Broncos

J.K. Dobbins enters his first season with the Broncos and is competing to become Denver’s starting running back. Dobbins understands it’s important to protect QB Bo Nix and also be productive on third downs.

“I mean, a lot of people think running back is you get the ball, run left, run right or run through the middle,” Dobbins said, via Jeff Legwold of ESPN. “And that’s important, a big part of it, but is it what will get you the most snaps in this offense? Well, no, there’s a quarterback [protection] thing we’ve got to do. There’s third down, and right now in the league, third down is huge. And in this offense, how we as backs do your job to help Bo [Nix] with the ball, protect Bo without it, is what will be the deciding factor I think.”

Sean Payton thinks the first four weeks of the season will be important in determining the battle between Dobbins and second-round RB RJ Harvey.

“I think when we get through those first four weeks of the regular season, you guys, myself included, will all have a better feel for, ‘This is what we’re seeing now. It looks positive,'” Payton said. “I think that’s something that will be real important.”

Payton added that they need to be “more explosive” at the running back position after recording just 38 carries of more than 10 yards last season.

“We have to be more explosive in that area,” Payton said. “So we first look at ourselves, the scheme and are we doing it the way we want to. Then we’re looking at who are we asking to do it with. Obviously, we’ve added some players in the running back room, and we’re going to be much improved in that area.”

Chargers

• The Chargers recently brought back veteran WR Keenan Allen on a one-year deal. Allen feels he was “downplayed” on the open market and was a little surprised by how things worked out: “A little bit. I thought I got a little downplayed. That’s part of the chip.” (Daniel Popper)

Raiders

The Raiders opened up their preseason against new HC Pete Carroll‘s former team, the Seattle Seahawks. Carroll downplayed the meeting, saying he doesn’t have any extra emotion playing the Seahawks.

“It’s the only game we got,” Carroll said, via Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “It happens to be in Seattle.”

Carroll said he loved his time in Seattle, but Thursday’s meeting is just a game.

“I loved my time in Seattle, loved the fans and the people that we met, and dealt with, and competed with,” Carroll said. “But it’s a game for us. We’re going to go play ball.”

Geno Smith said he was looking forward to being back at Lumen Field and seeing his former coaches and teammates.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Smith said. *“Looking forward to seeing my old teammates. Old coaches. People in the building. It’ll be fun. I’m also...