Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid arrived Sunday on the campus of Missouri Western State University to start his 20th season as an NFL head coach Peyton Manning Jersey , yet finds himself energized by what's new on his football team for 2018.
"There's more new I would say on both sides of the ball," Reid said. "Some of the old guys that have been here aren't here."
The team lost several veterans during the offseason, trading quarterback Alex Smith to Washington and parting ways with longtime linebackers Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali among other moves.
The offseason changes result in a team navigating through its most significant turnover since Reid's 2013 arrival in Kansas City.
"Whether it's the quarterback position, inside linebacker position, outside linebacker position, you're missing a few of those guys and you have new guys coming in that you have an opportunity to see perform," Reid said. "That's exciting to me, I'm looking forward to that."
The biggest change comes at quarterback with Smith giving way to Patrick Mahomes, the No. 10 overall selection in last year's draft. Smith won 50 regular-season games as the team's starter since 2013.
"Alex was phenomenal, he's going to continue to be phenomenal for the Redskins and we feel very lucky to have Pat, to be able to step up and watch him grow here," Reid said. "Let's see how he does. He can't be in any better place, man, than with the Kansas City Chiefs and I know he's fired up about that."
Mahomes arrived in camp Sunday along with the team's other quarterbacks and with coaches, rookies and select veterans. A three-day minicamp starts on Monday before the full squad checks in on July 25. The first full team practice kicks off July 26.
The 22-year-old faces no competition for the starting quarterback job. The team acquired veteran Chad Henne as his understudy and to serve as a sounding board for Mahomes as he navigates his first full season as a starter. Mahomes hopes to use his time in camp to become a more efficient quarterback.
"I want to make sure I can get in and out of the huddle fast, we can make the right checks and just really have a lot of positive plays," Mahomes said.
"Not necessarily the huge plays but just have positive plays and move the chains. That's how you have success in the NFL. You keep taking those yards Malik Hooker Jersey , taking those yards and then when you have guys that can stretch the field you make those plays and those come within the flow of the game."
With new faces arriving in camp this week, Reid had good news about some of the team's key players returning from injury.
The coach said he expects only wide receiver De'Anthony Thomas and cornerback Ashton Lampkin possibly starting camp on the sidelines. That means center Mitch Morse, linebacker Dee Ford and running back Spencer Ware, all returning from season-ending injuries a year ago, expect to practice with the team.
"All those guys, everybody else is good," Reid said. "Again I just want to see on the field and we'll kind of monitor as it goes but, yeah, they all should be ready to go."
The quarterback change and other roster turnover create an array of differing expectations for this Chiefs' team. Many preseason prognosticators have the Los Angeles Chargers replacing Kansas City atop the AFC West after back-to-back divisional titles.
Reid, however, doesn't see it that way.
"But the important thing is there is high expectations within the building, within the team," Reid said. "They demand that from themselves. You felt that in the OTAs and I expect that to continue. I expect guys to challenge each other, that's the way you get better. We've got great competition that we're going to play this year starting with the Chargers."
Yet with many viewing the 2018 season as a transition, if not rebuilding, year for the Chiefs, even Reid acknowledges that this season paves the way for a brighter future under Mahomes.
"We're striving to win a championship and then to consistently be in a position where we can win a championship as the years go on John Elway Jersey ," Reid said. "And it starts again today."
Patrick Robinson spied Drew Brees stepping up to throw deep down the middle, sprinted back toward his own end zone and made an outstretched interception of a ball that initially looked to be thrown beyond anyone’s reach.
”Impressive,” was how Saints coach Sean Payton described the play by Robinson, a cornerback who is one of several recent additions aimed at strengthening a club that nearly advanced to the NFC title game last season.
The onset of offseason practices this week has provided Payton and his staff a chance to begin forging roles for players such as Robinson, as well as fellow newcomers such as linebacker Demario Davis, safety Kurt Coleman, receiver Cameron Meredith and first-round draft choice Marcus Davenport.
It’s also a chance to see if any of the club’s younger running backs – such as rookie Boston Scott – might fill the void created by Pro Bowl rusher Mark Ingram’s four-game suspension for use of a banned substance.
”Obviously, we hate to miss a guy like that. He’s such huge part of what we do and such a great teammate, too,” Brees said of Ingram after Thursday’s non-padded practice, the first open to reporters this offseason. ”We’ll manage.”
Alvin Kamara is on track to emerge as New Orleans’ top running back after being selected as the Offensive Rookie of the Year last season.
But while Kamara played a more versatile running and receiving role that Payton calls a ”Joker back,” Ingram was a force on more traditional runs.
At only 5-foot-7, Scott is smaller than Ingram, but Payton won’t discount the rookie’s ability to compete for snaps Ingram might otherwise have gotten.
”He’s shorter, but he’s built pretty well. He is someone who has good instincts,” Payton said.
”It’s early, but he’s done some really good things. There’s a running ability he has as well. I wouldn’t look at him as a ”Joker” back Jay Novacek Jersey , if you will. He’s got some of those traits, but he does a pretty good job with some of the in-line runs.”
The preseason performance of Scott, a sixth-round draft choice out of Louisiana Tech, as well as that of Trey Edmunds, a second-year pro out of Maryland, could determine how the Saints cope with Ingram’s suspension.
”I’m going to work, do everything I can to learn the playbook and just grind,” Scott said. ”By the time preseason rolls around, I’ll be ready.”
The Saints hope they’ve bolstered the passing game by adding receiver Cameron Meredith during free agency. Meredith led Chicago in receiving two seasons ago, but is coming back from a major knee injury that wiped out his 2017 season.
Meredith did some route-running and catching on Thursday, after which Payton pronounced him ”way ahead of schedule.”
”He’s going to factor in this year,” Payton said.
Meredith, meanwhile, discussed his motivation to regain his 2016 form.
”It was a major injury. I’m not going to downplay it,” Meredith said. ”I’m excited to go out there and prove people wrong.”
On defense, the Saints cannot yet be sure how well 2017 starting end Alex Okafor will come back from his torn Achilles.
In the meantime, Davenport is expected to get a lot of offseason work as the Saints try to refine his pass-rushing skills in time for the fall.
”He’s a tremendous worker Quincy Wilson Jersey ,” Payton said. ”He’s coming along really well. There’s a strength element you feel.”
The Saints expect the linebacker group to be strengthened by Davis, a former defensive leader with the New York Jets, as well as the return of second-year pro Alex Anzalone, who started four games as a rookie before the rest of his season was cut short by a shoulder injury.
Both can play multiple roles.
”I’m down with whatever my coaches want me to do,” Davis said. ”I’m here to win.”
Robinson, Payton said, has returned to the club that drafted him in 2010 a more confident and capable player after winning a Super Bowl with Philadelphia last season.
Robinson ”has played on the biggest stages and had success,” Payton said. ”It’s good seeing him back in our building.”
Notes: Ingram was not at practice, even though the terms of his suspension allow him to participate in all offseason and preseason work. Payton said he disagreed with Ingram’s decision, but respects it and has had friendly phone conversations with Ingram about it. Brees said he also has spoken with Ingram, adding, ”I know Mark’s doing what he needs to do to get himself ready to play this season. He’s doing what’s best for him and therefor what’s best for the team.”
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