AFC Notes: Rashawn Slater, Trent McDuffie, Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs

Broncos

Broncos HC Sean Payton said the team has LB Drew Sanders locked in at the inside linebacker position and will continue to find ways for him to rush the quarterback.

[T]he vision is clear: inside linebacker,” Payton said, via Broncos Wire. “We think heโ€™s a pressure player. So, obviously, thereโ€™s ways where you can pressure that guy from a stacked position, or to an outside position. Heโ€™s doing well handling it.โ€Broncos

Broncos DT D.J. Jones has signed four contracts in his NFL career. He says this one, which is the most lucrative of his career and should keep him in Denver through his prime, changes his outlook.

โ€œSomebody asked me about money. I was like, Iโ€™ve been there before. Iโ€™ve thought about money. And it slowed me down. So I mean, a free mind on the football field is a dangerous player,โ€ Jones said, via Pro Football Talk. โ€œI think it speaks volumes of the room and whoโ€™s coaching us. So I think thatโ€™s a special thing for this organization to have, bringing everybody back.โ€

Chargers

Chargers LT Rashawn Slater was absent for a portion of OTAs as he demands a new contract. Jim Harbaugh said Slater passed his conditioning test after returning to their offseason program. 

โ€œHe came in in great shape,โ€ Harbaugh said, via Daniel Popper of ESPN. โ€œHe even said that the conditioning test was too easy. That was his quote.โ€

Harbaugh expressed his support for Slater. 

โ€œGreat to see him,โ€ Harbaugh said. โ€œEverybody here โ€” I speak on behalf of, I would think, everybody in the organization โ€” totally supports Rashawn, and we know what heโ€™s trying to accomplish for himself and his family.โ€

As for the center role, Harbaugh said Bradley Bozeman and Zion Johnson have rotated at the position, and he hopes to determine their starter “about eight to 10 days into camp.”

โ€œHistorically, thatโ€™s when I usually like to start setting those starting lineups,โ€ Harbaugh said. โ€œFrom now until then, the competition will continue.โ€

Chiefs

Kansas City made some tweaks to its secondary this offseason by signing CB Kristian Fulton and adding third-round CB Nohl Williams after losing S Justin Reid. Chiefs DB coach Dave Merritt opened up on the possibility of moving All-Pro CB Trent McDuffie around the defense more with the personnel they have. 

“Yeah, I mean, Trent (McDuffie) is still our number one at the outside position; I’m quite sure that Spags (Steve Spagnuolo) will put a little more emphasis on possibly trying to move Trent around if we can.” Merritt said, via Ed Easton Jr. of the Chiefs Wire. “But right now, Trent is our number one outside corner, and if we get to a point during the season where we can slide him in the inside, that’ll be great.”

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