AFC West Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

• CBS Sports analyst and former agent Joel Corry identifies Broncos S Justin Simmons as a potential franchise tag candidate. 
• The Athletic’s Mike Sando writes the Broncos will likely decline the fifth-year option for OT Garett Bolles this offseason.

Chargers

• CBS Sports analyst and former agent Joel Corry identifies Chargers TE Hunter Henry as a potential franchise tag candidate. 
• The Athletic’s Mike Sando writes the Chargers will likely exercise the fifth-year option for WR Mike Williams this offseason.

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has been battered and bruised in his followup to his MVP-winning opening act last year. Thankfully a bruise is also all Mahomes’ latest injury is. After dealing with an ankle sprain early in the season and missing time due to a dislocated kneecap, Mahomes was relieved to learn his hand wasn’t broken, even if it took until Wednesday for him to recover. 

“Today was the first day I was really able to get a grip on [the ball],” Mahomes said via ESPN’s Adam Teicher. “I was able to kind of flick it around yesterday, but today was the first day I was able to really grip the ball, throw it and drive it down the field a little bit. It’s doing better. A lot of the swelling went down these last two days, so I was able to throw the football around today. … Definitely was a little scary after the game when it was a little bit bruised and the swelling and stuff like that. We’ve done more and more treatment since the swelling went away, so I was able to throw the football and everything.”

• CBS Sports analyst and former agent Joel Corry identifies Chiefs DT Chris Jones as a potential franchise tag candidate. 

Raiders

• According to Ben Fischer of Sports Business Daily, the NFL owners approved to waive the $350 million debt limit for the Raiders, who plan to borrow to pay the $378 million relocation fee for their move to Las Vegas next year.