Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes has marveled at his quick recovery from a torn ACL and LCL in his knee. He, and many of his starting mates, aren't going to play in the first preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams Saturday.
There are still plenty of positional battles to monitor. The first of which is at backup quarterback. The Chiefs brought in Justin Fields in the offseason, and he's looking to rebuild his value that made him the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He'll start the game and possibly play the first half. Is he firmly the backup or is there someone that could wow the coaching staff and unseat him?
The Chiefs brought back Chris Oladokun, who got his first NFL start after Mahomes and Gardner Minshew went down last season. He went 35-for-55 for 235 yards, one touchdown and no INTs in three games. It wasn't much to write home about, but he completed 63.6% of his passes and took care of the ball.
The Chiefs took quarterback Garrett Nussmeier in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Nussmeier was on track to be a first-round pick before injuries derailed him last season at LSU. Tests at the NFL Scouting Combine that revealed a cyst on his spine, which pressed on a nerve and is believed to have caused the persistent oblique pain that affected his 2025 campaign. Nussmeier has been asymptomatic, but if that changes, he could undergo a minimally invasive procedure that would likely sideline him two to three weeks. The cyst isn’t expected to present a short- or long-term risk.
The real question is whether Oladokun or Nussmeier will clear waivers in order to go on the practice squad. Nussmeier might not considering his strong arm and pre-cyst projection. So this will be a situation to watch as we progress through the preseason.
The Protectors of Patrick Mahomes
Undrafted free-agent Kahlil Benson was a relative unknown when camp opened, but he's now listed as the favorite to be the starting right tackle over OT Jaylon Moore. Benson has taken most of the repetitions with the first-team offense at right tackle, and he's slated to start Saturday's preseason game.
"He's done a great job just competing," Mahomes said last week of Benson. "I remember watching [rookie minicamp] film and seeing that guy and seeing him kind of do stuff the right way. And he's just gotten better and better all the way to this point. We still have a long way to go, but I'm happy with the progress so far."
If Benson continues ascending, he could give the Chiefs both starting tackles on rookie contracts for the next four years, which could do wonders for the salary cap moving forward.
