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AFC Notes: Fernando Mendoza, Eric Bieniemy, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Chargers

  • Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh said WRs Quentin Johnston, Tre Harris and Ladd McConkey have “clearly been the top three” receivers during the offseason program. (Kris Rhim)
  • Harbaugh also spoke on S Derwin James‘ contract extension: “Just incredible. Just warms the cockles of the heart. When the best player at the position makes the most money … Also best player meets combination of best human being. Can’t say that anybody more than Derwin fits that.” (Rhim)
  • The Chargers signed TE David Njoku to a one-year, $3 million contract with $850,000 guaranteed. (OTC)
  • Chargers QB Justin Herbert was notably away from the team’s facility for a couple of weeks to support his girlfriend, Madison Beer, on her tour. Los Angeles HC Jim Harbaugh said he was happy for Herbert and mentioned that he is otherwise “always at the building,” per Lindsey Thiry. 
  • As for pairing Herbert with OC Mike McDaniel, Harbaugh said they have been “a better mesh than even I thought it would be,” via Thiry

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes was asked about the return of OC Eric Bieniemy, including not only his coaching style but also his interactions with the new players on the roster who were not around during his previous tenure with the team.

“There’s a standard that you have to practice with, and you have to play with,” Mahomes said of Bieniemy’s return, via Pro Football Talk. “He’s going to hold you to that standard, no matter who you are. From the first guy to the 90th guy right now, he’s going to hold you to that standard. I think that’s something — it’s hard to replicate, I think that’s the best way to say it. He has brought in a lot of concepts and a lot of things that I’ve really liked that we’ve added in now. It’s good to have him back in the building and having that energy back. A lot of these guys haven’t had an EB. They understand it and honestly, I think it’s been cool. They’re really receptive of it. Even though it’s hard, there’s hard days. They know why we’re doing it. You can see the guys, and they want to be great, and they want to be better than we were last year.”

“I’m not going to say he’s taking it easy — he’s pushing the guys, but he holds them to a standard,” Mahomes added. “They haven’t had those days — it’s usually training camp when guys get tired, and they lose that will to finish and do all the exact right things, and that’s when EB’s going to hold you to that standard. We haven’t gotten there yet, but as long as you keep having good practices, we can prolong that as long as possible. I love it, man, I truly do. I think you can feel it in the meeting rooms. The way he carries himself, with the confidence that he carries himself with, it really focuses you in on what you’re learning and the little details of things. It’s been exciting to me, that first meeting had me wanting to run through a brick wall, it had me ready to go.”

Raiders

Raiders OC Andrew Janocko says all three of the team’s quarterbacks are eager to learn and compete, with Fernando Mendoza attempting to find his footing early after being drafted first overall.

“I think he’s a guy that wants to come in and grind every day, work,” Janocko said in his press conference. “All three of those guys [Mendoza, Kirk Cousins, Aidan O’Connell] come in every single day and they want to work, they want to learn, they want to be the best in the world. He’s got two guys in the room with him that just set an unbelievable example with the way they work, the way they prepare. So he’s able to see that and grow within himself.”

“I think that’s something we ask from all quarterbacks — is just to know the whys behind every play,” Janocko concluded. “Know the what, know the whys, and be ready to go above and beyond the Xs and Os at times to make things right. And to know where guys are at and where they’re supposed to be at, so that you can help guys, knowing not [just] your job, but the other 10 jobs as well. [G]uys like [center] Tyler Linderbaum [can say] if a young quarterback’s cadence is just a little bit off, that’s great insight for him.”

This article first appeared on NFLTradeRumors.co and was syndicated with permission.

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