Broncos
The Broncos had seven receivers on the roster before the draft and entered last year’s training camp with 12. Denver HC Sean Payton said they plan on adding players at the position, but are trying to identify the right value.
“We’re going to add numbers to the position when you look at what we take to training camp, whether that’s through the draft or free agency,” Payton said, via BroncosWire. “I would say we’re happy with the two we selected a year ago, the one we selected two years ago and the guys that are already here. Now, if one of those players arrives in a round where we’re looking at it, that’s the trick to this. You can target guys sometimes. We’re all guilty of really liking a player and then trying to… But let’s not bypass the crystal for a blender if we need a blender. So I think you’re still looking at value.”
Payton reiterated they are trying to balance player value and team need.
“It’s the value-need discussion, and I think that exists in every draft room today. Sometimes you can manipulate that yourself. Certainly, in tie breakers, it’s important. There are a number of good young receivers in this draft, and we’ll see how that unfolds. I do feel good about that group we have, and I think that they’ve shown obviously last season, the jump we took offensively from where we were at to scoring on offense and all of those things. Obviously, the addition of Bo [Nix], those all contribute to that.”
- According to Adam Schefter, the Raiders have named Brian Stark their Assistant General Manager and Johnathon Stigall their Assistant Director of College Scouting. Stark was previously in the Broncos front office.
Chiefs
Chiefs HC Andy Reid is confident where LT Josh Simmons is at after recovering from a torn patellar tendon in the fall.
“So the league does the rechecks, so you’re getting even the check at the combine. Then they do a recheck, and then you bring them in here, and you get a look at him. So we’ve got a pretty good idea of where he’s at,” Reid said, via Chiefs Wire. “He’s got to go out and do it. But it’s not one of those where you’re looking at it (being) a problem, either from bad surgery, he just hasn’t been working. He has been doing all of the above. The doctor did a nice job with it up to this point. So it looks like he’s in pretty good shape that way.”
Reid added that the typical timeline from a patellar tendon injury is similar to recovering from a torn ACL. The team is confident that he’s progressing and trusts their medical staff in their evaluation.
“So when you talk ACLs, you talk patellar tendon surgeon. ACLs normally take about nine months. The patellar tendon normally takes about six months,” Reid said. “It’s the same risk, though, that you’re looking at there, and we’ve had success with patellar tendon type going back as far as Correll Buckhalter, and in his injury, he was able to come back and play as a running back. So Rick (Burkholder) has a pretty good feel for that. Our doctors also have a good feel for it; we thought it looked like a good surgery. He’s got to get out and play football, too. So we gotta see from there, but where we’re sitting, the experts would tell you it looks good.”
Raiders
- SI.com’s Albert Breer believes RB Ashton Jeanty was everything the Raiders were looking for in a player, as “the humble superstar” who also dominated on the field.
- Breer mentions GM John Spytek spoke with Boise State HC Spencer Danielson, who talked about staying up all night before the Pro Day to find something negative to say about Jeanty so he didn’t come off as “overwhelmingly glowing” to the point that coaches wouldn’t believe him.
- Spytek also couldn’t ignore how Jeanty interacted with all the kids brought by scouts to his Pro Day. (Breer)
- According to Adam Schefter, the Raiders have named Brian Stark their Assistant General Manager and Johnathon Stigall their Assistant Director of College Scouting. Stark was previously in the Broncos front office.
- Per Tashan Reed, Raiders OT Kolton Miller was present at OTA’s on Tuesday.
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