The Kansas City Chiefs returned to practice on Thursday morning after enjoying an off day on Wednesday as training camp continued up in St. Joseph.
In terms of who didn't participate, wide receiver Antonio Callaway (bone bruise), offensive guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (hand), tight end Evan Baylis (ankle), defensive end Malik Herring (knee) and offensive lineman Kyle Long (leg) didn't take the field.
Additionally, cornerback BoPete Keyes (dislocated finger) and defensive end Frank Clark (hamstring spasms) left practice early.
In a bit of good news, offensive tackle Mike Remmers (back), linebacker Willie Gay Jr. (concussion protocol), defensive end Alex Okafor (hamstring), defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi and defensive end Taco Charlton each got some work done on a limited basis after missing time earlier this week.
Here are five observations from Thursday's practice.
1. Mike Hughes tallied a nice pass-breakup during red zone work.
Hughes prevented a touchdown during a team red zone period, sticking with wide receiver Tyreek Hill in coverage before breaking up quarterback Patrick Mahomes' intended pass. The 24-year-old cornerback also recorded an interception a bit later on during 7-on-7 drills.
It was another solid day in what's been a good camp for Hughes, who joined the Chiefs via trade earlier this offseason. The No. 30 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Hughes battled injuries during his time with the Minnesota Vikings, but he's already been making the most of his fresh start with Kansas City.
2. Tyreek Hill made a terrific catch during 1-on-1 drills.
It was the Tyreek Hill show at camp on Thursday, as the All-Pro wide receiver made numerous plays throughout practice. First, Hill made a ridiculous, one-handed grab during 1-on-1 drills that showed off his ball skills.
Hill made another great catch a bit later during team red zone drills, too, when he leapt in the air to go up and get Mahomes' pass in the corner of the end zone despite good coverage from cornerback L'Jarius Sneed.
The man is the most electric playmaker in football, and he was showing off why on Thursday.
3. Dan Sorensen recorded an interception that probably would have gone for a long pick-six.
Sorensen has a knack for making game-changing plays, from his interception in the end zone against Los Angeles back in 2019 to his forced fumble at the goal line vs. Cleveland during last year's postseason.
The veteran defensive back always seems to be in position to make a difference when it matters most, and we saw a bit of that during practice on Thursday when Sorensen picked off Mahomes during team drills.
It was an impressive play, as Sorensen jumped in front of the intended target – tailback Clyde Edwards-Helaire – and hauled in Mahomes pass before continuing up field for what probably would have ended in a touchdown.
4. Jody Fortson made an impressive grab over the middle.
Fortson has been one of the top stories of camp, as the former undrafted free agent has compiled a laundry list of incredible catches over the last few weeks in an effort to make the team. That trend continued on Thursday, when Fortson contorted his body to make an acrobatic catch over the middle.
An added wrinkle to the play is that it's unclear if Fortson was even the intended target, as wide receiver Maurice Ffrench was also in the area. Fortson nevertheless adjusted his body to catch the pass, however, demonstrating an ability to simply go up and get anything close.
5. Jerick McKinnon hauled in a touchdown on a broken play.
The defense was playing with some serious energy on Thursday, tipping numerous passes throughout practice. Ironically enough, that intensity actually ended up leading to the offensive play of the day when quarterback Chad Henne's pass was deflected over the middle, shooting it through the air and into the arms of McKinnon, who brought the pinball-style reception in for a touchdown.
Patrick Mahomes always preaches the mantra of "keep running" to his playmakers, and it paid off for McKinnon in this case.
The Chiefs will travel to San Francisco on Friday before kicking off the preseason against the 49ers at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday night. The next day of camp will take place on Monday morning.
