Chiefs camp report: Football is back, but ‘not every day is perfect’
Here are the highlights from Wednesday’s practice at Chiefs training camp in St. Joe. Five workouts remain before their first preseason game, on Aug. 9 against the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium.
Offense
Live sessions turned up the intensity and added to the fast-track education of Patrick Mahomes.
His two interceptions got plenty of post-practice attention. On the first, by safety Leon McQuay in the end zone in a goal-line session, Mahomes had a running lane and said in a game he would have tucked it and run. On the second pick, over the middle by rookie free-agent linebacker Raymond Davison, Mahomes said he called the wrong play, which caused miscommunication in alignment.
“Every day is not going to be a perfect day,” offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said. “He had a few hiccups today. But that’s part of the process.”
As has often been the case, Mahomes also threw a beautiful deep ball, this one to Tyreek Hill down the sideline and over Arrion Springs for the loudest applause of the day at Missouri Western. He also tossed a 9-yard scoring pass on a fullback screen to Anthony Sherman.
Mahomes and Hill seemed to have found a chemistry. It may take longer with receiver Sammy Watkins, who joined the team in March.
Running back Spencer Ware remained out of the contact portion of practice. Damian Williams got the snaps after Kareem Hunt on those occasions.
Defense
Chris Jones and Anthony Hitchens brought energy on Wednesday. When Jones dropped running back Kerwynn Williams for a loss, both players celebrated. ... Second-round draft pick Breeland Speaks has gotten some reps with the starters during camp but takes most of his snaps with the twos. Also working with the second team was cornerback Tremon Smith, who matched Sammy Watkins stride for stride on a deep ball that fell incomplete. ...
In a goal-line drill, the Chiefs flashed a front of Allen Bailey, Xavier Williams, Chris Jones and Derrick Nnadi.
Special teams
Kicker Harrison Butker practiced hitting the upright — from the back of the end zone. The ball was placed on the end line near the corner and Butker tried to hit the side of the upright, which he accomplished a few times.
Injury report
Two players who started practice Wednesday didn’t finish. Rookie defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi suffered an elbow injury, and wide receiver Marcus Kemp was dealing with an ankle injury. They joined on the injury list linebackers Reggie Ragland, Ukeme Eligwe, offensive lineman Dillon Gordon, cornerback Keith Reaser and running back Charcandrick West. West suffered a concussion earlier this week.
Schedule
Training camp continues Thursday with a 8:15 a.m. start. The Chiefs take Friday off before resuming Saturday at 8:15 a.m.