BY MATT McMULLEN – CHIEFS REPORTER
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Chiefs.com) – The Kansas City Chiefs concluded their three-day rookie minicamp on Monday as 74 players took the field in an effort to show that they belong on the back-to-back defending world champions in 2024.
The camp, which prohibits “live contact” but allows for 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 work in addition to positional drills, represented an opportunity for the Chiefs’ youngest players to get up to speed before offseason practices ramp up in a few weeks.
“Good to have the rookies in here. I think they did a nice job. It was good work, and a good introduction for these guys,” said Head Coach Andy Reid. “Some of these guys have been traveling all over America, so they haven’t done a whole lot of football up until this point. It was good to get them back into the swing of things and for them to see what kind of pace we go at.”
Those players included the Chiefs’ seven draft picks, 17 undrafted free agent signees, eight rookie camp-eligible players who were already on the roster prior to the draft, four veteran tryout players and 38 rookie tryout participants.
A full breakdown of the Chiefs’ undrafted free agent signees can be found by clicking here, and for a look at the various rookie tryout participants in this year’s camp, check out the roster below.
For the rookies participating in the camp – from the draft picks to the tryout players – it represented the culmination of a lifelong dream.
“It’s pretty surreal…Once the bus rolled up the road and we saw the stadium and the facility, it was really breathtaking,” said rookie offensive lineman and fifth-round pick Hunter Nourzad. “It’s really an incredible experience, [and] I feel truly blessed…It’s unbelievable.”
The weekend began with the annual rookie dinner, where the camp’s participants joined the coaching staff and several Chiefs alumni for a catered meal in the press box at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Every table included at least one former player, from Pro Football Hall of Famers such as Bobby Bell and Willie Lanier to recent standouts like Spencer Ware and Brandon Flowers.
The dinner also included remarks from Chiefs Chairman & CEO Clark Hunt and President Mark Donovan in an effort to welcome all 74 players to the Chiefs family.
After that, it was all about football. The camp kicked off its on-field drills on Saturday and ran through Monday afternoon, providing every participant with a chance to lay the foundation for their offseason training program.
“I want to come in here, I want to get comfortable, and I want to learn the brand and style of football that they play here in Kansas City,” said rookie tight end and fourth-round pick Jared Wiley. “I want to be able to do that to the best of my ability.”
As for the non-rookies (in a traditional sense) in attendance, quarterback Chris Oladokun, running back Hassan Hall, running back Louis Rees-Zammit, tight end Gerrit Prince, offensive tackle Chukwuebuka Godrick, safety Trey Dean, defensive end Truman Jones and punter Matt Araiza were all eligible to participate.
Additionally, veteran free agents such as running back Eno Benjamin, offensive lineman Gabe Houy, offensive lineman Brett Neilon and defensive back Trill Williams attended this year’s camp on a tryout basis.
It’s all to say that this year’s camp included players from various backgrounds, but regardless of what any of the 74 players in attendance had done previously, these past three days represented a chance to show that they belong in Kansas City moving forward.
“When I came here before the draft, they told me that no matter where somebody was drafted – even if they weren’t drafted – everybody has an opportunity. It’s a clean [slate], so embrace the opportunity,” said rookie cornerback and sixth-round pick Kamal Hadden. “I just want to learn, and I’m very thankful for the opportunity.”
With all of that in mind, here are some quick notes from all three days of this year’s camp.
Saturday, May 4
- Undrafted free agent signee wide receiver Phillip Brooks had a strong day with multiple receptions. He contorted his body to make an impressive grab during 11-on-11 drills before making an athletic catch in-stride over the middle a bit later.
- Rookie tight end Jared Wiley had a solid practice highlighted by a strong catch over the middle during 7-on-7 drills in which he plucked the ball out of the air.
- Rookie tryout wide receiver Jaaron Hayek drew several targets throughout practice and generally made the most of them, hauling in multiple deep receptions and a strong grab over the middle.
- Rookie tryout defensive back Myles Sims recorded a pass-breakup on a short throw over the middle during 7-on-7 drills.
- Undrafted free agent running back signee Carson Steele made a one-handed catch in the flat during 11-on-11 drills.
- Rookie tryout linebacker Bryce Gallagher recorded an interception during 7-on-7 drills.
- Rookie tryout defensive tackle Mario Kendricks batted a pass at the line of scrimmage.
Sunday, May 5
- Practice was indoors today due to rain, but the guys still managed to get plenty of work done.
- Rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy had a strong practice. I counted six catches, including an impressive grab deep down the field in which he had to adjust to an underthrown pass. Worthy went on to catch passes at all three levels of the field during the practice.
- Running back Hassan Hall hauled in a quick swing pass and got upfield in a hurry, showing off some impressive open-field speed.
- Undrafted free agent cornerback signee Miles Battle made a great pass-breakup on a deep throw down the sideline. He stuck with the intended receiver stride-for-stride and got his hand in at the perfect time to blow up the play.
- Rookie tight end Jared Wiley had another strong day with multiple catches. He made a full-extension catch in the flat during 11-on-11 drills and later hauled in a pair of quick passes during a 7-on-7 segment of practice. Wiley was one of the standouts of camp.
- Former rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, who signed with the Chiefs earlier this offseason, showed off his speed and agility during an 11-on-11 period when he caught a quick pass in the flat before maneuvering through traffic for a big gain.
- Rookie tryout defensive back Decorian Patterson tallied an interception during 7-on-7 drills. It was a great play.
- Veteran tryout running back Eno Benjamin made a leaping catch in the flat on a jump pass during 11-on-11 drills.
- Rookie tryout defensive back Noah Tumblin recorded a pass-breakup during an 11-on-11 segment.
- Rookie tryout running back Treyson Potts hauled in a one-handed catch in the flat during 11-on-11 drills.
- Undrafted free agent defensive tackle signee Fabien Lovett batted a pass at the line of scrimmage.
Monday, May 6
- Rookie cornerback Kamal Hadden jumped a route and recorded an interception during 7-on-7 red zone drills. Hadden likely would have returned the pick for a touchdown in a real situation.
- Undrafted free agent linebacker signee Luquay Washington got his outstretched hand on a throw during a 7-on-7 period for a pass-breakup. Washington also scooped up a fumble a little earlier in the period.
- Rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy had another busy day, notably with two touchdown catches during 7-on-7 red zone drills. The red zone periods on Monday – both of the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 varieties – provided Worthy with an opportunity to show off his impressive short-area quickness. For example, during an 11-on-11 session, Worthy deployed a terrific double-move to break free of his defender before hauling in a touchdown grab.
- Rookie safety Jaden Hicks recorded a pass-breakup in the end zone during red zone 7-on-7 drills.
- Rookie tryout defensive back Sam Lockett tallied a pass-breakup in the end zone during 11-on-11 red zone drills.
- Rookie tryout wide receiver Zach McCarron-Mathis made one of the plays of the weekend with a one-handed touchdown grab in the corner of the end zone during an 11-on-11 period.
- Rookie tryout tight end Geor’quarius Spivey had a solid day with several catches during both the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 red zone periods.
Next up on the schedule for Kansas City will be the first round of “Organized Team Activities,” or OTAs,” which kick off the week of May 20.