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<\/p>\nThe Kansas City Chiefs are set to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in their first exhibition tilt of the 2024 NFL preseason at 6 p.m. CST on Saturday, August 10.<\/p>\n
This game will be the first opportunity to see quarterback Patrick Mahomes and company in action after Kansas City\u2019s Super Bowl LVIII victory in January.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
According to head coach Andy Reid, Mahomes is only expected to play the first quarter. Still, fans in Chiefs Kingdom should expect to see big plays from Kansas City\u2019s new receivers Xavier Worthy and Marquise \u2018Hollywood\u2019 Brown during the matchup against the Jaguars.<\/p>\n
Below are important game details about this preseason matchup:<\/p>\n
Who:\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs vs. Jacksonville Jaguars<\/p>\n
When:\u00a0Saturday, August 10, 6 p.m. CST<\/p>\n
Where: EverBank Stadium \u2013 Jacksonville, Florida<\/p>\n
In-market live stream:\u00a0FuboTV\u00a0\u00a0(free 7-day trial<\/a>)\u00a0or NFL+<\/p>\n TV:\u00a0KMCI-TV (38 The Spot) or NFL Network<\/p>\n Radio:\u00a0WDAF-FM (106.5 FM Kansas City)<\/p>\n Ari Wolfe (play-by-play), Trent Green (color commentary), Kimmi Chex and Matt McMullen (sideline)<\/p>\n Tra Blake<\/p>\n Jaguars Wire<\/a><\/p>\n WeekDateOpponentTime1Saturday, Aug. 8@ Jacksonville Jaguars6 p.m. CST on NFL NetworkTickets2Saturday, Aug. 17vs. Detroit Lions3 p.m. CST on NBCTickets3Thursday, Aug. 22vs. Chicago Bears7:20 p.m. CST on NFL NetowrkTickets<\/p>\n After three weeks on a college campus in St. Joseph \u2014 though who\u2019s counting? \u2014 the Chiefs will move to a different competition Saturday in\u00a0Jacksonville<\/a>.<\/p>\n A game.<\/p>\n At long last.<\/p>\n The Chiefs open their three-date preseason schedule with a trip to face the Jaguars at 6 p.m. Saturday. The\u00a0game will be broadcast\u00a0<\/a>on 38 The Spot\/KMCI in\u00a0Kansas City<\/a>.<\/p>\n Head coach Andy Reid said he anticipates playing\u00a0the starters the first quarter<\/a>, but his own history suggests it will be more like one series for quarterback\u00a0Patrick Mahomes<\/a>.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s a reason to keep watching.<\/p>\n The preseason games are about the battles for starting jobs and roster spots, and you\u2019ve come to the right place to learn a little more about those. Between four of us at The Star \u2014 beat reporters Blair Kerkhoff and Jesse Newell, and columnists\u00a0Sam McDowell<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Vahe Gregorian<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 we\u2019ve made more than 60 trips up I-29 for Chiefs training camp practices.<\/p>\n The result provides you\u00a0comprehensive coverage\u00a0<\/a>of the Chiefs, same as we will during the regular season, with the help of colleague Pete Grathoff, too \u2014 and it also provides us comprehensive insight when we ask ourselves a timely question:<\/p>\n If Mahomes will see only limited time, which players are we most eager to see in the first preseason game Saturday?<\/p>\n Three years ago, the Chiefs plugged two rookies into their offensive line, with center\u00a0Creed Humphrey<\/a>\u00a0and guard\u00a0Trey Smith<\/a>.<\/p>\n From Day One.<\/p>\n They\u2019ve made Kingsley Suamataia battle for his first-team reps at left tackle, but all signs point toward him opening the preseason \u2014 and eventually the regular season \u2014 as the starter protecting the blind side of Patrick Mahomes.<\/p>\n Truth? He\u2019s had his ups and downs in training camp, which, well, is to be expected for a rookie left tackle. The transition at that position\u00a0tends to take some time.<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s to be determined how much the Jaguars play their starters, but it would stand to benefit Suamataia to face the likes of Josh Hines-Allen (17 1\/2 sacks) and\u00a0Travon Walker<\/a>\u00a0(10 sacks). A glimpse of what awaits.<\/p>\n Mahomes will likely depart the game after a series, as mentioned, but expect to see Suamataia get more playing time.<\/p>\n \u2014Sam McDowell<\/em><\/p>\n Justyn Ross has been the king of wowing on social-media highlight clips … though that hype has never matched his actual on-field production. Ross\u2019 previous injuries have limited his speed and separation ability, and to be honest, he appeared to be a likely cut candidate through the first few days of training camp while failing to stand out in a crowded receiver room.<\/p>\n That all has changed, though, during the last few practices in St. Joseph. Ross has emerged as one of the Chiefs\u2019 best wideouts lately, impressing with his sideline ability while winning multiple jump-ball catches in the end zone.<\/p>\n Chiefs coaches also seemed to notice this uptick, giving Ross a handful of first-team reps in recent days. Ross still is no roster lock, as his 6-foot-4 frame functions best as a red-zone threat that might not be as necessary with big-bodied rookie tight end\u00a0Jared Wiley<\/a>\u00a0now on the roster.<\/p>\n Ross producing in this preseason game, however, could make the Chiefs\u2019 decision a lot more difficult. I\u2019d expect KC to give him plenty of snaps to see how he performs.<\/p>\n \u2014Jesse Newell<\/em><\/p>\n Elusive Louis Rees-Zammit sure earned the nickname \u201cRees Lighting,\u201d\u00a0and his highlight reels are riveting.<\/a><\/p>\n But enough about his rugby days.<\/p>\n The 23-year-old Welshman who will be playing in his first football game, never even put on a helmet and shoulder pads until he entered the NFL\u2019s International Player Pathway program in January. To say nothing about trying to learn one of the most sophisticated offenses in the NFL. At least for now, the intriguing longshot\u2019s best chance to stick is on special teams as a gunner, returner and potential kicking option.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can see his athletic ability,\u201d coach Andy Reid said. \u201cHe\u2019s just got to get used to doing all the different things we\u2019re asking him to do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014Vahe Gregorian<\/em><\/p>\n The Chiefs unveiled their first depth chart of the season the week of the preseason opener, and there was only one unexpected starter on the list: fullback Carson Steele.<\/p>\n The surprise is the Chiefs listed a fullback. They didn\u2019t carry one on the roster last season for the first time in the Andy Reid era. The 6-foot, 228-pound Steele, an undrafted free agent who played at UCLA, has earned praise from coaches.<\/p>\n Special teams participation also could be the key to Steele\u2019s chances of making the roster.<\/p>\n \u2014Blair Kerkhoff<\/em><\/p>\n When it comes to the pursuit of the NFL\u2019s first three-peat champion, one of the most relevant names in the equation is one not even on the current roster.<\/p>\n L\u2019Jarius Sneed.<\/p>\n The Chiefs built their defensive game plans with the understanding that Sneed would travel with an opposing team\u2019s No. 1 wide receiver \u2014 and with the belief that he\u2019d shut him down.<\/p>\n What now?<\/p>\n The Chiefs tagged and traded Sneed to the Titans, and here\u2019s the dilemma: Sneed was so good last year that not even Sneed himself could replicate that season.<\/p>\n The aftermath will prompt a chain reaction that will most prominently benefit not a cornerback but a natural safety.<\/p>\n Chamarri Conner, a second-year safety, has been lining up as the nickel cornerback, kicking last year\u2019s slot corner,\u00a0Trent McDuffie<\/a>, to the outside. McDuffie will have some competition there. (Read on to one of Jesse Newell\u2019s players for more on that.) But the Chiefs need Conner to take a pretty big step forward, or it could drastically alter the effectiveness of a defense that ranked second in the NFL last year. Some confidence in the preseason would provide a good foundation.<\/p>\n \u2014Sam McDowell<\/em><\/p>\n The Chiefs are still searching for a reliable CB2 to play alongside All-Pro Trent McDuffie, with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo saying this week the team still isn\u2019t seeing separation at that spot.<\/p>\n Considering that backdrop, this is an excellent opportunity for Williams to show what he can do in a game when his main competitors might not play. Teammates\u00a0Jaylen Watson<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Nazeeh Johnson<\/a>\u00a0are working their way back from injuries, making it unlikely either will suit up for the team\u2019s preseason opener.<\/p>\n Williams \u2014 at 6 foot 3 and 193 pounds \u2014 certainly looks the part, and his physicality in man coverage helped him earn some above-average Pro Football Focus grades a season ago. Can he be better in zone coverage, though, while also flashing more consistency play to play? Saturday would be a great time to prove he\u2019s ready for a bigger role.<\/p>\n \u2014Jesse Newell<\/em><\/p>\n A year ago in St. Joseph, second-year safety Bryan Cook was emerging not only as the replacement for\u00a0Juan Thornhill<\/a>, but as a sometimes-mistaken-but-never-in-doubt leader:<\/p>\n \u201cHe might be completely wrong (in a play call),\u201d teammate\u00a0Nick Bolton<\/a>\u00a0said then, \u201cbut he makes you believe he\u2019s 100% right.\u201d<\/p>\n Cook became a key part of a resurgent defense, highlighted by his touchdown against\u00a0Miami<\/a>\u00a0in Germany, only to suffer a hideous season-ending ankle injury at Green Bay. But even amid his devastation, he kept contributing\u00a0motivation to his fellow defensive backs, as The Star\u2019s Sam McDowell reported in January.<\/a><\/p>\n That reflected his drive to get back on the field, where his return to health \u2014\u00a0and volume\u00a0<\/a>\u2014 has been evident, and his leadership will be especially crucial with counterpart\u00a0Justin Reid<\/a>\u2019s timetable to return from a quad injury still uncertain.<\/p>\n \u2014Vahe Gregorian<\/em><\/p>\n Because training camp is mostly non-contact, it\u2019s difficult to evaluate players who don\u2019t touch the ball.<\/p>\n But Felix Anudike-Uzomah has looked faster off the edge than last season, and he\u2019s been impressive in drills.<\/p>\n Coaches have said improving Anudike-Uzomah\u2019s \u201cget-off\u201d was the off-season objective, and Saturday will be the first time seeing his first step \u2014 shaped in part through tutoring sessions with former Chiefs great\u00a0Tamba Hali<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 in game action.<\/p>\nBroadcast:<\/h2>\n
Broadcasters:<\/h2>\n
Referee:<\/h2>\n
Opponent wire site:<\/h2>\n
2024 Preseason Schedule:<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/015-300x177.webp\")
<\/p>\nKingsley Suamataia<\/a>, left tackle<\/h3>\n
Justyn Ross<\/a>, wide receiver<\/h3>\n
Louis Rees-Zammit<\/a>, running back<\/h3>\n
Carson Steele<\/a>, fullback<\/h3>\n
Chamarri Conner<\/a>, cornerback<\/h3>\n
Joshua Williams<\/a>, cornerback<\/h3>\n
Bryan Cook<\/a>, safety<\/h3>\n
Felix Anudike-Uzomah<\/a>, defensive end<\/h3>\n