Chiefs Training Camp Primer: Five Questions To Monitor

The time for NFL players to get back on the field is finally here. We are not in full go 100 percent, quite yet. However, training camps will be going into full swing. With the Kansas City Chiefs, plenty of opportunities are available to earn starting jobs. Which positions have caught our attention? Plus, will there be some surprising winners in potential camp battles? Here are five major questions worth monitoring as the Chiefs open 2021 training camp.

Is the defensive line better than most expect?

Defensive tackle Jarran Reed celebrates after making a stop.

Obviously, the Frank Clark situation could go in different directions. No one truly knows what the eventual outcome will be on that front. But, we do know that the pass rusher will still be reporting to Chiefs training camp. According to head coach Andy Reid, Clark and he spoke and they will “move forward.”

The exciting part of this defensive line group is the versatility throughout the entire lineup. You have proven defenders on all three downs like Alex Okafor. Can Tershawn Wharton take another step forward following a tremendous rookie season? Chris Jones is already one of the team’s most important players and could be playing more snaps at defensive end in 2021. Meanwhile, the signing of defensive tackle Jarran Reed is one of the more underrated moves of the entire NFL offseason. Let’s also not gloss over the consistently dominant run defense of Derrick Nnadi.

Knowing the complexity to which defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo can scheme up pressure and blitz opportunities, there will also be ample pass rush chances for depth players. Taco Charlton was productive last season before getting injured. Mike Danna came into his own by the end of the last campaign as well. Their snaps could increase early in the season, depending on the Clark update. And as a whole, this Kansas City group could be crucial to the team if they generate as many results as they did at the end of last year.

Will the team add a veteran cornerback before the regular season?

This current regime of Chiefs roster builders has not particularly overpaid for cornerbacks. They have done a fairly good job of identifying under the radar talents who fit what style of play they want to run. Charvarius Ward and Rashad Fenton are solid examples of that. Though, losing Bashaud Breeland was a bigger deal than most probably realized. Not only was his nose for the football stout, but Breeland also continued to improve on reading and reacting to the opposing receiver.

Without him, the group of Kansas City corners are extremely youthful entering training camp. The average age of their top eight is 23.75 years old. That includes two UDFA rookie signings from April. Other names in that top eight have had injury concerns or are coming off of major injuries (i.e. Deandre Baker and Mike Hughes).

To the team’s credit, they have gotten by with not investing too hard into the position. The strong use of nickel and dime coverage has been successful. This Chiefs squad is too good to see their season get derailed by losing one of these current defenders.

Kansas City still has plenty of attractive options available on the free agent market. Nickell Robey-Coleman, DJ Hayden, Gareon Conley and Prince Amukamara are just a few of the veteran names still out there. Plus, Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard has officially requested a trade. Maybe the Chiefs would pull the trigger for him?

Who wins the starting job at right tackle?

The job Kansas City did to overhaul their offensive line was quite impressive. A massive undertaking of the blocking unit should allow Patrick Mahomes more comfort in the pocket. There is a starter entrenched in every spot. Or, you feel fairly comfortable in whichever individual wins the battle at positions like center or right guard.

The only spot that is a total mystery? That would be right tackle. The easy guess would be that Mike Remmers has the upper hand on that spot. Everyone will point to his disappointing game at left tackle in Super Bowl LV. Nonetheless, Remmers quietly played clean with minimal mistakes at right tackle during most of last year. Add in the fact that he was filling in for an absolute stud in Mitchell Schwartz, and those results are even more satisfying for the Chiefs to look back on.

The other blocker who is likely battling for this spot is Lucas Niang. He missed his rookie season last year after opting out due to concerns surrounding COVID. A tremendous career at TCU, saw Niang not allow a sack. That final season was still pretty stable. Yet, Niang was battling challenging injuries. Now healthier and back in the hands of the Chiefs coaching staff, can Niang become the starting blocker that Kansas City envisioned when drafting him in the third round of 2020? If so, he could be a steal for this unit, even if the results came after a wait and extended time.

Which rookies will earn starting spots?

The offensive line will likely give at least one and possibly two new blockers a prime chance at a starting gig. Kansas City did bring in former Los Angeles Rams blocker Austin Blythe.

However, it feels as though that second round pick Creed Humphrey already has a firm lead on the center spot. Going back to the draft prospect profile we wrote about him back in the pre-draft process, I was drawn to the immense strength and focus that Humphrey displayed at Oklahoma. The Sooner product not only has massive hand strength. In fact, his core strength may be just as stable, if not more. That power certainly stems from his well documented wrestling career, which began at the age of four. His athleticism is not elite, but the Chiefs could still be creative with that.

The other blocker who may wind up starting is Tennessee Volunteer Trey Smith. Due to a leg injury for veteran Kyle Long, Smith has been given the inside track at right guard. The team certainly believes they got a steal by selecting him late in the draft. Can he use that motivation to play commanding football at the right guard job consistently?

Those are the two big ones. But also, we will surely see our fair share of second round pick Nick Bolton. The former Missouri linebacker has the makings to be a downhill thumper. His role and usage remain a major question mark currently, though. The hype is there for wide receiver Cornell Powell. What steps can he take during camp? Additionally, how quickly the rawness of Joshua Kaindoh disintegrates remains to be seen.

Who has the upper hand on the final wide receiver spot?

Jody Fortson lines up for a snap in a Chiefs preseason game.

It is likely that the Chiefs will keep six wide receivers on the final edition of the 53 man roster. They have kept six in three of the last four years. The lone season they did not do that during that time span was in 2019. Kansas City elected to keep just five at the time.

I would imagine that five individuals have a pretty firm grasp of remaining on the team as camp opens. That would be Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson, Byron Pringle and the aforementioned Powell. You have the steady presence of both Hill and Robinson. Can Hardman finally level up with a greater workload? Meanwhile, I would personally enjoy seeing more opportunities for Pringle.

There are honestly six wideouts that I could see having a shot to crack the roster at the sixth wide receiver spot. Three have been mainstays during camp and on the practice squad in recent years. That would include Jody Fortson, Gehrig Dieter and Marcus Kemp. Each of Fortson and Kemp have shined during preseason games before. However, health questions and ample depth ahead of them have limited their shots at playing in the regular season.

On the other hand, the trio of Antonio Callaway, Darrius Shepherd and Daurice Fountain are all new to the team. Each has had glimpses of production around the league. Obviously, most of those have been minimal or short lived. Do not be surprised if they find their footing in Andy Reid’s offense.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles throughout the rest of the week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.