David Bell
The Kingdom has not gone to the dogs. It’s training camp – and the players don no pads. Until that happens, there is little to write home about, let alone write articles on A1. It’s a blind pig time rooting for a root. BTW: The Team will be in Pads on Friday! The following week we will see actual contact, and that’s when we can begin to pay a lot more attention.
Setback: Kardius Toney
Toney injured his knee and had surgery to repair the tendon (KT had surgery on Tuesday morning to repair a partial tear in his meniscus). This is sore news regarding the WR corps. Andy said there was a chance that Toney could still make the opening-day game. Myself? I doubt that happens, but early in the season, it becomes more critical. Injuries occur every camp session, every year.
Of course, I am in a quasi-chagrin stage about the young and unproven WRs and their injury history. KT is a point for brevity. I still believe that KT will fulfill my prediction (900 yards) –Perhaps not Seth Keysor’s (1200 yards) but the one made about KT being the Chiefs yards/reception leader for 2023. One, or more, of the WRs must stand up and get counted. Undoubtedly, there will be a WR that steps up and in.
Of course, there have been “I told you so” valid comments, but there’s no reason to believe that Mahomes and his targets are in dire straits, and he said so himself in his post-practice presser on Wednesday.
If two players have to step up and in to cover the yards for Toney — They Will! The Chiefs have 13 WRs all vying for playing time, and it’s a great group of players — there is a plethora and depth to the group. R-E-L-A-X! The WR group has choices. Skyy Moore is also mentoring Rashee Rice. John Dillon at ChiefsWire quoted Skyy Moore:
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“Yeah for sure Rashee (Rice), it got to the point where he was asking me all the questions. One of the times I said, ‘I don’t know bro you got to ask one of the older guys.’ And he was like ‘you’re one of the older guys.’ [laughter] So it just put things into perspective for me, I’ve got to jump into a different kind of role, I’m not one of the rookies anymore.”
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Skyy Moore in Camp Practice
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Perhaps the sad part of the injury story is that it occurred on a punt return. Maybe Toub and Andy Reid will revisit how they look at risking WRs in the return game. However, Reid did say after Toney’s surgery:
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“Kadarius had surgery on his knee this morning for a cartilage [issue], and it should be relatively quick as we go here. There’s a chance [that he will be back] for the first game, but we’ll just have to see how the recovery goes. He is bound and determined to be there for the first game, so we’ll see how it goes.”
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I still doubt he will be available on opening day, and it would be far better for the team to move slowly bringing back. As I have noted above, the WR stable is full of studs… and talent.
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Not Reading Too Much into Any News
I keep reading various observer comments about this great catch or defensive play. Once again, I want to state that it’s still make-believe football –> No pads. No contact. What’s really going on is… they’re getting acclimated to teammates, the playbooks, pacing, and the coaching — plus, a big part of it is conditioning. I can glean from the various reports that the players are going all-out, and they are all-in! This is still the conditioning phase of the training camp–It’s expected, and the players are showing that they have bought into the Chiefs Way. I would hope no less than full tilt!
Andy Reid’s Training Camp
Andy’s camp practices are fast-paced and move from one function to another. No moment is wasted. Charles Omenihu commented about the sessions and Reid’s method: “He makes you grind man.. to where practice is harder than the game.” There was an article a couple of years ago on the speed and breadth of the practice sessions. I will try to find it and add it here, if not, in a comment when this piece is published.
Charles Omenihu said on Wednesday about camp training sessions at this early point of training camp:
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“… think it’s about just gearing yourself up. Obviously, to me, it’s a lot different with the pads on, but you’re just gearing yourself up. For me, from a mental [standpoint], it’s about understanding what blocks I can get, understanding the formations I can get, and playing fast.”
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Worth Mentioning
Don’t worry, be happy. The sky is not falling, and the camp is proceeding as expected. You can tell from the comments made by the players and coaches that where things are is where they are supposed to be. On Tuesday, the focus of the 11-on-11 session was the running game, and Andy Reid devoted all attention to it and the players. According to Matt McMullen of the Chiefs broadcast staff, they worked on footwork, leverage, and recognition. Wednesday’s session again saw significant highlight plays by various personnel, but again, I caution that it’s too early to tell what this will mean come opening day. Today, LB Isaiah Moore left the session early with reported inflammation in his knee.
So far, the injury reports are good news, sans the KT knee injury.
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Having followed the Chiefs for eons, especially since John Dorsey and Andy Reid took the reins in 2013, I see only positives coming out of camp barring the Kadarius Toney injury and surgery. That one hurt! — and the news about the Chris Jones holdout, is also painful to me, personally. Otherwise, I think this training camp is full of high points. I wish I lived back in the KC area to attend camp. Traveling to St. Joe is complicated from here on the north end of Laguna Madre. Maybe next year.
Matt McMullen summarized the camp session on Tuesday and Wednesday (you can tell that Matt is very positive in his piece).
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The end result as judged by HC Andy Reid? “I like the tempo”!
At this point, that’s good enough for me.
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David Bell — ArrowheadOne
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PS: This is the point in time that Terez Paylor was an important part and parcel of the Chiefs reporting. I miss the “All Juice Team”! OTOH, Nate Taylor of “The Athletic” is doing great work, and I hope Charles Goldman (Who departed ChiefsWire) continues somewhere in a Chiefs News Venue.