We have now the dates locked in for the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2021 training camp in St. Joseph. The training camp will officially begin on July 28th so the whole Kingdom will be able to see their favorite players, veterans and rookies, in action.
Until then, a few good and bad news popped up last week.
To begin with a positive piece of news, Pro Football Focus published their annual “Top 50” rankings assembling a list of the best 50 players in the NFL heading into the 2021 season – and several members of the Kansas City Chiefs earned their spots in the list.
Of course, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the top Chiefs player on the list and the No. 2 player overall, only ranking behind the usual number one Los Angeles Rams’ defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
PFF said: “Mahomes is just different. He attempts and completes passes that no other quarterback in the game can even think about, and he regularly adds even more freakish plays to that repertoire. Including the postseason, Mahomes has compiled the highest PFF passing grade of any quarterback since he became the starter in Kansas City, and nobody has more than the 137 big-time throws the Chiefs superstar has recorded over that span.”
Number three is no other than Travis Kelce, our superstar Tight End.
Kelce is the first tight end in NFL history to compile five-straight 1,000-yard seasons, and he’s finally got the recognition he deserved for years. Even though Kelce is a tight end, he is also simply one of the best receivers of the league. Period.
Moving down the list, wide receiver Tyreek Hill checks in at Number 18 overall. “Cheetah” is very well known for his terrifying speed across the league, and PFF said:
“There may not be a more dangerous playmaker in football than Hill, a player with an unrivaled combination of speed and quickness. The Chiefs wideout is a threat to break off a big play and score a touchdown every single time he lines up on offense, and he changes games whether the ball comes his way on the play or not.”
And finally, the fourth player on the list is Chris Jones, Chiefs defensive tackle who appears at Number 19. According to the list and PFF, Jones is the seventh-best defensive player in the NFL behind only Donald (No. 1), Chicago Bears’ edge rusher Khalil Mack (No. 6), Seattle Seahawks’ linebacker Bobby Wagner (No. 8), Pittsburgh Steelers’ edge rusher T.J. Watt (No. 11), Green Bay Packers’ cornerback Jaire Alexander (No. 14) and Los Angeles Rams’ cornerback Jalen Ramsey (No. 16).
Chris Jones piled up 32 sacks in total over the last three seasons and 77 quarterback hits. Quite a career.
Maybe one snub in the list is Safety Tyrann Mathieu… Absent from the PFF ranking, The Chiefs loyal player is known as one of the most effective and versatile defensive backs in the league. He recorded 56 solo tackles, 15 stops, 11 pressures, and six interceptions while allowing just a 71.3 passer rating on the season. However, it could be an additional reason to be even more motivated to perform next season for him.
On the negative side, Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark was arrested in Los Angeles after police saw a submachine gun in his car, police said last Monday.
Frank Clark, 28 years old, was pulled over for a vehicle violation south of downtown Los Angeles and the officers noticed a bag with an Uzi sticking out.
He was then booked into Los Angeles County jail and released on $35,000 bond. Apparently, according to Clark’s attorney, the gun belonged to his bodyguard. He is walking on thin ice being on his second arrest so far this year… Let’s see what happens for him.
Finally, last week, the NFL website released another all star team, the 2021 All-Under-25 Team. Chiefs, L’Jarius Sneed, 24, is part of that team. He is obviously one of the steals of last year’s draft.
He recorded three interceptions as a rookie while recording seven passes defensed, 41 tackles, two sacks and three quarterback hits. This young player is indeed very efficient for a first season!
So it looks like Nick Shook, NFL writer thinks Sneed is one of the promising rising stars in the league.
This is a very good signal for the season to come, the Chiefs are packed with experienced veterans, promising rookies and second year players who can’t wait to show more of their skills. Can’t wait for the season to start.
