Chiefs Rookie Minicamp: Josh Simmons injury time bar, outstanding playmaker

Kansas City, Mo. -Rookie Minicamp has started for the seven NFL -draft picks of the Kansas City Chiefs and a flood of other unknown newcomers who want to earn their shot.

Here are four observations from the opening day of the Minicamp, starting with the timeline of the injury to the first choice of chiefs.

Simmons' injury time bar

The chiefs believe that in the former state of Ohio they have left the theft with the 32nd pimple with Josh Simmons. Simmons was once projected as a top 10 talent, but a non-contact knee injury, which excluded him from mid-October to the end of the national championship of the Buckeyes of the National Championship, violated his design.

On Saturday, Simmons showed progress towards the return in which the chiefs were confident when they designed him. The 6-foot 5, 317 pound-Simmons was dressed on the exercise field and took part in position exercises with the offensive linemen. He did not take part in 11-against-11 or individual exercises, but it still looked positive after coach Andy Reid predicted that the participation of Simmons was unlikely this weekend.

Before the training, Simmons said that he was still rehabilitated and followed the team coaches when he returned. He said that he would prioritize that the mental representatives study the game book during the minicamps, which he said was “not as complex” as he had predicted, perhaps supported by his experience in a pro-style crime under Chip Kelly in the state of Ohio.

The chiefs turned through four starters on the left Tackle last year and entered the low season and looked for a more permanent answer. They signed Jaylon Moore from the San Francisco 49ers in the free agency, but turned to the design in the hope of finding their long -term solution.

When asked whether he had an immediate role as a starter, Simmons said that he was satisfied as long as he could help the team.

“(I want to attack the rehab as hard as possible. In this way, I can be the greatest help with the training camp that I can possibly be,” said Simmons about his expectations of fulfilling a team requirement. “There is really nothing, I can do nothing to make a kind of strength – there are many veterinarians here, and my thing is to stay out of the way, to work hard and be a helpful piece if I can.”

Royals shake the jitter on the first day, other playmakers

The former recipient of Utah State Wide Receiver Jalen Royals could not find anything to compare the feeling of appearing as an NFL rookie on her first day.

“It's not even the first day of school,” he said.

Royals said he was “very anxious, but also happy” since he arrived in Kansas City. But he tried to shake this fear in the field pretty well.

Royals Spring Training: Chiefs Edition. pic.twitter.com/rg6i3dzjya

– Kansas City Chiefs (@chiefs) May 3, 2025

When Reid watched, the Draft Pick showed its speed and strong hands in position exercises in the fourth round. In addition to one or two mistakes over his head, Royals mostly looked reliable. He took the first pass of team exercises by Veteran Quarterback Chris Oladokun and faced a few pieces to colleague Pick Nohl Williams.

Royals said he watches the recipient Davante Adams and Philadelphia Eagles recipient Aj Brown watch the Los Angeles Rams recipient and tries to “turn away” from what they do. He said he would qualify the rookie camp to a success if he learned the crime and proved that he could compete.

“Just take it one step in a row and take it every day,” said Royals. “I know it is the first day, but just tried to come in and work and take it step by step.”

Elijhah Badger, who of free agents recipients, showed great potential in team exercises. Badger led the state of Arizona in 2022 and 2023 and did the same after moving to Florida to his last college season. In 2024, Badger was one of five FBS recipients for an average of more than 20 meters per reception.

Badger quickly showed this explosiveness, which the chiefs are supposed to bring again on the exercise field on the exercise field.

Kansas City invited the former SMU recipient Key'shawn Smith to a Minicamp attempt. Smith switched to Smu after three seasons in Miami. He set career height in Fängern (33) and received yards (527) and touchdowns (five) in 2024, while in a criminal offense with chiefs Seventh-round-pick-pick-brashard Smith.

Towards the end of the training on Saturday, Smith stumbled along the sidelines in a deep pass from quarterback Zach Dabrowski (Central Missouri) and left out a solemn scream to end a fairly successful day.

Ready to prove it

Omarr Norman-Lott in the second round was a rotary player in Tennessee. It is explosive and annoying, but in 2024 only 17.3 snapshots per game. The evaluators of the designs seemed to question how his proven athletics could lead to a full -time role.

Norman-Lott spoke in Tennessee on Saturday and how he will approach a perhaps increased role in the chiefs under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

“Of course they want to play more, but we had a rotation of 16 duels that all could start in the second, and my position coach Rodney Garner believes that he would keep his boys fresh,” said Norman-Lott. “I used my opportunities that were given to me and I made the best of it.

“It will be the same in the NFL. Whatever I give myself, I will make the best of it – more or less.”

Norman-Lott said he worked on building a relationship with his new defensive line coach Joe Cullen, and I have already established a connection with the Rookie D-Lineman Ashton Gillotte, which is his roommate.

Norman-Lott said that he thinks he had a natural ability to get out of the ball, and coordinated his pass-rush skills while playing under Rob Rodriguez in the state of Arizona. As for the doubters, he is confident that he will be able to prove the opposite.

“It is literally my job,” said Norman-Lott. “I am very excited to do it and to prove it all the no, but I am not the guy who listens to the entire outer gossip. I only concentrate on what I have at hand. Stay where my feet are and play hard.”

Happy Derby Day

The Minicamp ended with a few hours before the 151st Kentucky Derby. Gillotte, the draft pick of the chiefs of the third round, took part in the derby with some of his former teammates from Louisville last year and met Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce. Gillotte said they spoke football and Kelce gave him some advice.

A year later, Gillotte could come a lot more Kelce advice.

“He is exactly the way he seems to be on TV. He is a real down -to -earth guy,” said Gillotte. “He probably doesn't remember me, just let's be honest, but he was a cool guy and he gave us a lot of good wisdom.”

(Photo by Jalen Royals: Colin E. Braley / Associated Press)