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Pacheco’s emergence only adds to the intrigue of a backfield that should sit at three to four members before final cuts.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire seems like a lock as a former first-round draft pick who also is being utilized more as a receiver in camp. Free-agent signing Ronald Jones is a straight-ahead back who profiles as an potential fit with the Chiefs’ scheme, with Veach saying Jones was someone the team had initially targeted through the draft process as “a bigger guy with some home-run speed”; the Tampa Bay Buccaneers originally took Jones in the second round of the 2018 draft.
Jerick McKinnon also returns after serving as the team’s most productive ball-carrier in last year’s playoffs, while Derrick Gore (51 rushes last season) and undrafted free-agent Tayon Fleet-Davis from Maryland remain in the mix.
When asked about Pacheco, McKinnon said he was humble with a strong work ethic. “I know the coaches think highly of him, and so does everybody else on the team,” McKinnon said Saturday.
“And just in these last couple of days, he’s showing what he could do with the ball.”
Colts’ Kwity Paye among eight players in the trenches poised for Year 2 breakout in 2022 | NFL.com
Trey Smith
The Chiefs’ 2021 sixth-round pick was an anchor of toughness and physicality as a rookie. Part of the team’s O-line overhaul last offseason, the 6-foot-6, 321-pound guard started every game and excelled as a run blocker. He struggled at times in pass protection, giving up 49 total pressures, including four sacks, per PFF. The Chiefs have a history of great guard play dating back to seven-time Pro Bowler Ed Budde (1963-1976) and Hall of Famer Will Shields (1993-2006), and Smith has everything it takes to one day be mentioned in that company. He has a howitzer of a right-handed punch and a finish reminiscent to Indy’s Quenton Nelson’s. His career is off to a fantastic start and I expect him to take another step in 2022, when he could receive his first Pro Bowl nod.
Warner defended the assistant, saying he thought the comment was taken out of context. Warner made a point of emphasizing that Mahomes is a great player, but defensive coordinators see flaws in every quarterback.
“What I believe that coordinator was really saying was, we’ve got to figure out how do we stop Patrick Mahomes,” Warner said on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “So how we stop him is we try to take the first or the early reads away, and we try to ... force him to try to make some of those special plays.
“Does he make them? Yes. Do they lose very often? No, but when they lose, I believe that coordinator was saying this is why they lose ... is because teams are able to take that (first read) away from him and force him to do other things. Every coordinator is going to have a book on a quarterback and go, ‘no matter how great they’ve been, this is what we need to get that guy to do. And then we have a chance.’”
Kansas City Chiefs Newcomer JuJu Smith-Schuster Has Impressed Early In Camp | Forbes
Smith-Schuster was one of several receivers to spend the offseason running routes for Mahomes in the Dallas area, and the extra repetitions have seemed to help.
Two of the highlights from the first week of training camp came as Smith-Schuster was on the receiving end of Mahomes passes, including a diving catch — that drew oohs and aahs from the crowd and caused tight end Travis Kelce to swing his arm in celebration — and hauling in a deep pass despite tight coverage by rookie cornerback Joshua Williams.
This bodes well not only for the Chiefs, who are trying to replace the 159 targets that went toward Tyreek Hill last year before he was traded to the Miami Dolphins, but also Smith-Schuster.
Smith-Schuster signed his one-year, $3.25 million contract with the Chiefs before the Hill trade and is in a contract year.
A hearing for a battery case involving New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara, Chiefs cornerback Chris Lammons and two other defendants has been pushed back to Sept. 29, according to court records.
This is the third time the hearing has been pushed back this year.
The Saints will be practicing in London that week when his court case comes up again. It is scheduled for the Thursday prior to their game against the Vikings in London.
Kamara is facing a misdemeanor charge of conspiracy to commit battery and a felony charge of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm. He was not present for the hearing in Las Vegas and attended practice at the Saints’ facility in Metairie, Louisiana.
Kamara was arrested by Las Vegas police outside of the Allegiant Stadium locker room on Feb. 6 following the conclusion of the Pro Bowl.
Around the NFL
Robinson issued her ruling in a comprehensive 15-page report. She wrote that the NFL recommended Watson be suspended for the entire 2022 regular season and postseason.
In relying on precedent, Robinson sought to differentiate between violent and non-violent sexual conduct. Robinson concluded that Watson’s conduct “does not fall into the category of violent conduct that would require the minimum 6-game suspension” which the league had established as “by far the most commonly-imposed discipline for domestic or gendered violence and sexual acts.”
The ruling relied on 32 previous suspensions under the league’s personal conduct policy since 2015. In 21 of those instances, the league suspended the player for six games, including the cases of Derrius Guice and Johnny Manziel. Greg Hardy was suspended for four games.
The longest suspension — 10 games for Jarron Jones in 2021 — involved a criminal plea and multiple incidents of domestic violence. The two eight-game suspensions — of Kareem Hunt in 2019 and Mark Walton in 2020 — also took into account multiple incidents of domestic violence.
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray tests positive for COVID-19 | NFL.com
Murray’s symptoms are considered minor, per Kingsbury.
While the NFL no longer has COVID-19 protocols, the league informed teams in June that anyone who tests positive must isolate for at least five days, in accordance with CDC guidelines.
It’s been a wild few weeks for Murray and the Cardinals.
After contentious negotiations, the Pro Bowl quarterback agreed to terms on a massive five-year extension worth $230.5 million with $160 million guarantees on July 21.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
New linebacker Elijah Lee brings a fan’s perspective to Chiefs training camp
As a local product, the sixth-year pro confirmed that the Chiefs were his favorite team growing up.
“It means a lot,” he said of the chance to play in Kansas City. “I went to high school at Blue Springs, so I was 15 miles east of the stadium. Just riding by, you wish and hope to be in this position. Now that I’m in it, I’m thankful. It’s a blessing — and now I’ve got to take advantage of the opportunity.”
The former Kansas State Wildcat’s choices for the favorite players of his youth are likely to be similar to those of many Chiefs fans.
“Jamaal Charles,” he said, “he was a home run hitter. That’s somebody you were excited to watch [in] the games. Being a defensive guy, [linebacker] Derrick Johnson. He went to Texas, played in the Big 12 — I played in the Big 12. Watching a ‘backer like that — and all the amazing things he did — that was kind of crazy. Then watching [pass rushers] Tamba Hali and Justin Houston coming off of the edge? That was a special defense.”
A tweet to make you think
OL vs DL 1v1 .. Karlaftis working against Johnson. Nice rush by the rookie. #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/NInMw1Abun
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) August 1, 2022
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