On Friday morning, the Kansas City Chiefs were back on their practice field at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri — for the third full practice of the team’s 2022 training camp. Click here to learn how you can attend a training camp practice — and see the whole 2022 schedule.
I was in attendance, making observations that have been published to Twitter. Let’s get to them:
We’re all hoping it stays this cool in St Joe.
Another cool day in St. Joe for camp. Clear skies and high 60s/low 70s throughout the workout. If temperatures could stay like this for another two weeks… I think all of us — media, players, coaches, team reps — would be happy campers. They won’t.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022
Still no sign of Orlando Brown Jr., which meant a third straight practice of Roderick Johnson at left tackle. Head coach Andy Reid has been satisfied with his performance so far.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid on replacement left tackle Roderick Johnson, who has been taking first-team snaps in the absence of Orlando Brown Jr. pic.twitter.com/kAmpv4TJTM
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022
The three offensive standouts on Friday were a wide receiver and two tight ends.
I thought the offensive standouts from 11-on-11 work on Friday were WR Skyy Moore and TEs Jody Fortson and Travis Kelce.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022
I thought that rookie wide receiver Skyy Moore very clearly had his best day.
After some initial quiet days at camp that included a drop and a wrong route, this play got Moore in a groove. Day 3 was definitely Moore’s best; he had 3 receptions on the day. I predict he begins to mix more with the first team in the coming days. https://t.co/RZCFu0oUy2
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022
Tight end Jody Fortson continued to look like a player that is ready to pick up right where he left off in 2021.
In my opinion, Fortson has shown absolutely no sign of that Achilles injury through three days. Fortson made 6 receptions on 7 targets Friday, including one in which he fought off L’Jarius Sneed and fully extended to bring in the ball. He’s explosive, my clear TE2 right now.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022
It’s been easy to see how much fun tight end Travis Kelce is having out there — in his 10th season.
And Kelce has looked… well, like Travis Kelce. After watching this, I jotted down that it reminded me of him running through five Chargers defenders in overtime on TNF. Kelce has had added juice in recent days with fans now in attendance. https://t.co/LAXnHZKqZk
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022
We saw a team run period on Friday — which will get more serious on Monday when the pads came on. Clyde Edwards Helaire took the first reps.
The Chiefs had a team run period on Friday. The order of appearance for the running backs was 1) Clyde Edwards-Helaire, 2) Jerick McKinnon and 3) Ronald Jones.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022
Here were the defensive standouts on Friday.
On defense in 11-on-11, Sneed and Willie Gay Jr. had pass breakups on throws from Mahomes. I believe that DE Frank Clark had a would-be sack.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022
There were some key moments from a rookie and a second-year player.
Early on in 11s, DE George Karlaftis jumped up at the line to deflect a pass from QB Chad Henne… and later in the day, it looked to me like DE Joshua Kaindoh might have touched Henne (yellow jersey) when he maybe shouldn ‘t have, forcing a fumble.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022
Veteran defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. had his way with the Chiefs’ younger quarterbacks.
Working against the third team, CB Lonnie Johnson Jr. had 2 pass breakups: one on QB Shane Buechele and one on QB Dustin Crum. CB Brandin Dandridge broke up a Buechele pass.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022
The play of the day came in 7-on-7 work.
Still, Patrick Mahomes always gets his.
After the INT, Patrick Mahomes threw three straight touchdowns. The first and third were to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and the second was to JuJu Smith-Schuster. MVS threw his arms up to the crowd, as Gay did, after the third touchdown.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022
Harrison Butker had his first kicking session of training campand he was nearly perfect.
K Harrison Butker was 7 of 8 during the field goal session. His last make was from 57, but he was wide left on the final kick, from what I judged to be 62ish.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) July 29, 2022