ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs know exactly what they have returning from last season.
They know what Patrick Mahomes, the two-time league MVP, can do under center. They are quite familiar with how much tight end Travis Kelce means to the offense. And they know that their defense, which allowed the second-fewest points in the NFL last season, returns mostly intact after shutting down San Francisco in their latest Super Bowl triumph.
So as veterans reported to training camp Friday at Missouri Western State University, the reality for Kansas City might be this: Its chances of a record third straight Lombardi Trophy could hinge on players that are new this season.
Specifically the rookies, who reported to camp Tuesday for a few extra days of work before the veterans arrived.
“There’s no easing,” Mahomes said of the first-year players. “It’s time to go now.”
Like most general managers, Brett Veach often preaches about taking “the best player available” during the NFL draft, and if that was the case, the Chiefs were mighty fortunate in April. The players they selected also filled some of their biggest needs on both sides of the ball, and they are being counted to step into important roles almost immediately.
Tops on the list is Xavier Worthy, the fleet-footed wide receiver out of Texas, who broke the record in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine but was slowed throughout voluntary summer workouts by a nagging hamstring injury.
Worthy pronounced himself ready to go this week, and he has been getting plenty of reps with a compression wrap on his still-recovering hamstring. That is good news for Kansas City, which plans to use his game-breaking speed to stretch defenses down the field in a way that Mahomes has not been able since Tyreek Hill was running routes for him.
“I definitely feel like there’s no time to ease in. I mean, it’s all go,” Worthy said. “Once you’re here, you’re here. I understand what Pat’s saying, and just to build that connection with him is going to be key here.”
The Chiefs may not know just how important that will be for a while.
As it stands, Worthy is expected to line up as the No. 3 wide receiver alongside second-year pro Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown, one of the Chiefs’ big-name free-agent acquisitions. But with legal trouble hanging over Rice stemming from a car crash in Dallas, and a potential NFL suspension to go with it, the Chiefs might be playing without him at some point this season.
That would mean more pressure on Worthy to produce.
Kansas City is much deeper at the position than it was last season, when it was the team’s biggest weakness. But backups such as Mecole Hardman, Justin Watson and Kadarius Toney do not offer the same kind of big-play upside of the three starters.
The other big hole for the Chiefs is at left tackle, where they let penalty-prone Donovan Smith hit free agency. While competition could last much of training camp, the front-runner to start appears to be second-round draft pick Kingsley Suamataia.
His biggest obstacle is Wanya Morris, who showed some positive signs as a rookie last season.
“I’ve known Wanya as a player. He’s a great guy. He’s friends with a lot of guys that I know,” Suamataia said. “We are boys on and off the field, just trying to gain that job. We’re both just working hard, the best that we can, and whoever comes out on the top – we’re still boys, but it’s business out here.”
While the Chiefs return a slew of veterans, and that means precious few competitions for jobs, there are a couple of spots where rookies could work their way into the mix before the opener against Baltimore on Sept. 5.
Fourth-round pick Jared Wiley could give Kelce a break at tight end. Another fourth-rounder, Jaden Hicks, has a shot at backing up the safety positions. Fifth-round pick Hunter Nourzad could earn time at both center and guard. And defensive back Kamal Hadden could soak up some of the snaps at cornerback that left with L’Jarius Sneed for Tennessee.
“The vets have been extremely helpful in everything since the rookies have gotten here,” Nourzad said. “Not just football stuff, but personal stuff – stuff about Kansas City, including us in stuff they do when it comes to charity and stuff like that.
“Everybody, all the older vets, have just been such a great resource for all of us.”
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