Kansas City Chiefs training camp has finally arrived, and with it our newest contributing writers have pooled their talent to provide you with five predictions about the outcome of this year’s camp. Which players will thrive at training camp? Which players will make a case for the 53-man roster? Will some be cut or traded? Take a look below and see what they’ve come up with:
Deon Yelder will take over the Demetrius Harris role
By Kevin Scott – @champofantasy
Since Yelder missed minicamp with a hamstring injury, undrafted free agent John Lovett generated some buzz as a player with intriguing upside for the Chiefs. Indeed, Lovett is interesting, with physical tools and an understanding of the game as a former quarterback that boost his long-term potential. However, Lovett will need time in the Chiefs system and under NFL coaching to begin to unlock that potential.
Yelder has already started down that path. Most Chiefs fans do not know the backstory on Yelder, so let’s dive in. He was a walk-on at Western Kentucky and did not catch a pass until his junior season. He improved so quickly and dramatically that he earned a scholarship for his senior season and started at tight end, catching 52 passes for 688 yards and eight touchdowns.
He earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl and impressed, even catching a touchdown pass in the game. The Chiefs were interested in Yelder and brought him in for a pre-draft visit. He was not drafted but was sought after by several teams in undrafted free agency, ultimately signing with the Saints for a $90,000 bonus.
He did not make the team but was signed to their practice squad. When the Saints released him last October, the Chiefs scooped him up the next day. Within three weeks he had been elevated from the practice squad to the active roster, a huge compliment to Yelder’s readiness to contribute. The Chiefs may have elevated him to ensure they did not lose him; if so, they must have really liked what they saw in practice.
Fast forward to this offseason. The Chiefs let veteran TE Demetrius Harris walk in free agency. They did not make a big splash signing in free agency, nor did they attempt to trade for a tight end like Kyle Rudolph, who was reported to be on the trading block. They signed some young guys with potential, including Lovett, Neal Sterling and Blake Bell. But based on what general manager Brett Veach has shown us thus far, the Chiefs are very high on Yelder.
I anticipate Yelder getting a high number of reps in training camp, and impressing. The experience he had with learning the offense last year will give him an advantage over the newer players, and if he is past his hamstring issue I think he will pop in a major way and grab the back up tight end role.
Yelder’s journey to this point has been extremely similar to Harris’ journey. Both did not gain significant playing time in college until their senior seasons. Both went undrafted. Both spent most or all of their rookie seasons on practice squads. Both have obvious physical tools and upside that caught the eye of the Chiefs coaching staff. I see that staff developing and molding Yelder in similar ways to how they did Harris, and I think he takes over that role this season right from the start of training camp.
If he has soft hands, he will also be a lot more popular than Harris was too.
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Sammy Watkins will be healthy and productive this season
By Ed Easton Jr. – @EdEastonJr
It’s no secret that Watkins has been injury-prone throughout his career. He’s suffered an array of foot injuries the past three seasons that have kept him out of games. A right foot injury hampered him last year, causing the former Clemson star to miss six regular-season games.
This year will be different, and it all starts with training camp and getting off to a hot start in the offense. The Chiefs will sport most of the same weapons from last season. Watkins was on pace for a big season in a complementary role alongside stars Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Watkins’ 40 catches for 519 yards came in 10 games, a few in which he performed while battling the nagging foot problem.
The performance in last season’s AFC championship game loss to the New England Patriots shows Watkins’ value heading into the season. His four catches for 114 yards were outstanding as Hill and Kelce were kept in check for the majority of the game. The Chiefs signed Watkins long-term before last season with hopes that he would revert to his early-career form; he averaged just over 1,000 receiving yards in his first two seasons.
Patrick Mahomes would benefit tremendously from a breakout season by Watkins, especially with defenses focusing on his already established targets this season. My prediction for Watkins is 16 games played, around 75 catches and over 850 yards receiving as he provides the perfect complementary piece to the high-powered Chiefs offense.
Expect Watkins to firmly establish himself as the No. 2 receiver in training camp.
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Chiefs cut or trade Daniel Sorensen
By Max Ramsey – @The_Wild_Chief
Looking back over the last few years, there has been at least one cut that caught fans off guard as Kansas City brought their roster down to the final 53. These cuts have varied from camp favorites, such as Frankie Hammond and Darrin Reaves, to coach favorites, such as Frank Zombo or Ukeme Eligwe. Going into last season I felt as though Sorensen would potentially be one of these surprise cuts due to the safety position seeming like a crowded room at the time; however, that position group became very depleted very quickly with the lingering issues with Eric Berry, the injury to Armani Watts, and Sorensen’s own injury prior to the season. Now heading into 2019 it looks as though a similar situation could be setting itself up for the departure of Daniel Sorensen.
Sorensen has appeared to be one of the coaching staff’s favorite players because of his attitude and willingness to do whatever it is the team needs from him. Combine that with his ability to play as a coverage linebacker in certain sub packages and you have a versatile player that earned himself a nice extension and a spot on the team. That same contract though could turn out to be one of the reasons Sorensen ends up playing for another team this year with the depth and young talent the Chiefs have brought in over the last year or two.
The safety position isn’t the only position group that should concern Sorensen. With the addition of Steve Spagnuolo in Kansas City the linebacker roles have changed and Brett Veach has made it a priority to get the right linebackers in place to fit the new scheme. Players such as Damien Wilson and Dorian O’Daniel are the types of LB’s that will most likely fill the role that Sorensen played previously in Bob Sutton’s 3-4 scheme of previous years.
It’s hard to envision Sorensen getting a large percentage of snaps with Tyrann Mathieu and Juan Thornhill poised to become the starting safeties. Add in the younger, cheaper talent behind them — Jordan Lucas and Armani Watts — and you can see how the cap savings could be appealing to Kansas City. While I can see Sorensen being cut, I wouldn’t rule out a trade either. If the Chiefs can find a trade partner and not only save some cap but get some value in return, such as a late-round pick or maybe another corner on the roster bubble with their current team, I would find it hard to imagine they wouldn’t pull the trigger. Kansas City and Brett Veach are on a mission to revamp this defense, and as proved already with other offseason player departures, no one is safe.
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Kyle Shurmur will emerge as the backup quarterback
By Talon Graff – @CoachGraff34
When you have the reigning MVP at quarterback, the backups are well beyond an afterthought. The Chiefs’ second-string quarterback is veteran Chad Henne, and behind him sit former Marshall quarterback Chase Litton and Shurmur, an undrafted rookie from Vanderbilt.
Litton spent 2018 on the practice squad while the Chiefs only carried two quarterbacks on the active roster. Henne might seemingly be the apparent backup given his years of experience at the position. However, there is a much more affordable option and someone who would serve well as a backup quarterback who could creep up from the shadows, and that’s Shurmur.
Shurmur left Vanderbilt after being their primary starter the previous three seasons. He also saw significant playing time during his 2015 freshman campaign. He rewrote the record books and surpassed Jay Cutler as the all-time leader in multiple passing categories. He threw for over 3,100 yards and had 24 touchdown passes to only six interceptions during his 2018 senior season.
While the Commodores never won more than six games with Shurmur at the helm, he put together multiple impressive performances against staunch SEC defenses. At 6 feet 4 and 230 pounds, he has great size for a quarterback in the league. He has limitations to his game that will hinder his chances of ever being a perennial starter but can be trusted in fill-in situations.
If you’re wondering why the name Shurmur is ringing a bell, he’s the son of New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur. The elder Shurmur also happens to be a branch on the Andy Reid coaching tree; he spent 1999-2008 on Reid’s staff in Philadelphia. Now, I am not saying that just because Kyle is Pat’s son, he can run the Kansas City offense, but the fact that Kyle probably spent a lot of time at training camp and practice from ages 6-12 while his dad was the quarterback coach in Reid’s system means he could probably pick it up rather quickly.
The lure of having a veteran as a backup rather than an undrafted free agent is an argument against Kyle Shurmur taking second-team reps, but he is a smart kid who is capable of handling that job. He would also come at a much more affordable price. Former Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel has made quite the living as a career backup thanks to his familiarity to schemes. Shurmur can have that same type of career if he performs well at camp and preseason, which I’m counting on.
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Cody Thompson makes the 53-man roster
By Mitch Carney – @MitchMitchcar11
In an already loaded wide receiver position group behind Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robinson and Mecole Hardman the Chiefs will be looking to add one or two more receivers to the mix by the start of the regular season. There are a few players that will be fighting for the last couple of spots, including veterans Gehrig Dieter and Marcus Kemp, along with former Kansas State star Byron Pringle. I believe Thompson will win out a roster spot over some of those other household names.
If the Chiefs carry seven receivers into the regular season, others will have an opportunity, but Thompson is the better receiver and can do more on special teams. Pringle is exceptional as a returner, while Thompson has the versatility to play any spot on special teams. He can play on kickoffs, kick returns, punts and punt returns. If the job is won based on kick and punt return skills, I would choose Pringle over Thompson, but with Hill, Hardman and Smith as returners, I don’t see it as a need.
Thompson (6-2, 205 pounds) holds the program record at Toledo for career touchdown receptions with 30. Thompson also had over 3,000 yards receiving during his time with the Rockets. Thompson is known for his ball skills, great route running and being able to track the ball in the air. He’s a good fit for what the Chiefs are looking for in their complex offense.
Thompson may not find himself lined up as receiver much during the season due to the returning starters from last year, but he’s an ideal backup. He’s also known for some of his great special teams play with the Rockets. Thompson has recorded three punt blocks, with one being one of the most impressive blocked punts you’ll ever see in college football.
During rookie minicamp, Thompson impressed with his ability to catch the ball and get open downfield. In an interview with Chiefs team reporter BJ Kissel, he mentioned that Thompson was catching everything thrown at him and consistently was able to make the difficult catches too. Thompson has also continued the discussion about his playmaking as of Wednesday afternoon, when he caught an over-the-shoulder touchdown pass from Mahomes during the first day of training camp. It was one of the top plays of the day as Thompson continues to be impressive during all phases of the offseason.
Thompson has his work cut out for him, but if he continues his play during training camp and into the preseason and performing well on special teams, I can see him making the 53-man roster.
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