For the better part of a decade, most people in the league have considered the Kansas City Chiefs to be the team to beat in the NFL. They've earned that distinction with sweat, blood, and hard effort. And a trio of Super Bowl rings along the way,
However, things change quickly in this league. You can be at the mountaintop one day and not even make the playoffs the next one, and Andy Reid's team has gone through that exact situation in the past couple of years.
That's why the Chiefs' decision not to hold a joint practice this offseason was somewhat head-turning. While that's the way they've usually operated under Coach Reid, they will miss a golden opportunity to battle-test their newly configured roster.
This might be the year the Chiefs regret not holding any joint practices
Joint practices are basically what they sound like. It's two pro teams competing against each other for the day during the training camp period, in hopes of trying out new plays, signals, and building chemistry on the field versus real competition. At times, they can be nagging and distracting to a degree. They often lead to fights, scuffles, and possible suspensions, so it makes sense that the Chiefs don't want to tip their hand or have someone else on the other side of the field.
That said, teams hold joint practices for a reason. The mere fact that the Chiefs are one of four teams, along with the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, and division rival Denver Broncos, to take this approach speaks volumes about their decision.
The Chiefs used to have a target on their backs, but that's no longer the case. They have returned to hunter status, which may ease the mental burden on a lot of coaches and players' minds. However, it looks like they still consider themselves to be the creme of the crop.
This team is clearly overvaluing its roster, and that hubris might come back to haunt them when it matters the most. Not addressing the offense in the offseason was a huge mistake, and now, not watching them go against another pro team to assess where they're truly at is only doubling down on this tendency.
The Chiefs are doing a disservice to Patrick Mahomes. He's still one of the best quarterbacks in the game, but he can only do so much, especially coming off the first major injury of his career and with limited mobility.
This team should be doing everything in its power to get back on top of the world, and that includes evaluating the roster in a game-like environment. Of course, it's hard to argue that Andy Reid's methods have usually worked out perfectly for this team, and he still deserves the benefit of the doubt, but this was a head-scratching decision nonetheless.
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