Broncos

49ers LB Dre Greenlaw returned to San Francisco this offseason following a one-year stint with the Broncos. Greenlaw said he initially had a good relationship with Denver HC Sean Payton, but multiple injuries led to him losing the coach’s trust. 

“We were good, especially when I first came in,” Greenlaw said, via Michael Silver of The Athletic. “And then you pop your quad, people start looking at you. Then, when we played the Jaguars (on Dec. 21), I had a little bit of a hamstring (injury). After that, you kind of feel when the coach is, like, not really messing with you. I felt alone.”

Greenlaw felt like he was never a part of the team with the Broncos and was unable to build a relationship with his teammates. 

“I never felt like I was a part of the team because I wasn’t (out) there,” Greenlaw said. “I was always in the training room. I knew the trainers more than I knew the teammates.”

Greenlaw doesn’t hold any ill feelings toward the Broncos and understands how injuries impacted his status with the organization. 

“I don’t blame anything on the Broncos,” Greenlaw said. “Coming off the Achilles and the calf (injuries), I just wasn’t in the shape that I needed to be to go out there with them and give it all I got. I should have taken it slow. (But) naturally, they’d just paid me, so that’s all I wanted to do — go show them what I could do. And it bit me in the ass, the second day I got there.”

• Payton said QB Bo Nix will not participate in the team’s first preseason game. Denver QB Jarrett Stidham will start, followed by QB Sam Ehlinger. (Mike Klis)
• Payton said C Michael Deiter suffered a season-ending quad injury and will have surgery. (Klis)

Chiefs

• Chiefs WR Rashee Rice reflected on his jail time this offseason: “It was a reality check. It’s in the past. I’m focused on the future.” (Nate Taylor)
• Rice continued: “I’m 100% locked in on what is going on with the team. I’ve got a good brotherhood behind me.” (Charles Goldman)
• He was asked about being motivated going into a contract year: “Being able to be back on the field with my brothers right now is motivating. That’s in the future.” (Goldman)
• Rice was asked what he wants to improve the most this year: “I want to improve the most on certain plays that I know specifically aren’t coming to me… Everybody has got to eat, and everybody has got to get the ball.” (Goldman)
• Chiefs HC Andy Reid said QB Patrick Mahomes won’t play in the team’s preseason opener on Saturday. (Nate Taylor)
• Reid also mentioned S Chamarri Conner was held out of Thursday’s practice after banging knees with WR Tyquan Thornton on Wednesday. (Taylor)
• Chiefs DT Chris Jones had high praise for first-round DT Peter Woods: “He’s strong, a young bull. He has the skillset. He’s strong as an ox. He’s willing to learn. I think he’s going to contribute to this defense a lot this season.” (Taylor)

Raiders

There are plenty of position battles garnering attention at Raiders training camp, including at quarterback despite the team’s repeated messaging that they plan to slow-play the No. 1 pick. One that’s flying under the radar, at least for now, is kicker, where established NFL veteran Matt Gay is getting a surprising push from rookie UDFA Kansei Matsuzawa. The Japanese-born Matsuzawa, nicknamed the “Tokyo Toe” during his tenure at the University of Hawaii, reported back to training camp from spring workouts with noticeably more leg strength. 

“You can see a little bit more power in his kicks,” Raiders ST coordinator Joe DeCamillis said. “I’m pleased with where he’s at, but he’s got a lot of work to do left. It’s a legitimate competition.”

Matsuzawa would qualify for the international player exemption, so the Raiders could stash him on the practice squad as long as no other team claimed him. He says Gay has been great for him and they have a good relationship despite ostensibly competing for one job. 

“I have a great mentor in Matt,” Matsuzawa said. “I’m grateful to work with him. … My journey is a little unique, a little different. I have a good routine, work ethic. And then I just trust my process. … [I’ve] got to be elite level in the NFL so I’m working on a better routine. Obviously, I’ve got to take care of my body well. I think it’s been amazing so far, yeah.”