AFC West Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Raiders

Broncos

Broncos WR Courtland Sutton has targeted the red zone as an area for improvement this year. 

“Personally, in the red zone, I think I’m one of the biggest threats that (defensive backs) go against,” Sutton said via Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post. “Every DB that I played against or will play against will probably say the same thing. They might not show it, but they know.” 

• Broncos GM John Elway has had multiple discussions with CB Chris Harris‘ agent and have made progress on altering the veteran’s 2019 cash payout, though there’s still no official agreement. (Mike Klis)

Chargers

Chargers owner Dean Spanos guaranteed that a new deal for QB Philip Rivers will get done. 

“It’s going to happen; it will happen,” Spanos said via Gilbert Manzano of The Orange County Register. “We have an understanding, as long [Rivers] wants to be here, we want him here. We love Philip Rivers. You can’t say enough great things about him. I don’t think the contract issue is a big thing for us or for him.” 

Raiders

Raiders QB Derek Carr said he is not surprised the team did not select a quarterback in the 2019 NFL Draft and is “on the same page” with HC Jon Gruden and GM Mike Mayock. 

“The owner, the GM, the head coach and the quarterback… I don’t know about other places, but here, we are all on the same page. I talk to all three of those guys all the time. They tell me good, bad, and ugly. We are always on the same page because that’s what our team needs. That’s what the good organziations do. And so from the beginning, I’ll say it this way, man… I met with all of them, talked with all of them. When I watched the draft, there was like a negative 47 percent chance they were going to draft somebody [quarterback] in my mind. Hopefully those guys didn’t have their hopes up. But it wasn’t going to happen. They pretty much said that literally every time it even came up, if it even came up. We’re not just planning for this year. I’m honestly going to be here a long time. And so I hope that’s ok with you guys, but you got to get used to me,” said Carr, via James Palmer. 

Raiders HC Jon Gruden said that the team would “like to see” second-year DE Arden Key gain more weight and strength. 

“You know, Arden is — all our second-year players I think have been impressive, the way they have worked,” Gruden said, via Scott Bair of NBC Sports. “We’d like to see Arden, you know, be 260 pounds someday, 257 pounds someday. He’s working toward that … He’s got to be stronger to be more complete and I think it’s going to take a little time. But he is working at it and I got a lot of respect for that.”