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On Tuesday, the Kansas City Chiefs kicked off their three-day mandatory minicamp at the team’s practice facility on the grounds of the Truman Sports Complex.
A total of six Kansas City players were not present for the required session. Of those, we later learned that defensive end Frank Clark had been excused for the day and offensive lineman Darryl Williams had been waived to make room for running back Jerick McKinnon, who had been re-signed on Monday.
Arrowhead Pride’s Pete Sweeney was among the media members observing the session. He filed his observations in a Twitter thread, beginning with ”Hamstring Watch.”
Hamstring watch for WRs Mecole Hardman and Skyy Moore. Both players were moving well in Tuesday's look. Hardman sporting the full compression sleeve on both legs, and Moore continues to wear one on his left thigh. Did not appear to be any limitations on these players.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
Still, Hardman had some difficulties as the session began.
Hardman had a few drops to start out team work, and his frustration level was palpable. He had been off the field a few weeks (hamstring) and could have been rusty. After two drops in a row, he settled in with QB Patrick Mahomes for the rest of the workout.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
The wideout spoke about it when he took the podium after practice.
Hardman: "Not being out there for a minute, you kind of want to be perfect when you go back out there, and it's one of those things where you're frustrated with yourself, and I can be better. Definitely can be better, but I actually bounced back and caught everything else."
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
One of the team’s new free-agent wide receivers made a nice catch.
During team, WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling high-pointed a nice pass from Mahomes down the left sideline on a one-on-one ball vs. CB Trent McDuffie. Later, Mahomes floated nice passes to MVS and TE Travis Kelce.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
1. Kelce, 2. MVS is my *way-too-early* pick for '22 yard leaders.
So did the starting running back.
Mahomes found RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire on a wheel route left beautifully lofted over the head of DE Josh Kaindoh during an early team blitz period. CEH as an easy out in the face of a blitz seems like a thing #Chiefs fans could get behind.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes pulled out a no-looker.
7-on-7 work included the play of the day, a no-look pass by Patrick Mahomes to a thus wide-open WR Josh Gordon that had Gay out of his shoes and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, watching on the sideline, flabbergasted.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
Following practice, Smith-Schuster said he was amazed by the play.
Smith-Schuster: "[Mahomes] got me, and I was on the sideline. And I guess everybody saw it 'cause I thought I was the only one who saw it, but it got Gay, and it threw him off... I was just like, 'Wow.'"
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
You can read more about the new wideout’s Tuesday remarks here. There was also some good work from a new face at tight end.
Out of the woodwork: TE Jordan Franks turned heads a few times during practice. A touchdown from Chad Henne down the seam, a toe-drag-swag from Henne down the sideline and another catch by fighting off a defender. 2018 undrafted free agent... officially on the radar.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
There were some other standouts among the receivers, too.
Other offensive standouts in the Tuesday look: WR Omar Bayliss, WR Corey Coleman and Smith-Schuster
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
The team even had a couple of tryout players on the field.
The #Chiefs hosted two tryout wide receivers: Damon Hazelton (Missouri) and Aaron Parker (Rhode Island). Of the two, Parker looked a little better in this look.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
On the defensive side of the ball, coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spent some extra time with his starting safeties.
As noted in press by @ByNateTaylor, during a special teams period, #Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo spent some one-on-two time with starting safeties Justin Reid and Juan Thornhill.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
After practice, Thornhill spoke about it.
Thornhill on the chat and instruction: "You just got to take advantage of each and every opportunity, and I think Spags does a really good job with that. If we're not on special teams, we're going to find a way to get better."
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
And then the fourth-year safety raised some eyebrows.
The story of the day is the fact that #Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill guaranteed an All-Pro season. More to come on @ArrowheadPride from @Ron_Kopp.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
You can read more about Thornhill’s remarks here.
Two Chiefs defenders batted down passes.
LB Willie Gay batted down a Mahomes pass during the blitz period. Later during the workout, DE Austin Edwards batted down a Shane Bouchele pass.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
There was also an example of a rookie defensive end’s high motor.
Noticed a DE George Karlaftis speed rush where he would have easily tagged Mahomes and rightly pulled off. Asked George about it after...
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
"I'll never, come close, in practice... to Patrick Mahomes," he said to laughs in the media room.
The team’s star defensive tackle looked like he was ready to go.
Speaking of pass rushers, DT Chris Jones looked good and in shape in our first 2022 look. DL coach Joe Cullen has mentioned "career years" for Jones and DE Frank Clark, who was not in attendance but excused from the mandatory workout.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
A veteran newcomer made a heads-up play.
Also in 7-on-7, LB Jermaine Carter broke up a Bouchele pass intended for TE Matt Bushman.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
But there was bad news, too.
As noted by @adamteicher, McDuffie and fellow CB Joshua Williams left practice early. We'll see their status Wednesday. So long as McDuffie practices, we anticipate speaking with him later this week.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) June 14, 2022
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