AFC Notes: Jonathon Cooper, Harrison Butker, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

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Broncos Broncos OLB Jonathon Cooper is missing from camp as he faces domestic violence charges. Denver HC Sean Payton feels the league has done a good job taking over the responsibility, and said they had a long meeting with Cooper. “I think this: I think the league has done a good job of kind of coming in and really taking over that responsibility,” Payton said, via BroncosWire . “ We had a long visit with ‘Coop,’ and now the process plays out. The league obviously will be very much involved in that. We’ll stay abreast, but much like you all. I think that’s where it’s at. We just go from there.” At the time, Payton mentioned that they are staying “as informed as possible” with Cooper and will follow the NFL’s guidelines on the matter. “When it’s the offseason or it’s the weekend, no news is always good news. Knock on wood, we’ve had a long stretch where that’s been the case,” Payton said. “Now we’ll stay as informed as possible. We’ll follow the league’s guidelines, and I’m sure a lot of that will be led by the local authorities’ guidelines. We’ll pay attention to all of it.” Chiefs Chiefs K Harrison Butker enters 2026 after missing three field goals in the first four weeks of last season. Butker reflected on how he began 2025, saying it took a mental toll on him. “Slow start,” Butker said, via ChiefsWire . “I think when you start the season off with misses, your back’s kind of against the wall (and) mentally, it kind of takes a toll on you. It’s just not great. I climbed out of it; I finished the season, (and) I think I was above middle-of-the-pack. Obviously, you don’t even want to be there, but you don’t want to start out the season missing as much.” Butker mentioned that kicking consistently requires the “right mindset.” “When you’re smooth, and you have good foot-to-ball contact, and you’re feeling strong, the ball’s going to go, you don’t need to overpower it,” Butker said. “Kicking’s just such a mental skill. If you’re going out there and you don’t have the right mindset, that can really affect you a ton.” Raiders Although Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom writes that the Raiders have loved what they’ve seen from first-round QB Fernando Mendoza so far this offseason, he cites team and league sources who don’t expect it to change Las Vegas’ approach of allowing Mendoza to sit and learn from QB Kirk Cousins in 2026. With that, La Canfora hears that Cousins is still expected to be the Raiders’ Week 1 starter. One anonymous personnel executive whose team in the quarterback market told La Canfora that Cousins isn’t expected to be a mentor from the sidelines: “Cousins isn’t there just to hold a clipboard for 17 weeks.” The post AFC Notes: Jonathon Cooper, Harrison Butker, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders appeared first on NFLTradeRumors.co .