In less than a month, the Kansas City Chiefs will return to the practice fields and the extended heat wave in Missouri could make the temperatures even hotter, nearing 100 degrees. The Chiefs will once again start their season at Missouri Western State University, their annual site in St. Joseph, Mo., for training camp.
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Quarterbacks, rookies and veterans returning from injury are expected to report to the campus on July 16. The other veterans will arrive a few days later. The first full-team practice is scheduled for July 21.
Most of the Chiefs’ projected 53-man roster and depth chart is already in place. But when the team left its training facility earlier this month for a much-needed vacation, coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach still had a few lingering questions that likely won’t be answered until the end of camp.
Here are the top five questions ahead of camp.
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Will Wanya Morris or Kingsley Suamataia get more first-team reps?
An argument can be made that this is the lone major position battle on the entire roster, indicating how strong Reid and Veach have positioned the team to compete for an elusive three-peat. During the mandatory minicamp earlier this month, Reid had Suamataia play most of the reps at left tackle with the rest of the projected starters, a decision to help him prepare for camp. Suamataia, whom the Chiefs selected with a second-round pick, did well for the most part, showing his athleticism and ability to adjust when he did struggle against starting pass rushers George Karlaftis and Mike Danna.
As a rookie last season, Morris was solid but showed he needed to improve as a pass protector in four starts. Morris should have an advantage early in camp in the competition because he’s experienced the mental and physical challenges Reid puts his players through in up-tempo practices. The winner of this battle will be the Chiefs’ starting left tackle, the premium position most responsible for protecting the blind side of Patrick Mahomes, the league’s best quarterback.
It’s possible Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy could see Morris as the more versatile lineman, a player who could be the team’s swing tackle and fill in at left guard if necessary, which occurred at times during the minicamp.
Something you can’t take 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/RakdI9DwAp
— TheWanyaMorris™️ (@wanyamorris64) February 12, 2024
For context, the start of camp in 2021 began with Reid having two rookie offensive linemen — center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith — on the first-team offense. If Suamataia starts camp as the projected left tackle, he will have plenty of reps and snaps in the preseason to earn the coveted role. Entering his eighth season, Mahomes has never started a season with a rookie left tackle.
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Where is Xavier Worthy in his development?
A quick reminder: Worthy, the Chiefs’ first-round pick and the fastest receiver on the team, didn’t participate in the minicamp and most of the voluntary practices. He watched most of the reps next to Nagy while recovering from a strained left hamstring.
“It’s really valuable for him to tell me, while we’re standing there in practice, where he’s supposed to go and what he’s supposed to do,” Nagy said last month. “It’s been really good for him, and he’s been great.”
Next for Worthy is to return to the practice fields healthy for the start of camp, which Reid expects to happen.
The two tasks for Reid and Nagy are to help Mahomes establish his connection with Worthy on deep passes and passes against zone coverage, plays where the teammates will have to be in sync with their timing. On special teams, Worthy is projected to be the starting punt returner, so he should spend most days in camp being one of the players who logs the most steps and miles.
Speedy speedy speedy 💨 pic.twitter.com/zcMYHeZkEM
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 4, 2024
Who is the No. 3 running back?
Among the Chiefs’ 90-man roster, the team has seven running backs, a quality amount for this time of the year. The problem, though, is that the Chiefs have just two running backs with experience: Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
Finding the third running back the Chiefs have the most trust in will be one of the minor subplots of camp. Deneric Prince, a second-year player who spent much of last season on the practice squad, has been in the system the longest. The most intriguing player is rookie Louis Rees-Zammit, the speedster and former rugby star who joined the Chiefs after entering the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. The Chiefs have three undrafted rookies in Carson Steele, Emani Bailey and Keaontay Ingram.
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“When you have that third spot, you want somebody that can truly be able to know where they’re supposed to go in protection,” Nagy said last month. “That part is huge. But at the same time, making plays, too. There’s going to be a healthy competition. You really won’t truly see that until training camp.”
One factor is how well Prince and Rees-Zammit can catch the ball out of the backfield, especially against man coverage. Another deciding factor is special teams, as both players are in a position to win one of the kickoff returner jobs.
Whenever Rees-Zammit catches a kickoff, whether in training camp or a preseason game, his returns could be the moments when he best blends the ball-carrying skills he perfected in rugby with the vision, acceleration and elusiveness he dreams of demonstrating in the open field in the NFL.
Y'all ready for LRZ in KC? pic.twitter.com/FiTMcI8hz6
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) June 23, 2024
What’s the depth chart at linebacker?
The strength of the Chiefs’ defense is their pass rush and secondary, which leaves the linebacking core as the potential weakness of the unit. In the offseason, the Chiefs lost Willie Gay, who joined the New Orleans Saints in free agency. The Chiefs didn’t select a linebacker in the draft, either. The team’s projected starters are Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill and Leo Chenal.
After that is just about anyone’s guess.
Jack Cochrane, a three-year player, received the most reps from everyone else during minicamp, as he was in place of Chenal, who was held out of team period because of a back injury. But Cam Jones could be the best reserve linebacker on special teams. Regarding positional versatility, Cole Christiansen might have the most value. Perhaps one of the undrafted rookies — Curtis Jacobs, Luquay Washington or Swayze Bozeman — has a tremendous camp and preseason to secure the final roster spot.
Of course, special teams play likely determines whether the Chiefs keep five or six linebackers on their initial 53-man roster.
How — and where — are Joe Thuney and Charles Omenihu?
A major boost for the Chiefs would be if Thuney, the projected starting left guard, and Omenihu, a starting-caliber defensive end, don’t have to start the season on the physically unable to perform list as part of the respective rehab.
Following the minicamp, Reid said he believes Thuney, who is recovering from a pectoral injury he sustained in the AFC divisional round, should be available for the start of the regular season.
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“Joe is working his tail off, getting better,” Reid said. “We’ve got to get clearance from the doctor, but he’s made good progress. He’ll be one of those guys that’s kind of right on the border, whether he can go or not (at the start of camp).”
Omenihu is recovering from a torn right ACL he sustained in the AFC Championship Game. He has voiced his desire to return in time for the start of the regular season via social media. On Monday, Omenihu posted a video on his X account showing him executing a trap bar deadlift of 225 pounds for the first time since his surgery.
“I keep all receipts,” Omenihu wrote in his post. “Doubt if you want.”
4 months post OP. 225 trap bar deadlift for the first time. I keep all receipts. Doubt if you want. If you support me click the link in my bio & follow my journey.. pic.twitter.com/WfnIomOULm
— Charles Omenihu (@charless_94) June 24, 2024
(Photo of Xavier Worthy: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
