Chiefs coaches look for encouraging signs as rookie tackle Kahlil Benson works through Saturday’s rough stretch

The Kansas City Chiefs’ preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended with a narrow 16-15 result, but it was a rookie offensive lineman who became the most discussed figure during the flow of the game. Yahoo Sports reported that Chiefs coaches focused on how Kahlil Benson, a rookie right tackle, would rebound after surrendering a pair of pressures that stood out in the same stretch of action.

For a developing tackle, preseason reps carry an added weight. The position requires quick adjustments to different edge-rush looks and to the way opponents rotate pass rushers and coverages as the game progresses. Benson’s role as a right tackle put him in the path of some of Tampa Bay’s most disruptive pressure attempts, and the report characterized the sequence as something that would have triggered immediate concern among fans.

According to Yahoo’s account, the pressures were “ugly,” but the evaluation did not end there. The theme from Kansas City’s side was that the film review should identify what was correctable, not just what went wrong. That distinction matters for coaching staffs, because a single possession can be shaped by scheme, timing, and communication just as much as by individual technique.

Preseason games also tend to create exaggerated narratives around individual players because the action is compact and substitutions are frequent. Even so, the Chiefs have reason to scrutinize how a rookie tackles both the physical matchup and the mental reset after a bad moment. The ability to respond immediately, then apply the lesson on the next series, is often what separates a prospect who struggles early from one who settles into the professional pace.

Tampa Bay’s pass-rush pressure in this matchup, as described by Yahoo, created the focal point for Benson’s day. Kansas City’s staff, however, took a longer view by looking for encouraging signs alongside the problems. In practical terms, that often means checking whether a player’s later reps show improved leverage, quicker recognition, steadier footwork, and cleaner hand placement, even if the earlier play is difficult.

The Chiefs will now have another opportunity to test those adjustments in subsequent preseason sessions. For Benson, the next steps are straightforward but not easy: reduce the number of moments that turn into free rushing opportunities, stay patient with run-game assignments, and keep technique consistent across different down-and-distance situations.

As the preseason continues, Kansas City’s most important question is whether the rookie tackle can limit the kind of pressure that drew attention on Saturday. The broader football context is that teams rarely get to “hide” an inexperienced lineman for long, and a young tackle’s development can influence how much protection help the offense needs and where quarterbacks feel comfortable working within the pocket.