Arrowhead Pride
After Kansas City’s third training camp practice, the head coach said the first padded practice will be this weekend.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid returned to the podium following Thursday’s third training camp practice. During his remarks, Reid noted the upcoming transition to padded camp practices. He also discussed what he is seeing from both his rookies and veteran players early in camp. Reid also paid homage to a recently retired NFL stalwart.
The Chiefs will have their first padded practice of training camp on Sunday, following a scheduled off day on Saturday.
“It’s been great to get out here and get these days in,” said Reid. “We’ve had three really good days of work where we get ones against ones, twos against twos [and] threes against threes, so there’s some competition there and some good solid work. It’s a ramp-up period. We’ve got another day or two of this, and then we start right in with pads on Sunday.”
The Chiefs’ biggest question entering camp was who would be trusted to man the tackle positions. With starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor currently sidelined with a knee injury, rookie first-round selection Josh Simmons and veteran Jaylon Moore have consistently taken first-team tackle reps on the left and right sides respectively. Padded practices will give the coaches a better chance to assess the position.
“They’ve done some good things,” Reid remarked of Simmons and Moore. “They’re getting better. They get better and better every day, so it’s been good that way — young guys, working. Looking forward to getting on the pads. It’s hard to evaluate them doing this, but we’ll see how they do with the pads on.”
Rookie wide receiver Jalen Royals could be called upon for a heavier-than-expected role with the looming suspension of Rashee Rice. Reid likes what he’s seen from the Utah State product.
“He looks like he’s very smart,” observed Reid, “because we’re in our third install here today — and we load them up with plays early — and he’s been able to retain a lot of the newer stuff that we introduced to him before and the new stuff we’ve introduced now. So that’s a good sign.
“Then, he’s made some catches. You’ve seen it out here. He’s made some catches. Does he have a long way to go? Yeah. He’s got to keep working and work through all of this and we’ll see how it goes when everything’s flying.”
Another player making a case is the former New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton.
“I like what I’ve seen,” Reid noted of the second-round selection from 2022. “He’s working hard at it. He’s made some big catches out here. He’s working his routes [and] playing physical in his transition game there. You’ve just got to keep coming. We’re still young in this thing, so we got to keep bringing it here.”
Reid also discussed undrafted rookie tight end Jake Briningstool, who he noted was...
