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The Kansas City Chiefs returned to the practice field at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph on Tuesday morning for the third full practice session of the team’s 2023 training camp.
15 public practices remain — while one more will be open only to the team’s Season Ticket Members. Click here for details and a full schedule.
Arrowhead Pride editor-in-chief Pete Sweeney was there. He tweeted a number of observations — starting with every player donning more equipment.
Andy Reid was happy his #Chiefs could put on shells for a longer practice Tuesday — one hour and 55 minutes, to be exact. The temperature was hot, into the 80s as practice began. Ramp-up continues.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
The new equipment allowed some... actual running plays.
Shells afforded a run period, with Edwards-Helaire the first back to touch the ball (three times) w/ the first team. Two first-team touches for Prince and one for McKinnon. Prince had a carry with the second team, two to Ealy. Ealy took all three with the third team.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
Running back Isiah Paceho actually took some real reps.
In a day full of bad news for the #Chiefs, some good, as RB Isiah Pacheco took his initial 3 snaps of training camp, all in 7-on-7 and all without a look from QB Patrick Mahomes (probably planned that way). He continued to wear a yellow non-contact jersey as he recovers.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
For head coach Andy Reid, the running back is the latest member of the 100 Miles an Hour Club.
Reid on Pacheco: "He's one you got to really watch (chuckling). He's doing good. He's 100 miles an hour on everything. You got to tell him at walkthroughs it's not full speed. He's one of those guys. It's good that he got a couple plays in."
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
On this day, some defensive backs had Patrick Mahomes’ number.
An early Mahomes 11-on-11 period saw two pass breakups. On the first, he looked at WR Justyn Ross who wasn't there, so he tried to float it to TE Travis Kelce, but CB L'Jarius Sneed knocked it away. Two plays later, S Justin Reid broke up a pass for WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
It looked like Nazeeh Johnson had earned some time with the first string.
On the Reid breakup, second-year (seventh-round) CB Nazeeh Johnson was close behind. Johnson appeared to get rewarded with his three-PBU Monday by getting the nod to join Sneed and CB Trent McDuffie for the nickel looks Tuesday, with Sneed and McDuffie sliding in.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
That moved Joshua Williams back to the second string — and he responded.
That meant it was CB Joshua Williams working with the twos, and he had one of the best defensive plays of practice with a pop-pick of QB Blaine Gabbert. Williams tipped it up and brought it in himself. LB Willie Gay Jr. had a would-be sack a few plays later.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
But Williams wasn’t the only one who showed he could come back from adversity.
After CB Reese Taylor broke up a Shane Buechele pass, the QB came back to connect with WR Kekoa Crawford deep down the field as the WR high-pointed the ball over a defender. Beautiful ball by Buechele, who's been good this camp. I have KC keeping 3 QBs. https://t.co/68qT4PpFVX
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
Come to think of it, there were other players in the secondary who showed up, too.
Sneed broke up a Mahomes pass in 7-on-7. TE Matt Bushman fought off defenders to bring in a good ball from Gabbert before CB Kahlef Hailassie broke up his pass on the next play. S Deon Bush had a breakup of Buechele targeting TE Kendall Blanton.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
Some of their success came as the result of an unintentional assist.
Also during 7s, a rare miscue between Mahomes and Kelce led to a pick for rookie seventh-round CB Nic Jones — one of many players he has made this offseason. #Chiefs have a stacked CB room of six with every player on his rookie deal.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
Mahomes and Justyn Ross missed a chance to connect.
In a red-zone 7-on-7 period, Mahomes wanted Justyn Ross on a fade, but the two could not connect... and it was something Mahomes remembered on his own after practice. Next tweet.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
But if Ross had brought the ball in, he would have been ahead of schedule.
Mahomes on Ross' incompletion: "That's not necessarily something [Ross] is taught to do, but it's the next step. And so, let's try it out here. If he messes up and doesn't do it right, the next time, and whenever we get to game days, he'll do it right and score a touchdown."
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
Ross wasn’t the only one with whom Mahomes couldn't quite connect.
In 11s, Mahomes caught the defense for a free play, one that saw WR Skyy Moore streaking down the right sideline with Sneed in pursuit... but the ball was just out of the grasp of Moore. Nearly the biggest play of practice that heard the crowd gasp.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
Mahomes also had more duels with cornerback Trent McDuffie.
Mahomes and McDuffie have been going at it all camp, and McDuffie nearly had him for a diving pick on an out to WR Rashee Rice. McDuffie has impressed and balls have just been out of his reach up against Mahomes. Next tweet.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
The quarterback said he’s always thought the first-round corner was going places.
Mahomes on McDuffie: "I knew last year he was going to be good because he is always in the right spot. Now, the next evolution for him is just making the interceptions."
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
Mahomes said he has told McDuffie, Sneed, "Especially out here, I'm going to test you."
The new veteran backup quarterback dueled with the new veteran backup linebacker.
Gabbert took the field for his final 11-on-11 period and he was met with back-to-back Drue Tranquill pass breakups. Tranquill should have had the second one and he knew it. On Day 3, 44 days until the regular season, he slammed his hands on the turf after dropping the ball.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
As usual, Mahomes spread the ball around — but right now, these are the pass-catchers getting the work with the first string.
Mahomes' targets on the day: TE Jody Fortson, TE Noah Gray, WR Richie James, Kelce, Moore, Prince, Rice, Ross, Valdes-Scantling
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
Harrison Butker put together a good string.
Harrison Butker went 7 of 7 during his field-goal period before missing a kick from 47 out on the right hash. Dave Toub had him run it again, and he connected to finish 8 of 9. Justin Reid got some kicking work in before practice. https://t.co/4u12Pf6di0
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
Coming soon to a training camp near you: full contact.
Chiefs have one more practice before a day off, with the pads coming on Friday. That will be the day we'll be keeping a closer eye on the offensive and defensive lines. As DL Charles Omenihu said Tuesday, that workout is all about the first chance at "physicality."
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 25, 2023
The next practice is scheduled for Wednesday at 9:15 a.m. Arrowhead Time. As always, we will have live updates starting when practice begins. We expect that offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will be among those speaking to the press after practice has concluded.
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