The Kansas City Chiefs have had some great battles in training camp, but these players have been less than that.
The Kansas City Chiefs have had plenty of noteworthy camp battles as they integrate a slew of new players, and while many of the stories, there are some who are struggling, according to Jesse Newell of The Athletic, who provided a rundown in his latest update.
Kahlil Benson RT
It’s been smooth sailing for the undrafted rookie tackle so far in training camp, as he’s been a great story to follow and root for. He’s been battling for the right tackle job with Jaylon Moore, and the plan against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was to move both players around some so they could provide depth on the interior.
But Benson flopped badly against the Bucs on Saturday, according to Newell. He was beaten twice on passing sets, once by Rueben Bain Jr. and again by Anthony Nelson, as he allowed a QB pressure and a strip sack on a pair of third down plays.
It was a stark reality check that Benson’s development may not be linear, and the Chiefs may have to backtrack with him a bit to give him more time to develop. The larger concern is that the Chiefs could have more than just a depth problem on the right side of the line heading into their final preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks this weekend.
Justin Fields QB
This one shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who’s watched the former top overall draft pick bounce from one team to another as he continues to fail in multiple stops. According to Newell, it hasn’t been a great camp for Fields, and he failed to take a step forward on Saturday.
Fields completed 9 of 12 passes for 64 yards while also taking a costly 20-yard sack on a third-and-goal from the Bucs’ 7, per the writer. The Chiefs may still try to use him as a short-yardage weapon this season, but Fields hasn’t made a strong case for himself in that role.
Tre Watson TE
Newell had Watson making the roster as the third tight end behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, but Watson has now slipped well behind Jake Briningstool on the depth chart, per Newell.
Watson did deliver a strong block on a touchdown run by rookie running back Emmett Johnson, but he couldn’t haul in a fourth quarter pass from Chris Oladokun that led to an interception, while Briningstool is a big target who’s been reliable as a receiver so far, which could put Watson on the practice squad at the start of the season.
