NFC Notes: Broncos, Raiders, Ravens

Broncos

Seahawks recently acquired TE Noah Fant said that he was shocked to be traded given he found out about the deal while watching TV and had to immediately fly to Seattle. 

“Just like everybody else did, which was kind of a shock to me,” Fant said, via Will Petersen of DenverFan.com. “Kind of a blow up my world a little bit. I was actually working out, out in California, and found out as it was going across the TV screen on ESPN. So, it was one of those things that was just like kind of crazy and kind of a whirlwind. And then the next couple of days, obviously, getting calls from some Broncos people, some new Seahawks coaches and staff and some players and stuff. Obviously, I had to fly out to Seattle that next day for all the physicals and stuff so the trade could be processed.”

At the end of the day, Fant is hoping the Seahawks use him more to what he feels like his strengths are, compared to the past season or so with the Broncos. 

“Yeah, I mean, I agree, man. I feel like when I came into the league, that’s what I was drafted to do, right? Get down the field, make those explosive plays, and kind of be that pass catching tight end. And over my time in Denver, I felt like that narrative kind of got muddled down a little bit. It was more of a focus of me catching flat balls or whatever it may be, and then trying to be a shifty guy and elusive guy and try to break as many tackles possible to get my yards. I view myself as a downfield threat, getting open space, then I can make things happen. It was a little frustrating being used in the short field.”

Raiders

Raiders HC Josh McDaniels said they are planning to sign another backup quarterback at some point. 

“We’re going to add to that room, it’s just a matter of how,” McDaniels said, via Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

McDaniels said that they would like to bring in a quarterback who they can train and develop. 

“At the end of the day what we’d like to do is get in a cycle where we find people that we bring in and can train. And we can develop,” McDaniels said. “A great thing for a quarterback is to have time in a system, continued development year after year. Not bring him in for one year, then sit there and say, alright, now I’ve got to it again. That’s a pain in the butt sometimes.”

As for his drafting strategy, McDaniels responded that they will take the best player available and wouldn’t shy away from selecting a player at the same position three times in a row. 

“We’re going to try to draft the best players available,” McDaniels said. “If we draft three of the same position in a row because they’re clearly the three best players when it’s our turn to draft, I mean, you make a strength stronger.”

Ravens

It’s not clear what exactly the holdup is between the Ravens and QB Lamar Jackson on a long-term deal. But HC John Harbaugh is not worried about it having a negative impact on his quarterback. 

“It’s one of the great things about Lamar Jackson. He’s very unique,” Harbaugh said via the Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. “He’s just a guy who doesn’t get caught up in things that he can’t control or doesn’t want to address at that point in time. He’s not going to worry about it. If it matters to him, then obviously, it would be a priority at this point in time. I’m sure we would be getting something done. He’s got his reasons, thinking the way that he does. Basically what he shares with me is: ‘I got to focus on being the best quarterback I can be. I got to go to work.’ Beyond that, I think when the time is right, it’ll happen.”