Chiefs Training Camp Takeaways, Day 12: Underrated weapon continues to be reliable, Tyquan Thornton isn’t slowing down
Our top takeaways from Day 12 of Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp.
After having Monday off, the Kansas City Chiefs were back at it for Day 12 of training camp on Tuesday.
It was a padded practice for the players as they ramp up for their first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. Tight end Jared Wiley (knee swelling) and safety Deon Bush (hamstring) returned after missing the past several practices. Wide receiver Hollywood Brown (ankle), cornerback Kristian Fulton (knee), linebacker Drue Tranquill (back), and TE Jake Briningstool (hamstring) were all held out.
TE Noah Gray continues to prove he is Chiefs’ most underrated weapon
Gray elevated his game last season, setting career highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He has carried that momentum into camp, catching everything thrown his way. Here he took second-year safety Jaden Hicks to school on a great route before catching a pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes (H/T Matt Foster).
During 7-on-7, Gray found some space between three defenders to make a reception deep down the middle of the field.
As the Chiefs look to preserve Travis Kelce throughout the season, they will be leaning on Gray to make plays.
WR Tyquan Thornton has stepped up even more with Hollywood Brown out
Thornton was already impressing before Brown went down, and hasn’t slowed down with Brown out. Here is Thornton making an impressive diving catch from Mahomes between two defenders (H/T Taylor Burr).
Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said this about Thornton and Mahomes’ chemistry:
“You get these opportunities to make plays and he’s done that. I think there’s a lot of trust building right now between him and Pat.”
The next test for Thornton will be whether or not he can translate his camp performances into games.
DE Ashton Gillotte is building a lot of momentum
We have mentioned Gillotte several times in our training camp recaps over the past week. He has shown off his impressive power in individual drills and team work, including a couple of times during Tuesday’s practice (H/T Christian Ainsworth).
Gillotte will be one of the more intriguing rookies to watch in the Chiefs’ preseason matchup on Saturday. If he can carry over his momentum into that game, he could make a case to get significant reps early in the regular season.
RB Isiah Pacheco looks healthy and strong
Pacheco had big expectations last season, but a fractured fibula cost him nine games. He wasn’t the same when he returned, and playing through a rib injury made things even tougher. However, he’s had a full offseason to not only recover, but he has also added some weight to be able to absorb hits better. You can see how much bigger he looks here, as he looks like his normal, hard-running self on the carry.
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