Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Mansoor Delane got his first version of the Patrick Mahomes experience in camp yesterday.
All eyes will be on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes as he takes to the field. but until that happens there are plenty of other players to watch. One of the most important ones is new cornerback Mansoor Delane, who is having some “ups and downs” so far, according to a piece written by Nate Taylor of ESPN.
Delane participated in yesterday’s practice in a yellow non-contact jersey, Taylor said, as a precaution for the shoulder injury he sustained in minicamp. Delate did take reps during the 7-on-7 portion of team drills at both cornerbacks, and while did make a good play against fellow rookie Jeff Caldwell by smothering the receiver, Delane also made what Taylor called some “first-day mistakes.”
"The first day is always ups and downs," Delane said. "I'm a guy [where] if I lose reps, it motivates me to get better. That just means I've got more room to grow. I almost get excited about those things, but at the same time you don't want the same mistake to keep happening."
The mistakes aren’t a concern, but the yellow jersey is for the moment. The Chiefs need Delane to be a full participant, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has made it clear to Delane that he’ll be “the main focus of his teaching” over the next month, Taylor added.
"I'm the guy they picked first," Delane said of the Chiefs drafting him at No. 6. "I'm a guy who likes to be the underdog, even though I feel the spotlight could be on me. I still have an underdog mindset, but I'm competing to get a starting job."
Delane also got his first version of the Patrick Mahomes experience in 7-on-7 drills as the Chiefs continue to ramp up their start quarterback. Delane got beat in the back corner of the end zone for a 20-yard TD toss by Mahomes, Taylor noted, and fixing moments like that with the No. 6 pick in the draft will undoubtedly be part of Spagnuolo’s teaching.
"[He's] as advertised," Delane said of Mahomes. "He's a great quarterback."
The veterans will report in full this week, so this is a chance for Delane to get a jump on his learning process. The Chiefs need him to be a fast learner as they focus on revamping their secondary, and Delane is arguably the most important piece of the puzzle. His progress will be closely watched, and justifiably so.
