The Kansas City Chiefs will soon begin to make their way to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri for their 2023 training camp.
For several players, the impression made on coaches and front-office executives over the next several weeks will determine their future with the organization. Even some of the most established veterans in Kansas City will have something to prove as they gather to lay the foundation for the upcoming season.
Some will look to prove they’ve made progress since they joined the team. Others will look to prove they’re better than the rookies brought in at their respective positions. Training camp will ultimately paint a clear picture of the best players.
Here are nine Chiefs players who need to have a strong training camp:
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
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Most fans have written off Edwards-Helaire with the emergence of Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon. While he’s probably safer than most will give him credit for, he still needs to have a strong training camp in 2023. He’s going into a contract year and the running back room has a lot of competition. Anything less than a standout training camp could spell disaster for the former first-round pick.
LB Willie Gay Jr.
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Gay Jr. is under some pressure heading into training camp. The Chiefs drafted Leo Chenal in Round 3 a season ago and signed Drue Tranquill this offseason. Suddenly, there are a lot of cooks in the kitchen at the position group and not exactly a lot of snaps to go around. Gay Jr. is in a contract year and has missed the early goings of the season due to either injury or suspension in each of the last two years.
WR Justyn Ross
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No player has more hype this offseason, but Ross needs to keep the hype train rolling once the pads come on. The former Clemson standout will be going through his first training camp after being placed on season-ending injured reserve at the onset of training camp in 2022. Carving out a significant role on offense or special teams will be key to his ability to make the 53-man roster come September.
QB Shane Buechele
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Buechele is set to participate in his third training camp with the Chiefs since signing on as an undrafted free agent in 2021. The team has invested in Buechele’s development, but he continues to be blocked from the No. 2 QB spot by veteran quarterbacks. If he looks better than Blaine Gabbert in training camp, it’d certainly prove the team’s investment to be a sound one. If he doesn’t, it might draw some questions about the future.
OT Lucas Niang
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Since entering the league as a third-round pick in 2020, Niang has played in 22 total games with nine starts. He played one snap at right tackle during Super Bowl LVII when Andrew Wylie had to leave for a play after being declared an eligible receiver. With the additions of Donovan Smith and Wanya Morris, Niang will be fighting for a roster spot during training camp. He’ll need to prove that he can be reliable and a sound option at tackle if he’s to make it.
WR Richie James
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With over a dozen receivers on the 90-man offseason roster, it feels like James is an unknown commodity with Chiefs fans. He is coming off the best season of his young NFL career with the New York Giants, but he needs to show fans what he’s capable of. Showing rapport with Patrick Mahomes will be crucial, as will securing a spot as a special teams jack-of-all-trades.
DL Malik Herring
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A former undrafted free agent in 2021, Herring appeared in just seven games for the Chiefs last season. He recorded six total tackles and a fumble recovery during that span. With the addition made on the defensive line this offseason, Herring will need to have a strong training camp and prove that he’s made progress within the defensive system to this point.
DT Danny Shelton
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When the Chiefs signed Shelton a season ago, fans were expecting a two-down contributor. Instead, they got a player who spent the season on the practice squad. He got one call-up to the 53-man roster in Week 16, which marked the first time that the former first-round draft pick had played since 2021. With depth at the defensive tackle position lacking, Shelton has an opportunity to crack the roster, but he’ll need to take full advantage in training camp.
S Deon Bush
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Bush could find himself in trouble without a standout performance in training camp. He didn’t even play 10% of the defensive snaps a season ago, but he was a standout on special teams. Kansas City drafted a pair of defensive backs (Chamarri Conner and Nic Jones) who both could unseat him on the defensive and special teams depth chart. Bush’s contract has a lower amount of guaranteed money, which could allow the Chiefs to move on easily come September.