I was evaluating Drake Maye and other players in North Carolina in the fall,” Hortiz added. “He stood out back then. There was just this big physical runner with breakaway speed and punishing people and making guys miss. It was like, ‘Wow, this is a heck of a back.’ And to watch him do it again this year — two years of production, durability, high character, work ethic off the charts — everything about him, that’s what makes him stand out.”

Chiefs

The Chiefs were affected by injuries at the wide receiver position in 2024, but QB Patrick Mahomes plans to begin taking more shots downfield with a healthy group in 2025.

“There was opportunities in games for deep shots that I either didn’t take or we missed barely, and I think if we can get back to hitting some of those throws — we preached about this last offseason — it opens up the rest of the offense,” Mahomes told reporters, via Pro Football Talk. “That helps the run game, that helps the medium-pass game, everything. You want to get back to that, defenses are starting to creep up a little bit more and force us to get back to the deep throws. We have to be versatile enough to be able to do both, hit the deep shots and hit the underneath stuff, and that’s when we’ll be at our best.”

“I think just this last year especially, sometimes you give guys too much credit, and knowing what the coverage is, and how it’s supposed to be played, and you know what your reads are,” Mahomes added. “At the same time, you still have to go through your progression, and that’s something that I have to continue to do. So, even if it’s a two-high coverage or whatever it is, there’s still chances for me to throw the ball down the field. I have to go through the progressions the right way and trust in the play call and trust in the protection, and that’s something that I’ll try to get back to this year and stuff that I have to continue to get better at.”

• The Chiefs signed TE Jake Briningstool to a contract worth $264,000 (Aaron Wilson).
• The Chiefs signed OT Dalton Cooper to a contract worth $259,000 (Wilson).
• The Chiefs signed P Eddie Czaplicki to a contract worth $254,000 (Wilson).
• The Chiefs signed DT Coziah Izzard to a deal that includes $225,000 total guaranteed. (Wilson)

Raiders

Raiders GM John Spytek and HC Pete Carroll were both asked about OT Kolton Miller during a press conference, but offered no comment on his contract.

“I’m just going to give you our answer and it’s going to be this going forward — we’re not going to discuss contracts publicly,” Spytek said. “And this is certainly a voluntary part of the offseason program, so, you know, guys are free to come and go as they please.”

• The Raiders deal for DE Jah Joyner includes $150,000 guaranteed. (Aaron Wilson)
• The Raiders deal for Parker Clements includes $75,000 guaranteed. (Wilson)