The Kansas City Chiefs take the field for the first time since winning Super Bowl LVIII in their first preseason game of the year. Kansas City will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars tonight at 6 p.m. CT from EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.
Following a grueling training camp so far, veterans and young NFL hopefuls look to make the most of their opportunity to play in a live game and show the Chiefs’ coaching staff why they deserve a roster spot.
Kansas City has an abundance of talent at every position, but here are three players to watch when the Chiefs and Jags kick off this evening.
Louis Rees-Zammit
The former rugby player’s been an offseason sensation and hasn’t ceased from impressing the coaching staff with his versatility and athletic abilities. Rees-Zammit has shown during OTAs and training camp that he has the tools to excel as a running back, wide receiver, and return man.
Watch for Rees-Zammit to play several snaps, especially on special teams. Since the NFL is adopting the new dynamic kickoff, several teams have already shown there’s going to be an adjustment period before anyone breaks one loose. Given his rugby background, it’ll be interesting to see how Rees-Zammit does as a returner in his first NFL contest.
Xavier Worthy
Xavier Worthy has received plenty of hype since he clocked the fastest 40-time in NFL Combine history. Watching him get drafted by the Chiefs only added more fuel to the Worthy hype train.
In the past, the Chiefs have rarely thrown their rookies to the wolves. However, watch for Worthy to get a fair amount of snaps as the coaching staff tests to see if the former Longhorn can be just as dynamic in the pros as he was in college.
Kingsley Suamataia
One surprise on the Chiefs’ first unofficial depth chart, was rookie Kingsley Suamataia opening the preseason as the first-team left tackle over second-year o-lineman Wanya Morris.
After a few years of mediocre production from the left tackle spot, the Chiefs are trying a more permanent solution to protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind side. Suamataia’s first test will be against the pass-rushing duo of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, who combined for 27.5 sacks last season.
If the former BYU standout can hold his own against that nasty combo, the left tackle job might be his to lose going forward.
