AFC Notes: Sean Payton, Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Orlando Brown Jr.

Broncos

• KUSA’s Mike Klis reports Broncos CEO Greg Penner and GM George Paton went into their coaching search viewing Sean Payton and Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh as the two candidates to beat. However, their interest in DeMeco Ryans “soared” after his interview. 
• Klis mentions Ryans and Harbaugh rose to the top of Denver’s list at various points of their search given signing Payton required parting ways with more draft picks after unloading capital for Russell Wilson last offseason.
• However, Klis writes Payton was always an option for Denver if they could work out the compensation while they examined Ryans and Harbaugh. 
• Klis adds the Broncos’ negotiations for Payton ramped up last week. 
• The Saints initially requested two first-round picks and a second-round pick in exchange for Patyon but Denver was not interested in relinquishing so much capital after trading two first-round picks and two second-round picks last year for Wilson. (Klis)
• He adds Payton’s monetary compensation is somewhere in the neighborhood of $17-$20 million a year. 

Chargers

• ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry notes the Chargers don’t have any major pending free agents, with OT Trey Pipkins one of the most notable. He’s not guaranteed to start next year but Thiry adds it might be important to bring him back to ensure Los Angeles has depth. 
• Chargers’ new OC Kellen Moore said that “sometimes change can be good” after departing from Dallas. (Lindsey Thiry)
• Moore mentioned that he created a relationship with HC Brandon Staley from their joint practices together last offseason and the two kept in touch through the season.

Chiefs

Chiefs LT Orlando Brown Jr. said his contract situation is not weighing on him and he’s fully focused on winning a Super Bowl.

“Yeah, just understanding that for me, right now, the current goal is winning a Super Bowl,” Brown Jr. said, via Chiefs Wire. “And that’s really just been my focus, and as far as all those other things, that will be taken care of by my agent and however things are worked out on the business side. So, I just try to focus on that goal and to me, that’s what’s most important right now.”

• ESPN’s Adam Teicher isn’t sure whether the Chiefs’ stance on Brown has changed after this past season. They weren’t willing to give him the deal he wanted last year and that could mean another year on the franchise tag in 2023. 
• NBC Sports’ JP Finlay, citing a league source, reports that it sounds like Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy will have “multiple opportunities” after the Super Bowl and could command a salary of over $2.5 million per year for another coordinator role.