AFC Notes: Quinn Meinerz, Michael Gallup, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

Broncos G Quinn Meinerz said he welcomed the chance to sign a long-term deal to stay in Denver, even if it’s possible he gave up a few million less than what he could have gotten in free agency next spring. 

“That definitively is a way to think about it,” Meinerz said via KUSA’s Mike Klis. “It was myself and my family excited about the opportunity to stay here long-term. I mean this place obviously has a special place in my heart. This is the team that took a chance on me and drafted me. So it was very important to us to stay here long term. So was glad to have got something done.”

Meinerz has yet to make a Pro Bowl and he acknowledged he was disappointed about it last year. But going forward, he says he’s focusing on doing the best he can to ensure the team succeeds, and then the individual accolades will follow. 

“That’s an individual, personal goal,” Meinerz said. “That can go in the back room, but it’s not something I’m really focused on. I focused on it a little too much last year, wanting that individual goal. This year and moving forward those things will take care of itself. If it happens it happens, if it doesn’t it doesn’t. I know who I am as a player. And the people in the NFL know who I am as a player. I appreciate that respect more than anything. Right now it’s just about winning football games.”

• Meinerz signed a four-year, $72 million extension that has a maximum value of $80 million with incentives and $45 million in guarantees. The deal includes an $11.5 million signing bonus and base salaries of $1.055 million, $1.17 million, $14.856 million, $17.49 million and $17.49 million. (Over The Cap)
• The base salaries in 2024 and 2025 are guaranteed, as well as a $10.275 million option bonus in 2025. Meinerz’s 2026 base salary becomes guaranteed at the start of the 2025 league year and $6.14 million of his 2027 salary becomes guaranteed in March of that year. 
• There is up to $510,000 in per-game active roster bonuses in 2026-2028 and a void year in 2029. 

Chiefs

Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo warned the team about how easy it is to get complacent, as he was part of a unit that went from second to last in a year.

“Just how easy it is to get complacent. I think that was 2016-2017 New York Giants if I’m correct,” Chiefs DT Chris Jones said, via Chiefs Wire. “He actually showed us the bulletin this morning on the board (and) how they were ranked second and went to (last). Just the complacency level. It’s so easy to get complacent.”

• Chiefs CB Nazeeh Johnson left practice with a right knee injury and WR Justin Watson had a left foot injury. (Nate Taylor)
• According to Matt Derrick, Chiefs WR Justin Watson is only expected to miss a few days of practice with a minor foot injury. 

Raiders

• Raiders GM Tom Telesco on WR Michael Gallup‘s retirement: “That just came up out of the blue. But when I talked to him, it seemed like he had a pretty clear vision…so yeah, that’s too bad.” (Paul Gutierrez)
• Telesco also discussed the signing of WR Keelan Doss: “He’s kind of a younger veteran. But yeah, I want to make sure we got somebody else in here because, like I said, we weren’t expecting the Gallup thing that just happened.” (Gutierrez)
• On second-round G Jackson Powers-Johnson, Telesco said he should be back in the “short term” while he hopes OT Kolton Miller can be back in a couple of weeks. (Tashan Reed)
• Telesco made the following statement regarding the QB battle: “Obviously we’ve got two quarterbacks that need to play in the preseason and if they’re going to play, you’ve got to put some people around them. So that kind of goes into it, too.” (Gutierrez)
• According to Aaron Wilson, Texans RB Cam Akers was scheduled to work out with the Raiders this week before signing in Houston.