AFC West Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Raiders

Broncos

• Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mentions Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders as a potential trade candidate, as Denver is losing, Sanders is in his 30s, and his deal ends after this season. 

Chargers

• According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the Chargers agreed to a restructured deal with OT Russell Okung that allows him to earn back the initial $13 million he was scheduled to make before his salary was reduced while he was on the non-football injury list. 
• Okung made $2 million the first six weeks of the season while he was on the NFI and will now make $1 million per week the rest of the season to bring him back up to $13 million, along with a roster bonus that kicks in if he’s inactive for Week 7 while he works back into the swing of things. (Rapoport)
• Okung says he “looked death in the face” when he suffered his pulmonary embolism back in June. (Jeff Miller)
• He says he practiced Thursday but isn’t sure when he’ll be cleared to play. (Miller)
• Chargers DC Gus Bradley says second-round rookie S Nasir Adderley is still working his way back from an injury: “We’re trying to be patient with him and have him come back. I think he’s a guy that feels like he needs to be 100 percent. But he’s going to have to learn that you might have to play at 90 or 85 in this league. So he’s figuring that part out.” (Daniel Popper)

Raiders

Raiders HC Jon Gruden reiterated that he disagrees with the NFL’s ruling to suspend LB Vontaze Burfict for the remainder of the 2019 season. 

“You got to have linebackers, you know,” Gruden said, via Josh Schrock of NBC Sports. “If someone comes out and wants to play old-fashioned, big-boy football, you got to have linebackers. Losing Burfict’s big. I’m still not happy about it. I’m just not happy about it. We believe in player safety. We coach it, we believe in it, we really stress it. But 12 games, I’m not happy about that. I’m not happy about it. But it is what it is and we’ll get (Justin Phillips) and Dakota Allen and whoever the next man up is and get them ready to go.” 

• Raiders DC Paul Guenther, who was with the Bengals when they drafted Burfict and lobbied for Oakland to bring him in, concurred with Gruden: “I think it was a witch hunt from the beginning.” (Myles Simmons)