The Kansas City Chiefs are set to open their first full training camp practice at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri, on Wednesday.

After completing a three-day rookie and quarterback head start, Kansas City veterans will arrive Tuesday. By Wednesday, the entire 90-man offseason roster will be in attendance for camp. Additional players could land on the active/PUP list depending on health heading into camp.

From Rashee Rice’s return to the edge rusher competition to Harrison Butker’s consistency, here are eight things worth monitoring as the Chiefs kick off 2026 training camp.

The impact of Rashee Rice’s injury and off-field drama

Chiefs coach Andy Reid seemed to indicate during his earliest training camp media availability that Rice was healthy and expected to participate when the team takes the field.

“Rashee Rice, with his knee debridement, is doing great,” Reid said. “So he will, again, go. We’ll keep an eye on him, but he’s cleared to go.”

Rice has had quite the offseason, with 30 days spent in jail and surgery to clear debris from his surgically repaired knee. All of those things happened at once, forcing Rice to rehab his injury while incarcerated.

The big things to watch are whether Rice shows any limitations from the knee and whether the off-field issues have taken any wind out of his sails as a relied-upon contributor. In the NFL, talent often outweighs everything else, and Rice is certainly talented. The question is whether the Chiefs trust him to stay out of trouble and remain on the football field, contributing at a high level during the 2026 season. Will other players like Xavier Worthy, Cryus Allen, and Jalen Royals lead to a diminished role for Rice?

Is Jaylon Moore starting right tackle out of the gate?

The Chiefs appear to have a competition brewing at right tackle, but it’s hard not to wonder if Jaylen Moore gets the nod from the start. Moore served as the team’s swing tackle a season ago and signed a two-year, $30 million contract in 2025, a number that could well be starting money for a right tackle. Both Esa Pole and undrafted free agent Kahlil Benson rotated in during OTAs and mandatory minicamp.

Moore will have to stave off those young and hungry players to maintain a starting job. I do wonder if Kansas City envisions him less as a swing tackle and more as a starter on the left side in place of Josh Simmons if something were to happen there. Either way, the Chiefs have built real depth at the position, which can never hurt. Just last season, they were down to their No. 4 and No. 5 options at offensive tackle.

Tyquan Thornton in Year 2 with the Kansas City Chiefs

At the start of the 2025 season, it looked as if Thornton was going to be the next big thing for the Kansas City offense. He burst onto the scene after injuries to Xavier Worthy and Rice’s suspension left the wide receiver room depleted. After early success, though, Thornton’s role diminished as players returned to the starting lineup.

Thornton re-signed with Kansas City this offseason, which makes me feel he received some indication from the coaching staff that a bigger role awaited him. He established strong chemistry with Patrick Mahomes, and with the expected return of the running game on the back of Kenneth Walker III, the passing game could open up for the Thornton-Mahomes connection. Will he see an expanded route tree beyond serving as the deep target? Training camp should answer that quickly.

Is Jared Wiley the No. 3 tight end for the Chiefs?

Last season, Wiley was coming off an ACL injury that clearly limited his ability to contribute. He remained the team’s No. 3 tight end behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray but barely saw the field, playing fewer than 3% of offensive snaps and just over 5% of special teams snaps. He was far closer to the 53rd man on the roster than the first man on the roster.

KC Star reporter Pete Sweeney has indicated this offseason that Wiley looks far more comfortable moving after the knee injury. Can he flip the script and begin contributing in both the running game and the passing game, or will a player like Tre Watson come in and swoop that role up?

Can Ashton Gillotte or Felix Anudike-Uzomah stave off R Mason Thomas?

The Chiefs have a vacancy at edge rusher opposite George Karlaftis, and it has been a major talking point this offseason. As we inch closer to real football, it feels like the plan is to rely on a rookie. R Mason Thomas, the No. 40 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, currently holds the inside track. Gillotte and Anudike-Uzomah remain options, but Kansas City appears to be preparing Thomas for an outsized role on defense. The burden could fall on Gillotte and Anudike-Uzomah to stave off the rookie.

Thomas doesn’t fit the traditional size profile Steve Spagnuolo looks for at edge rusher. However, he brings juice off the edge, something this team has lacked in the pass rush for a while. With the injury to Ethan Downs, the Chiefs could bring in another edge rusher to raise the floor of this room. One name that continues to intrigue me is former Eagles and Texans edge rusher, Derek Barnett.

Health questions could make Kansas City Chiefs’ cornerback situation murky

With both Mansoor Delane (shoulder) and L’Jarius Sneed (knee) dealing with injuries that could limit them during training camp, it’s unclear which players will fill the starting lineup at cornerback. Nohl Williams has a prime opportunity to break out as a second-year starter. Kristian Fulton started some games last season. Jadon Canady has been flashing during the rookie head start, specifically at nickel cornerback.

Beyond them, Kader Kohou is coming off an ACL injury. Kevin Knowles earned snaps late last season and impressed with limited opportunities. Former first-round pick Kaiir Elam has spent the offseason preparing for this competition. The Chiefs also have a strong history of finding undrafted free agent talent at cornerback. This year’s crop of Bryce Phillips, D’arco Perkins-McAllister, and Zelmar Vedder will look to continue that tradition.

How does the safety room shake out behind Alohi Gilman?

Veteran safety Alohi Gilman looks poised to take over the traditional leadership role in the K.C. secondary. A role previously held by players like Tyrann Mathieu, Justin Reid, and Bryan Cook. With Cook’s departure this offseason, that role is Gilman’s to claim.

Behind him, the picture gets murky. Chris Roland-Wallace spent time at safety and nickel last season before getting hurt. Jaden Hicks enters Year 3 after a disappointing sophomore campaign. Chamarri Conner remains a trusted piece for Spagnuolo and Dave Merritt, though the team could save money by moving on from his contract. Two undrafted free agent safeties, Xavier Nwankpa and DeShon Singleton, have stood out during the rookie head start with interceptions and passes broken up. It wouldn’t surprise me if either player secured a depth role behind Gilman.

Will Harrison Butker show consistency during training camp?

Butker is coming off one of his worst professional seasons. He had an 86.8% field goal percentage and an 88.6% extra point percentage. That’s four missed extra points and five missed field goals in 2025. He spoke earlier this offseason about what afflicted him and how he aims to bounce back. The question is whether his adjusted approach, focusing on clean contact rather than overpowering the ball for distance, translates to the consistency shown in previous training camps.

Butker is also still adjusting to the NFL’s new kickoff rules. He recorded just 13 touchbacks and a 14.9% touchback rate last season. The Kansas City Chiefs have an out year in Butker’s contract in 2027, when he turns 32, making this a make-or-break season for the veteran kicker.