KC Chiefs Training Camp Primer: Dates, Location, Position Battles, Big Questions & More

Rookies report on Tuesday. Veterans report four days later. From there, the Kansas City Chiefs will be back in action alongside 31 other NFL franchises as the motors begin to rev for a new season of football.

So many veterans of the Chiefs point to these early days in training camp as essential building blocks for understanding what this coaching staff wants to do in the long term. Given their results in recent years as the most successful franchise in the league. new players should pay attention to what's going on this summer to get on board with Andy Reid's program ASAP.

So what should we watch for at training camp. What will you want to know? We've got your questions covered with our Kansas City Chiefs training camp primer.

What is the Chiefs training camp schedule?

July 24 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – STH only, Team Autograph Session

July 26 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Autographs (DB)

July 27 – No practice

July 28 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Autographs (QB, RB, specialists)

July 29 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – NFL Back Together Weekend, Team Autograph Session*

July 30 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Autographs (WR, TE)

July 31 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Alumni Day – Autographs (OL/DL)

August 1 – No practice

August 2 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Autographs (LB)

August 3 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Autographs (DB)

August 4 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Autographs (QB, RB, specialists)

August 5 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Family Fun Day, Team Autograph Session*

August 6 – No practice

August 7 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Autographs (WR, TE)

August 8 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Autographs (OL/DL)

August 9 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – STH only, Team Autograph Session

August 10 – No practice

August 11 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Autographs (LBs)

August 12 – No practice

August 13 – Preseason Game No. 1: Chiefs @ New Orleans Saints (12 PM CT)

August 14 – No practice

August 15 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Autographs (DBs)

August 16 – Practice @ 9:15 AM – Autographs (OL/DL)

August 17 – Practice @ 8:15 AM – Military Appreciation Day (END OF CAMP)

Where is Chiefs training camp located?

The Chiefs are one of only seven NFL teams to leave their actual home playing field or stadium for a different environment for training camp. What used to be a regular practice to "get away" together at the beginning of the year has turned into a largely dated one, but the Chiefs still insist on making the trek to St. Joseph, Missouri. It's there that they settle into the campus of Missouri Western State University for a month of practices, film work, coaching sessions, positional drills and fan-centered activities.

What should someone do about ticket for Chiefs training camp?

All tickets must be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis via the Chiefs' website. Visitors can only save six spots per day of training camp with a three-day limit. Those tickets are all free, but none are available to those who show up in St. Joe without a ticket. It should be noted that Season Ticket Holder days and $5 admission days do not count toward those limits. More details can be found here.

What are the biggest position battles in Chiefs training camp?

While most positions on a team that is the returning Super Bowl champion are already spoken for, there are some heated positional battles at key positions.

Wide Receiver

The Chiefs watched Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster leave in free agency this offseason, and that leaves things open for Marquez Valdes-Scantling and a trio of younger players with lots to prove to eat up a large portion of targets from Patrick Mahomes. Second-year wideout Skyy Moore and third-year wideout Kadarius Toney should be the primary competitors at a position that could see rookie Rashee Rice upset the pecking order.

Defensive end

The Chiefs watched Frank Clark sign with the Denver Broncos earlier this spring which means now they must find a younger pass rusher to step up and provide a solid counterpart with George Karlaftis on the edges. Chris Jones already dominates in the middle, but the Chiefs are hoping Charles Omenihu or first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah can provide some disruption as part of a new pass rush committee up front.

Left tackle

The Chiefs lost Orlando Brown Jr. in free agency to the Cincinnati Bengals and replaced him with Donovan Smith, formerly of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They also drafted Wanya Morris in the third round out of Oklahoma and they still have holdover Lucas Niang to compete for reps as well somewhere. The Chiefs upgraded at right tackle with Jawaan Taylor as their big ticket purchase, but new looks at both bookend spots will be something to watch in camp.

When are the Chiefs preseason games?

The Chiefs will play three preseason games in preparation for a 17-game regular season. You can catch them on the following dates:

• Week 1 – K.C. Chiefs @ New Orleans Saints – August 13
• Week 2 – K.C. Chiefs @ Arizona Cardinals – August 19
• Week 3 – Cleveland Browns @ K.C. Chiefs – August 26