What Chiefs coaches expect in preseason Week 3
Plus transactions, latest KCSN podcasts, Substack articles and more Chiefs news.
Charles Goldman
The Kansas City Chiefs will wrap up the 2023 NFL preseason with a home game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium against the Cleveland Browns.
This is the last opportunity for many players to impress upon the coaching staff that they deserve a roster spot in Kansas City. Others will be putting their performance on tape to try and earn another shot with one of the 31 other NFL teams.
What exactly are the coaches looking to see from players during the preseason finale? Chiefs HC Andy Reid emphasizes that they must take advantage of their opportunity to the fullest.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Reid explained. “It’s a great opportunity to get yourself on tape, everybody can’t make it here, we know that. They were told that when they first got in, but make it a tough decision for (General Manager) Brett (Veach) and myself and the personnel guys and coaches. Then, if you don’t make it here, we’re going to give you an opportunity to be on tape. We’re not holding you back, so you get out there, you perform and perform well, so if you can’t make it here, maybe you make it somewhere else.”
Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo echoed similar sentiments about the business side of it all. He did, however, add that this can be a good exercise for the players who are going to be here too. After all, they need to get prepared to face the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7.
“Listen I’m hopeful for all the guys,” Spagnuolo said. “I’ll talk about the guys we don’t keep (we want them to) play well enough that something happens for them later on down the road. This is a real business it’s real life for these guys and it’s a job, right? Nobody wants to lose their job. Hopefully, the guys that don’t make it – because you can’t keep everybody – have an opportunity somewhere else that’s always the hope. We’ve got some really good guys here, some good football players that maybe just numbers-wise we can’t keep. For the guys that are going to be here, number one be healthy, number two do the fundamental things right we’ve got to continue to do that. I think the tackling has been okay I’d like things to get faster and more violent as we get closer to a real game.”
As much as this week will be a proving ground for those trying to make the 53-man roster, it’ll also be a dry run ahead of the season opener, where the Chiefs will begin the Super Bowl title defense.
Beef of the Week
What Shane Buechele has learned from Patrick Mahomes
Buechele has been working behind Mahomes for two full seasons now. As he enters his third season ready to compete for the No. 2 QB job, Buechele is looking back at a lot of the things that he’s learned from the reigning league MVP.
“You kind of have to take what Pat (Patrick Mahomes) does and kind of put a little bit to your game but also let him do what he does because he’s the best in the league at what he does,” Buechele said. “Definitely his leadership style I think that gets kind of caught up in all of the behind-the-back passes and the deep throws, (the) scramble drills. The way he leads a football team is special and so I see that – and then just different ways in (pass) protections, he’s super smart I think that’s another thing that gets overlooked. His knowledge of the offense and the way he carries himself and carries this team is definitely something that I’ve taken from him as the older brother I’d say in the room.”
You probably won’t see Buechele trying any behind-the-back throws anytime soon, but it’s clear that Mahomes has impacted his knowledge of the offense.
Big role ahead for Chamarri Conner?
The Chiefs appear to be utilizing rookie DB Chamarri Conner in a number of different ways. He could even turn out as one of the most productive rookies for this team, just because of how much he’s doing on both defense and special teams.
“We’re kind of force-feeding him a lot of things,” Steve Spagnuolo said. “You’ve probably noticed he’s in a lot of spots there, he’s kind of earned it and deserved it the way he’s played in training camp. I think the veterans have some confidence in him. We’ll see how he progresses, (we’re) trying to get some other guys healthy and back then we’ll see where all the moving parts go. For now – listen he’s played safety, played some nickel, played some dime and that’s good to see from a young guy.”
The more you can do, the more likely you are to be successful in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense (see Craig Stout’s article below). At first glance, it seems like Conner can do a lot and do it well.
KC Laboratory - Chris Jones Holdout: Chiefs' Defense in Trouble Ahead of Week 1?
KCSN’s Kent Swanson, Craig Stout, and Matt Lane look at the X's and O's impact of Kansas City Chiefs defensive star Chris Jones' holdout and what it could mean for the team heading into Week 1 of the 2023-24 NFL season.
Transactions :
- 8/21 - Signed to 90-man roster - WR Juwan Green
- 8/21 - Waived-injured - WR Kekoa Crawford
Quick Hits:
- The Athletic’s Nate Taylor goes behind the scenes on Felix Anudike-Uzomah’s development.
- KC Star columnist Sam McDowell argues the Chiefs shouldn’t keep seven receivers.
- KC Sports Network’s Wesley Roesch previews preseason Week 3 between the Chiefs and Browns.
- The Chiefs will honor WR Otis Taylor ahead of preseason Week 3.
- Patrick Mahomes & Travis Kelce star in a new NFL campaign alongside comedian Keegan Michael-Key.
