Pacheco (hand/shoulder) is on track to be cleared for contact by Aug. 20, James Palmer of NFL Network reports.
While the significance of the mentioned date is unclear, it would give Pacheco an 18-day grace period before the Chiefs open the regular season against Detroit on Sept. 7. In other words, he'll have plenty of time to ramp up and get in game shape for Week 1 if he does in fact gain clearance for contact on or before Aug. 20. In the meantime, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon have been getting most of the first-team reps at training camp, while undrafted rookie Deneric Price has become the subject of summer hype despite mostly working with the backups. Pacheco still projects as the lead runner of the group on the heels of his solid rookie season, but it could end up being a three- or four-man committee rather than the two-way Pacheco/McKinnon split from the latter portion of last season. Pacheco's shoulder is said to be his lone health concern at this point, while he's made a full recovery from offseason hand surgery.