The Kansas City Chiefs took the field for the 10th practice of training camp on Thursday morning as the back-to-back defending Super Bowl champions continued their preparation for the upcoming season.
Here's a quick rundown of what took place during Thursday's practice, and for reference, all previous practice reports are available below:
1. The first-team offense was on the field for 16 straight plays during a "long drive drill" period.
The Chiefs took part in yet another "long drive" period on Thursday, marking the third time in the last four practices that Kansas City has engaged in the drill. The period, which is essentially an 11-on-11 segment that features several consecutive plays, serves as a way to mimic the reality of in-game situations.
As part of the drill, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the first-team offense were on the field for 12 consecutive plays on Sunday and 14 straight plays on Wednesday before embarking on a 16-play series during Thursday's "long drive" period.
Head Coach Andy Reid spoke about the value of the "long drive" period following Wednesday's practice:
"We just do different situations with it," Reid said. "The [first team] gets quite a few reps with it. It's playing the game – [that's] really what it is – so, we have certain situations we work through."
The specific situation at hand on Thursday was a true "long drive" scenario in which the offense began at its own 1-yard line. Wide receiver Rashee Rice was a standout performer during the period with back-to-back receptions early in the segment.
2. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce connected for a memorable play during an 11-on-11 segment.
One of the top quarterback and pass-catcher duos in NFL history showed off its trademark chemistry during an 11-on-11 period early in Thursday's practice when Patrick Mahomes zipped a sidearm throw into the arms of Travis Kelce.
Mahomes avoided a pass-rusher on the play and maneuvered through traffic before firing the pass to Kelce over the middle, completing perhaps the offensive play of the day.
Later in the period, Mahomes fired a pass deep downfield into the arms of rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who beat his 1-on-1 coverage and hauled in the throw for a touchdown.
Rookie tight end Jared Wiley also logged an impressive play when he caught a pass deep down the sideline on one of the final snaps of the segment. Quarterback Chris Oladokun made a beautiful throw on the play.
Another offensive player who stood out on Thursday was tailback Isiah Pacheco, who caught a touchdown pass down the sideline on what appeared to be a wheel route during 7-on-7 drills. Wide receiver Justyn Ross recorded a noteworthy play as well with a physical catch over a defender a bit later in the segment.
3. Cornerback Keith Taylor recorded an interception during 7-on-7 drills.
Taylor helped the defense win a rep during a 7-on-7 segment when he picked off a pass over the middle of the field. The takeaway quickly garnered cheers from the defensive sideline amidst a second-straight day in pads.
Another defensive player who stood out on Thursday was linebacker Jack Cochrane, who recorded a pass-breakup on a shallow crossing pattern during 11-on-11 drills. Cornerback Ekow Boye-Doe also tallied a pass-breakup on a quick slant later in the period.
Lastly, during the "long drive" period of practice, safety Chamarri Conner successfully defended a pass over the middle of the field.
4. The competition at left tackle is heating up.
Perhaps the top position battle of this year's training camp is the competition between Wanya Morris and Kingsley Suamataia to be the Chiefs' starting left tackle in 2024. Now five padded practices into camp, Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy provided an update on that battle following Thursday's practice:
"So far, it's a healthy competition. I think the guys have had great attitudes," Nagy said. "I'm going to keep going back to the word 'opportunity.' Over the next several weeks, they're going to get opportunities to prove who should be that guy at left tackle."
Both Suamataia and Morris have recorded snaps with Patrick Mahomes and the first-team offense at times during this year's camp. According to Nagy, the eventual decision between the two will come down to consistency.
"It's incremental. It's not one play," Nagy said. "If a guy goes out and has a great play in a protection or in the run game, he has to do that over and over again."
5. Here's a look at Thursday's injury report.
The Chiefs were without cornerback Nazeeh Johnson (hamstring), wide receiver Justin Watson (foot), tight end Izaiah Gathings (hamstring), wide receiver Kadarius Toney (ankle), linebacker Nick Bolton (elbow), offensive tackle Chu Godrick (ankle) and safety Deon Bush (ankle) for Thursday's practice.
As for the players who have yet to practice in St. Joseph, safety Justin Reid (quad) and defensive end BJ Thompson (who suffered a medical emergency in June) remain on the "Non-Football Injury/Illness" list.
Defensive end Charles Omenihu and defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi are still on the "PUP," or "Physically Unable to Perform" list and also didn't participate on Thursday.
Next up, the Chiefs will take the field on Friday for the 11th practice of training camp. The practice will be open to the general public, but even though most days are free to attend, tickets must be reserved online ahead of time.
For a look at the training camp schedule or for more information on how to reserve tickets, click here.
