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One of the best and most comprehensive features we offer every year is our Footballguys Preseason Updates. Every week this month, Dave Kluge, Clayton Gray, and their team of Footballguys Staffers cover every player that matters from every NFL team. It's 32-plus pages of some of the most comprehensive coverage you'll find. It's probably worth the Footballguys Premium Subscription by itself.
Updates from Week 1
Preseason Updates: Quarterbacks
It's been nearly a decade since the Chiefs have broken preseason without Patrick Mahomes II. HC Andy Reid knows suiting his quarterback up in the Chiefs' opener would be a tall task, even for the ultra-competitive Mahomes. Still, it's wildly encouraging he's even in the discussion eight months removed from surgery. ESPN's Nate Taylor notes Mahomes "has led the first-team offense in every 11-on-11 period, displaying his accuracy and even improvements with his deep passes." The idea of Mahomes using this recovery time to improve should frighten the league. New backup Justin Fields knows the assignment: learn behind the nine-year veteran, and be prepared for Opening Day should the ACL recovery hit a snag.
Preseason Updates: Running Backs
Everyone noticed when the Chiefs added Super Bowl MVP Ken Walker III in the offseason. Some wondered how much he'd figure into a Patrick Mahomes II-led offense — and early camp has answered them. Walker has largely revamped the ground game: the team is moving a healthy chunk of its plays under center, Walker's preference, and working heavily between the tackles. That's nothing new from Chiefs camp, but the talent upgrade from Isaiah Pacheco is sizeable. The depth picture is crowded, which can be a factor behind the oft-injured Walker — though that should read as a positive, with complementary talents sharing the role. Second-year back Brashard Smith looks poised for the passing-down role, while rookie Emmett Johnson and ex-Cardinal Emari Demercado battle to back up Walker directly. "For the first time in forever, running back is the strength of the skill-position group," SI.com's Albert Breer noted in the first week of camp. "You can really see the depth of the group, and why Andy Reid and [coordinator Eric] Bieniemy are building an offense that's likely to be heavier under center and playing off play-action."