AFC Notes: Del Rio, Raiders, Pats, Belichick

Jack Del Rio has two years left on his original four-year contract, but it’s time for the Raiders to re-work his deal, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com opines. Currently the lowest-paid coach in the NFL, Del Rio guided the once-lowly Raiders to their first playoff appearance since 2002. And with GM Reggie McKenzie under contract through the 2021 season, it only makes sense for Del Rio to be locked up for the same period. Last week, we learned that the two sides are planning to discuss a new deal.

Here’s more from the AFC:

• There’s no indication that Patriots coach Bill Belichick is getting ready to walk off into the sunset, Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com writes. If the Pats manage to win on Sunday, Belichick will have five Super Bowl rings to his name, giving him the most of any head coach in league history. Still, it appears that he still craves the competition and we have no reason to believe that he wants to retire to Florida right now. Curran’s best guess is that Belichick will wrap it up after the 2019 season, when he’ll be 68 and will have just completed 20 years in New England.
• The Steelers should draft a quarterback this year, Paul Ziese of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. To many, this year’s crop of quarterbacks is not an inspiring one, but Zeise likes DeShaun Watson or DeShone Kizer enough to advocate for their selection at No. 30, if they’re there. Roethlisberger still stands as one of the league’s best QBs, but he turns 35 in March and the team may want to think about grooming his next replacement. By the same token, I would be surprised if they use their first-round pick to take a signal caller.
• It’s time for the Broncos to find a consistent and explosive returner, Cameron Wolfe of The Denver Post writes. Jordan Norwood had trouble holding on to punts and that uncertainty cancelled out a lot of the good things he did on the field. This offseason, Norwood is a free agent along fellow core special teams players Kayvon Webster and Dekoda Watson.
• Yesterday, the Colts hired Chris Ballard as their new GM. Ballard beat out Packers executive Eliot Wolf, Vikings assistant GM George Paton, Seahawks co-player personnel directors Trent Kirchner and Scott Fitterer and internal candidate Jimmy Raye III for the job.