QB1 to run less, handoff to K9 ‘if all else fails’

Mahomes is wearing a brace — he doesn’t seem particularly comfortable with it yet, per Newell — and he’s also still favoring the leg a bit. Neither of those are very surprising observations, but it says a lot that the Chiefs are trying to get a good gauge on where Mahomes is right away. Per Newell, Mahomes took a lot more under-center reps as well, which could signal an offensive shift for the unit towards something that’s better for Kenneth Walker.

Mahomes kept the good news under wraps. He was apparently cleared to practice two days ago. A recent report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler indicated Mahomes was hoping to participate in 11-on-11 drills when veterans report for training camp on July 28th with the goal of ultimately suiting up in the preseason before playing in Week 1. The Chiefs’ superstar quarterback is seemingly on track to do so. As far as his playing style goes, Mahomes said he plans to do “everything” that he did before, while acknowledging that he ran the ball more often that he would prefer to last year.

Fowler notes that Mahomes was mostly limited to 7-on-7 work during spring practices, as he recovers from two ligament tears in his left knee. The Chiefs will be “cautious” with Mahomes’ reps, and he has not yet been cleared to participate in 11-on-11 drills. Mahomes always prefers to take live reps in preseason play. If he can do so, one assumes he would be a near-lock to play in Week 1 against the Broncos, and Fowler says that the Chiefs “have been leaning into this Week 1 possibility.” Check back in the coming days to find out if Mahomes is indeed cleared for team drills next week. Chiefs veterans report for training camp on July 28th.

Mahomes is rehabbing ahead of schedule after a torn ACL/LCL ended his 2025 season. If all goes according to plan, it will be just under a nine-month recovery for him, which is on the quicker end of most ACL/LCL recover anticipated timelines. Rapoport reports Mahomes has been spending “seven hours or so in the building rehabbing as much as humanly possible.” It’s still an awfully optimistic timeline but Mahomes is targeting a Week 1 return and it “certainly does seem like Mahomes is on track to be on the field Week 1", according to Rapoport.

Mahomes is well ahead of the normal ACL/LCL rehab timeline, as Breer notes, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Chiefs remained cautious with Mahomes in training camp and didn’t necessarily throw him in 11-on-11 settings the second he was first cleared. Still, it does seem like Mahomes is in pretty good shape to start Week 1 from all early offseason indications. It’ll just be a matter of how quickly the Chiefs and Mahomes want to push it.

In a lengthy report on Walker’s acclimation to his new team, Taylor explores the ways in which Chiefs coach Andy Reid, RB coach Eric Bieniemy and OL coach Andy Heck are tinkering with different run concepts. Walker prefers running the ball when the quarterback is under center, rather than in shotgun, and the Chiefs led the league in yards per play (8.3) back in 2022, the final season of Bieniemy’s stint as their offensive coordinator. He spent 2025 as the Bears’ running backs coach and is expected to implement the “clever shifts, motions and counter-attacking runs” he learned from coach Ben Johnson. Taylor notes that Walker is diligently working on his pass protection and receiving abilities, noting that in the two practices open to reporters, Walker has caught every pass thrown by QBs Patrick Mahomes and Justin Fields. Walker’s “speed and vision” on a “sophisticated screen pass” elicited cheers from his teammates. This is a positive update on Walker’s quest to be a “feature back” in Kansas City.

Running and cutting make up the next phase in Mahomes’ rehab program. The 30-year-old quarterback “would like to get a dress rehearsal run in preseason action, if he can.” Mahomes has participated in 7-on-7 drills, but has not yet progressed to 11-on-11 drills, nor has he been cleared for contact. These are the benchmarks. He seemingly has decent odds of clearing them in time for Week 1.

Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Mahomes is set to make $504.7 million between now and the 2033 season. Mahomes initially signed his record-setting, 10-year extension in 2020. It was worth $450 million at the time. Quarterback salaries have since skyrocketed, making Mahomes’ contract one of the most team-friendly deals for a high-end quarterback in the NFL. Before the extension, Mahomes was just the 13th-highest-paid quarterback in the league at $45 million per year. He will make $64 million per year, a new high-water mark for the league, starting next year. Schefter also noted that the first four years of the deal are fully guaranteed and contract mechanisms functionally guarantee the rest.

Yes, it’s only seven-on-seven drills, but for a player coming back from a late-season ACL tear who is hoping to be ready in time for Week 1, it’s a step in the right direction. The Chiefs remain optimistic that their QB1 will be ready to go at the start of the season, and Mahomes himself has said he’s hopeful he’ll be a full participant in training camp. With nearly two months to go until training camp begins, Mahomes has plenty of time left to continue his recovery before the real work begins. In the event he isn’t ready for Week 1, Justin Fields will likely start in his absence.

Speaking to reporters after practice last week, Bieniemy said that he wants Walker to understand “that we just have to become a better player when the ball is not in our hand.” That means Walker has to do a great job protecting the quarterback and be a great route runner on the perimeter. Bieniemy complimented Walker’s abilities as a rusher and said Walker is doing a heck of a job in practice, but Walker’s ticket to an elite season likely requires passing game participation. Walker is clearly the lead back here, but a run-centric workload could keep him in the RB2 ranks this season.