Chiefs' starters to play first half against Lions after breaking camp in St. Joseph, Missouri

Published Aug. 15, 2024 12:51 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs' starters are expected to play most of the first half of their preseason game against Detroit on Saturday, though it's possible Carson Wentz will get some snaps with the first-team offense, too.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid announced his plan for the second preseason game Thursday, shortly after the defending Super Bowl champions wrapped up the final practice of their training camp at Missouri Western State University.

Mahomes was 3 of 4 for 27 yards against Jacksonville in the Chiefs' preseason opener, helping to set up a field goal on their first possession. He typically plays into the second quarter of the second preseason game before taking the third exhibition game off ahead of the season opener, which in this case comes Sept. 5 against Baltimore.

After playing the Lions, the Chiefs will conduct the rest of camp at their training facility in Kansas City.

“I think you've been able to see the growth,” said Reid, one of the few coaches left in the NFL who prefers to take his team away for camp. “We've added a ton in the last few days up here. The guys have digested it and been able to spit it back — retain it. That has been a positive. And then maybe most of all getting yourself in football shape, kind of re-amping up to our first game.”

“We still have a couple of weeks ahead of us here ’til that all takes place,” Reid added, “but we’ll keep working on it. We're not ready yet, but we'll keep working and sharpening ourselves up to play. I appreciate the attitude the guys have had.”

Reid said right tackle Jawaan Taylor would not play against the Lions after hurting his right shoulder during Thursday's practice, which means Lucas Niang will likely replace him. Niang was expected to compete with Kingsley Suamataeia for the starting job on the left side, but Suamataeia, a second-round pick out of BYU, seized the job early and never let go.

“(Taylor) won’t go this weekend,” Reid said, “but I think he’s going to be OK.”

Reid also said he would not “force it” to get veteran left guard Joe Thuney onto the field for a preseason game. Thuney recently came off the PUP list and began to practice after a pectoral injury that caused him to miss the Super Bowl.

Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire missed his fourth straight practice with an illness Thursday, though Reid said he was feeling better. Safety Bryan Cook also remained out of practice for personal reasons.

The biggest missing piece, of course, remained wide receiver Marquise Brown, who sustained a sternoclavicular posterior dislocation in the Chiefs' game in Jacksonville. Brown was fortunate the shoulder injury, similar to one that caused former Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill to miss four games in 2019, did not require surgery.

“We're lucky it wasn't as bad as it could have been," Mahomes said Thursday. “He's in good spirits, doing well. Getting him back going again, moving around. Obviously we lost a little bit of that veteran-type receiver in that room. We have other guys that can replace a little bit, but to have that much talent and understand what I want — but he's in that room. That's important."

Reid was noncommittal this week when asked whether Brown could be ready for Week 1. In the meantime, the Chiefs have turned to veteran Justin Watson, who knows every wide receiver position in the offense.

“Very confident in him,” Mahomes said. “A guy that knows everything, can play all three (receiver) positions, can catch and block. Those guys have to step up while (Brown) is out. We're lucky it doesn't seem like it's going to be for too long.”

Much like Reid, Mahomes came away from the three-plus weeks in St. Joseph feeling good about the work Kansas City put it as it begins pursuit of a record third consecutive Super Bowl championship.

“I thought it was a competitive camp. That was the biggest thing,” he said. “More than just standouts every day, you didn't know if the offense or defense was going to win. That's when it's a great camp. There were days the defense got after us. There were days we had the advantage. I think just the competitive nature of camp was the best thing about it.”

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