Arrowheadlines: Lions do not intend on playing many starters against the Chiefs

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Chiefs playing starters vs. Lions, while Detroit to rest key players | Pride Of Detroit

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell has made it clear that the team doesn't intend to play many starters in the upcoming preseason bout with the Kansas City Chiefs.

"We may get a couple of (starting) d-linemen going here against the Chiefs that didn't play last week. Offense is probably pretty set here," Campbell told 97.1 The Ticket on Wednesday. "The long and short of it, maybe a couple of guys. That's about it."

That is going to be in pretty stark contrast of their opponents. Chiefs coach Andy Reid revealed on Thursday that he plans on playing their starters for about a half during Saturday's exhibition game.

"As far as the play time goes, the ones will take a half and then we'll kind of fill in after that and just kind of see how the rest of that goes for the third and fourth quarters," Reid said in his morning press conference.

Why has Chiefs superstar Travis Kelce been so quiet lately? | FOX Sports

The Chiefs have also added at tight end, drafting Wiley out of TCU in the fourth round. All these offseason moves should help Kelce excel in 2024.

But good luck convincing him to take some plays off during the season.

"Wear and tear me, baby," Kelce said. "I'm ready for it, man. Put the load on me. I love being accountable for the men and women in this building and Chiefs kingdom. I love the aspect of everybody counting on me just to make the play for my team.

"I don't think that anything from last year — putting more miles on me — made me less of a player."

That's why Kelce seems to be enjoying a ho-hum training camp. He's focused, yet again, on winning another Super Bowl. The Chiefs have a real shot at becoming the first team in the Super Bowl era to three-peat. If they're going to do that, Kelce will again need to be a centerpiece.

2024 NFL position group rankings: Best, worst team units | ESPN

Best: Kansas City Chiefs

Two-time league MVP Patrick Mahomes has already won the Super Bowl and the Super Bowl MVP three times each. He achieved both of those last season — despite the Chiefs not being a top-10 offense leaguewide — further cementing himself as the NFL's best player. With Mahomes only 28, his dominant reign is far from over. (Carson Wentz is Mahomes' new backup.)

32 Thoughts on the NFL's Biggest Talking Points Entering Preseason Week 2 | Bleacher Report

Kansas City Chiefs: Huge test coming for the Chiefs receiving depth Saturday against Detroit. Hollywood Brown is out, and we obviously haven't seen much of first-rounder Xavier Worthy this summer. Both he and Justin Watson are coming off their own injuries. Big opportunities await those who want to earn significant reps with Patrick Mahomes.

2025 NFL Mock Draft: Who Could Be Next Year's No. 1 Pick? | The 33rd Team

31. Kansas City Chiefs

Selection: Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State

Running backs with back-to-back picks? That probably won't happen. But it would be cool to see the Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs take them here late in the first round.

Judkins racked up more than 3,000 yards with Mississippi in the last two seasons but is now making the move to Ohio State. He should put up massive numbers in 2024 and could sneak into Round 1 next year.

Around the NFL

Lynch: 49ers feel 'urgency' to get Brandon Aiyuk deal done | ESPN

"It's been a long, arduous, hard process, a hard journey," 49ers general manager John Lynch told KNBR radio in San Francisco on Friday. "We started this early and for whatever reason haven't been able to get it across the finish line. That's been frustrating. But the communication has still been really good with Brandon and his agent, and we're trying to figure out a solution.

"I'm always hopeful. I'm an optimistic person [by] nature, and so I'm always hopeful that we get there and get there soon. I can tell you we feel the urgency to have him. The season is approaching."

CeeDee Lamb holdout: Cowboys submitted new contract offer to All-Pro WR, per report | CBS Sports

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said he didn't have a "sense of urgency" to rush to get Lamb's deal done with only a few weeks until the start of the regular season about a week ago, but it appears he may have changed his stance on that. Dallas' front office and Lamb's representation spoke on the phone on Thursday prior to the team's departure to Las Vegas for their second preseason game in an effort to get a deal, according to The Dallas Morning News. Per the Dallas Morning News' reporting, the Cowboys offered Lamb "slightly under $33 million per season."

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2. Third-down defense

The Chiefs' starting defense faced only one third down in the preseason opener. It was a successful stop, but there is still plenty to learn about how defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo wants to attack these high-leverage situations this year.

The unit finished sixth in third-down conversion rate last season, and that will be hard to repeat without cornerback L'Jarius Sneed taking out the receiver he aligned across — often the team's top weapon. With less reliability on the outside this year, Spagnuolo may use less man coverage on third down. That would also mean fewer full-out blitzes, instead relying on rush stunts up front and zone blitzes that maintain four rushers by dropping out a lineman.

So it's vital that the Chiefs' four-man rush can create pressure on its own. It's also crucial that the safeties and linebackers show anticipation and urgency in the back end; those positions should have the experience and playmaking to help mask a more exposed cornerback room.

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