What Chiefs are looking to see in preseason Week 1
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Charles Goldman
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The preseason is one of the top tools that the Chiefs’ brass uses when it comes to evaluating their roster.
Each coach, player, and position group is looking to get something different out of the preseason. On the defensive side of the ball, tackling is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. On the offensive side of the ball, they’re looking to see how fast guys can play in an environment that isn’t controlled.
“I think that – you know we throw a lot at them in the training camp, a lot of volume,” Chiefs OC Matt Nagy explained. “Now we pull back a little bit, now we want to be able to see them play fast. You can at times play a little slow in practice, whether it’s you’re tired or you’re thinking. In the game, they get their game plan, they get their role, so now we can truly evaluate them and see.
“(We) also see too – there’s no scripted periods of cards or knowing it’s this defense or that defense, you’re going to go out there – and defenses are usually scaled back as well but you get to see guys talent, and this is an opportunity for them.”
Ultimately, the tape that young players put on the field during the preseason can be the difference between making the Chiefs’ roster, an NFL roster, or finding yourself out of the league.
“Like we always say, these games – there’s only so many people that can make the roster,” Nagy said. “And I think (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid does a phenomenal job at explaining to the guys, ‘Listen, if you don’t make this roster, make it hard on us and make it easy for somebody else to pick you up.’”
Bryan Cook: New QB of the defense
A second-year contributor will have all eyes on him in preseason Week 1 as a leader of the defense. Bryan Cook is stepping into a larger role following the departure of Juan Thornhill this offseason.
Steve Spagnuolo even went so far as to say he’ll soon become the “quarterback of the defense.”
“Yeah so Bryan (Cook) is really going to become the quarterback of the defense,” Spagnuolo said. “Him and Nick (Bolton), and (he is) especially the quarterback on the back end. One other thing about Bryan (Cook) is he’s always looking for feedback. He came the other day and he wanted to do some more drills. That’s one thing he’s got, we saw that when we were looking at him out of (The University of) Cincinnati, his work, he loves football, passionate about football and we’re banking on him in that regard.”
Cook’s play on the field vastly improved as the 2022 NFL season went on, culminating in some big plays in the AFC Championship Game. The defensive coaches will look for that to carry over.
Excitement abounds for an opportunity to hit opponents
The one thing that you really can’t simulate without a real football game is contact. Veteran TE Blake Bell had really the best explanation of the difference between hitting in training camp practices and hitting in a preseason game.
“Yeah, I think it’s different,” Bell said. “Here, you got guys trying to thud you and hitting you up high. A lot of the time in the games, safeties come and try to get your ankles and knees for some of us bigger guys. It’s fine you know; you get good work out here still, too. Sometimes in short yardage goal line (drills) we go live. Not that that’s really crazy tackling, but that’s still going live. I think we’ll be excited to get out there, especially defense, to hit some dudes.”
Needless to say, the defenders are very excited about that aspect of it, but also just to face some players who aren’t their own teammates.
“I’m very excited,” Chiefs CB Jaylen Watson said. “You know, training camp — you kind of get tired of each other, we’ve been here so long, you get tired of playing the same players. You get to play another opponent, so that’s always fun when you get to tackle, hit a little bit, and get our pads warmed backed up. Should be a great time.”
Blake Bell healthy after hip injury in 2022 preseason
One of the most notable injuries during the 2022 NFL preseason came to veteran TE Blake Bell. His hip injury saw him miss practically the entire 2022 NFL season and when he returned, he wasn’t quite the same player.
Bell informed media members on Tuesday that he has worked his way back from the injury this offseason and is excited to get back out on the football field this preseason.
“I’m feeling good, I really am,” Bell said. “You know just trying to get back this offseason and trying to stretch to keep my body loose a little bit. I’m feeling good. (It was) such a freak injury and the doctors did a great job last year getting me fixed up. The trainers did a great job, too, as well so I’m feeling great ready to roll.”
There is a lot of competition at the tight end position this offseason, so Bell will have his work cut out for him.
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Quick Hits:
- Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco and CB Trent McDuffie spoke about settling into new roles in Year 2.
- The Chiefs released their first unofficial depth chart of the preseason.
- The Athletic’s Nate Taylor spent a day following second-year safety Bryan Cook at Chiefs training camp
