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Jared Wiley gaining momentum in Chiefs TE3 battle ahead of training camp | KC Kingdom
With this in mind, it is fair to point to the early performance of Jared Wiley, which was highlighted by the Kansas City Star’s Pete Sweeney in a recent interview. It seems that Wiley is taking the inside track to winning the third tight end role and could become a surprise contributor early in the 2026 season for the Chiefs.
“Wiley to me looked as comfortable as he has since the injury. You’ve got to see how he looks
when the pads come on, but I just felt like he was moving a lot better than he did all of last year.” – Pete Sweeney KC Star
Wiley was a fourth-round selection back in 2024 and is yet to really make a consistent impact with two career receptions and 11 receiving yards. Still, it is noteworthy that someone who has spent time around the pass-catcher is noting this is the best he has looked. It can easily be taken as Wiley grabbing a lead for a competition that will have a lot of attention over the summer.
Chiefs Get Tired Reasoning From NFL Analyst to Miss Playoffs in 2026 | Heavy Sports
Analyst Mike Tannenbaum, who is a former NFL general manager and executive, recently shared a few reasons why he believes the Chiefs won’t make the playoffs in 2026 while appearing on ESPN’s “Get Up.” His first couple of reasons were legitimate.
“The Kansas City Chiefs will miss the playoffs for a few reasons,” Tannenbaum said. “Starting at quarterback — some uncertainty about will Patrick Mahomes be ready to go from Day 1? Secondly, they lack explosiveness at receiver. Last year they were 16th in the league in yards per pass attempt. [There’s] some questions about Rashee Rice, will he be ready to go?”
Mahomes has consistently been said to be well ahead of schedule in his rehab from the torn ACL and LCL in his left knee. He participated in all of offseason OTAs and mandatory minicamp, and although the Chiefs will be careful with him, Mahomes has a great shot to begin the regular season.
Rice had a tumultuous offseason, serving a 30-day jail sentence right after having clean-up knee surgery. Fortunately, he was able to participate in rehab while in jail. Rice has since been released, and is expected to be ready to go for training camp. Tannenbaum concluded his concerns by discussing Kansas City’s cornerback group.
“Thirdly, at corner, they lost two great corners in Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie,” Tannenbaum continued. “Now, they did draft Mansoor Delane [and] re-sign L’Jarius Sneed. But, for a great Kansas City Chiefs team, [it’s] unusual to have three important question marks.”
Aspiring football players from across the Kansas City metro had an amazing opportunity to meet and work with Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones. Jones together with his charity, Sack Nation hosted an exciting and impactful youth football camp. The event combined hands-on instruction, motivational mentorship, and plenty of high-energy drills, creating a memorable experience for athletes of all skill levels.
Student athletes had the opportunity to build their football fundamentals and their character. Jones, known for his dominant presence in the NFL and his leadership on the Kansas City Chiefs, worked directly with campers to teach technique, discipline, and the importance of perseverance.
KCPS Athletics is excited to offer the student athletes and parents/guardians an opportunity to view the camp experience through the lens of Ms. Renee Smith.
Other Chiefs players to watch
Former first-round draft pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah missed the entire 2025 NFL season with an injury. Tight end Jake Briningstool also missed the full 2025 campaign and has participated off and on during OTAs and minicamp. Cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace finished on injured reserve but has been participating fully during minicamp practices.
Safety Jaden Hicks remains a bit of a mystery. He wore a yellow non-contact jersey during OTAs and minicamp, yet the Chiefs didn’t disclose the nature of his ailment. Coach Reid explained that the non-contact designations are based strictly on doctors’ preferences for players who underwent some sort of surgical procedure in the offseason. Given his down 2025 season, his health heading into camp is worth monitoring.
Rookie linebacker Wesley Bissainthe has not participated in the majority of offseason workouts. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub noted he was excited to eventually get Bissainthe on the field. The injury to Bissainthe appears to date back to at least the team’s rookie minicamp. Undrafted tight end John Michael Gyllenborg is another player who has participated sporadically. With the tight end position lacking depth, his availability bears watching.
The Chiefs are in a relatively good spot overall. Kansas City does not have many significant injuries that should keep players off the field when camp arrives. But training camp is rigorous, and depth will be tested quickly once the team reaches St. Joseph.
Will Nick Bolton Be One of the Chiefs’ Top 10 Best Players in 2026? | Sports Illustrated
Bolton’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Bolton is a clear favorite of Spagnuolo, and there’s no doubting his elite processing and relaying ability. When Spagnuolo heaps praise on Bolton — like calling him “our Patrick Mahomes” on the defensive side of the ball — I have no doubt that Spagnuolo means it.
“He is one of the top, most cerebral players I’ve ever coached,” Spagnuolo told SI in early 2025. “A Mike linebacker needs to make the other 10 guys around him better. I’m not sure we can do the things we do without Nick.”
Bolton’s other key strength comes with his ability to defend the run. Take it from your own eye test or from Bolton’s Pro Football Focus run defense grade (85.2, 10th out of 88 qualifying linebackers in 2025), but Bolton often plays his best football when he’s able to thunder downhill to close a gap on an opposing running back.
On the other hand, Bolton’s shortcomings are often as evident as his strengths. Bolton doesn’t have the sideline-to-sideline speed or elite quickness needed to be a modern space-eraser and high-level coverage linebacker.
Around the NFL
Brandon Aiyuk blames ex-agent as push to leaves 49ers continues | ESPN
Brandon Aiyuk continued his online campaign against the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday, posting a video on YouTube in which he claims his former agent has influenced the ongoing situation and that general manager John Lynch recently showed up at his house.
In the 3½-minute video, Aiyuk insisted that his relationship with the 49ers will never be repaired and that he has no plans to return to the team facilities — barring one exception.
“We is not cool,” Aiyuk said. “We won’t be cool, and I will never be stepping in that building” outside of Oct. 19, a reference to when the 49ers host the Washington Commanders on “Monday Night Football.”
Aiyuk has been trying to navigate his way to join the Commanders and play with quarterback and former Arizona State teammate Jayden Daniels. He said in an Instagram video Wednesday that he would sign with the Commanders “tomorrow” if the 49ers would release him.
He held up a football with a Commanders logo on it during Saturday’s video, which he had similarly done on Instagram.
New Bills DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson wonders ‘where have I been a cancer? | NFL.com
“One of the narratives is I’m a cancer in the locker room,” Gardner-Johnson said in an interview with The Athletic. “That just came out when? After Houston? Where was that after the Super Bowl loss? Where was that after the Super Bowl win? When we do our homework and really think about it, where have I been a cancer?
“My grandma always told me, ‘You need to be patient to be cocky.’ That’s just what it is. I’ve been patient enough to be blessed, patient enough to win a Super Bowl. That’s my ultimate goal.
“I’ve been slapped in the face by the business so many times to the point where it’s, like … I don’t look at other guys no more. I look at myself and how I can affect things, just go in the building, make plays.”
Gardner-Johnson has made plenty of plays in his seven NFL seasons. He has 20 interceptions, 55 passes defensed, 370 tackles (including seven sacks) and three forced fumbles on his résumé, yet he’s bounced from team to team annually since his time in New Orleans came to an end after the 2021 season.
O.J. Simpson will not be honored at Buffalo Bills’ new Highmark Stadium | The Athletic
Debuting this season, Highmark Stadium is set to feature a plaza near its main entrance that the team is calling The Family Circle. Alongside three bison statues will be plaques honoring iconic Bills players. Simpson, who spent nine seasons in Buffalo and still holds multiple franchise records, will not be among them.
“We have made an organizational decision that he is not a fit to display inside our new stadium and family circle,” said Pete Guelli, chief operating officer for the Bills, in a statement.
The Hall of Fame running back was accused of the 1994 double murder of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman, but Simpson was acquitted in a jury trial that lasted eight months and captured the nation’s attention.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
In June ‘Reacts’ poll, not all Chiefs fans see Mahomes playing Week 1
Among the polled Chiefs fans, just under one-fourth do not believe that starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be available to take the field against the Denver Broncos on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” to kick off the 2026 regular season.
As much irrational confidence as Mahomes has earned in his career, there are still a chunk of realists in Chiefs Kingdom that see backup quarterback Justin Fields — or rookie Garrett Nussmeier — leading the offense against a vaunted Broncos defense in the season opener.
Currently, Denver’s starting quarterback, Bo Nix, is not guaranteed to start in Week 1 either. He did not fully participate in minicamp practices this summer, but was on the field, similar to Mahomes.
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