The Kansas City Chiefs took the field for the 14th official practice of training camp on Monday in preparation for the upcoming season.
Here's a quick rundown of what took place during Monday's practice, and for reference, every previous practice report can be accessed through the links below.
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1. Here's a quick look at Monday's injury report and roster moves.
Tight end Blake Bell, who injured his hip during the preseason opener on Saturday, didn't practice on Monday. Head Coach Andy Reid also reported following practice that kicker Harrison Butker has a sore ankle.
Additionally, offensive tackle Lucas Niang remains on the "PUP" list and did not participate.
In terms of roster moves, the Chiefs waived four players on Monday: wide receiver Omar Bayless, cornerback Lonnie Johnson, offensive tackle Evin Ksiezarczyk and wide receiver Gary Jennings. The roster, which currently sits at 87 players, will need to be trimmed down to 85 players by Tuesday.
2. Veteran defensive tackle Danny Shelton took the field for his first practice with the Chiefs.
Shelton's signing became official on Monday, meaning that he could take the field for the first time as a member of the Chiefs. The veteran defensive tackle went on to participate in individual, positional and 9-on-7 drills during the practice.
"He got some good work in. We'll [ramp him up] like we did for [defensive end] Carlos [Dunlap] and the other [new] guys who came in, so we just gave him part of the practice," Reid said. "He's a big body who's a good athlete. He's had a lot of good downs in this league. He was out there [in free agency], and [General Manager] Brett [Veach] wanted [another defensive lineman], so he brought him in. It's a good addition."
Shelton – the No. 12 overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft – most recently played for the New York Giants, tallying 31 tackles, a tackle-for-loss and a half sack in 13 games last season. The 6-foot-2, 345-pound defensive tackle has appeared in 100 career games with 72 starts, logging time with the Cleveland Browns (2015-17), New England Patriots (2018-19) and Detroit Lions (2020) prior to last season's stint with New York.
The 28-year-old Shelton has primarily served as a run-stuffer during his career, providing Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo with an experienced player to mix into the defensive line rotation.
3. Wide receiver Skyy Moore had another solid day.
Moore, who made a terrific catch during Saturday's game near the sideline, was back at it on Monday with an impressive catch on the run just inside the boundary. The catch took place on an extended play, as quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambled to the right before hitting Moore in-stride downfield. It was an exciting example of what the connection between Mahomes and Moore can potentially become.
The rookie receiver added another big catch a bit later on in practice, hauling in a deep throw down the middle of the field during 7-on-7 drills.
4. Rookie Jerrion Ealy made a pair of impressive catches.
Ealy, who is officially listed as both a wide receiver and a running back, made two great catches on Monday as part of a strong practice. His first grab was of the diving variety, as Ealy laid out to make the catch over the middle of the field and held on after making contact with the ground. Then, just a bit later, Ealy made another impressive catch deep down the field despite tight coverage.
A few other offensive players who stood out during the period were wide receivers Mecole Hardman, Justin Watson and Corey Coleman. Hardman hauled in the first pass of team drills, catching a beautiful pass from Patrick Mahomes up the seam. Watson and Coleman later each contributed deep catches in-stride over the middle during a "long drive" team period.
5. Safety Justin Reid had an opportunity to kick several field goals during a special teams' period.
Reid, who successfully connected on an extra point during the preseason opener, continued to make his case to be the Chiefs' emergency kicker during Monday's practice.
In fact, because Butker was resting his sore ankle during special teams' drills, Reid was given a chance to kick nine field goals as part of the full team operation. Reid has kicked field goals in previous practices, but with the exception of one attempt, all of those previous kicks took place off a tee and without a snap, hold or pass-rush. Monday's practice provided a much more real experience, and to Reid's credit, he found quite a bit of success. The veteran safety successfully converted seven of his nine kicks, gradually adding distance as the period continued.
It's also worth pointing out that fellow safety Juan Thornhill stood in as the holder during the period for punter and usual holder Tommy Townsend, who was absent on Monday due to personal reasons.
"Juan did well. Tommy had some family things that he had to take care of, so he wasn't here, and Juan jumped in," said Andy Reid. "It was good work for him. I thought he did a nice job. Both of those two – I think Reid did a nice job, too."
Ideally, Justin Reid and Thornhill will never be called upon to kick or hold in an actual game. Those additional skillsets are certainly nice to have, however, over the course of a long season.
The Chiefs will return for another practice on Tuesday. For more information on training camp or for a schedule of practices, click here.
