How much Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs’ starters will play in preseason games
Minutes before the Chargers revealed plans to hold their young quarterback out of all preseason games, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he’s sticking to the method he’s implemented his entire career.
The starters will play.
Patrick Mahomes included.
The Chiefs travel to San Francisco for their preseason opener Saturday (7:30 p.m., KSHB), and they plan to use the full allotment of their roster. Mahomes and the starters will play the first quarter, Reid said, before giving way to the second-string unit in the second quarter, the third-stringers in the third and the fourth-stringers in the final quarter.
It will be the Chiefs’ first game action since they were demolished in the Super Bowl in Tampa Bay, a result that set in motion the plan to overhaul the protection in front of Mahomes. On their first offensive snap Saturday, the Chiefs are set to feature a completely new five-man unit — Orlando Brown at left tackle, Joe Thuney at left guard, Creed Humphrey at center, Trey Smith at right guard and Lucas Niang at right tackle.
The Chiefs traded for Brown, signed Thuney to a five-year deal, drafted Humphrey and Smith this year and drafted Niang a year earlier.
“You always like to score, but at the end of the day, I think we’re (looking for) the communication, the procedures, in and out of the huddle,” Mahomes said. “With so many new guys, especially on that offensive line, I think that would be a win for me throughout this first game.”
As part of the league’s new 17-game regular season, the NFL has trimmed its preseason schedule from four games to three, and this comes after last year’s exhibition schedule was wiped out entirely by COVID-19. But while the league is switching up its preseason approach, Andy Reid isn’t switching his.
He will treat the three preseason games similarly to the manner he’s treated the initial three in the past, meaning Mahomes and the starters will play slightly more in each game. That leaves fewer reps for some locked in position battles lower on the roster who typically are awarded the full fourth game.
A new roster-cut schedule will include five cuts (from 90 players to 85) on Tuesday, followed by five more a week later on Aug. 24.
The Chiefs must be at their initial 53-man roster on Aug. 31.
“This game will be important for them, getting some work,” Reid said of those battling for spots. “It’s important that they get in and show.”
Participation report
For the first time in nine days, tackle Mike Remmers dressed in full pads.
Remmers, who has missed time with a back ailment, took some snaps with the first-stringers — on both sides of the offensive line. He rotated in for Niang at right tackle but also took a couple of snaps at left tackle for Brown. He did not participate in the team contact drills.
Remmers had opened camp as the starter at right tackle before his injury, when Niang took over.
Defensive end Alex Okafor (hamstring) and linebacker Willie Gay (concussion protocol) dressed in full pads and a helmet, though they participated in only a portion of the day.
While they returned, a couple of Chiefs departed practice before it concluded — defensive end Frank Clark left with a hamstring spasm, and cornerback BoPete Keyes dislocated a finger.
Defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (hip flexor) took part in some drills.
Defensive end Taco Charlton (undisclosed), wide receiver Antonio Callaway (bone bruise), guards Kyle Long (knee) and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (hand), tight end Evan Baylis (ankle) and defensive lineman Malik Herring (knee) did not participate.
Observations
• Patrick Mahomes is doing Patrick Mahomes things. In drills that started in opposing territory, Mahomes jumped in the air for a better angle on a throw to Tyreek Hill. He hit Hill in stride on a drag route in the end zone. A few plays later, he whisked a sidearm throw for a touchdown to Mecole Hardman.
• In one-on-one pass protection drills for tight ends and running backs, linebacker Darius Harris demolished running back Derrick Gore, the impact drawing a loud reaction from teammates.
• In those same drills, linebacker Ben Niemann beat running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire on back-to-back plays, drawing the ire of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
• Give the catch of the day to tight end Jody Fortson, whose strong camp continued with a juggling reception on a short slant thrown behind him.
• Fortson couldn’t haul in another deflected ball, but his teammate did. A pass thrown his way ricocheted off a defender and into the air about 15 yards sideways, where running back Jerick McKinnon caught it in stride and ran in for an easy touchdown.
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 2:02 PM.