OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MATT NAGY
Q: What can Xavier Worthy learn from these practices even if he is not out there taking reps?
NAGY: “A lot of mental. I know discussing it with you guys last year with Rashee (Rice) going through the process, we throw a lot at these guys in practice mentally. So right now, the biggest thing is for him (Xavier Worthy) to understand what we do offensively. Not just one position, but all the positions. I think for him it’s really valuable to be able to tell me while we are standing there in practice where he’s supposed to go and where he’s supposed to be more so than the physical routes. It’s been really good for him, he’s been great.”
Q: What are the traits you are looking for in the third running back position?
NAGY: “Somebody that can obviously run the football but also catch the football and be good in protection. Kind of a microcosm of what that position is. You have that third spot there, you want someone who can truly know where they’re supposed to go in protection. That’s always very important for us at coaches, for quarterbacks making sure you’re in sync with the linemen and tight ends. That part is huge, but at the same time making plays too. There’s going to be a great healthy competition, which there always is, that’ll be important. I think you really won’t truly see that until training camp.”
Q: How much of the offseason evaluation was focused on the deep passing game?
NAGY: “There was quite a bit. It’s a unique question because we always try to go into every year with that mindset. You want to have the initiative to be great at that and practice it from day one. We’ve had some success early on, we’ve got to keep it going, but it’s a mindset. Then you pair that with what the defense is going to give you. I think we’ve seen an evolution – not just against the Chiefs in recent years but also in the NFL in general – the deep shots aren’t there as much. Just having that balance of being able to still have that touchdown to check-down mentality but be smart with when we do take those shots.”
Q: What is it going to take for Nikko Remigio to break out this year?
NAGY: “Keep doing what he’s (Nikko Remigio) doing. I was so proud of him last year – it was unfortunate for him to get hurt like he did. Nikko is a prime example of an undrafted free agent that comes in, is an absolute true professional every day in the meeting room, every day at practice. It’s the same speed. It’s the same mentality. You root for guys like that. You’re bringing his name up, obviously he’s showing up and you see that. Again, guys like him they find a role as well and they’ve got to make an impact on special teams. I’m rooting for him. I think he’s a great kid and could be a fun story.”
ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR DAVE TOUB
Q: In what ways have the new kickoff rules changed what you’re looking for in a returner?
TOUB: “That’s a good question. It’s going to change a lot. They’re going to be more like a running back style type guy because the other returner – the guy that doesn’t field the ball has got to be a good blocker. They have to be not only a good returner, solid, be able to take a hit and bounce back from a lot of tackles because there’s going to be a lot of tackles, but they have be a really good blocker because there’s going to be guys coming free, there’s just too many guys down the field at the point of attack.”
Q: What’s your evaluation on guys like Justin Reid as the kicker for kickoffs?
TOUB: “Justin (Reid) can cover, he can kick, which he can do and then he can go down there and make tackles. He’s an extra guy that they’re probably not accounting for. They know that that guy can go down (there) and tackle but a guy like Justin is a guy that they have to worry about. They have to get him blocked and they have to give up blocking somebody else so that’s the whole thought of that.”
Q: When you get to training camp, how much of your time is going to be spent on kickoffs?
TOUB: “A lot. I mean I haven’t done (planned) training camp practices yet everyday but everyday we’re going to be working either kickoff or kickoff return. It’ll be a portion of every practice, the same thing we’re doing now. You still have to work punt, punt return and everything – field goal, field goal block. I don’t need more time. I just need to change the schedule a little bit.”
Q: What have you seen from Matt Araiza?
TOUB: “I’m going to tell you both (Matt Araiza and Ryan Rehkow) these guys are really good, both. Matt is a lefty and Ryan is a righty, and they’re both excellent and they’re both NFL punters. I’m going to tell you it’s a real close battle right now, we kick them as much as we can without wearing out their legs. We’re practicing everything, the holds, the throws, who can throw better. We’re trying to look at everything to evaluate it. The holds are important. (Harrison) Butker is going to be involved. I’m going to talk to him (to see) who he likes when it comes time. We don’t know when we’re going to make that decision whether it’s before or after letting them play a game. I’m not sure yet. We have to tell (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid, but it's a battle. Both of them give you a lot, both of them have things that they do well.”
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR STEVE SPAGNUOLO
Q: Is Trent McDuffie going to cover your opponent’s number one receiver like L’Jarius Sneed did?
SPAGNUOLO: “We’ll see. I don’t think anybody is going to replace LJ (L’Jarius) Sneed. I thought LJ had a remarkable year in everything that he did. There are some shoes there to fill, whether we do it with one person or two people or shift guys around, we’ll see. We have a long way to go to figure that out. We have guys that aren’t out there yet, NJ (Nazeeh Johnson), Jaylen (Watson) so that’s one thing, we have to be concerned with.”
Q: If Trent McDuffie moves around, who do you like for the slot cornerback?
SPAGNUOLO: “Chamarri (Conner) has been in there right now, Nic Jones has been in there. We have some young guys working in there. Trent (McDuffie) can always certainly slide back in. We haven’t put Justin Reid in there, but I’m not so sure if we got in a pinch in an emergency (that) we (couldn’t) do that but it’s good to have versatile guys.”
Q: There is a report that the NFL Players Association is going to send a proposal to eliminate OTAs and move training camp earlier, could this work?
SPAGNUOLO: “I’m a vacation guy, I like getting vacations (laughter). Just off the top of my head, now I have grown children and all of that but for guys with little kids and trying to have it coordinated with when the kids are off, I think that would take away from that. That was the only thing I could think of but wherever they tell us to go, I’ll go.”
Q: What are your impressions with Kelvin Joseph?
SPAGNUOLO: “Early on, I couldn’t get a real good feel. He’s (Joseph Kelvin) kind of quiet and all that, but he’s made some plays. I think if you were to ask our players, they are getting a little bit more confidence in him. He’s been playing with the first group in a couple of reps there. He’s made some plays for us. I mean, he had an interception a couple of days ago in the redzone. Long way to go, but there’s hope there. He’s working well with the guys.”
TIGHT ENDS COACH TOM MELVIN
Q: On Jared Wiley.
MELVIN: “It’s been nice. We got a lot in. We’re throwing a lot at all these guys, and he’s done a very good job assimilating to what we call things – (he was in a) similar offense so it’s really not that foreign (but) the volume is. He’s done a nice job doing that. He’s playing a little bit faster every day we go, so it’s good to see. He has a long way to go, but we’re encouraged with where he’s at and what he’s been doing.”
Q: Jared Wiley mentioned that he had a number of offensive coordinators in college so learning a new offense isn’t new to him. Are you seeing that?
MELVIN: “Yeah, the expectation of him having to come in, understand a new language, understand that someone is asking him to do that same thing but calling it something different. I guess you could look at it that it benefits him as far as him having to do it that way. He’s handling it well; we’re encouraged with that.”
Q: How do you see the tight end rotation shaping out?
MELVIN: “We have no clue until they put pads on. I mean guys look different with shorts until they go. All the guys. I was just saying, Irv (Smith) is a really smart and instinctual guy, and that’s showing out there. He’s doing things that a vet would do where the rookies would run into a wall whereas he’s pulling up in front. I like what he gives us and then the rookies are doing their thing. We have a long way to go, we’re just happy when guys kind of flash out here. (We say), ‘Ooh he’s got that,’ it’s better than going, ‘Eh, he can’t do that.’ We’re seeing more of the positive parts right now.”
Q: Did you see something right away in Travis Kelce that led to what he is today?
MELVIN: “The personality was always there. I remember I went – after his first year- I went to the (NFL) Combine and came back, we had the Rodeo here, the pro bull rodeo tour and I was sitting in the stands with my wife and here’s Travis (Kelce) on the top of the dugout dancing around and so that right away, that’s him. It’s nothing new.”
DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH DAVE MERRITT
Q: What has been the early assessment of Jaden Hicks and Kamal Hadden?
MERRITT: “I tell you, first of all the kid (Jaden) Hicks, I tell him all the time, ‘You know what, you are the prototype safety.” He has the body, the size, the mental to be able to be a really good football player in this league. Then of course Kamal (Hadden) is another long athletic corner – he reminds me of (former Chiefs S) Bashaud Breeland to be honest with you, a very physical guy. These two guys, they’re just like Dory, they’re just swimming right now ‘Just keep swimming’ (laughter). It is overloading them mentally, but I’m happy to have these guys in a room. So thrilled that you have fresh blood in there. You’re trying to teach, trying to mold another young mind to become what they want to become. So, it’s been great.”
Q: How ready is Trent McDuffie to step up in the absence of L'Jarius Sneed?
MERRITT: “(Trent) McDuffie last year was first-team All-Pro, so he doesn’t need to do anything – he doesn’t need to try to become LJ (L'Jarius) Sneed. I think Trent is going to do well with his role and what he’s been doing.”
Q: What is your impression of Kelvin Joseph?
MERRITT: “Kelvin (Joseph) is another young man who has a lot of quick-twitch. He’s learning the defense, but he’s just like a rookie, he’s swimming just like the other guys because there is a lot thrown at him. This system here – as I’ve said in the past – if you can learn this system you’ll be able to go play in probably 95% of the other systems in the NFL, it’s just so much because we open up our entire playbook to these young men. Hopefully he’s going to be able to step up, step in and be able to accomplish the things we want him to accomplish when it comes to everything.”
Q: You said Kamal Hadden reminds you of former Chiefs S Bashaud Breeland. Is that just in size or are there other similar traits as well?
MERRITT: “Even his mentality, how he comes off. (Bashaud) Breeland always wanted to know some of the little details, so he could get better. (Kamal) Hadden has that type of personality. It more so is what you just said, it’s more so the size and physicality. I’m excited to get my hands on him.”
OFFENSIVE LINE COACH ANDY HECK
Q: You played in the NFL; can you take us back to what it was like trying to learn in your rookie year and how that forms how you coach rookies?
HECK: “When I came into the league, I was coming from a wishbone offense where we averaged six throws a game and there would have been a naked type of thing so I had my hands full learning how to pass protect. You take our rookies today, Kingsley (Suamataia) coming from a throwing offense, a spread offense, they’re much better developed in that regard. A lot of it is just, hey, let’s learn our terminology, let’s learn our calls, our concepts. Then everything else in between – there’s a lot – but we tell them, ‘Look, we’re not going to build Rome in a day here.’ We’ll do it day-by-day, and we’ve got these varied phases, minicamp and training came. (We have) a lot of time to get this done.”
Q: How is the left tackle position shaping out for you?
HECK: “I feel very good about the talent we have here on this team on the roster now to create some good competition there. You have guys who have played in games like Wanya (Morris) and Lucas Niang. Chew (Chukwuebuka Godrick) is an exciting developmental guy, and he’s been doing very well this spring, so we wanted to give him a look out there. That’ll be a work in progress, we’re going to give a lot of guys some looks there, Kingsley (Suamataia) certainly, Ethan Driskell one of our young guys. I feel good about the tackle depth that we have here to create some good competition.”
Q: What are you seeing from Jawaan Taylor going into year two in the system?
HECK: “You know, free agency is a good thing for this league, and it’s a good thing for our players, and I personally experienced this as a young free agent changing teams – I think that first year – we’ve seen it with several guys. You think back to (Bengals OT) Orlando’s (Brown) first year here. It takes a year, you’re getting moved, you’re learning a new town, new terminology, techniques. I think it can take a year to find your grove. It doesn’t have to, but I think it typically does. So, my expectation would be that JT (Jawaan Taylor) is going to pick up where he left off having cleaned some of those things up and be that much further along without being in the midst of a transition.”
Q: Where is Joe Thuney in his recovery right now?
HECK: “I don’t know where he’s at in terms of his rehab other than he’s doing very well. He is here every day diligently working on that. He’s in our meetings, provides great leadership in our meetings. (He’s an) excellent veteran voice in there, (a) good teacher, which you would expect from such a good player. We’re looking forward to getting him back, I don’t know when that is.”