The Chiefs opened their preseason on Saturday night with a 26-13 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It wasn’t the start Andy Reid had hoped for in the team’s third straight title defense, though he won’t be too worried since Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce played sparingly.
Still, there were some interesting stories that emerged from the game, including the return of kicker Matt Araiza.
Kansas City’s wide receiver room also figures to be a situation to watch as Mahomes continues to search for a reliable option opposite Kelce.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
Patrick Mahomes played sparingly for the Chiefs as they began their preseason on Saturday.
Matt Araiza could cure Chiefs’ punting woes after making NFL debut
Araiza made his NFL debut on Saturday, two years after being accused of rape (for which he was never charged) and subsequently being released by the Bills, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2022 draft.
Prosecutors later determined that Araiza was not even at the party where the alleged assault occurred, and he was also excluded from a lawsuit in which an alleged victim had named him. He also agreed not to pursue a defamation suit against her.
Now, as he told reporters this week, he’s “grateful” to be back in the NFL and not to have gotten hurt against the Jaguars.
Matt Araiza, seen in practice last week, made his NFL debut on Saturday for the Chiefs.
In his first NFL appearance, Araiza connected on three punts and dropped two of them inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
For context, former Chiefs kicker Tommy Townsend managed just 20 such punts all of last season, which ranked 24th at his position.
Araiza is understandably happy to be back on the field, but he could also make a real impact for the Chiefs.
The search for Tyreek Hill continues
While Travis Kelce is still with the Chiefs and remains Patrick Mahomes’ favorite target, the Chiefs are still searching for a reliable tight end complement after the speedy Hill was traded to the Dolphins two years ago.
Rashee Rice had a nice rookie season but could miss some time this season after offseason legal troubles (he’s under investigation for a 119 mph car crash in Dallas), while free agent signee Marquise “Hollywood” Brown injured his shoulder after a first-quarter catch against Jacksonville.
Hill’s heir apparent may be 2024 first-round draft pick Xavier Worthy, but the former Texas standout had a quiet night as he didn’t record a single catch.
Xavier Worthy had a quiet night for the Chiefs, as he failed to catch a single pass.
The Chiefs are hoping Worthy, Rashee Rice or Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown can be a worthy replacement for Tyreek Hill, who was traded in 2022.
It will be interesting to see who becomes a reliable second option for Mahomes, or if he can find that type of consistent weapon opposite Kelce.
The Chiefs will be in good hands if Patrick Mahomes gets injured
Of course, if Mahomes were to suffer a major injury, it would likely be disastrous for Kansas City’s title hopes.
But if the quarterback, who has struggled with ankle issues in recent seasons, is forced to miss a game or two, there are worse backup options than Carson Wentz, who joined the team this offseason.
He showed off some of his talent on Saturday when he went 4-of-4 on passing attempts for 26 yards, although he also fumbled before recovering it.
Carson Wentz could be an effective option for the Chiefs if Mahomes is forced to miss time
As a starter, Wentz had some great — and not-so-great — moments over five years with the Eagles before impressing in Indianapolis and taking Washington by storm.
But you have to think that under Andy Reid’s leadership, he could put together a decent game and keep the ball moving if necessary.
Louis Rees-Zammitt faces a real fight to make the roster
Rees-Zammit was a star in the rugby world but is now fighting to stay in the NFL after switching to football.
The Welshman, who has been listed as a running back, received just two touches on offense: a one-yard rush and a three-yard reception.
Louis Rees-Zammit had two touches on offense and some fans accused him of looking slow.
He also took a kickoff for a touchback and made a tackle on special teams.
But for a player who received $250,000 in guarantees, he definitely still has a lot to learn: some fans on social media said that It seemed ‘slow’ on the field, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him moved to the practice squad or cut entirely.
New start-up rules on full display
The NFL changed its start rules before this season to ‘promote more returns,‘ as the league’s website says, and that was evident on Saturday.
While the ball is still being kicked from the team’s own 35-yard line, the 10 players of the kicking team cannot move until the ball touches the ground, a player, or the end zone.
And that extra time and space was capitalized on by the Jags when Parker Washington made a 73-yard kickoff return.
Teammate Tank Bigsby also ran for 43 yards on a kickoff, while the Chiefs also had returns of 32 and 31 yards.