AFC West Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs

Broncos

New Broncos HC Vic Fangio has high expectations for DE Bradley Chubb and is expecting a big leap from the second-year player.  

“I think he’s very capable of that, and use his versatility,” Fangio said via the Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala. “He’s got versatility.  He can play outside backer like everybody knows, but he’s a guy that maybe you can sink down inside and play some as a D-lineman.  I’m eager to work with him and see how versatile he might be.”  

• Fangio had high praise for what CB Bryce Callahan brings to the secondary: “Bryce is a good defensive back, both as a corner and a nickel defensive back. He’s had a lot of playing time the last three or four years in both cases, more so as the nickel DB.  But we feel like we’ve added a good player to our secondary that has some versatility.”  (O’Halloran)
• Fangio said the other safety spot across from S Justin Simmons is wide open, adding former Texans DB Kareem Jackson could be an option.  (Jhabvala)
• The Broncos will work out Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson before the draft.  (Jhabvala)
• Denver will also host all the rumored first-round quarterbacks, including Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, Missouri’s Drew Lock, Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins and Duke’s Daniel Jones.  (Jhabvala)
• Former third-round CB Brendan Langley will move to wide receiver this season.  
• Fangio mentioned he liked LBs Todd Davis and Josey Jewell, but wouldn’t rule out bolstering inside linebacker.  (Mike Klis)
• When asked if DT Shelby Harris is ready to step in at nose tackle, Fangio said, “Well, we’ll soon find out whether he is or isn’t. But you’re playing so much nickel any more these days that I look at the D-line group as one position. Guys need to be interchangeable up front.”  (Klis)
• GM John Elway said any extension talks, including for CB Chris Harris, wouldn’t begin until after the draft.  (Jhabvala)

Chargers

• The Chargers visited with Villanova T Ethan Greenridge before his pro day.  (Mike Kaye)
• The Chargers also met with Villanova T Brandon Hitner this week.  (Kaye)

Chiefs

After releasing S Eric Berry and LB Justin Houston while also trading LB Dee Ford, Chiefs HC Andy Reid said he was grateful for those players’ contributions, but the team had to move on.  

“That’s the name of this game right now,” Reid said via NFL Media’s Grant Gordon. “I mean, the NFL now … it’s hard to hold on to players for as long as you’d like to. I mean these are three of my favorite guys and good football players who can still do this thing. But, you have this influx of young guys, you have this whole salary cap thing that you’ve got to try to juggle. You have to be half-a-genius to put this thing together and make it sustained.” 

Reid says his goal is creating sustainable, long-term success.  

“That’s the key here,” Reid said. “So we’re talking about not just one year, but we’re talking about years and to do that, you’re gonna have to let some of these guys go to other teams.”

• Matt Verderame says while WR Pierre Garcon may weigh his options for a while, the Chiefs are a team to watch as an eventual landing spot.