Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp 2025: Travis Kelce in Peak Form, Rashee Rice Shines

Training camps have kicked off around the NFL, and our team reporters are on the ground each day following all the action. The Kansas City Chiefs' camp is taking place in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Chiefs reporter Nate Taylor has the latest intel on standouts, highlights, position battles, depth chart movement, cut decisions, and of course, the quarterback room.

Travis Kelce's Stellar Performance

Entering his 13th season, Travis Kelce has shown improved speed and nimble quickness with the ball in his hands. The 35-year-old made sure he entered this camp in better condition than a year ago, when he spent much of that summer gallivanting with pop star Taylor Swift, his girlfriend who was on a world tour that included stops in London, Dublin, and Gelsenkirchen.

Thursday's highlights included multiple connections between Mahomes and Kelce, starting with a short completion on the sideline during the 7-on-7 period. Later on a one-on-one matchup with safety Jaden Hicks, Kelce did his signature hesitation and wiggle moves to evade Hicks for additional yards. And a few minutes after that, Kelce ran a slick seam route before leaping in the air to catch a pass between linebacker Nick Bolton and safety Bryan Cook.

"He's svelte right now. He looks like he's 20," coach Andy Reid said of Kelce while grinning. "He's doing a good job and he's in great shape. I'm not sure he didn't come in first on the whole conditioning thing. He was right up front. You can see he's been working out. He's worked hard to get to this spot."

Rashee Rice's Emerging Role

Another rookie for the Chiefs had an emerging performance for the second day of training camp. Receiver Jalen Royals, the fourth-round pick, was elevated on the depth chart Wednesday, as he took most of his repetitions with the first-team offense. The increase in usage wasn't an issue for Royals, either. He performed well running routes alongside fellow receivers Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown.

The first repetition for quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the seven-on-seven period was him finding Royals open in the middle of the field for an intermediate completion against the defense's zone coverage. Royals' best repetition was during the team period, when his assignment was running a slant. The impressive part for Royals was that his timing with Mahomes was perfect, their connection leading to an easy completion that allowed the rookie to maintain his speed after he caught the ball.

Oftentimes, Royals was on the field with three-year receiver Rashee Rice was on the sideline, which was quite telling.

The Chiefs could use Royals in the role held by Rice in September. Rice is expected to be suspended by the NFL before the start of the regular season. If such occurs, Rice will be suspended for violating the league's personal conduct policy, the punishment after he and another speeding driver caused a chain-reaction crash that left multiple people injured on a Dallas highway last year.

Defensive Highlights

In the middle of Steve Spagnuolo's news conference Wednesday, one of his favorite players, pass rusher Chris Jones, began watching him alongside the group of reporters. Spagnuolo, the Chiefs' longtime defensive coordinator, responded by asking Jones a question, even though he was answering a reporter's question about the Chiefs' deep-passing attack.

"What was that week that we chased [quarterback] Patrick [Mahomes] and [you] pulled your groin?" Spagnuolo said.

Jones immediately knew the answer: the 2019 AFC Championship Game. In the days leading up to that game, which the Chiefs won on their journey to their first Super Bowl victory in 50 years, Jones broke the protocol for all pass rushers in an NFL practice: He wanted to touch Mahomes.

"I didn't know he was just going to come out here and tell all of my business," Jones said of Spagnuolo while laughing. "You know, Patrick does some crazy stuff behind the line of scrimmage at times. It gets very competitive out there. We were in a battle and I had to show Pat I can really catch you. I ended up pulling my groin. Spags had a one-on-one with me."

The Chiefs beat the Titans and Jones played well despite his minor groin and calf injuries. Since then, Jones has honored Spagnuolo's new rule. Once he beats an offensive lineman -- or two of them -- he cannot chase Mahomes.

"Patrick out here makes us play the whole down," Spagnuolo said of Mahomes' scrambling ability. "For what he does and what we do offensively, I think that makes us be prepared for a lot of things during the year. There aren't very many quarterbacks in the league that aren't athletic, dynamic and extends-the-down. Patrick does this every snap here. That makes us better."

"I'm always yelling at Chris because he's not pass-rushing the whole down, but I tell him not to chase (Mahomes) too much."

Offensive Line Developments

Training camp for the Chiefs began the way it always does under coach Andy Reid -- a quick tempo of repetitions, a 68-minute practice and quarterback Patrick Mahomes' first pass against the defense being a deep completion to receiver Xavier Worthy. The practice's biggest takeaway, though, was along the offensive line. Rookie Josh Simmons, the Chiefs' first-round pick, began his NFL career as the left tackle with the first-team offense.

"He did some good things," coach Andy Reid said. "He did a nice job. He's got things he's got to work on, but he'll keep doing that."

Simmons was a full participant Tuesday, a significant and positive step for the Chiefs since the rookie has recovered from a torn patellar injury in October that prematurely ended his final season at Ohio State. The Chiefs are hopeful Simmons can be the player who finally solves their long-standing problem at left tackle.

"I think he's done a great job," Mahomes said of Simmons. "You see the talent, obviously, the physical ability. I've got to see him work through the rest of his rehab process and then working on the field. He's done a great job with that. He's getting tested every day with (longtime defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo). I'm excited for the future that he has."

A week ago, Chiefs right guard Trey Smith became the highest-paid interior lineman in NFL history. Smith signed a record-setting four-year, $94 million contract extension with the Chiefs, a deal that was agreed by both parties just hours before the deadline for franchised players to agree to long-term contracts.

Smith entered the league in 2021 to help the Chiefs overhaul their offensive line for the first time in the Mahomes era. Although Smith was a second-team All-American in his final season at Tennessee, he was selected in the sixth round (226th overall) because teams were concerned about his medical history. He was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs in February 2018. The issue reappeared eight months later, too. But since joining the Chiefs, Smith has been one of their most dependable players.

Following Tuesday's practice, Smith, in his first news conference since signing his extension, revealed how monumental the day was for him and his family. Before sharing his emotional answer, Smith paused for 11 seconds, the tears in his eyes welling up.

"I lost my Mom (Dorsetta Smith) when I was 15," Smith said. "I made two promises to her: That I would get my degree (in recreation and sports management) and play in the NFL. I didn't promise her I'd be the highest-paid (guard), but I made a promise, man. My parents sacrificed so much for me to be here and to have that moment with them is special. It's something I won't take for granted. It was an amazing time to spend with my dad and sister."

A few minutes later, Smith also shared that he was informed that the Chiefs agreed to the deal last week when he was at a Kansas City barber shop, Purple Label, while receiving a haircut.

"Let's just say I was in and out really fast," Smith said, smiling.