The Chiefs are set to open their preseason Saturday against the Rams at Arrowhead Stadium, but Chris Jones isn’t exactly lining up to treat it like a must-play tune-up.
With Kansas City dealing with a forecast high of 97 degrees and 10 mph winds out of the southwest, the heat is already part of the story. Jones, though, made it clear Thursday at training camp at Missouri Western that the bigger issue is the usual preseason tradeoff: reps versus risk.
For the younger players, his message was simple. The weather is miserable, but that can still be useful.
“We’re all dealing with the heat, you’ve got battle through it,” Jones said Thursday at training camp at Missouri Western. “Mental toughness, that’s where it’s created.”
Still, Jones’ own view of Saturday’s game is blunt. Chiefs coach Andy Reid has already said Patrick Mahomes will not play as he continues coming off a significant knee injury, and Jones would prefer to stay on the sideline as well.
“Why play the starters? I mean, there’s so much risk you’re taking to play the starters in the preseason,” Jones said.
“I hope Coach Reid (will) be like you know what? The starters don’t play.
But also, it’s getting reps, repetition. We’ve been playing against each other.
It’s good to get repetition, but I don’t want to play in the preseason. I’d rather not play.
But if I do have to play, I’m gonna buckle up.”
Part of Jones’ hesitation comes from who the Rams are expected to rest. Sean McVay typically sits his starters in the preseason opener, which would likely keep cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson off the field in their return to Arrowhead Stadium.
That matters to Jones because he’d rather test himself against the Rams’ top offensive linemen - Kevin Dotson, Alaric Jackson and the rest of the first unit - instead of facing a watered-down version of the opponent. Jones, 32, said he wants the best possible measuring stick.
“Yeah, the mentality is like: I want to play against their starters, you know what I mean?” he said.
“I want to play against the guys that are going to be starting on Sunday because you like to weigh yourself out. Where I’m at, where I can improve, and give me your best talent.
So it can kind of change the dynamic.
“But anytime we get on that field, you’ve got to do your best.”
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