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A FREE EVENING

August 5th - 8:08 PM

8:00 PM is still considered the evening, right? The guys are done for the day after putting in two solid practices, although the dinner hall is still packed full. In a calculated move, Coach Haley set the guys free for the evening with no meetings…well, free for a couple hours until bed check.

“They got to go to the two-a-days, so they got to re-group and practice again this afternoon,” Haley said. “The don’t have a night meeting tonight which gives them a little time to get their feet up and hydrate and take care of their bodies and study.” 

PM PRACTICE OBSERVATIONS

August 5th - 4:59 PM

We’re underway for practice #2 of the day, session 8 overall. Of note, TE Brad Cottam has joined the tight ends for today’s afternoon session.

5:21 PM - A heavy focus on red zone corner routes during the “routes on air” period of individual drills.

5:44 PM - The team has not held an exclustive ”special teams practice,” yet the coaching staff is finding ways to focus on the teams game multiple times each practice. The periods are somewhat long, about 10 minutes, and quality max-effort reps are taken. The focus this afternoon is punt pro.

6:08 PM - There is a heavy focus on red zone offense today and QB Brodie Croyle had the crowds attention with some very nice throws. The top toss was a 20-yard strike through traffic on a post route to WR Terrance Copper and the second was a thinly-threaded pass at the goal line to WR Taurus Johnson. You could hear those in attendance chatting about the arm strength Croyle displayed on the two throws.

6:14 PM - Today’s situational point of emphasis (you guested it)...the red zone. Coach Haley talked through the art of the red zone scramble/route adjustment today.

LEARNING TO ADAPT

August 5th - 3:35 PM

Glenn Dorsey is moving from defensive tackle to defensive end. DEs Tamba Hali, Turk McBride and Andy Studebaker are all shifting to outside linebacker roles. DT Tank Tyler is learning how to play a zero and one technique as a nose tackle. There are a number of other players in situations like these across the Chiefs roster, on both sides of the football.

Just how are they adapting? That’s a tough thing to gauge without watching hours of technique on practice film. We’ll know soon enough, once the games get started (yeah, i can’t wait either). For now, however, Coach Haley brings us up to date on the transitions guys are going through.

“I think all the guys are transitioning well,” Haley said of players learning the techniques required in the 3-4 defense.

Here is what he said about specific players today after practice…

On DE Glenn Dorsey: “Obviously, Dorsey just got back out on the field, so we’ve got to watch a little more of him. But today he appeared active and I saw him real disciplined on a couple of plays.”

On LB Tamba Hali: “I think guys are transitioning and getting comfortable. You see guys like Tamba Hali make progress on some things he’s never had to do before.”

On LB Andy Studebaker: “Even Andy Studebaker, who hasn’t ever done anything like that, is dropping (into coverage) and looks like he’s making progress. Turk McBride too.”

The reality is that right now we just don’t know enough yet. These are things that take time to develop and are what training camps are all about.

“At this point, it’s way too early to pass judgement, but I think we’re making progress,” Haley finished. 

BAROMETER RISING: RB JACKIE BATTLE

August 5th - 12:08 PM

The offense, led by the offensive line, felt a wave of energy today at practice. After busting off three solid runs to start team period today, RB Jackie Battle felt the love from his fellow offensive teammates. The boys dressed in white, however, haven’t been the only ones who have picked up on Battle’s solid camp to date. Head coach Todd Haley has seems to have noticed Battle as well.

“I think that Jackie has put himself in a position to suceed,” Haley said following practice. ”He has shown, during these first few days, of anyone on the team that I’d point somebody out as ‘getting it,’ he’s definitely somebody that i would talk about. It’s hard to find a guy of his size and speed. He did everything he could to give himself a chance and now he’s working hard and doing some good things for us.”

Todd Haley and GM Scott Pioli both come from systems that have seen multiple running backs carry the load over the course of a season. Still, when roster spots are decided at the end of camp, the ability to play special teams well can weigh as a large factor. 

“He should have some excellent special teams ability,” Haley said. ”You’ve got a big body guy who can run. Yesterday we had him out at gunner. He would be a tremendous asset to us if he can do some of that.”

Battle will be one to watch once the preseason games kick into full gear. Don’t just watch him running the football though, watch his work on special teams as well. It could be his ability to cover kicks that allow him to log carries in the fall. 

AM PRACTICE OBSERVATIONS

August 5th - 8:44 AM

Today marks five consecutive days of full padded practices.

9:39 AM - Pre-practice, walk-thrus and stretching are complete and we’re in the middle of position drills. Of note today is the return of LB Zach Thomas (a one practice hiatus) and the absense of LB Monty Beisel. LB Mike Vrabel is on the bikes as well.

9:47 AM - One of the great things I’ve noticed about this camp, when comparing to past Chiefs camps, is that veteran players aren’t getting days off from practice. In many previous Chiefs camps (and other camps around the league for that matter), you’ll see veteran players not work two practices in a row during camp. That signals a lack of competition among position groups. We haven’t seen that here. All we’ve seen is rookies pushing veterans and veterans pushing rookies for roster spots. Also, if you’re not practicing, you’re on the sidelines which coach Cedric Smith…which may be more grueling than actually practicing.

10:09 AM - We just witnessed one of the more entertaining WR/DB one-on-one periods of camp, at least from a big-play perspective.

• CB Londen Fryar (son of former NFL WR Inving Fryar) made two excellent plays going up against WR Bobby Engram. The first was jumping in front of an out route for an INT and the second was running stride for stride with Engram down the sideline to record a PBU.
• WR Rodney Wright got loose for a big play today, getting behind the defender once again for a nice TD from 40-50 yards out. He celebrated by hi-fiving one of the fans behind the fence that borders the back of the end zone.
• WR Mark Bradley got loose on a deep passing route and CB Ricardo Colclough logged an INT.

10:12 AM - The offensive line turned in a nice performace against the defensive line during inside run. Hopefully this unit will start to gel with their group back at full strength. 

10:29 AM - I’ve spent a lot of time this camp talking with “The Snapper,” Kendall Gammon. One thing that Gammon says is key for a long snapper is the ability to cover after the snap. It looks like teams coach Steve Hoffman was preaching the importance of coverage to the interior blockers during pass pro today.

10:31 AM - Reps, reps, reps. A bit different today as the receivers are getting multiple reps before taking a breather. WR Devard Darling used the reps to his advantage during 7-on-7 drills by logging three catches on consecutive plays.

10:45 AM - The offensive line has carried some momentum into the first few plays of 11-v-11. There is a lot of energy from this unit after springing RB Jackie Battle loose for a few runs.

10:54 AM - LB Corey Mays caps off things with a nice hit. Off to see what coach has to say. More later.

ANOTHER TWO-FOR-ONE

August 5th - 8:20 AM

The trend stays the same in River Falls today…two practices on the schedule at 8:50 AM and 4:30 PM.

CHIEFS FINDING WINNERS

August 5th - 7:33 AM

The Chiefs signed free agent WR Amani Toomer yesterday. The move bumps up the team’s wide receiving core from nine players to 10. The move increases the total amount of receptions represented on the Chiefs roster by 668. It increases the total receiving yardage by 9,497 and it increases the career TDs on the Chiefs roster by 54. The move also increases another number, from 12 to 13.

13. That’s how many times that players on the Chiefs roster have been part of a Super Bowl team. Amazingly, 10 of those 13 are represented by players signed during the Scott Pioli/Todd Haley era. Toomer, part of the N.Y. Giants Super Bowl XLII squad, is the latest addition.

“We’ll do anything to increase competition,” Haley said about the Toomer signing. “A guy of Amani’s caliber and what he’s done in the league fits that bill.”

Competition breeds success and success breeds more success. Many of the Chiefs roster moves have been about going out and finding proven winners, and letting those winners compete. Put enough winners in a locker room and you’ve got a good shot at generating a winning culture.

Part of building a winning culture isn’t just finding players who want to win. It’s about finding players who know how to win. This teams roster is under reconstruction and it will be for the foreseeable future. Toomer is a player whose background “fits the bill.” He’s another piece of the puzzle and how he is used is to be determined.

QB Matt Cassel (one Super Bowl), WR Bobby Engram (one Super Bowl), LB Monty Beisel (one Super Bowl), LB Mike Vrabel (four Super Bowls), S Mike Brown (one Super Bowl) and Toomer (two Super Bowls) are the players who represent the nine Super Bowls that Pioli has brought in since becoming the Chiefs general manager. Toomer is the 13th. Kind of fitting that the player representing the 13th Super Bowl wore jersey #13 on his first day of practice.

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