AFC West Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

• The Broncos won’t be re-signing LB Corey Nelson, per the Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala. Denver signed Nelson to fill in for injuries but lost him to a biceps tear midseason. 
• According to KUSA’s Mike Klis, the Broncos are interested in re-signing LB Jeremiah Attaochu if he’s still around in the second wave of free agency. 
• Klis reports the Broncos met with impending free-agent DE Derek Wolfe‘s agent at the NFL Combine and had a “positive” meeting. 
• Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller writes the Broncos are frequently connected to Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III with the No. 15 pick in the first round. 
• The Broncos don’t plan to tender RFA CB De’Vante Bausby, though they would like to bring him back at a lower figure. (Troy Renck)
• TCU DT Ross Blacklock has formal interviews with 21 teams scheduled at the Combine, including the Broncos. (Nicki Jhabvala)
• Ole Miss DT Josiah Coatney had a formal interview with the Broncos at the Combine. (Ryan O’Halloran)

Chargers

• Per the Los Angeles Times, Chargers GM Tom Telesco said while the team hasn’t made a decision yet on the fifth-year option for WR Mike Williams, they’re happy with what they’ve gotten from Williams: “Actually, I haven’t given enough thought on that yet. But we love what he’s doing. He’s going to be a good player in this league.”
• Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller writes that USC OT Austin Jackson is considered to be an option for the Chargers at the top of the second round. 
• According to ESPN’s Seth Walder, the Chargers hired Aditya Krishnan from the Browns as their new director of analytics. Krishnan was a football research analyst in Cleveland.
• Walder mentions this is the Chargers’ first hire in the analytics department. 

Chiefs

• Per Fansided’s Matt Verderame, the agent for Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, Leigh Steinberg, made it clear he’s also cognizant of the need for Mahomes to not just get what he deserves on his next extension but also allow the Chiefs cap flexibility to build around him: “Quarterback greatness is judged by Super Bowls.”
• LSU LB Patrick Queen had a formal interview at the Combine with the Chiefs. (Jordan Reid)
• TCU DT Ross Blacklock has formal interviews with 21 teams scheduled at the Combine, including the Chiefs. (Jordan Reid)

Raiders

The Raiders have been one of the most consistent teams linked to Patriots QB Tom Brady if he becomes a free agent. Naturally, any team would be interested in potentially signing the most decorated quarterback of all time, but the Raiders have also been linked to other quarterbacks with shorter resumes, leading to more questions about incumbent Raiders QB Derek Carr‘s status with the team. Raider HC Jon Gruden tried to put some water on those rumors at the Combine. 

“I really think Derek is a heck of a player, and I got a lot of respect for what he has done in some tough circumstances,” Gruden said via the Athletic’s Vic Tafur. “So I’m not going to answer every media rumor out there, just can’t do it. I’m just going to listen to my serious rock and roll, classic vinyl and keep working. But I love what Derek Carr did, I love what he brings to our team and anxious to continue to build around him.”

• Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline says to keep an eye on TCU WR Jalen Reagor as an option for the Raiders with their second first-round pick at No. 19. 
• Gruden said it will depend on the market as to whether Las Vegas will be able to bring back S Karl Joseph: “We have to see where the market is and weigh all the options. He is weighing them, we’re weighing them. … He is a hitter that made an impact for us this year. He really improved in Year 2 of our system.” (Tafur)
• Gruden mentioned the Raiders are looking forward to a fresh start at wide receiver without Antonio Brown and with a healthy Tyrell Williams: “We felt we added one of the best receivers in the league a year ago and he had frozen feet, and then we thought we had the best free-agent receiver and he had fried feet from plantar fasciitis. So, the feet were a problem for us last year so we would like to add a great receiver, certainly, but we still threw for a lot of yards.” (Paul Gutierrez)
• Oklahoma LB Kenneth Murray and LSU LB Patrick Queen both met with the Raiders at the Combine. (Vic Tafur)
• TCU DT Ross Blacklock said he had a formal interview with 21 teams, including the Raiders. (Nicki Jhabvala)