Kansas City Chiefs fans got the kind of update that makes a preseason injury scare feel a lot less dramatic.
Mansoor Delane, the LSU cornerback the Chiefs moved up three spots to draft, has been working through a shoulder injury that has kept him in a yellow non-contact jersey during training camp. He was also limited during minicamp, and that stretch has carried into the first couple of weeks in St. Joseph as the team has tried to keep him involved without pushing him too hard.
General manager Brett Veach addressed the situation during a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s NFL Radio, telling Jacob Hester and Pat Kirwan that the issue started near the end of OTAs.
“Starting first with Mansoor [Delane], he had a shoulder blade right toward the end of OTAs,” Veach said. “And so we don’t think it’s going to be long term or anything, but that has to just completely heal.”
Veach’s bigger message was the one Chiefs fans wanted to hear: this doesn’t sound like a problem that will linger into the season. He said Delane has been working through 7-on-7 reps, while the team has kept him out of team periods and contact work for now.
“There’s nothing limiting him out there,” Veach said. “You know he’s been taking all the 7-on-7 reps and just not the team periods and the contact stuff.
We want to leave him out of that right now, but I would say in the next 7-8 days he’ll probably get the green light to do everything. So, we’re excited about him.”
That lines up with the Chiefs’ hope that Delane will be ready for the regular-season opener against Denver, even if he ends up missing this weekend’s preseason opener.
Kansas City clearly believes it found a big piece for its secondary. The team used the sixth overall pick on Delane and traded up to get him, banking on him eventually becoming the next shutdown corner. The Chiefs needed help after losing both Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to the Rams in the offseason, and Delane is expected to fill a major role for Steve Spagnuolo.
For now, the main thing is straightforward: the injury doesn’t sound like a long-term concern. And if Delane gets the green light in the next week or so, Chiefs fans can exhale a little more easily while waiting to see whether the rookie can live up to the price Kansas City paid to land him.
In Other News...
Patrick Mahomes Sent A Clear Message At Chiefs Camp
Training camp usually comes with a little edge, but Patrick Mahomes made it clear Monday that there is a line even in practice. During a Chiefs 7-on-7 period, the quarterback reacted sharply to a heavy collision between two rookies, a moment that cut through the normal camp buzz and served as a reminder that Kansas City still wants competition without the chaos.
The play involved undrafted safety Xavier Nwankpa and running back Emmett Johnson, both fighting for roster consideration as preseason approaches. For a team that lives on timing, trust and staying healthy, Mahomes frustration said plenty about the standard inside the building: the reps matter, but so does keeping them under control. [Read more 🡒]
Mahomes Angry Camp Reaction Put Chiefs Discipline In The Spotlight
A routine training-camp rep turned into a small flashpoint for the Chiefs when Patrick Mahomes reacted sharply from the sideline after a hard clothesline tackle on running back Emmett Johnson. The hit came from undrafted safety Xavier Nwankpa, and the moment stood out not just because of the physicality, but because Nwankpa and Johnson bring a built-in college rivalry flavor to the roster, with Iowa and Nebraska roots adding a little extra edge to the exchange.
For Kansas City, the bigger issue was not the collision itself but the reminder it provided about where camp intensity can cross the line. Mahomes made his frustration clear, underscoring the need for controlled competition as the Chiefs work through practices with the regular season approaching. It was the kind of sideline reaction that can reset a tone quickly, especially when a team is trying to sharpen itself without letting camp become something more reckless. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs WR Battle Just Took Another Hit At The Worst Time
Training camp has already been a test of depth for Kansas City at wide receiver, and the latest setback only adds to the pressure on a position group trying to stay intact. Jimmy Holiday, who originally joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent and has spent most of his time with the organization on the practice squad, was injured during a practice session and had to leave early.
Holidays exit comes at a bad moment for a Chiefs passing game still dealing with injury issues at receiver, where every healthy practice rep matters. No further details about the injury were immediately available, leaving the team to absorb another uncertain turn as camp continues and roster battles start to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]