Everybody knows Kansas City Chiefs training camp doesn’t really start until the players don full pads. That’s happening Monday, and will be the case for the rest of the week as the team prepares for the Preseason Week 1 game on August 15th.
Special teams coordinator Dave Toub summed it up nicely during his press conference after practice on Saturday.
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“You’ll see players showing up that are looking really good in shorts, and all of a sudden, they disappear with pads,” Toub said to local media. “Then it’s vice versa… all of a sudden, now it’s like ‘holy cow, where was this guy?'”
“It’s always good to get the pads on,” Toub continued. “You play football with pads. We push it to the max, as much as you can do, and we’ll find out about these guys.”
Arrowhead Pride users were asked for their opinions on players they are anticipating seeing now that the pads will be on this week.
When Toub was asked that same question, two players stood out in his mind: wide receiver Andrew Armstrong and rookie safety Xavier Nwankpa.
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“I’m kind of excited about Armstrong; I think he can help us as a cover guy,” Toub said. “Nwankpa has really shown up… I’m excited to see him in pads.”
When asked specifically about newcomers at the return-man position, Toub was blunt about his belief in the incumbents: wide receiver Nikko Remigio and running back Brashard Smith.
“Not really,” Toub responded when asked about potential returners among the rookies. “Not a lot of guys jumping out.”
As a trench player, defensive tackle Chris Jones is certainly ready to get into the physical practices in order to prepare for the 2026 season. Like many fans, Jones is excited to see the rookies this week, specifically defensive tackle Peter Woods and edge rusher R Mason Thomas.
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“I’m excited about the young talent we have on the defensive line,” Jones told reporters on Saturday. “A lot of explosiveness. Peter’s coming along… Mason is also doing his thing.”
“I’m excited to put the pads on Monday and see where we stand,” Jones said.
One player who will not be able to wear full pads on Monday is defensive end Ashton Gillotte, who strained his hamstring during Friday’s practice. While he recovers, fourth-year player Felix Anudike-Uzomah has been looking to revamp his dormant NFL career.
“Felix is finally healthy,” Jones said. “Now we’re able to see the first-round talent that we drafted with Felix. With him being healthy and being able to broadcast his skill set.”
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On the other side of the ball, Jones has gotten a brief look at going against rookie right tackle Kahlil Benson, who has manned the starting spot on the right edge of the offensive line for three consecutive practices.
He will be one to watch with pads on, but Jones already has a good impression of Benson, even if there is some bias involved.
“He’s good… I think the only reason he went undrafted was because of his injury,” Jones said. “He’s a talented guy, big, and he’s a Mississippi guy; we Mississippi guys are cut from a different cloth.”
Running back Kenneth Walker is also one to keep an eye on as run periods begin to feature more live contact. Jones teased his new teammate while taking note of his talent.
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“He’s explosive. A little guy, but explosive,” Jones smiled. “He got us on a couple of screens already. He’s fast and shifty with great vision.”
There are a lot of practices in St. Joe to go until the team takes its final form ahead of a Week 1, “Monday Night Football” bout against the Denver Broncos. Toub made sure to point out the difference in importance between these practices and the three exhibitions to be played in August.
“We’re just beginning camp right now. We have got a lot more practices left here to find out,” Toub said. “Then the games. The games are [the] most important thing for me, the preseason games, where I actually see guys cover a kick hard. Those are things where we really make a lot of evaluations.”
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