Chiefs wrap 2023 training camp
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Charles Goldman
The Kansas City Chiefs have officially wrapped their 2023 training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri. They’ll head back to Kansas City, where the team will continue to practice for the preseason and prepare for the regular season.
What did the team get out of training camp this year? Chiefs HC Andy Reid weighed in.
“You started this foundation, this is where it starts, you’re building this thing as it goes on,” Reid explained. “Every week is different, every day is different in this thing, but you have accomplished some things here that are going to help carry you through the season in a positive way. Then we take it one day at a time from there just like they did when they were up here, you had to focus in, you couldn’t say a month ago that we’re looking for this day right here or you’re not going to get any good work out of it. They figured it out day-by-day and crawled out of bed and got themselves mentally and physically ready to go and practiced hard.”
So what’s up next for the Chiefs beyond the continued practice and preparation? The evaluation of the 90-man roster and the construction of the team’s 53-man roster and practice squad. Assistant GM Mike Borgonzi discussed how the preseason and training camp work hand-in-hand with those tasks.
“It was good to get a preseason game underway last week to evaluate these guys in game-like conditions,” Borgonzi told reporters on Wednesday. “I think the competition has been great so far at camp. It’s a credit to our entire personnel department for the work that they’ve done to bring in this talent and competition here to camp. As the roster sits right now, we have 37 new players on the roster that weren’t with us either on the active (roster), practice squad (or) reserve last year. So, with that, that’s new competition at position groups, it’s new relationships and trust that need to be developed.
“That’s why I think being up here at training camp is so important. (Head) Coach (Andy Reid) always talks about laying that foundation, it’s important for these new guys here, you know free agents that we brought in just to get acclimated to our culture, the way we practice, pick up on our system. And now that these preseason games have kind of ramped up here, our pro (scouting) department is going to be working hard here to evaluate these other 31 teams and assess their team needs, surpluses at certain positions. I think our mindset here is we’re going to stay aggressive; we’re going to evaluate these next weeks with our roster. We’re going to evaluate the entire league, and we’re going to add value to where we feel we need to. We’re trying to get the best 53-man (roster) and 16-man practice squad heading into the first game here.”
What did Chris Jones miss?
Chris Jones officially held out for the entirety of the Chiefs’ 2023 training camp. What did he miss by not attending? Chiefs HC Andy Reid weighed in on it a bit.
“Probably those things that I just mentioned,” Reid said. “You know it’s a fast game, so then when he gets in, he’s going to have to get caught up.”
Jones has a foundation of seven years in the NFL to stand on, but Reid has a point about him adjusting to the speed of the game. No training camp means that he’s probably due for some sort of ramp-up period when he does, in fact, return.
Are short-yardage changes coming
After the failure of the Blake Bell QB sneak in preseason Week 1, many were left wondering if the team will ever attempt the QB sneak with Patrick Mahomes again. Why has the team struggled so much in short-yardage situations?
“Probably because my kneecap was on the side of my leg,” Mahomes told reporters. “I think we were doing pretty good until that. We were really good at it until last year, I mean last year we didn’t do very well at it. We didn’t get that first one in (the) preseason. We went back and evaluated it and hopefully by the time the season comes around we can get back to converting those.”
As for whether the QB sneak is still on the table for Mahomes, that’s up for Coach Reid to decide. However, Mahomes said he isn’t against taking things into his own hands, if necessary.
“I always want to because I always say, ‘I haven’t got stopped yet.’ Even the one I got hurt on I still got the first down,” Mahomes said. “I’m pretty sure he’s not going to let me do it unless it’s like for the Super Bowl. I might have to call my own number in the Super Bowl if we get there.”
Transactions :
- 8/15 - Placed on Injured Reserve - TE Jody Fortson
- 8/15 - Signed to 90-man roster - LB Olakunle Fatukasi and DB Duron Lowe
- 8/15 - Waived-Injured - CB Anthony Witherstone
- 8/16 - Reverted to IR - CB Anthony Witherstone
Quick Hits:
- Andy Reid spoke about how much Chiefs starters will play in preseason Week 2.
- A new 19-count indictment was levied against infamous Chiefs superfan Xaviar Michael Babudar aka “Chiefsaholic.”
- Yesterday’s KCSN Daily focused on new Chiefs WR Richie James.
