What Chiefs Undrafted Rookie Kahlil Benson Showed In First Preseason Start

Kahlil Benson walks retired to training campy believe connected July 25, 2026 successful St Joseph, Mo. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

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Rookie Kahlil Benson played conscionable six snaps successful the Kansas City Chiefs’ first preseason game.

But that insignificant number of plays vs. the Los Angeles Rams is really significant.

By not exposing Benson to much action — and frankincense the anticipation of wounded — it shows really overmuch the Chiefs thought of the 6-6, 319-pound, undrafted free agent.

“He has a batch of talent,” Chiefs caput coach Andy Reid said.

Benson was treated arsenic a starter, and the full starting violative statement of near tackle Josh Simmons, near defender Kingsley Suamataia, halfway Creed Humphrey, correct defender Benson and correct tackle Jaylon Moore — the subordinate Benson is battling for the starting correct tackle position — was successful for six plays earlier the 2nd portion came in.

All of Benson’s snaps were clean, meaning nary penalties, glaring whiffs aliases missed assignments, but connected each play, the Chiefs besides made judge to get the shot retired quickly.

In fact, connected his very first play, he didn’t moreover request to make interaction pinch the protect statement connected a quick, six-yard walk from Justin Fields to Jalen Royals.

On the adjacent play, Benson sufficiently blocked protect lineman Ty Hamilton for a mates of ticks connected a surface pass, which second-year moving backmost Brashard Smith took for 8 yards.

Benson’s adjacent 2 — not counting a surface walk negated by a Royals walk interference punishment — were rushing plays. On the first one, Brashard Smith mislaid yardage, but it was not Benson’s man who made the tackle. Then Benson blocked rookie protect lineman Jaxson Moi while Brashard Smith gained 3 yards.

His last artifact — a 3rd and 18 — was connected a completion acold short of the first down, but it mightiness person been his champion play arsenic he helped supply a bully pouch for Fields.

Then it was a day’s activity for Benson who joined Trey Smith connected the bench. Benson had been the starting correct tackle during astir of training campy earlier he moved to correct guard, filling successful for the two-time Pro Bowl defender who is nursing a hep injury.

“It’s bully for him to beryllium capable to person immoderate flex successful there,” Reid said. “It’ll do thing but thief him — moreover astatine the tackle spot. It’ll thief him erstwhile he jumps backmost there.”

The truth that he’s jumped successful arsenic the starting correct tackle is 1 of the stories of training camp.

Though it represents rather an ascent for Benson, the lineman did not definitive immoderate resentment that he went undrafted contempt starting 12 games for the nationalist champion Indiana Hoosiers.

“I conscionable benignant of kept my caput down. I knew my clip was going to travel and really conscionable stay(ed) humble,” he said. “Just making judge I was fresh to beryllium connected telephone erstwhile it was that time.”

Because he went undrafted, Benson, of course, is connected a inexpensive statement and represents awesome worth for Kansas City.

He is connected a three-year, $3.1 cardinal contract, and some his guidelines net and net headdress deed are $885,000 for 2026.

Most of the Chiefs’ valuable assets saw small to nary action successful the 20-12 preseason loss. Franchise pillars Travis Kelce, Chris Jones and Patrick Mahomes played a corporate full of 1 snap.

That reduced the crippled to a reasonably meaningless contest, but pinch a period until the Chiefs’ regular play begins, 1 could glean the Chiefs still deliberation highly of Benson.

“It’s a long, agelong road,” Reid said. “But up to this point, my chapeau goes retired to him. He’s doing a bully job.”