Five things to look for at Kansas City Chiefs training camp

The Kansas City Chiefs begin its public training camp practices on July 27th, and there are some interesting story lines for fans to watch out for.

Training camp is something fans of the Kansas City Chiefs look forward to every year near the end of July. The road to St. Joseph is full of positional battles and first glances of players (especially rookies).

This year, training camp gives fans the first taste of what the Chiefs’ new defense will look like. Spearheaded by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs defense boasts almost an entirely new starting lineup at every position. That’s also the tip of the iceberg as there are several other plotlines to follow, including Spags and company. Here are five that stand out above the rest.

1. How will the cornerbacks look?

There are several questions at the cornerback position, mostly about who will serve as depth to what has been a nearly-horrific secondary. The Chiefs have seven cornerbacks who will most likely make the roster. Of those seven cornerbacks, only two have displayed starter qualities: Bashaud Breeland and Kendall Fuller. The rest, however, have not proven to be anything spectacular.

One of the most interesting candidates to make an impact is Mark Fields, who was touted as one of the top undrafted free agents at his position after the conclusion of the 2019 NFL Draft. Fields had just one interception in his entire collegiate career, but he also had 11 defended passes—five of which came in his senior season while playing just 7 games. He may not have the ideal size (5’11”, 180 lb), but he has the grit and determination; two qualities that are almost a luxury in NFL players nowadays. He will likely serve as depth, but will be able to learn and develop his game throughout his career nonetheless.

Another player who will see increased playing time (and likely be named a starter) is Charvarius Ward. Ward hardly saw any action in 2018, but the action he did see toward the end of the season displayed his dominance. Yet another highly touted UDFA last season, Ward was traded to the Chiefs by the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for guard Parker Ehinger on August 30th, 2018. His size (6’11”, 186 lb) and strong pro day workout made him a strong addition for the Chiefs. Even though he started just two games, Ward had three passes defended and stood out toward the end of the season.

After a year of learning and improving his game, Ward looks to build upon the success he saw at the end of the 2018 season, and will hopefully have a huge impact in Spagnuolo’s new defense. Other names to watch include sixth round pick Rashad Fenton, Tremon Smith, Herb Miller, Andrew Sokoh, and D’Montre Wade.