ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Two-time Super Bowl champion Joshua Williams enters his third year in the NFL knowing exactly what he wants. How he plans to get it might seem unorthodox.
The Chiefs return 10 of 11 of their defensive starters from last season, the only departure being cornerback L’Jarius Sneed signing a free agent deal with Tennesee. Williams makes it abundantly clear he wants to replace Sneed in the starting lineup.
“One hundred percent I want it,” Williams said after practice Wednesday. “I’m going to do everything I need to do to step into there and keep competing.”
The loss of Sneed leaves the Chiefs looking for both a big dog and a top dog at cornerback. Nazeeh Johnson is the oldest member of Kansas City’s cornerback room at age 26 but Williams has played the most regular-season games in a Chiefs uniform with 33. Williams believes he can follow in Sneed’s footsteps as a leader in the secondary.
“I would love to be that,” Williams said.” LJ was a great player, he was an All-Pro level player. I definitely took notes from him leadership-wise, styles, play style, all of those type of things. That’s something I’ve tried to just take notes of, and little tidbits to add to my game. And every day I’m working to become the best me I can be but I’m definitely taking tips from how Sneed approached it.”
Williams is also taking tips from defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and defensive backs coach Dave Merritt on taking the next steps for a breakout campaign in year three.
“One thing coach Spags is always saying is ‘growth comes while you’re being uncomfortable,'” Williams explained. “So I might be used to the regimen or routine of being up here at St Joe but I’m, constantly trying to work on something that I’m not so good at or something that I know needs to be improved upon. Just all the things that I feel like I could be better at, I’m trying to work at putting myself in uncomfortable positions, just trying to find that growth area.”
In taking the next step as a starting cornerback, Williams knows he needs to display more consistency. His strategy toward achieving that goal is putting himself in uncomfortable positions such as striving to win all of his press-man assignments in camp and working on playing off the receiver. That’s where Merritt comes in as a teacher, mentor and disciplinarian when needed.
“He’s very, very demanding of people but he also gives you that level of, ‘OK, I understand you messed up, let’s work on it, let’s help you get better on this area.’ So holding every player to a high standard and being able to coach every single different type of player I think is what makes him able to coach at the level he does. And you see it with the people he’s put out and will continue to put out.”
The competition to replace Sneed is intense. Johnson has returned from an ACL tear that derailed a promising offseason and camp a year ago. Jaylen Watson is returning from a shoulder injury and expects to join the battle soon. “They’re great athletes, they’re great competitors, they’re all professional,” Williams said. “I’m sure we’re all attacking it the same way.” Free-agent additions Kelvin Joseph and Keith Taylor also have experience and fit Sapgnuolo’s scheme. That’s not to mention last year’s seventh-round choice Nic Jones and this year’s sixth-round pick Kamal Hadden.
Williams believes he has it within himself to finish on top.
“The opportunity opened up with such a great player like LJ leaving, I’m just doing everything I can to show the coaches that I’m, prepared and I’m willing to do everything possible to step in there.”
Injury Report
The Chiefs sustained their first apparent on-the-field injury issues of camp on Wednesday with wide receiver Justin Watson and cornerback Nazeeh Johnson exiting practice early.
Watson’s injury occurred during a 7-on-7 session as he hauled in a throw from Patrick Mahomes. The 28-year-old receiver slid awkwardly to the ground in making the play and appeared to catch his left leg behind him. Watson immediately grabbed his foot, and two athletic trainers quickly attended to him. They assisted Watson to the sideline who then walked gingerly to the medical tent. After a lengthy examination, Watson left practice in the front seat of a golf cart for the training facility.
Johnson, who played on the first-team defense as right cornerback for most of the practice, headed to the medical tent late during the final team period. A club spokesperson said he left with an injured knee, the same knee in which Johnson tore his ACL last August.
There are no changes regarding the six players on the physically unable to perform and non-football injury lists:
PUP: LG Joe Thuney (pectoral), DE Charles Omenihu (knee), DT Derrick Nnadi (tricep) and CB Jaylen Watson (shoulder)
NFI: S Justin Reid (quad) and DE BJ Thompson
Notes & Observations
The heat ratcheted up a bit Wednesday with temperatures starting in the mid-70s before peaking at 82 by the end of the 1-hour, 50-minute practice under bright sunny skies.
With an off-day Thursday, head coach Andy Reid ran a tough practice with team blitz, team run, 7-on-7, and a third team period rounding out the day along with the usual stretch, group drills, installation and special team periods.
Much has been made of receiver Kadarius Toney taking part in running back drills, but offensive coordinator Matt Nagy explained it’s not much different than how the team used Toney last season. It’s worth noting that this is Toney’s first training camp on the field with the Chiefs after a knee injury knocked him out of camp moments into the opening practice last summer. The look of Toney spending a few minutes with running backs before heading over to the wide receiver group isn’t entirely new.
Both sides of the ball had their moments in Wednesday’s practice. During the team blitz period, linebacker Drue Tranquill netted another broken-up pass when he tipped a Mahomes pass intended for running back Deneric Prince.
Cornerback Trent McDuffie continued his ball-hawking tour through St. Joseph with another interception, this time picking off a Mahomes pass intended for Jusyn Ross during the team run period — oddly enough.
The defense tallied a number of broken-up passes during the 7-on-7 session with cornerbacks Nazeeh Johnson and Kelvin Joseph plus safety Chamarri Conner among those coming up pass deflections. Mahomes completed his pass of the day on a rope to Rashee Rice for a touchdown during 7-on-7.
The offensive play of the day came late in practice during the final team session. Backup quarterback Carson Wentz, taking advantage of the defense jumping offsides, fired a deep ball to receiver Montrell Washington who made the catch in stride for a touchdown.
Tight end Jared Wiley nearly made a highlight grab two snaps before that catch, fighting to make a bobbling one-handed grab down the right sideline on a throw from Mahomes. However, replays appeared to show the ball hit the ground before Wiley could secure possession.
The pads come on Friday, but not soon enough apparently for some players. The squad conducted Wednesday’s workout in “spiders and shells” — helmets and soft pads — but it is still considered a non-contact practice. Don’t tell that to defensive end George Karlaftis, who delivered a wallop to Kadarius Toney after the receiver caught a short pass from Mahomes. Travis Kelce came running in from the sideline to confront Karlaftis and shoved him before defensive tackle Mike Pennel and others pulled Kelce away. That was the end of the fireworks and the practice concluded without any additional skirmishes.
Offensive Line Rotation
Chiefs offensive line coach Andy loves tinkering with his rotation during training camp and cross-training linemen to play multiple positions, and that process reached a fevered pitch on Wednesday. While Mike Caliendo has handled the bulk of the work in place of Joe Thuney thus far in camp, fifth-round draft pick Hunter Nourzad lined up between left tackle Wanya Morris and center Creed Humphrey.
Wanya Morris took most of the reps at starting left tackle with second-round Kingsley Suamataia handling one round of reps there. Likewise, Suamataia took most of the reps with the No. 2 line except for one session for Morris. Lucas Niang, who lined up left guard on Tuesday, substituted on occasion for Jawaan Taylor at right tackle.
On the second team line, undrafted rookie free agent McKade Mettauer from Oklahoma stepped at left guard with seventh-round pick C.J. Hanson at center and Caliendo moving to right guard. Chukwuebuka Godrick manned right tackle.
Thuney’s eventual return to left guard will end some of the rotation along the line. The starting left tackle position remains unsettled although Morris and Suamataia expect to make the 53-player roster starting the season. Niang, Caliendo and Nourzad are strong candidates to round out the roster, and all three are being prepped to play multiple positions. If the Chiefs keep 10 linemen, Hanson is the most likely candidate but others including Mettauer and tackle Ethan Driskell have earned consideration.
What’s Next?
The Chiefs have their first off day on Thursday before returning to work for a 9:15 a.m. Friday practice — and yes, it’s the day the pads come on for the first time.
Friday is the first of four straight days of practice before another off day on Tuesday. Admission to training camp is free except on Saturday when there is a $5 admission fee for Family Fun Day. Each attendee must have a virtual ticket for admission to practice. Parking is $5 per vehicle daily. For more information including tickets, visit the Chiefs training camp website.
