Chiefs Roster: Matt Nagy speaks on offensive position questions

Following the team’s fourth training camp practice on Wednesday, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Matt Nagy spoke to beat reporters at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph. The longtime Andy Reid assistant — and former Chicago Bears head coach — touched on several of the biggest questions on his side of the ball.

The left tackle battle

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The biggest of these continues to be who will protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ blind side. During training camp, second-year pro Wanya Morris and rookie Kingsley Suamataia have generally been alternating at the position. Nagy hopes both of them can retain their own identities.

“The competition is healthy,” confirmed Nagy. “They’re going to get plenty of reps. They know it’s going to be a focal point for us this year. When the pads come on, you’ve got to be able to physically do your assignment, but also, you’ve got to have a little nasty too. I think all these guys understand. When you’re a younger guy like Wanya or Kingsley, sometimes the game goes so fast that you lose some of the element of who you are within the play.”

Nagy shared the factors the staff will consider as it comes to a decision.

“Being able to kind of understand what to do in protections, what to do in the run game [and] match it up with who you are as a player,” he said. “Bring out your strengths and then compete against each other in a healthy competition — because we’re going to be watching. Every rep that they get is going to be valuable.

“It’s going to be fun for all of us to see it happen. They’re going to have good days and bad days. How do you handle putting good days together and rebounding from a bad day?”

Gadget players

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An early story from St. Joseph is that after a dreadful 2023 season, much-maligned wide receiver Kadarius Toney has been rotating with the team’s running backs. Nagy confirmed the team is considering whether the backfield is the best place to use Toney’s playmaking skills.

“The biggest thing right now with KT is just us being able to use his strengths,” observed Nagy. “He’s super-talented. He can do a lot of things. Right now is probably the time to experiment and use these reps that we get — so yeah, we’ll do some more with him at running back. We did some last year with him, and I think he’s a weapon when you use him that way and being able to bounce him around in different spots — and so far, so good.”

Toney is not the only unconventional addition to the running back room. Former Welsh rugby player Louis Rees-Zammit is also taking backfield reps as he pursues a change in sports.

“He’s done a great job,” Nagy said of the 23-year-old rookie. “First of all, his attitude is phenomenal. You come from what he does — and being so elite at what he does — to transfer to a different sport, you’ve got to have the mental strength to understand you’re not going to always be perfect. He’s been great.”

Nagy knows that a major test looms for Rees-Zammit on Friday.

“What’s going to be fun, I think — and the most fun to watch [with] Louis — is when the pads come on,” he predicted. “To see, ‘You better keep those pads low and keep that head up!’ Today, he had one where his head was down a little bit low. He saw that and knew what we were talking about in the stretch at the end of practice. It’ll be fun to watch him.”

Reserve receivers

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Thursday’s injury to wide receiver Justin Watson could see the Chiefs digging further into their depth chart.

Nagy is encouraged by what he has seen from second-year player Nikko Remigio, who missed the 2023 season with an injury. The former Cal and Fresno State wideout will need to continue his hot streak when pads come on Friday.

“He’s got to be able to do what he’s doing right now in shorts,” Nagy reiterated. “The reason why I believe in Nikko is because of his mental makeup. He’s in a good place. He started it last year. He got hurt. He stayed with us most of the year last year. [He] came into OTAs in great shape and is putting it together so far right now. That special teams part is valuable in that role. We know numbers-wise how big that is. He’s going to get opportunities. It’s, ‘What is he going to do with it?’”

Clarity is coming

A week from now, we’ll have more information. Watson’s prognosis will be better understood and the team will have gone through multiple padded practices. Nagy believes the next phase will be crucial.

“The part that’s exciting is when we get the pads on,” he declared. “That’s what we want to see: when things become real. The defense knows that the runs can come. We know that offensively, we can throw the ball [and] run the ball. I think the rest of camp is going to be fun.”