The AFC West is already offering a few familiar storylines before the season even gets rolling: a star safety drawing major league-wide praise, a quarterback trying to beat the clock after knee surgery, and a rookie tight end who has already become the kind of player an offense wants to build around.
For the Chargers, Derwin James Jr. landed at No. 2 in ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler’s top-10 safety poll, which was voted on by coaches and executives around the league. One NFL secondary coach didn’t hold back in explaining why James belongs near the top of the list.
“I thought Derwin had his best, most complete year,” an NFL secondary coach said. “Blitzing, coverage, tackling, just overall was really good.
… He can really do it all. And he’s been healthy for a long stretch, which is good to see.”
In Kansas City, Patrick Mahomes said he expects to be back for Week 1 even though he tore his ACL in December. He made clear that the target is set, even if the final call won’t be his alone.
“That’s my goal,” Mahomes said. “I’ve said that since the beginning, is being ready to go Week 1.
I can’t predict the future, and I know that it’s a long process. It’s not just my decision, but at the same time I’m going to give the doctors and the coaches every single opportunity I can to let me be out there Week 1.”
Mahomes also explained why missing that opener is something he wants to avoid.
“I don’t want to miss that game because that’s the team that won the division while we were gone, and you want to be out there and ready to go with your teammates,” Mahomes continued. “I’ll give every single thing I can to be out there Week 1, and hopefully the doctors and the coaches give me the green light, and I’m able to go out there with my guys and compete against one of the best teams in the league.”
He said the rehab process is about daily progress and getting back into the rhythm of football.
“[A]ll I can do is be as great as I can be every single day,” Mahomes concluded. “You just have to maximize that day and slowly get better and better as the year goes on.
I’m excited to get back to training camp. I’m excited to get the guys back around.
I’ve kind of been in the building in Kansas City by myself. Just [to] have the guys back and getting to be on the football field will get me going and get me ready for the season.”
In Las Vegas, Brock Bowers is already being treated like a central piece of the offense. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak said the tight end will remain a focal point.
“ We’ve got to get the most out of Brock, ” Kubiak said, via ESPN. “ He’s been successful in college and high school with whoever’s coached him.
Can’t say enough great things about him. Love his work ethic.
He is a standard-bearer. ”
Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins also sees a player whose value goes far beyond one spot on the formation sheet. He compared Bowers to former Washington tight end Jordan Reed, pointing to the same kind of flexibility.
“ I remember in Washington, Jordan Reed was arguably our best eligible there, and he became kind of the Joker that you were able to use in unique ways, and Brock [Bowers], in a lot of ways, is that,” Cousins said.
In Other News...
This Chargers Rookie Could Finally Change Everything For Justin Herbert
The AFC Wests rookie class is already drawing attention for different reasons, but the Chargers most interesting addition may be the one built to protect Justin Herbert. After using their first pick on edge rusher Akheem Mesidor, Los Angeles turned back to the line with its second selection, taking Florida interior offensive lineman Jake Slaughter at No. 63 overall as part of a broader effort to shore up key roster spots.
For a team trying to make Herberts life easier, that kind of pick can matter as much as any flashy skill-player addition. Slaughter arrives with a clear path to relevance because the Chargers needed more help inside, and if he settles in quickly, he could end up shaping how stable the offense feels from week to week. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Are Asking Quentin Johnston To Become Much More Than A Threat
Quentin Johnstons first three NFL seasons have given the Chargers enough reason to keep leaning in his direction. The wide receiver has shown steady improvement, capped by back-to-back eight-touchdown campaigns, and Los Angeles has already exercised his fifth-year option, a clear sign the team still sees real upside in a player who has been more than just a vertical threat.
What remains interesting now is how much more the Chargers are asking him to do. Johnston is being positioned for a bigger role in 2026, with analysts pointing to a possible breakout season in the new system, but the exact shape of that jump is still unclear. For a team that wants him to become a key offensive piece, the next step is less about flashes and more about whether his game can expand in ways that match the organizations belief in him. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers O-Line Hype Comes With One Massive Catch
The Chargers are heading into training camp on July 28 with a very different look up front, and the overhaul is easy to see. Tyler Biadasz and Cole Strange are in as new starters, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are back in the mix after injuries, and the line suddenly carries the kind of upside that can change the feel of an offense if it comes together quickly.
Still, there is a real hinge point in the middle of all that optimism. The left guard spot is open, with Jake Slaughter, Kayode Awosika and Trevor Penning all in the competition, and offensive line expert Brandon Thorn pointed out that Slaughter is making the jump from college center to NFL guard. Even with the talent elsewhere on the line, the Chargers are still waiting to see how the pieces fit once camp starts and the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]