The Kansas City Chiefs open training camp on July 28 at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri. Here’s a closer look at the Chiefs’ camp:
Top storyline: All eyes will be on rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes II, who won’t be a starter and may not even play during his first NFL season. But the Chiefs made a bold move to trade up to get Mahomes, making him the lone QB taken in the first round by the franchise in 34 years. That telling stat will be impossible to ignore, even if Mahomes never rises above No. 3 on the depth chart. The Chiefs plan to bring Mahomes along slowly, but he’ll put pressure on starter Alex Smith if he gives a strong showing at training camp and in the preseason.
QB depth chart: The Chiefs will commit to Smith lining up under center this year so long as he plays well and Kansas City is winning. Absent both of those, the Mahomes era could begin sooner than expected, though only if the Chiefs believe the rookie is ready to handle the job. Tyler Bray was the No. 2 quarterback through the offseason. He’s never taken a snap in a regular season game, so the Chiefs may look for a veteran backup if they aren’t satisfied with him.
Bubble watch: De’Anthony Thomas has a skill set similar to that of Tyreek Hill, except he isn’t as big or fast as Hill and hasn’t put up similar numbers when he’s had the chance to play. With this in mind, his position on the team seems precarious. In Thomas’ favor: He’s the Chiefs’ best kick returner other than Hill.
That rookie could start: Third-round running back Kareem Hunt is unlikely to nudge Spencer Ware out of the starting spot -- at least when the season begins. But Hunt will get significant playing time early in the season if he performs well at training camp and in the preseason. The Chiefs' running game needs a boost after slumping last year.
Wide receivers have something to prove: The Chiefs don’t have a wide receiver older than 25 after the release of Jeremy Maclin, their most experienced and accomplished player at the position. Hill will assume a bigger role in the receiving game than he had last season, but there will be plenty of snaps available for Chris Conley, Albert Wilson, Demarcus Robinson and perhaps Thomas. Each needs to produce more than he has in the past.
A pass-rush revival: After being among the league's sack leaders in each of the three previous seasons, the Chiefs saw their sack totals drop dramatically last year. They’re counting on bouncing back in 2017 without adding any new players. The Chiefs are expecting a full season from top outside rusher Justin Houston, but that may be risky. Because of injuries, Houston has played all 16 games just once in the past four seasons.
For daily updates at camp, check out the Kansas City Chiefs’ clubhouse page.