Albert Breer Empties His Chiefs Notebook From Training Camp Stop

ST. JOSEPH, Mo.—Andy Reid is back for his 14th camp leading the Chiefs, which is precisely how many camps he ran in Philly. Wild, right? Here’s more from Kansas City …

• The superlatives for Patrick Mahomes’s effort and will to accelerate his recovery from the torn ACL and LCL he suffered on Dec. 14 and had surgically repaired on Dec. 15 are overflowing in St. Joe.

According to folks here, he kept regular-season rehab hours at the team facility when no one else was around and pushed it as much as he could in the spring, taking part in everything but 11-on-11 work. And this summer, he has taken every first-team rep, which is as good a tell as any that he and the team are fully expecting him to be on the field on Sept. 14.

Three other things that, to me, really stuck out. First, he looks as in command as ever as he goes through his third coordinator change as a pro (just as he got a second run with Matt Nagy as OC, he’s now running it back with Eric Bieniemy). He also looks leaner (though his weight hasn’t changed). And I hear his deep ball has been really good through camp. Also, folks here say he has taken notes of what people are saying about him and his team.

• For the first time in forever, running back is the strength of the skill-position group. Kenneth Walker III brings the kind of every-down presence the Chiefs have lacked, rookie Emmett Johnson is swiftly earning a role as an explosive, decisive runner, and second-year man Brashard Smith, a converted receiver, has already shown he can be a weapon in space. Add veteran addition Emari Demercado and you can really see the depth of the group, and why Andy Reid and Bieniemy are building an offense that’s likely to be heavier under center and playing off play-action.

The bigger questions lingering are elsewhere in the skill group, particularly at receiver. Rashee Rice, coming off injury, needs to be more dependable—he’s still working his way back. Third-year man Xavier Worthy has had a really solid camp, and looks ready to take a step. And rookie Cyrus Allen, a fifth-rounder out of Cincinnati, might’ve been the best receiver in camp before bruising his shin; he’s expected back soon. The Chiefs see some similarities to Stefon Diggs in physical profile and play style in Allen, and he’s very much part of the offensive plan.

• The offensive line looks exceptionally solid from left tackle to right guard, with second-year man Josh Simmons starting to fulfill his considerable potential covering Mahomes’s blind side, having come back stronger and just as nimble after a star-crossed rookie year.

That leaves right tackle as the big question mark. Incumbent Jaylon Moore gives them a veteran option, but Indiana product Kahlil Benson’s meteoric rise up the depth chart has created real competition at the position. Benson wasn’t even signed as an undrafted free agent initially by the Chiefs, having to win a contract at the team’s rookie minicamp as a tryout guy. The team signed him shortly thereafter, yet he has shown real potential, to the point where it wouldn’t be a shock to anyone here if he wrested the job from Moore.

Andy Reid on the apparent battle at right tackle between Jaylon Moore and rookie Kahlil Benson:

“Both of them can play, I think. We just have a young guy that we haven't seen do much, but he's got some talent, so let's see where that goes.” pic.twitter.com/mXNdY2jirn
— KC Sports Network (@KCSportsNetwork) August 3, 2026

• The strength of the defense is very clearly up front, and specifically at defensive tackle, where Chris Jones has more help than he has in years. Khyiris Tonga gives him a true space-eating nose to play next to, and first-rounder Peter Woods is off to a very nice start, having gotten back to the weight he played at in 2024, when folks saw him as a potential top five pick as a sophomore at Clemson. Woods took one for the team last year in playing nose in his final college season, and has shown real potential as an athletic 3-technique, going against a really solid set of Chiefs interior linemen.

The team also has high hopes for 2025 second-rounder Omarr Norman-Lott, who should come off the PUP list soon. And at defensive end, where George Karlaftis remains the anchor, second-rounder R Mason Thomas looks like he’ll bring a different element to the front—as a smaller, speedier rush, who looks a little more like a 3-4 outside linebacker—than what they’ve traditionally had in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

• Finally, the secondary likely will stand as the swing factor for the defense, with Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson off to the Rams and Bryan Cook with the Bengals. They should be O.K. at safety, with Alohi Gilman in from the Ravens to replace Cook alongside Chamarri Conner.

Cornerback is more of a question. First-round pick Mansoor Delane is still working his way back from an injury he sustained in the spring—at practice Tuesday, he was dressed, and Spagnuolo had him running into and out of the huddle between plays so he could get the calls—and should be part of the equation. He’s still a week or two away from returning to practice. The coaches are also counting on a big step forward from 2025 third-rounder Nohl Williams. L’Jarius Sneed’s return should help inside. And if there’s a dark horse here, keep an eye on Chris Roland-Wallace, who has developed nicely over the past three years as a former undrafted free agent who projects to play in a sort of nickel/safety hybrid role.

More NFL on Sports Illustrated

Add us as a preferred source on Google