Chiefs Training Camp Players To Watch

The 2010 Chiefs training camp has five key position battles that fans taking in the festivities at the first annual St. Joseph Missouri Chiefs training camp at Spratt Stadium at Missouri Western will want to keep an eye on.

These aren't the Joe Montana AFC Championship Game Chiefs in terms of name recognition but for an informed fan there are still plenty of interesting football aspects to this training camp.

If you want to sound like you're talking about while taking in training camp with your friends and neighbors then learn these position battles:

Seventh round pick rookie Kendrick Lewis and nine year special teams player Jon McGraw at free safety.

First round pick Eric Berry may really have to carry the secondary as his complimentary starting free safety is going to be best of two bad choices in filling the hole left by Jarrad Page who at the time of this writing is refusing to play unless he's traded or released.

Jon McGraw

Kendrick Lewis

All-Big 10 (University of Iowa) rookie TE Tony Moeaki versus veteran Leonard Pope who has five years of experience.

These are both talented blockers but Moeaki has the youth and perceived superior athleticism when it comes to catching passes so even though Pope might be the starter in week one and running with the first team offense for most of training camp look for Moeaki to get the Lions share of playing time over the course of the season.

Tony Moeaki

Leonard Pope

Fifth round pick rookie outside linebacker Cameron Sheffield versus Andy Studebaker.

The edge goes to the rookie. The fact that the Chiefs are leaning on a little-heralded 5th round pick to shore up their defense as a starting linebacker doesn't bode well.

Cameron Sheffield

Andy Studebaker

Head Coach Todd Haley's familiar Jerheme Urban and second round pick running back Dexter McCluster.

Haley knows Urban from his time in Arizona but the Chiefs need McCluster to live up to pre-draft expectations right out of the gate if they want to exceed expectations this year and surprise some people.

Dexter McCluster

Jerheme Urban

Former key linebacker Derrick Johnson and hustler Corey Mays

Mays was given the job over Johnson for much of last season because despite Johnson's superior athletic ability he was put in the dog house for his effort (or lack thereof) and Mays was given an opportunity to move from special teams player to starting linebacker.

For the sake of the Chiefs' defense hopefully the benching of Johnson lit a fire under him.

Derrick Johnson
Corey Mays