Patrick Mahomes searches for the next Tyreek Hill and Matt Araiza debuts after sexual assault accuser dropped lawsuit: FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED as Jags top Chiefs in preseason opener
The Chiefs opened their pre-season Saturday night with a 26-13 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It wasn’t quite the start Andy Reid had hoped for in the team’s third straight title defense, but he won’t be too concerned with it as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce played sparingly.
Still, there were some interesting storylines to be had from the game, including the return of punter Matt Araiza.
Kansas City’s wide receiver room is also a situation to keep an eye on as Mahomes continues to look for a reliable option opposite Kelce.
Here are five things we learned from the game.
Patrick Mahomes played sparingly for the Chiefs as they began their pre-season on Saturday
Matt Araiza could solve the Chiefs’ punting woes after his NFL debut
Araiza made his NFL debut on Saturday, a two-year hiatus after being accused of rape (for which he was never charged) and subsequently cut by the Bills, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2022 draft.
Prosecutors later determined that Araiza wasn’t even at the party where the alleged assault took place, and he was also dropped from a lawsuit in which an alleged victim had named him. He also agreed not to pursue defamation against her.
Now, as he told reporters this week, he’s “grateful” to be back in the NFL and didn’t do himself any harm against the Jaguars.
Matt Araiza, seen during practice last week, made his NFL debut for the Chiefs on Saturday
In his first NFL appearance, Araiza threw three punts, two of which came inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
For comparison, former Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend had just 20 such points last season, ranking 24th at his position.
Araiza will obviously be happy to be back on the pitch, but he could also make a real difference for Chiefs.
The search for Tyreek Hill continues
While Travis Kelce is still with the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes is their favorite target, the Chiefs are still looking for a reliable tight end after trading the speedy Hill to the Dolphins two years ago.
Rashee Rice had a strong rookie season but could miss time this season after offseason legal troubles (he is under investigation for a 119 mph car crash in Dallas), while free agent Marquise “Hollywood” Brown injured his shoulder on a catch in the first quarter against Jacksonville. He was hospitalized with a dislocation of the sternoclavicular joint, according to head coach Andy Reid.
Hill’s successor may be 2024 first-round pick Xavier Worthy, but the former Texas star had a quiet night as he failed to catch a single ball.
Xavier Worthy had a quiet night for the Chiefs as he failed to catch a single pass
The Chiefs are hoping Worthy, Rashee Rice or Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown can be a worthy replacement for Tyreek Hill, who was traded in 2022
It will be interesting to see who develops into a reliable second option for Mahomes, or if he can even find that kind of consistent weapon opposite Kelce.
Chiefs in good hands as Patrick Mahomes out
If Mahomes were to suffer a serious injury, it would likely be disastrous for Kansas City’s title chances.
But if the quarterback, who has struggled with ankle problems in recent seasons, has to miss a single game, there are worse alternatives than Carson Wentz, who joined the team this offseason.
He showed off his talent on Saturday when he completed 4 of 4 attempts for 26 yards, but he also dropped a fumble before he could get the ball back.
Carson Wentz could be an effective option for the Chiefs if Mahomes is forced to miss time
As a starter, Wentz had some great – and not-so-great – moments during his five years with the Eagles before impressing in Indianapolis and excelling in Washington.
But you have to take into account that under the guidance of Andy Reid he can show some decent play and keep the ball moving when necessary.
Louis Rees-Zammitt faces a real battle for a place in the squad
Rees-Zammit was a star player in rugby but is now fighting to stay in the NFL after switching to football.
The Welshman, who is considered a running back, had only two touches on offense: a carry that yielded one yard and a reception of three yards.
Louis Rees-Zammit had the ball twice in attack and was accused by some fans of looking slow
He also returned one kickoff for a touchback and made a special teams tackle.
But for a player who received $250,000 in guarantees, he certainly has some learning to do – some fans on social media said he looked ‘slow’ on the field – and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was relegated to the practice squad or cut altogether.
New kick-off rules fully visible
The NFL changed its kickoff rules ahead of this season to ‘promote greater returns,‘, as the competition website says, and that was evident on Saturday.
While the ball is still being kicked from a team’s 35-yard line, the 10 players on the team kicking the ball may not move until the ball touches the ground, a player, or the end zone.
And that extra space and time was taken advantage of by the Jags when Parker Washington made a 73-yard kickoff return.
His teammate Tank Bigsby also ran for 43 yards on a kickoff, while the Chiefs also had returns of 32 and 31 yards.