Broncos
Broncos S Talanoa Hufanga missed 10 games with a wrist injury last season and seven in 2023 after suffering a torn ACL. Hufanga recalled a conversation he had with Steelers’ Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu, who said injuries are a part of the game.
“Injury is part of the game,” Hufanga said, via BroncosWire. “Troy Polamalu always told me, ‘It’s a 100 percent injury rate regardless.’ For you to go in, you have to understand what comes with it. So every injury that I’ve came along, I think it’s just a testament to who I am and to battle through adversity through those moments. [It is] something that I’ve taken in and wear on my sleeve when I go out on the field.”
Hufanga wants to record interceptions and celebrate with the team in 2025 after having none last year.
“I just want to go out there and celebrate with the guys,” Hufanga said. “When we can make plays together — if I can help a guy get an interception, that’s my goal.”
Hufanga’s goal in Denver is to win the Super Bowl.
“I want to be out there to help guys get accolades and help as a team get the biggest accolade of all, and that’s being a Super Bowl champion,” Hufanga said. “We have to go out there and strive to be that every day.”
Broncos
Denver added CB Jahdae Barron in round one of the draft to get another dynamic defender opposite CB Patrick Surtain II. Surtain had great things to say about Barron and wouldn’t be opposed to getting targeted more with a strong corner on the other end.
“He brings a lot of versatility to the defense,” Surtain said, via Aric DiLalla of the team’s website. “He’s smart, savvy. He makes plays. It’s a big addition to our team, because I know he’s going to make plays on the team. He’s catching up fast. It’s a great addition to our team.”
“We’ll see. At the end of the day, you can only control what you can control. But if that involves me getting more attempts at the ball and making more plays, then [I] can’t be too mad at it.”
Raiders
Through his first OTA sessions with the team, Raiders’ new OC Chip Kelly raved about WR Jakobi Meyers. He praised Myers’ understanding of the game and reliability as a pass catcher who they can lean on with all the youth in the unit.
“Anything thrown in his direction, he seems to somehow come down [with it],” Kelly said, via Paul Gutierrez of the team’s website. “He’s got a really good understanding of coverage and schemes, where he knows how to get himself open at the appropriate time. And that’s part of it.
“We’re young at the wideout spot. But for those guys to be able to rely on someone like Jakobi, a kind of, ‘been there, done that’… that can help some of the young guys out there.”
Myers is heading into a contract year following a career-best season in 2024. He would like to remain with the Raiders, but also wants to maximize his value in his next deal.
“I’m trying to feed my family and also go out here and show that I could be a dominant football player and do the things that help the team win,” Myers said. “Yeah, I want to be here, for sure. But that’s all I could really say on it right now. That’s business between us and the top floor. So, I’m just going to hold that one down for now.”
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