4 takeaways from Day 16 of Chiefs training camp

On Wednesday, the Kansas City Chiefs hosted their penultimate practice session at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri.

The team had avoided the injury bug for the majority of camp, but it seems to have caught up to them this week. JuJu Smith-Schuster was still absent from practice and two others left the practice field early on Wednesday. Outside of the training camp attrition, it was another back-and-forth day at training camp. The defense had a few interceptions, while the offense found the majority of their success in red zone work, both on the ground and through the air.

Here are some of the things that we’re taking away from the latest training camp practice session:

Prior to injury, Mecole Hardman was having a great practice

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

By now you’ve probably heard that Mecole Hardman left practice early with a groin injury. He’s still undergoing evaluation for that injury with an MRI scheduled to determine the severity. Sirius XM NFL Radio’s Alex Marvez reports that Andy Reid doesn’t believe the injury is serious.

Before the injury occurred, Hardman was having himself a day in practice. He had multiple touchdowns during the team’s red zone drills prior to his injury.

Hardman also had a long touchdown against CB Trent McDuffie during 1-on-1 drills.

The hope for Hardman is that he only has Grade 1 groin strain (minor). The team could shut him down for a few weeks ahead of the regular season and have him ready to go for Week 1. Groin injuries are tricky because there is a high risk of reaggravation if they’re not given the proper time to heal.  It’s also a tough injury for players who rely on speed and quickness.

Rashad Fenton looks in midseason form

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Fenton has been on an acclimation plan in his return from offseason shoulder surgery. Well, he looks to be fully acclimated, healthy and in midseason form with his most recent practice performance. In practice earlier this week where he broke up a pass intended for Travis Kelce and got into a little shouting match with Patrick Mahomes.

Fenton came back on Wednesday, with an interception of Mahomes during the first play of 11-on-11 team drills. The pass was intended for Justin Watson, who didn’t seem to run the intended route due to Fenton’s physicality at the line.

Mahomes didn’t seem to be too pleased by the play. You can actually hear him in the video saying, “Holding, holding, holding, holding.” He was clearly hoping that the referees in practice would throw a flag.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Isiah Pacheco take majority of first-team reps

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

With Jerick McKinnon absent from practice due to a hamstring issue, two players took the majority of the first-team repetitions at running back. Clyde Edwards-Helaire continues to be the top player in the running back rotation. He’s always been first through drills in individual work, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 team drills. He also has looked the part of the No. 1 guy during practices this year.

Next came rookie RB Isiah Pacheco, who seems to be carving out a significant role based on his preseason debut against the Bears. McKinnon had been getting repetitions ahead of Pacheco, but this injury to McKinnon could prove to put Pacheco ahead in the pecking order. He could be the team’s No. 2 RB before the season even officially begins.

Ronald Jones did get some work with the first team in 7-on-7 drills, but the Chiefs tend to rotate their personnel frequently in those drills. Patrick Mahomes will always get a different center and be playing with a different set of skill players. The fact that Ronald Jones hasn’t been able to crack the starting lineup in 11-on-11, even with injuries at the running back position, is concerning for his outlook when it comes to making the 53-man roster.

Emergency long snappers?

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

The Chiefs already have their emergency kicker figured out, but now they’re working on determining the team’s emergency long snapper. James Winchester was absent from practice for personal reasons on Wednesday. That allowed some other players to get work at the long snapper position. You’d think they’d put Creed Humphrey out there, but it was actually TE Travis Kelce and RB Derrick Gore who were getting the action per Fox 4 Kansas City’s Harold R. Kuntz.

We already had heard Andy Reid mention Kelce as the team’s emergency long snapper back in 2016. Gore being out there is interesting because it’s just another thing that could put him ahead of Ronald Jones in the pecking order.

Story originally appeared on Chiefs Wire