AFC West Notes: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

• Per Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post, Broncos HC Vic Fangio said CB Bryce Callahan would “try” to return to practice Tuesday. Callahan has been out since the summer trying to rehab a foot injury.
• Fangio added the team would make a decision whether or not to activate WR Tim Patrick, who’s been designated to return from injured reserve, later this week. (Nicki Jhabvala)

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes said after Sunday’s game that his knee is “doing fine.”

“The knee is doing fine,” Mahomes said, via the Kansas City Star. “Just how we expected going into the game. Give credit to the trainers and the training staff for getting me ready to play. The knee feels fine, and I’m glad to get through another game.”

Chiefs DE Frank Clark hasn’t had quite the on-field impact Kansas City was expecting when it swung a blockbuster deal for the pass rusher. Clark has only four sacks in eight games but revealed following Sunday’s game that he’s been playing with a pinched nerve since training camp. 

“I’ve been playing kind of timid this whole season,” Clark said via the Athletic’s Nate Taylor. “That’s why I’ve been kind of slow. I’ve had a pinched nerve since the end of training camp. I’ve been playing through it. It just got to a point where the s— was so serious, it was sending burning sensations down my arm. My f—ing two fingers was going numb. I had to take precautions, get checked out and make sure everything that I was doing football-wise wasn’t going to affect my life after football.”

• Chiefs RB LeSean McCoy was a surprise inactive on Sunday for their game against the Titans. 
• James Palmer reports that this was a predetermined rest week for McCoy, as they want him to be fresh down the stretch.
• According to Dan Graziano, the decision to make McCoy inactive is not related to injury.
• Chiefs HC Andy Reid said of McCoy being inactive: “I just thought it was the right thing to do right now. LeSean’s not getting any younger so it’s important that I manage him the right way as we go. I just thought it was the right thing to do at this time.“

Raiders

Raiders GM Mike Mayock tells Rich Eisen that they were tracking RB Josh Jacobs during his final few games at Alabama and through the draft process. 

“I walked into Jon’s office and I said I want you to watch a guy, we’re going to take him in the first round,” Mayock said, via NFL.com. “To say he was on our radar early would be fair and we tracked him all the way through the process.”

Mayock explained that Jacobs has a knack for picking up more yards than what’s immediately available for him. 

“I think his lateral quickness, his ability to make people miss, his pass protection, his hands. And the cool thing is, it looks like the play is blocked for one yard and he gets four. And then it looks like you block it for four and he gets 10,” Mayock said. “If this kid takes care of all the details, he has a chance to be good.”

• Jerry McDonald of the Mercury News expects the Raiders to wait and see what S Karl Joseph‘s market is in free agency before considering re-signing him to a “price they can live with.”
• Regarding the idea of bringing back veteran WR Michael Crabtree, McDonald writes that he wasn’t on the same page with QB Derek Carr for reasons never fully explained. McDonald believes the Raiders would be better off riding out the year with their current options.
• Raiders S Lamarcus Joyner‘s injury is not season-ending and Joyner could return for the playoffs if Oakland qualifies. (Jeremy Fowler)
• Joyner’s injury is a pulled hamstring and he’s week-to-week. (Vic Tafur)