Real or Fantasy: Chiefs training camp storylines
There are a lot of narratives flying around. Let's talk about which ones I think are real, and which are a fantasy.
I’ve talked about this before, but one of the things that makes the start of NFL training camp so fun is the ever-brimming optimism that literally every fanbase brings to the table. That optimism largely stems from all the unknowns and potential good breaks a team can have. We extrapolate feel-good storylines and players who flash during camp into an upward trajectory.
And really, extrapolating is something we do for even non-fun storylines. A player gives up a big catch down the field, or has a couple of rough days at practice? We can’t help but start to ask “what if this is how he plays all season,” or “what if that’s a huge weak spot on offense/defense this year,” even this early in the process. That’s just human nature. We love to take the information we have and then try and build it into a projection of the future, for good or for bad.
As camp goes on and turns to preseason and then regular season, many of the storylines that develop early during camp turn out to be, for lack of a better term, more fantasy than reality. But as of right now, there are a lot of storylines emerging from every single team’s training camp, including the Chiefs. The key is to try and figure out which of them are pointing towards something real and which of them are nothing but a wisp and a vapor.
So it’s once again time to play “real or fantasy,” in which I’m going to go through some of the main storylines early in Chiefs camp and give my best shot as to whether they point towards something solid or something that will be nothing but a faded memory by October (or sooner). I asked you guys to make suggestions about the storylines you’re curious about, and there were a lot of great ideas. And, of course, I’ve got the storylines of my own I’m following that could use some projection.
How this will work is I’ll name the storyline, then talk about it at length, then rule whether I believe it’s real or fantasy.
There’s a lot to cover here, so let’s dive right in starting with the biggest storyline of training camp (Simmons) as well as a few other rookies.
Real or Fantasy: Josh Simmons being a big upgrade at left tackle
Simmons is the first of three different rookies we’ll be talking about, but it makes sense to start with him because he is by FAR the most talked-about Chief this training camp. And for good reason. The left tackle position was a disaster in Kansas City last year, and it held the offense back in ways that were tangible (ruining plays and drives) and not as tangible (limiting play calling).
I won’t spend much time on this because I’ve written about it at length already, but I’m buying the hype on Simmons right now. I’m not saying he’ll be an All Pro or Pro Bowler his first season, but he has stacked one good practice after another in pads, and not just against 2nd teamers and rookies, but against veterans and starters. His college tape showed rare traits, he’s healthy, and while we’ll of course be watching preseason closely, it all looks legit at this point.
Verdict: REAL
Real or Fantasy: Omarr Norman-Lott hype
I figured it makes sense to talk about the rookies back-to-back-to-back, so ONL comes next (with Jalen Royals being our final rookie we’ll discuss in training camp storylines, all due respect to Brashard Smith and Ashton Gillotte, who haven’t made as many waves). Early in camp, before the pads came on and he had a small injury that he came back from (a tweaked ankle), Norman-Lott was getting talked about a LOT. He was rotating in with the first team (and still is), and the report from my friend Nate Taylor with ESPN (I love saying that) was that the team felt like Norman-Lott was looking the part.
It’s worth noting that Norman-Lott has gotten some praise from the coaching staff and veterans, like Charles Omenihu praising his hand usage. However, it’s also worth noting that since the pads came on, there hasn’t been a lot of new news on Norman-Lott other than the fact that he’s continuing to get plenty of reps with the first team.
Notice the absence of something there? There aren’t practice clips circulating of him dominating some 1x1’s, or shutting down a play with pressure that would’ve been a sack in a game. There’s not even consistent chatter about it from media (or fans) or what attending camp. While it’s possible he’s playing extremely well and no one is mentioning it, that’s… rather difficult to believe. In other words, the only thing we’re hearing is that he’s getting snaps, not that he’s playing at a high level.
For me, that’s a red flag in terms of whether a player is ready to be a major contributor on Sundays. This is especially true when a player is getting reps at a thin position (like DT is for the Chiefs). Now, granted, with the way training camp is built we’re naturally going to hear a lot less about the defensive line than most other positions. So we’ll see. I wasn’t wild about Norman-Lott’s college film, though I see the vision in a guy with his combination of power and explosiveness. And I can’t help but feel like he may need some work to be consistently productive player.
I hope I’m wrong, but the fact is that right now we’re hearing buzz about Norman-Lott due to him getting reps, not due to how those reps are going. That turns on my skepticism radar.
Verdict: FANTASY
Real or Fantasy: Jalen Royals gaining steam
The final rookie we’ll discuss is an interesting one. I liked Royals’ film coming out of college, and he definitely has a skillset that reminds me of Rashee Rice, who has obviously translated well into Reid’s offense.
Royals has been getting some run with the first team, in part due to Hollywood Brown’s ankle acting up and in part because that’s the way it works in the world of WR. And unlike Norman-Lott (not taking a shot there, just differentiating) and more like Simmons, we’re hearing not just that he’s getting the reps, but we’re seeing some good results.
Obviously one rep doesn’t make or break a player, but there’s a lot to like in this clip. Royals is working with limited space on the boundary and he knows he’s going out, so he stems to the inside and shows some comfort with handfighting and working his way through contact. He also shows some intentionality in his movement and good body control at the catch point.