Kansas City Chiefs fans finally got a new sight in St. Joseph on Thursday: Mansoor Delane out of the yellow non-contact jersey for the first time in training camp.
The timing matters. The Chiefs were back on the field before a day off leading into their preseason opener against the L.A. Rams, and even without a padded practice, Delane’s change in status was a strong indicator that he’s moving closer to being ready for the start of the regular season in Kansas City’s secondary.
That’s been a major storyline around camp for good reason. Delane is the Chiefs’ earliest draft pick since 2013, when they took Central Michigan offensive tackle Eric Fisher at No. 1 overall. General manager Brett Veach moved up from No. 9 overall to No. 6 in the '26 draft to land the LSU cornerback, who was widely regarded as the best player in the class.
A shoulder blade injury from earlier this spring has kept Delane sidelined since the end of OTAs. He missed most of mandatory minicamp while the rest of the rookie class began working with veteran teammates, and the cautious plan in training camp kept him from full participation, putting his availability under a spotlight.
Veach addressed the injury in a recent Sirius XM interview and said the team wasn’t worried about the long-term effects, but that the shoulder needed to heal completely first. Andy Reid has also said the coaches have had to protect Delane from himself, pointing to the rookie’s aggressive, competitive edge and his eagerness to get back on the field.
The need for Delane is obvious after the Chiefs traded away Trent McDuffie and lost Jaylen Watson in free agency. Kansas City is essentially rebuilding its secondary this offseason, and Delane is expected to be the centerpiece of a group that has to mesh quickly if the defense is going to bounce back from a 6-11 season in 2025, when the Chiefs missed the playoff seeding for the first time in more than a decade.
There’s still time. Kansas City has three preseason games left and a full month before the regular-season opener against the Denver Broncos. Delane still needs work with trainers, and he’s missed out on a full slate of preseason reps, but the Chiefs are banking on his talent carrying over quickly once he’s fully cleared.
In Other News...
Travis Kelce Just Gave Chiefs Fans Two Very Different Reasons To Buzz
Chiefs training camp had a little bit of everything around Travis Kelce, who used his latest turn in front of reporters to address both his personal life and the state of the offense. He confirmed that he married Taylor Swift over the July 4th weekend at Madison Square Garden and called it the best night of his life, a moment that landed with the kind of ripple effect only Kelce can produce for a fan base already used to following his every move.
Back on the field side, Kelce also had something to say about Eric Bieniemy, who returned after a two-week absence. The veteran tight end praised the offensive coordinators intensity and accountability, framing both as central ingredients for what the Chiefs are trying to build again this season. For a team chasing the same standard every year, that kind of return matters almost as much as the headlines off the field. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Fans Just Got An Arrowhead 2.0 Warning From Buffalo
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Populous said the blocked views from stairwells and plexiglass were intentional, part of an effort to ease concourse congestion and open up the concourse itself. It also said that approach is standard in professional stadium design, which is the kind of detail Chiefs fans will want to remember any time the conversation turns to what a new or updated Arrowhead experience might look like. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Defensive Front Suddenly Looks Even Scarier Around Chris Jones
Kansas Citys defensive front got a noticeable boost this offseason, and Chris Jones has been at the center of the conversation. The Chiefs added Khyiris Tonga in free agency and then used a first-round pick on Peter Woods, giving the interior line a different look and, at least on paper, more size and push around Jones. For a defense that has long leaned on Jones to wreck game plans from the middle, the idea of adding more help inside has obvious appeal.
Jones has already voiced his appreciation for the additions and seems ready to take on a familiar role as one of the voices guiding the younger linemen as they settle in. It is the kind of layered upgrade the Chiefs have been chasing, one that could make the front more disruptive without asking Jones to carry every snap alone. The only real question now is how quickly that mix comes together once the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]