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Weekend mail call:

Tom Giovino from Port Charlotte, Fla., wants to know if the Oakland Raiders could sign Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew in 2014 as a free agent.

Bill Williamson: It’s an interesting thought. Jones-Drew is from Oakland and has a history with Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson, who was previously in Jacksonville. Plus, current Oakland starting running back Darren McFadden will also be a free agent. If McFadden doesn’t bounce back from a poor 2012 season and/or injuries continue to haunt him, Oakland could be looking for a replacement. But there are some obstacles. The Raiders will have plenty of salary-cap room, but they aren’t going to spend wildly just to do it. Jones-Drew will be 29 next year and has had some off-field questions, so I don’t think it would be a slam dunk. But it is certainly worth keeping an eye on.

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Kevin Locke from Oceanside, Calif., wants to know if I think the Chargers are headed in the right direction.

BW: In the long term, yes. I like the direction the new brass is taking. The plan is good -- but I’m not sure how good the Chargers will be in 2012. They still have some holes. But I do expect the new staff to get quarterback Philip Rivers on track. Overall, the defense is solid. Perhaps the team can surprise.

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Jarrett Burns from Wichita, Kan., wants to know if I think the Chiefs can win 10 games and make the playoffs.

BW: Going from 2-14 to 10-6 is not easy. But the Chiefs have a strong roster and improved greatly on the coaching staff and at quarterback. It wouldn’t be shocking if this team made that type of drastic improvement. Still, simply counting on a team to improve by eight wins is not always wise.

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In this video we discuss the mean-spirited tweets oft-injured San Diego Chargers’ running back Ryan Mathews said he has received and what Mathews has to do to revive his career.

I am traveling home from covering the San Diego Chargers' minicamp. Thus, we will not hold our AFC West chat this week. Please check back for more coverage from the AFC West later Thursday. The chat will return next Thursday.

SAN DIEGO -- Those expecting complete changes to the San Diego Chargers' offense may be disappointed.

Yes, Mike McCoy’s offense will be different than Norv Turner’s. But there will be remnants from the past. Turner was the Chargers’ head coach since 2007 before being fired and replaced by McCoy, who was a successful offensive coordinator in Denver.

“You’ll see some of the things we did in the past,” Rivers said. “You will see Antonio Gates run of the same routes. ... There are only so many plays. This thing is not going to be totally different.”

Yes, with that said there will be philosophy differences and there is hope for better results under McCoy, Rivers said. He said the combination of McCoy, offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and quarterbacks coach Frank Reich is strong.

“It’s just a different approach,” Rivers said. “It’s nothing against the former approach. But sometimes change is good. Sometimes fresh approaches and tweaks and new ideas help. I will be friends with Norv Turner for the rest of my life. This is not about him, but I do think this change will be good for me and us as a team ... I’m excited about these guys.”

SAN DIEGO -- There have has been some talk that perhaps San Diego first-round pick D.J. Fluker could be moved to guard.

ESPN’s Matt Williamson is among those who believe it would be in the Chargers’ best interest to move Fluker from right tackle to guard. The Alabama product was the No. 11 overall pick in the April draft.

But San Diego coach Mike McCoy said that is not what the team is currently thinking.

“Anything is possible,” McCoy said Wednesday. “But where he is right now is where we think we are keeping him.”

The Chargers did rotate their offensive line some Wednesday in minicamp to prepare for injury situations that may pop up in the season. It’s a good idea. San Diego has been ravaged by injuries on the offensive line in recent seasons. This year, the team appears deeper and better equipped to handle injuries.

“It just takes one injury to change the entire line,” McCoy said.

Sebastian Janikowski and Shane Lechler were a team in Oakland.

They kicked together. They golfed together. They hung together. They were known as the best kicker-punter pair in the NFL for years.

Now, Janikowski is on his own after Lechler left for Houston via free agency. And the 2000 first-round pick says he has no intentions of leaving the Raiders. A pending free agent, the 35-year-old Janikowski told reporters he wants to play seven or eight more NFL seasons and he’d like to retire in Oakland.

I think Janikowski has a chance to get his wish. Oakland will have a surplus of salary-cap room next year and thus the flexibility to re-sign Janikowski if it wishes. Janikowski is still kicking at a high level and is a rare offensive weapon, so I think we could easily see him in silver and black for the long haul.

Here are some assorted AFC West minicamp nuggets:

Broncos coach John Fox had former Denver linebacking great Randy Gradishar speak to the team Wednesday.

Several media outlets noted that Tuesday's session was a rocky one for Oakland's offense. Wednesday, the reports were more positive, with the quarterbacks seemingly throwing the ball better. My reaction remains the same -- it’s June. Things will work themselves out.

San Diego coach Mike McCoy continued to rave about the chemistry the Chargers have displayed and how well they have bought into the new system.

San Diego first-round pick D.J. Fluker is going to be a media darling. The 6-foot-6, 335-pound offensive lineman's personality is as large as he is.

Oakland coach Dennis Allen said the foot injury that is keeping rookie running back Latavius Murray out of minicamp is not serious.

SAN DIEGO -- When the San Diego Chargers moved up seven picks in the second round to offer free-falling Manti Te'o a safety net, the pick was universally applauded.

My initial take was that it was a great fit for Te’o, who went from decorated Notre Dame middle linebacker to a perceived risky pick thanks to a strange Internet hoax involving a fake dead girlfriend. It turned Te’o from a Heisman Trophy runner-up into a household name on the tabloid circuit.

Even though he was taken about 30 spots later than originally expected (the Chargers took Te’o with the No. 38 pick), the San Diego selection appeared to be the perfect consolation for Te’o’s terrible three-month ordeal.

Te’o fits the Chargers’ 3-4 defensive scheme perfectly. San Diego is not a major media market. The Chargers have a mature locker room that can lead Te’o. San Diego is relatively close to his native Hawaii and the city has a thriving Polynesian community.

Less than two months into his San Diego tenure, Te’o completely agrees.

“It’s a perfect place for me,” Te’o said after a minicamp practice in which he was a major part of the defense.

“This organization is full of good people who care about each other. ... It’s the perfect situation.”

The key for Te’o’s comfort level in San Diego is his teammates. It is clear the team has taken to Te’o, who has a strong work ethic and a desire to be the best as selling points. Teammates and coaches have raved about his work ethic.

Team insiders said the hoax has never been mentioned and it is a non-issue in the locker room. The only heckling or hazing Te’o gets from his veteran teammate is the occasional “You’re not at Notre Dame anymore, rook” when he is beaten on a play.

Translation: Te’o has fit in. It is obvious it is a major relief to him.

"When we're out on the football field, everything else doesn't matter," Te’o said. "Thankfully, for me, I'm surrounded by a bunch of teammates who have really pushed me to be better. All they care about is that No. 50 is working his butt off. I'll take care of the work ethic part, and for them, they just make sure that I'm going in the right direction.”

As Te’o says, he and his teammates are in the locker room for the same reason. It was easy to sense that Te’o is being judged on his football ability by his teammates and coaches.

San Diego head coach Mike McCoy praised Te’o’s ability to stay on the field for three downs and simply said this: “He is one of us now.”

Quarterback Philip Rivers, who is always polite and agreeable in media sessions, appeared annoyed that some questions still revolve around Te’o’s non-football life.

"He's one of the guys. He hasn't been treated differently than any of the other guys,” Rivers said. "He hasn't acted any differently than any of the other guys. He's acted himself. He's lived up to everything thus far that I think is expected of him, both on the field and off.

“I’m still trying to figure out what the story is ... the story is so old and tired. I'd have figured y'all had moved on to something else by now."

While his teammates are tiring of the subject, Te’o deserves much credit for the way he is handling the situation. Tuesday, he spent about 20 minutes with media members and he politely answered every question. He never seemed agitated or perplexed when the hoax was brought up. He was thoughtful and he looked questioners in the eye.

He appears mature beyond his 22 years and all the talk of his sterling character at Notre Dame is easy to buy. I think the player should be allowed to concentrate on football like every other NFL rookie. Unless more information on the hoax that implicates Te’o is somehow unearthed, I don’t think he should be asked about it anymore. As of now, there is nothing more to be gleaned.

The focus now should be on how Te’o can help this team. Ask Te’o a football question and his eyes light up. It’s easy to tell he loves the game and the passion he showed in college is still with him.

“He has great instincts,” Rivers said. “The things he that can’t be coached, he has.”

The Chargers have a promising, young defense. But the team does need help in the middle. San Diego was last in red zone defense last season. It allowed a touchdown on 70 percent of opponents’ red zone trips. Notre Dame was ranked third in the country in red zone defense last season.

Te’o appears ready to do what it takes to help the cause. However, he did chuckle when a reporter asked him what he thought about becoming the face of the franchise.

“I’ll leave that up to Philip and (safety Eric Weddle) and (tight end Antonio Gates), Te’o said. “I just want to be the best Charger I can be.”

For Te’o, that would make this perfect place even better.

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers is one of those interviews you just don’t want to miss.

I’ve never been around Rivers when he wasn’t interesting. He talked to a group of media Tuesday and, as usual, he filled notebooks.

Here are a couple of interesting thoughts Rivers had on a couple of teammates:

On receiver Vincent Brown, who is returning from a broken ankle that kept him out all of last year: “Not that he was moping, but there is life back to him this year.” Rivers expects Brown to be a major part of the offense in 2013.

On safety Eric Weddle: “I may be biased but I think he is one of, if not the best, free safety in the league … he’s been unreal.”

SAN DIEGO -- Some notes from the Chargers’ minicamp Tuesday:

New coach Mike McCoy seems to have the trust of his players. It appears the group, which has been coached by Norv Turner since 2007, has totally bought into McCoy and there is a strong chemistry building between the players and the coaching staff.

McCoy may never win any awards for his media candor, but his players have been struck by him and that is what’s most important.

• McCoy has been talking up quarterback Philip Rivers all offseason. Tuesday was no different: “Philip is going to have a great year. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
• New running back Danny Woodhead looks good. He is versatile and I expect him to be a part of a lot of packages in the offense.
• Undrafted rookie free agents, cornerback Kenny Okoro and safety Jahleel Addae, have had strong springs. If they continue to perform well in training camp, they could be in the mix for the 53-man roster.
• His new teammates have clearly taken to D.J. Fluker. The first-round pick was the voice of the team’s huddle to start minicamp Tuesday. That says a lot about the offensive lineman. Players and coaches are raving about Fluker.
• McCoy is excited about adding pass-rusher Dwight Freeney to the defense. Even though Freeney has excelled in a 4-3 defense, McCoy reiterated Tuesday he has no worries that Freeney will fit into the Chargers’ 3-4 defense. The team is often multiple in its looks on passing downs.
• ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that linebacker Takeo Spikes will visit the Rams this week. He was with the Chargers last season.

SAN DIEGO -- I understand why the San Diego Chargers are trying to protect Manti Te’o from the media onslaught as the polarizing rookie begins his NFL career.

However, after watching the kid handle the spotlight on Tuesday, I don’t believe the organization has anything to worry about. The kid is a polished pro at dealing with the media.

It’s stunning that any 22-year-old can handle himself publicly this well, let alone one who had to deal with the pressure Te’o has had.

We all know the back story by now. The middle linebacker from Notre Dame was involved in an Internet hoax involving a fake dead girlfriend. It was the first negative publicity Te’o has ever had to deal with. It likely had a part in his tumble from a top-five prospect to being the No. 38 overall NFL draft pick.

Part of the Chargers’ plan for Te’o was to shield him from overexposure with the media. In the past several team workouts, Te’o has been off-limits to the media. He was basically the only player in the NFL who was off-limits to the media this spring, and the team caught a lot of national heat for it.

The Te’o sequester ended Tuesday as the Chargers made him available in a news conference setting only. There were about 60-70 reporters there for the end of the media boycott, as it were.

Te'o handled it seamlessly -- just like he has with nearly every media session since the hoax story broke.

Te’o patiently answered every question he was asked in a session that lasted about 20 minutes. He gave well-thought-out answers. Nothing was off-limits. However, there was no new ground broken, nor did Te’o supply any headlines.

He did say that he was appreciative that the team made its media plan because it allowed him to focus on football. It is clear he is completely focused on the playbook, and by all accounts Te’o is doing everything the team wants him to do on the field. He is pegged as a three-down player in San Diego’s 3-4 system.

Here are some of the more interesting tidbits from the Te’o session:

• He said he did allow himself to watch the tape of Notre Dame’s blowout loss to Alabama in the national title game once. Te’o had perhaps his worst college performance in that game.
• Asked why he went to a recent Maxim Magazine function that poked fun at his hoax Te’o said like, most 22-year-olds, he wanted to “check out” the party. Good answer.
• He said several NFL luminaries have offered their support including Troy Polamalu, Ray Lewis and Steve Young.
• We will further delve into Te’o’s transition to the NFL on Wednesday. But rest assured, San Diego, there is little to worry about at this point -- on and off the field. The kid is impressive.

I am headed to San Diego to cover the Chargers' minicamp on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Please check back later for coverage from San Diego and around the AFC West.

If you are in San Diego on Monday, you just might run into a Charger.

The San Diego Chargers have assigned Monday as “Thank you San Diego Day.”

Players, cheerleaders and several members of the organization will canvas the greater San Diego area, making surprise visits to thank fans for their support and to help build excitement as the team begins a new era.

“Monday, June 10 will be our day to say ‘thank you’ to Chargers fans and get them ready for the season,” said A.G. Spanos, the team’s chief executive officer. “We’re excited about our new leadership and direction and the possibilities that lie ahead, and we want our fans to feel that excitement.”

In other AFC West notes:

Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis explained why he fired P.R. director Zak Gilbert and said he is no reflection on general manager Reggie McKenzie. McKenzie hired Gilbert.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles thinks he is a perfect fit for Andy Reid’s offense.

New San Diego Chargers head coach and former Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said he has come to terms with a crucial third-down call made late in an eventual loss to Baltimore in the AFC divisional playoffs. Recently, Broncos head coach John Fox said the decision “gnaws” at him. Fox, who took responsibility, wasn’t blaming McCoy at all.

Do I think this will be an issue moving forward for the two men? No, not at all. They were together as coaches for a long time. There’s no issue.

In other AFC West notes:

In an Insider piece, Mel Kiper explains why he thinks the Chiefs had the best offseason in the NFL. Thus, the praise for the new Kansas City regime continues.

The Buffalo News reports former Bills’ receiving great Andre Reed will be a Kansas City coaching intern.

CBS Sports thinks Denver nickel cornerback Chris Harris is the most underrated player in the NFL. That’s pretty heady stuff, but there’s no doubt, the former undrafted free agent has become an impact player in Denver.

Here are some highlights from our AFC West chat, which was held earlier Thursday:

Denver

Marty from San Diego: Alex Gibbs is back in Denver, Montee Ball is a great one cut runner, Denver looking to improve run game- does this all add up to more zone blocking? Hasn't really been Fox or Manning's MO.

Bill Williamson: Gibbs is there mostly to work with the young linemen who don't get many reps. The plan is not to change schemes. There will be some ZBS but not a ton. At least, that is the current plan.

Kansas City

Josh from Texas: How is Tony Moeaki doing?

BW: The key with him is health. It seems the new regime is really high on rookie Travis Kelce. Moeaki has skills, but if he is not careful he will be passed by Kelce.

Oakland

Dan Martin from Florence, Colo.: With Rod Streater's performance last year as a rookie Raider, do you think he will be Oakland’s top receiver this year? All I've heard about is Moore and Criner.

BW: I wouldn't be shocked if Streator becomes an upper-level player. Like him a lot. He'll be a big part of it.

San Diego

Derek from Bristol, Va.: Do you see Malcom Floyd being a Charger next year after his contract expires? And do you also see Royal and or Meachem having a bounce back year?

BW: Maybe on Floyd is if he has a really nice season. But the Chargers are moving forward with the idea of having Brown, Allen and Alexander as their top guys. As for Royal and Meachem, anything they can offer this year will be a bonus.

The San Diego Chargers completed a couple of AFC West rookie class firsts Wednesday.

The Chargers announced they have agreed to terms with their first-round pick, tackle D.J. Fluker of Alabama. He was the No. 11 overall pick in the April draft.

He was the last of San Diego’s draft picks to sign. It is the first team in the AFC West to sign its entire draft class. Fluker was the first first-round pick in the division to sign. Denver and Kansas City has both signed about half of its draft class. Oakland has yet to sign a draft pick, but it should soon start doing so because it received cap relief on June 1 as part of the Michael Huff cut.

As for Fluker, he is currently earmarked to start at right tackle. However, there has been some talk he could be moved to right guard. Regardless, Fluker will instantly be a big part of San Diego’s offense.