The Kansas City Chiefs have their first break from training camp practice. Over the past week there have been several standout players at camp, while others have seemingly tumbled down the depth chart. Injuries have also forced some depth players to step up and have their chance in the spotlight.
Let’s take a look at some of the players that have increased or decreased their stock over the past week.
Stock Up: CB D’Montre Wade
Few players at Chiefs camp have seen their stock rise like Wade. He went from being a virtual unknown on the roster to being the first guy off the bench in the event of an injury at the cornerback position. Not only that, but when he was playing with the first team, he was balling out. Each day he got his hands on the football in the form of an interception. During Bashaud Breeland’s first day back from injury, the coaches were still rotating Wade in. I’d like to think it was more than just giving Breeland a rest, and that Wade has just been that impressive to the coaching staff. Frankly, I thought he did enough last season to make the 53-man roster as a rookie, and I was really shocked when he didn’t. I don’t think I’ll have to relive that feeling this season.
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Stock Down: CB Rashad Fenton
The rookie hasn’t exactly had a bad camp, he just hasn’t stood out in a way that inspires optimism. When you have a cornerback that gets injured and another that gets switched to a different position, it creates opportunities for other guys on the team. I haven’t really seen Fenton grasp those opportunities yet. Instead, I’ve seen video of him getting burned by Tyreek Hill and other Chiefs receivers in coverage. There’s still time for Fenton to step up, but I’m not sure that it’ll happen this training camp.
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Stock Up: WR Mecole Hardman
Hardman had an up-and-down first five days of training camp practice. From what I’ve seen and heard, I think there was more good than bad from Hardman. His biggest struggles seem to be the occasional drop on offense and with the fielding part of his responsibilities as a punt returner. As for the things he’s done well, his route running is much more refined than I thought it would be at this point of the year. He’s consistently creating separation with technique and not just sheer speed. That’ll play in this offense, and I think that Andy Reid is going to be able to find ways to integrate Hardman into the game plan quickly.
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Stock Down: WR Jamal Custis
For an undrafted receiver who got a hefty amount of guaranteed money to sign with the Chiefs, Custis has been quiet throughout training camp. This group of receivers is insanely competitive and the Chiefs are almost assuredly going to end up cutting players that will make it on another teams 53-man roster. To go through the first five days of training camp without even the slightest bit of hype is concerning. You have to think the best hope at this point is the Chiefs like Custis enough to stash him on the practice squad and develop him for a season.
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Stock Up: LB Darron Lee
I wasn’t entirely sure that Lee would be able to find his way onto the field quickly after joining the Chiefs via trade earlier this offseason. Through five training camp practices he’s been rotating in and out of the starting unit on certain defensive play calls. It’s looking like there’s a good chance that he’ll be their primary sub-package linebacker during the season. He’s shown the sideline-to-sideline speed that he’s known for, and he’s even been working on his tackling exclusively with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
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Stock Down: LB Dorian O’Daniel
O’Daniel was the lone bright spot in a linebacker group that didn’t give Chiefs fans much to be excited about in 2018. Many expected him to come in and push for a starting job this year, but that simply hasn’t been the case. Instead, O’Daniel has been relegated to third string. That isn’t to say he hasn’t been making plays on the third-string defense, but he’s fallen down the depth chart pretty quickly. It’s not a great look for a former third-round draft pick. I have to wonder if the Chiefs will try to trade O’Daniel before the start of the season.
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Stock Up: RB Carlos Hyde
I did not expect Hyde to come in and immediately compete for the No. 2 job at running back. While Damien Williams has been out with a hamstring injury, Hyde has been almost exclusively the starter for the Chiefs. That would suggest that when Williams returns, Hyde will shift back to that No. 2 role. It’s pretty clear that the Chiefs’ coaching staff has big plans for Hyde, and he seems to have bought into those plans. He’s contributing not only as a rusher, but in the passing game too, which is good considering his past struggles catching the football.
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Stock Down: RB Darrel Williams
I thought the Chiefs would give Williams a shot to be the No. 2 back behind Damien Williams this season, but Carlos Hyde seems to be that guy. Instead Darrel Williams been rotating in with Darwin Thompson for second- and third-string carries. Then consider the fact that the Chiefs just added another running back into the mix, and I have to think that Williams is going to have a tough time making the 53-man roster.
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Stock Up: RB Tremon Smith
The Chiefs decided to switch Smith to running back after a season of playing cornerback and kick returner in the NFL. There are conflicting opinions on Smith’s stock after his move. Some see a defender who couldn’t cut it at the weakest position group for the Chiefs. Others see a player who is electric with the ball in his hands getting an opportunity to touch the football more often. He even said the Chiefs might use him as more than just a running back. He could touch the ball as a wildcat QB or even line up out wide or in the slot. It feels like the Chiefs are trying to build an unstoppable group of mismatches on the offensive side of the ball, and I can’t wait to see what it looks like in action.
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Stock Down: TE John Lovett
The player who might be hurt the most by Tremon Smith’s transition to the offensive side of the ball is QB-TE convert John Lovett. He had been working at tight end, H-back and even some quarterback for the Chiefs. He was slated to be able to line up in the wildcat, on the wing, in the slot, as a receiver or even in the backfield. Now that he is making the switch to offense, it feels like there isn’t room for a second Swiss army knife on the active roster.
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Stock Up: S Juan Thornhill
Thornhill has proved to be a top-notch defensive playmaker through five days of training camp practices. The guy has a relentless motor and he has a nose for the football. He’s notched a handful of interceptions and pass breakups, and he doesn’t look to be slowing down. He’s primarily playing with the second team, but that could quickly change if he keeps getting his hands on the football and making plays. He’s drawn the attention of national media types like Terez Paylor, Louis Riddick and Albert Breer. They’re hyping him up as someone who could become a starter soon.
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Stock Down: S Daniel Sorensen
How does a starting safety have his stock go down during the course of training camp? For one, the hype surrounding rookie Juan Thornhill isn’t helping. There are several big-name media members saying Thornhill has a chance to unseat Dirty Dan. Chiefs fans have also made this prediction, and at some point it feels like all this smoke is going to lead us to a fire. I’m not as inclined to believe Sorensen will lose his job, especially when the Chiefs have Tyrann Mathieu rooming with Sorensen at training camp. However, this is something to watch as camp progresses and the preseason begins.
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Stock Up: DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
You might be rolling your eyes because Kpassagnon was on this list last year and didn’t do much in 2018. The difference about this season is that Steve Spagnuolo has taken it as a personal challenge to get Kpassagnon on the field. He’s working to find the ways to best put him in the position to win, and one of those ways is as part of his “NASCAR” pass-rush packages. He’s rotated in on rushing downs at both defensive end and defensive tackle. It’s beginning to look like Kpassagnon will become a dedicated pass-rush specialist for the Chiefs. If he can find success in that role, fans will likely wonder why he wasn’t utilized as such sooner.
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Stock Down: OL Kahlil McKenzie
There are big expectations from fans and within the organization for McKenzie in his second season. His first season was essentially a redshirt year, spent learning the position and getting valuable repetitions, but he was inactive every week. Right now, McKenzie hasn’t cracked the second-team offensive line yet. The reason for that does give some room for optimism, though. The Chiefs want McKenzie getting snaps at center, and with Jimmy Murray playing second-team center, the third team is the place for McKenzie. That could mean the Chiefs plan to use McKenzie as the swing lineman, but we’ll just have to see how things shake out.
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