The Chiefs are finally moving from practice-field evaluation to something that looks like football.
After 17 workouts in St. Joseph - plenty of them in full pads, plenty more under a brutal heat index north of 100 degrees - Kansas City heads 60 miles south for a brief stop and then, at last, a game.
The preseason opens Saturday at 3 p.m. against the Los Angeles Rams, and Patrick Mahomes will not play. Andy Reid is keeping the rest under wraps until kickoff.
Even without Mahomes, this is a useful first look at a roster full of players trying to force their way into the conversation. Here are four worth watching.
Jalen Royals, wide receiver
Royals has taken a different path through camp than a lot of young receivers. Early on, he had trouble finding traction in St.
Joseph. Since the pads came on, though, he’s looked better, and the week leading into this game was his best stretch yet.
That doesn’t mean the job is nearly finished. Royals still has work to do before he’s anywhere near the regular rotation, and he hasn’t consistently separated the way Kansas City would like. Reid has also been seen pulling him aside in practice, likely to clean up a route here and there.
Still, Royals has become more involved in the offense in the back half of camp, and he’s looked more confident at the catch point. A preseason game gives him a chance to show something camp can’t fully reveal: what he can do once the ball is in his hands.
That’s part of his appeal. At Utah State, Royals finished second in the country in yards after the catch per game in his final season.
He’s willing to absorb contact, and Saturday should finally provide some of that. First, though, he has to get open.
Garrett Nussmeier, quarterback
Kansas City’s rookie quarterback situation is one of the more interesting parts of this preseason opener, and Nussmeier is right in the middle of it.
He spent two seasons behind Jayden Daniels at LSU before taking over in 2024 and putting together a big year: 4,052 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. That made him just the second LSU quarterback to top 4,000 yards in a season, joining Joe Burrow.
Then came the slide. LSU replaced four starting offensive linemen, including All-American left tackle Will Campbell, and Nussmeier dealt with an oblique injury in fall camp before later testing revealed a cyst on his spine that was causing abdominal pain. His production dipped, his draft stock followed, and a player once projected as a possible first-round pick was still on the board when Kansas City grabbed him in the seventh round.
When he got healthy again, the talent started showing back up. He went 5-of-8 for 57 yards at the Senior Bowl, led two touchdown drives, ran for a score and added a two-point conversion.
Justin Fields is the more experienced backup and will get the first crack Saturday. But Nussmeier has looked more accurate in camp in the more limited chances he’s had. If he outplays Fields, Kansas City could wake up Monday with a real QB2 battle on its hands.
Kahlil Benson, offensive lineman
Benson has been one of the feel-good stories of camp, the kind of player who goes from tryout guy to somebody the staff clearly trusts.
He arrived as an undrafted rookie, not even a preferred free agent, and began his NFL journey as a rookie minicamp tryout candidate. Since then, he’s climbed all the way into reps with the starters during training camp.
Before Trey Smith’s hip injury last week, Benson had actually taken more first-team tackle reps than Jaylon Moore. Since Smith went down, Benson has shifted over to guard.
He’s still young and still raw, but the Chiefs have shown enough faith in him to keep giving him meaningful work. That matters, especially for a player who started at right tackle for Indiana’s CFP national championship team last season.
Peter Woods, defensive tackle
Kansas City’s other first-round pick has been one of the more intriguing names in camp.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has said Woods still has “a ways to go” technically, but he likes the 6-foot-3, 310-pound lineman’s size, athleticism and attitude. Trey Smith, who has seen him up close, was even more direct: “Sky’s the limit for him in terms of hand utilization, speed, power.
He’s really sort of a full-package type guy. And he’s young and he’s figuring out the game, but he has a willingness to learn.”
That kind of praise tells you why Woods is worth a long look in the preseason opener. Saturday is a chance for him to take another step in a process that could make him a key piece as the season unfolds.
The Chiefs are still waiting on a clearer look at 2026 first-round pick Mansoor Delane, who is working through a shoulder injury, but Woods has already become one of the more compelling stories in camp. The Rams game gives him a real chance to keep building.
In Other News...
Royals Take A Chance On Former All-Star With One Big Catch
The Royals added a familiar kind of upside play by signing right-hander Tony Gonsolin to a Major League contract for the 2026 season, with a club option for 2027. It is the sort of move that can make sense for a club looking to build pitching depth without overcommitting, especially when the name on the contract still carries the memory of an All-Star peak.
Kansas City had to make room on the roster, and the move came at a cost in the bullpen picture. The transaction also underscores how carefully the Royals are balancing present-day flexibility with future value, because any addition like this only matters if the arm can get back on the mound and justify the bet. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Fans Are Turning Payroll Frustration Into A Bigger Debate
Royals fans are no longer just arguing about whether the roster is good enough right now. A recent survey showed a deep level of unease about where the club is headed, with 69% of respondents saying they do not have confidence in Kansas City competing in the 2027 season and only 13% sitting on the fence. That kind of skepticism is tied directly to payroll, because the conversation around this team has shifted from individual moves to the larger question of what kind of organization the Royals want to be.
The current salary commitments have only sharpened the debate, especially as fans wonder whether the club will ever step into the market for premium free agents or keep piecing things together with mid-tier signings. Jonathan Indias contract has become part of that discussion, a recent example supporters point to when they argue the team is spending in a way that feels cautious rather than aggressive. Even with some moderate spending on the books, the bigger issue remains unresolved: whether Kansas City will finally back a competitive roster with real investment, or keep chasing value while the fan base waits for a more ambitious plan. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Land A Rare National Spotlight At Baseballs Most Iconic Site
The Royals are headed for one of baseballs most recognizable stages, a trip to Dyersville, Iowa, where theyll serve as the home team in the 2027 MLB at Field of Dreams Game. MLB and Universal Pictures announced the matchup with the Red Sox, and NBC Sports will carry the event nationally on August 12, 2027, giving Kansas City a rare prime-time showcase at a site that has come to symbolize the games nostalgia and charm.
For the Royals, it is the kind of spotlight that reaches well beyond the standings, tying a current roster to one of the sports most enduring images. Both clubs had their executives embrace the announcement as a celebration of baseball tradition, and while the setting is fixed, the larger draw is what a game in that setting can mean for a franchise looking to make the most of every national stage it gets. [Read more 🡒]