Kansas City Chiefs QBs, rookies arrive to training camp, hear from Mahomes and more | FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV

NS. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) – Selected players including Kansas City captain Patrick Mahomes will meet with the media to kick off training camp with QB teams and recruits will head to St. Joseph on Friday. In addition to Mahomes, check out the video player to hear from rookie Nick Bolton, outfielder Creed Humphrey and head coach Andy Reid.

New look heads start camp and continue to succeed

The captains may have stood patted after their second consecutive AFC championship, confident in the fact that Mahomes will be their full-back, Andy Reid their coach, and they will remain. candidate for the near future.

Instead, they tore most of their squad down to studs and carefully pieced them together.

They should have a completely different line of attack from the series of mismatched fallbacks that were handled by the Buccaneers in a Super Bowl defeat. They should have a significantly improved defence, which should help with their lousy performance in the red zone. And they added speed to a roster that was already fast across the board.

“We have a lot of new faces,” Reid admitted at the end of the offseason. “I like the attitude of the boys. They are ready to work. … They have a good mindset. As coaches, we appreciate that.”

Reid also appreciates the positive moves that general manager Brett Veach has made in the freelance and draft company.

The overhaul begins and ends with the offensive line, where the guys tasked with protecting the Chiefs’ half-billion dollar quarterback have more pressure on them perhaps than any five-player team. any anywhere.

They traded Pro Bowl ball Orlando Brown Jr., signed resilient left-back Joe Thuney, added competition at center with Austin Blythe, then landed a pair of potential forwards in drafts at Oklahoma’s Creed Humphrey and Tennessee’s Trey Smith. They will also take back right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif from five opt-out options for treating COVID-19 patients in his native Canada, and third-round pick Lucas Niang, who opted out. his rookie season a year ago.

No wonder Mahomes seems to be smiling everywhere he goes this season.

“Obviously they’re super talented people,” said Mahomes, who had surgery on his big toe after the Super Bowl but was back on the field in time to do first-team exercises during voluntary practice sessions and start minicamp required by the Team Captain.

“We have a lot of depth,” continued Mahomes, “and a lot of people can fill in here and there. We have people who are always playing well. I think the biggest thing is that if you don’t know and you just walk into this dressing room and see those guys, you’ll think they grew up together. The chemistry they’ve built already, is huge. “

That’s not to say there were no questions for both sides as Mahomes joined selected veterans and recruits to report on the Chiefs’ coaching home at Missouri Western State University on Friday.

When attacked, the Chiefs lost their wide receiver Sammy Watkins to free agency and swinging and missed out on some famous freelance agents, leaving them without the polished #2 door behind them. Tireek Hill. Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson will have their first shoot, and Byron Pringle and Antonio Callaway will also have more opportunities in camp.

“I think a lot of people had a really good OTA and a really good minicamp,” Mahomes said. “I have absolute confidence in them that no matter who’s in the game, we’re going to make some plays.”

On the other side of the ball, passing speed remains a big question mark after the last defense Frank Clark was arrested twice during the season. Clark faces a settlement hearing and pleads guilty October 4 in Los Angeles after prosecutors charged him with felony gun possession, and his availability for the season. The upcoming tournament is still uncertain.

Defensively hopeful Chiefs Chris Jones could move out after signing free agent Jarran Reed, but he has yet to prove he can deliver the same passing speed from that position. They also added Florida state passer Joshua Kaindoh, who had all the right measurements but had inconsistent college records.

In defence, all eyes are on the safety of star Tyrann Mathieu, whose contract is running out but who has made it clear he wants to stay at Kansas City. It’s anyone’s guess whether a deal is done in pre-season.

“I feel like I can play football anywhere,” he says, “but when you develop certain relationships with certain people, these people become a part of your life. … So I can’t see myself moving away from that relationship. I’ve been through a lot in my life, so for me, I think I’m holding onto certain relationships. I think that sort of thing is superior to any currency.”