Saturday night, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs open up their preseason schedule with a highway sport in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals, giving us our first have a look at the group close to the top of coaching camp, which can conclude Wednesday at Missouri Western State College in St. Joseph.
Kansas Metropolis head coach Andy Reid stated that his starters would play throughout the first quarter, however it’s doubtless that they are going to play solely a collection or two. So the matchup will probably be an incredible alternative for these on the again half of the 90-man roster to show they’ve what it takes.
There might solely be a handful of beginning spots up for grabs, however there will probably be stiff competitors for the previous couple of spots on the roster.
1. The offensive line rotation
Coaching camp’s largest story has been first-round rookie Josh Simmons’ emergence because the clear-cut starter at left sort out. The early questions on his well being — and his readiness to play on the professional degree — look like resolved. He has taken each one in every of coaching camp’s first-team snaps.
Whereas Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith are each locks because the group’s beginning heart and proper guard, there are nonetheless questions on left guard and proper sort out. Whereas Kingsley Suamataia and Jawaan Taylor have each performed nearly all of snaps at these positions, free-agent acquisition Jaylon Moore has rotated into each spots throughout camp. Extra lately, Moore has been rotating nearly completely at proper sort out. It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how Moore is used on Saturday evening.
2. Rookies on the defensive position
Second and third-round picks Omarr Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillotte will each make their skilled debuts on Saturday evening. Each have had loads of consideration throughout coaching camp, getting important work with the primary group.
Early in camp, Lott — a defensive sort out — missed a while with an ankle harm. However since then, he’s typically been on the sphere with the starters, drawing reward from his teammates. In the meantime, Gillotte — a defensive finish — began camp a little bit slowly. Since then, nonetheless, he has picked up momentum, placing collectively a string of stable performances.
Kansas Metropolis’s defensive position is likely one of the group’s deepest place teams. Seeing Norman-Lott and Gillotte get their first style of stay NFL motion ought to be enjoyable to observe.
3. Tyquan Thornton with the primary group
One other large storyline has revolved across the former New England Patriots wideout, who got here to the league as a second-round decide in 2022. He’s additionally spent a lot of time with the primary group throughout coaching camp, making some downfield performs with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Thornton joined the Chiefs’ observe squad after New England launched him in November. This season, he’s trying to revive his profession – and after spending a whole offseason in Kansas Metropolis, he seems to have developed a pleasant chemistry with Mahomes.
Whereas the Chiefs’ offense will doubtless maintain it easy on Saturday evening, maintaining a tally of Thornton’s utilization and snap rely may reveal fairly a bit about his probability to make the roster. We also needs to watch to see how he’s used on particular groups, as a result of he may find yourself being a four-phase participant in that unit.
Throughout the offseason, Kansas Metropolis added free agent working again Elijah Mitchell, who had a lackluster 2024 season. In St. Joseph, Mitchell has been combined into first-team snaps, showing to discover a function catching the ball out of the backfield. That makes him a candidate to develop into the group’s third-down again in 2025. He’s additionally been labored into second-team snaps with second-year fullback Carson Steele.
In the meantime, Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt have taken nearly all of the snaps with the primary group. Each seem able to reprise their roles as RB1 and RB2 this season. The 30-year-old Hunt seems to be in higher form than he was a 12 months in the past — a full offseason and coaching camp appears to have been a constructive for him — whereas Pacheco appears to be again to 100% following his 2024 harm.
For the reason that Chiefs know what they’ve in each gamers, their utilization will doubtless be saved low. We should always see loads of work from each Mitchell and Steele.
Additionally look ahead to rookies Brashard Smith and Elijah Younger. Smith — a seventh-round pick of SMU — has proven versatility and pace in faculty and at camp. Younger frolicked at Missouri earlier than transferring to Western Kentucky for his ultimate two years of eligibility.
When the Chiefs are deciding which gamers will make the opening 53-man roster, these with a capability to contribute on particular groups have historically had an inside observe. Kansas Metropolis notably places worth on what particular groups coordinator (and assistant head coach) Dave Toub calls “four-phase gamers,” which means that they will play on the group’s kickoff, punt, kickoff-return and punt-return models.
Right here’s the rule of thumb: if two gamers have roughly the identical skill on offense or protection — however one can contribute extra on particular groups — then that participant would be the almost certainly to make the 53-man roster.
The NFL’s new kickoff guidelines might have decreased the worth of those that can solely play on particular groups — however with protection on the rise throughout the league, high quality punt and punt return groups will proceed to be wanted.
