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Kansas City Chiefs: Top ten training camp battles to watch

By Lyle Graversen

SAINT JOSEPH, MO - JULY 31: The team runs drills during Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp on July 31, 2011 in Saint Joseph, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
SAINT JOSEPH, MO - JULY 31: The team runs drills during Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp on July 31, 2011 in Saint Joseph, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 05: Dustin Colquitt #2 of the Kansas City Chiefs punts against the Dallas Cowboys in the first quater of a football game at AT&T Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 05: Dustin Colquitt #2 of the Kansas City Chiefs punts against the Dallas Cowboys in the first quater of a football game at AT&T Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

10. Punter

The Chiefs have one of the best punters in the NFL in long time veteran Dustin Colquitt. He’s played all 14 of his NFL seasons with the Chiefs, and he had another great season last year. He was 36 last season and yet his 44.9 yards punt average was right in line with his career average. He is also under contract for both this season and 2020, so it would be easy to assume that Colquitt is secure as the Chiefs punter for another year.

The reason that punter made the list of training camp battles to watch is because the Chiefs went out and signed one of the best undrafted rookie punters on the market in Jack Fox out of Rice. Fox was the 2018 Conference USA special teams player of the year and a finalist for the Ray Guy award for the top punter in college football last season. His 45.5 yard average in college last season was actually 0.6 yards longer than Colquitt’s last season.

It takes a lot more than a strong leg to be a successful NFL punter but Fox also showed some ability to pin punts inside the 20 yard line. As an added bonus, Fox was also Rice’s place kicker in college. While he isn’t viewed as an NFL talent in that area, he would at least provide some depth should Harrison Butker get banged up during a game. However, since he was kicking field goals and extra points he doesn’t have Colquitt’s vast experience as a holder.

With Colquitt having turned 37 this offseason and boasting a $3.15 million dollar cap hit (about half of which could be saved if he was cut) this is at least a battle to keep an eye on. I think Colquitt has to be the odds-on favorite here, but should Fox look fantastic in camp it could tempt the Chiefs to make a move.

Now on to the No. 9 camp battle.

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