Kansas City

Chiefs

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.

Newell said Worthy would have been “the likely winner” of a hypothetical “Team MVP” award for the practices if such a thing existed. This should all be taken with a grain of salt, as Worthy was sporting a no-contact jersey during the sessions while continuing to recover from a torn labrum, but even head coach Andy Reid said Worthy “really had a nice camp” at the conclusion of minicamp on Thursday. Worthy has struggled to live up to the hype that made him the No. 28 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, with injuries, missed throws, and ill-timed drops combining to make for a challenging start. Despite this, the Chiefs and fantasy managers remain hopeful that Worthy can take another step in 2026. Reid said Worthy did well in camp when the team put him “in a lot of primary positions,” which will hopefully lead to an expanded role this season, especially if Rashee Rice is suspended to start the year. Worthy is currently going around the ninth round in fantasy drafts and has averaged 5.5 targets/gm for his career. An increased workload could put him in the discussion as a potential top-36 receiver in PPR leagues.

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.

Two days ago, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Chiefs and Morris had agreed to explore trade options because Morris wanted the chance to play more often. The 25-year-old, former third-round pick has logged 1,059 career snaps at left tackle and 88 at right tackle, though he has yet to stand out in pass protection. Despite his struggles, Morris provides at least mild insurance behind 34-year-old LT Jake Matthews.

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.

Per Fowler, Morris “would like the chance to play more and Kansas City has tackle depth.” Morris has 16 starts in three seasons and suffered a season-ending knee injury in December. An update on his rehab program was not provided. Morris earned a 57.1 PFF offense grade on 68 snaps last season.

Goldman added that the team is “very high” on Demercado before noting his spot as the No. 2 back in every drill of note during OTAs. The Chiefs signed Demercado to a one-year deal this offseason to back up Kenneth Walker. They also added Emmet Johnson in the fifth round of the draft, but it sounds like the veteran has the inside track to backup duties right now. Demercado could also operate as the team’s primary back on passing downs, giving him some extra juice in PPR formats.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz was first to report the reunion between the Chiefs and Sneed. The veteran corner last played for the Chiefs in 2023 and was traded to the Titans in the 2024 offseason. Over the last two seasons, Sneed has struggled with multiple injuries, limiting him to just 12 games. Sneed, 29, will also reunite with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, which could bode well for him as he returns to a familiar environment and a team he helped lead to two Super Bowl titles.

The Chiefs now have both of their 2026 first-rounders under contract after signing DT Peter Woods just hours before announcing Delane’s deal. Delane spent four seasons in college and closed out his career at LSU after transferring from Virginia Tech. He joins a secondary that was dealt two key losses this offseason in Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, and projects as the Chiefs’ top corner to start the season. Last season, Delane earned a PFF coverage grade of 90.7 and allowed just 14 receptions for 165 scoreless yards on 35 targets.

The Chiefs used both of their first-round picks to bolster their defense, selecting LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane with the No. 6 overall pick and Woods with the 29th overall pick. Woods, a former top-10 recruit, spent three seasons at Clemson and racked up 30 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, and two sacks in his final season with the Tigers. Woods figures to make an early impact for the Chiefs in his rookie season and should pair nicely with three-time First-team All-Pro DT Chris Jones. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Woods has received the highest upfront percentage of his signing bonus of any Chiefs first-rounders.