Five looming questions for the Kansas City Chiefs as training camp opens in St. Joseph
The Kansas City Chiefs will start their Super Bowl defense a bit early this season, as quarterbacks and other select players will report Tuesday to training camp on Missouri Western’s campus in St. Joseph.
It’s about four days earlier than usual, and for good reason: The Chiefs play in the NFL kickoff game on Thursday, Sept. 7 against the Detroit Lions, meaning preparation must begin sooner. The veterans’ reporting day follows on Friday, with the team’s first practice open to fans taking place Sunday.
With all that in mind, here are five looming questions as the Chiefs spend the next month preparing for their season in northwest Missouri.
Will it get done?
Chiefs All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones is looking for a long-term extension with the Chiefs, and the two sides are expected to come to terms eventually.
But until that happens, this remains the top situation to watch.
Jones sat out mandatory minicamp last month while waiting on his new deal, and according to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, that resulted in a maximum fine of $98,753.
There’s still plenty of reason for optimism this will get done in the next few weeks. Jones has previously shared his fondness for the Chiefs, which included a March social media post where he stated, “I’m a chief for life. I will not play for another franchise.” KC also can benefit by clearing up salary cap room this season with a Jones extension, which also would come with the added benefit of locking up one of the NFL’s best defensive players.
So where might the two sides eventually land financially? That remains an open question even after the New York Jets’ Quinnen Williams agreed to his anticipated extension last week for $24 million per year, which includes $66 million guaranteed.
The pay gap between the NFL’s second-highest-paid defensive tackle Williams ($24 million per year) and the Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald at No. 1 ($31.7 million) remains immense. It seems likely that the 29-year-old Jones will get paid somewhere between those two figures; however, the Chiefs will always be motivated to save any money they can while already having quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ contract on the books (with a likely extension coming there in the next year or two as well).
Jones faced a similar circumstance to this one with the Chiefs when nearing the end of his rookie deal in 2019; he sat out mandatory minicamp then before eventually reporting to the start of training camp. After that season, the Chiefs placed the franchise tag on Jones before the two sides reached their current four-year agreement in July 2020.
Who will stand out at critical position?
Now that we know DeAndre Hopkins’ destination — he agreed to sign with Tennessee — the focus can turn to the receivers the Chiefs do have.
And also the intrigue that camp should bring.
Mahomes spoke to this during organized team activities on May 25, when he described the Chiefs’ receiving room as “deep.”
“Usually you have a good feel for who the guys are going to be and everything like that,” Mahomes said. “But with this group, it’s like every single guy, you’re like, ‘I can see him making a path to making the team.’ So that’s what you want.”
During OTAs, Chiefs coach Andy Reid also mentioned that there should be “great competition” at wideout while noting some young players had mixed in with the first-team offense.
“I can’t wait for (training) camp where you really get an idea of that next level,” Reid said on May 24, “what they can do when bullets are flying.”
Some overarching questions: Can Kadarius Toney remain healthy and emerge as one of the Chiefs’ top wideouts? Will second-year player Skyy Moore continue his strong offseason where he’s been gaining Mahomes’ trust? How much of a role will free-agent signing Richie James play? And can second-round rookie Rashee Rice gain ground after starting a bit slow in summer minicamps when Reid mentioned he needed to get in better shape?
Those will all be individual paths to track, along with following the progress of hyped second-year player Justyn Ross, who sat out last year with foot surgery.
Will there be additions?
If the Chiefs get an extension completed with Jones, they’ll likely have some salary-cap wiggle room to add a free-agent piece or two.
Will they choose to do so? And if so, what positions make sense?
Injuries often factor into this. Teams are whole at the moment, but getting a couple guys hurt at a position in training camp easily could send a team looking to sign a free agent late.
There’s also this fact: Many veterans would prefer to sign late in camp anyway, with the bonus of getting to rest a few extra days while not having to grind through the heat of summer practices.
The Chiefs, if you remember, signed defensive end Carlos Dunlap to a one-year, $3 million contract midway through training camp last year. He ended up being a solid rotation piece on a Super Bowl champion, and last month, he told Forbes’ Jeff Fedotin that he’d be open to a return with the Chiefs this year.
Given the team’s youth on the edge, a potential Dunlap reunion — or the acquisition of another defensive end — could make sense. First-round rookie Felix Anudike-Uzomah and second-year pro George Karlaftis are projected to play plenty of snaps alongside Charles Omenihu, a versatile free-agent signing from the 49ers who will play both inside and outside.
Who will emerge on the back end?
One of the biggest stories of last year’s training camp was the development of KC’s “Fab Five”: a group of rookie defensive backs that secured roles on a team that went on to win a championship.
That positive outcome didn’t stop the Chiefs, however, from adding even more numbers to the secondary this offseason.
KC signed free-agent safety Mike Edwards from Tampa Bay, a player Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said the team had liked for a while. The Chiefs also traded up in the fourth round to take safety Chamarri Conner before selecting cornerback Nic Jones in the seventh round.
There should be plenty of competition. Second-year cornerbacks Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson provided huge plays during the Chiefs’ playoff run a year ago, but both will fight for roles again with Trent McDuffie and L’Jarius Sneed atop the depth chart. Second-year player Nazeeh Johnson also should be in the mix after mainly contributing to special teams a year ago.
Justin Reid — graded as the fourth-best safety by Pro Football Focus (PFF) during last season’s final six regular-season weeks — will be a staple on the back end, while second-year safety Bryan Cook expanded his playing time late as the Chiefs increased their three-safety looks. The Chiefs also return veterans in cornerback Dicaprio Bootle and safety Deon Bush.
Will the edges be secure?
Ever since Mahomes had to run for his life in Super Bowl LV against Tampa Bay, Veach has made the offensive line (and trying to keep Mahomes healthy) one of the team’s top priorities.
And while on paper this year’s unit appears to be better than a year ago, much of KC’s lowest-outcome possibilities this season would appear tied to the chance that a pair of new tackles don’t acclimate quickly.
The Chiefs gave a huge offseason contract to Jacksonville’s Jawaan Taylor, and the 25-year-old will be expected to lock down the right side. Taylor is often lauded for his athleticism and ability in pass protection, though previous PFF grades indicate he still has plenty of room to grow in run blocking.
A bigger unknown for KC would appear to be on the left side. Donovan Smith, 30, signed with the Chiefs as a late-offseason free agent following his worst year as a pro with Tampa Bay last season.
There are reasons to think a bounce back is likely for the ninth-year pro. Smith battled through numerous injuries a season ago — including to his elbow and foot — and chose to play through those ailments as he posted a career-worst 58.1 PFF grade. He also posted the NFL’s second-highest penalty total last season at 12.
The Chiefs’ possible backups also will be worth watching. Lucas Niang missed most of last year with a knee injury but has started games for KC in the past. Meanwhile, third-round pick Wanya Morris was rotated around the O-line during the summer, meaning the Chiefs might want to see how he develops on both the left and right sides.
This story was originally published July 18, 2023 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Five looming questions for the Kansas City Chiefs as training camp opens in St. Joseph."
