Babb: Rookie cornerback Washington unable to come to camp

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs notebook: Rookie cornerback Washington unable to come to camp

Rookie still can’t join the team

Cornerback Donald Washington, the Chiefs’ fourth-round draft pick, remains unable to join the team until after the June 14 graduation ceremonies at Ohio State University, where Washington played three seasons.

NCAA rules prohibit underclassmen — Washington was a junior in 2008 — from joining NFL teams before their school’s commencement, and Ohio State’s ceremony is later than many schools.

Chiefs coach Todd Haley said Friday that it leaves Washington, who was the only player missing on the first day of a three-day mandatory minicamp, at a disadvantage. While other rookies are adjusting to NFL speed and intensity, Washington is falling behind.

“It’s always been a bit of a juggling issue,” Haley said. “I’ve been on plenty of teams that have had those guys. I’ve been the coach who has had to stay behind on vacation to work with a guy that has come in late. Not the best job, but it usually falls on the lower-rung guys. I’ve been there multiple times. Is it a hurdle? Yeah, it’s a hurdle for sure.”

Haley said coaches have been talking often with Washington about preparation, workouts and things he can do to reduce his learning curve when he finally joins the Chiefs.

Haley proud of team’s weight loss

The Chiefs have lost a combined 338 pounds during offseason workouts, which Haley said is more than twice what he would consider to be a normal amount of weight loss as a team works its way back into playing condition.

“Now, we were out of shape,” he said. “I’m happy about the way, physically, the team is starting to look and shape up.”

Haley said most NFL teams lose about 125-150 pounds a year.

Injury report

Running back Kolby Smith, quarterback Brodie Croyle and defensive linemen Glenn Dorsey and Ron Edwards performed rehab and conditioning work Friday and did not perform team drills.

[-King-]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Gotta appreciate the kid not withdrawing and actually graduating.

He's a junior. He's not graduating.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Uncle_Ted]

Ohio State's quarter system is teh ghey ... they don't even start Fall classes til the 3rd or 4th week of football season.

http://www.ureg.ohio-state.edu/ourwe...nt/bigcal.html

[orange]

A lot of that weight loss isn't from out-of-shape players; several defensive linemen are trimming down to play new positions. It looks worse than it is.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Why is Dorsey injured?

[whoman69]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

I always thought the chiefs looked slow and out of shape, especially compared to the elite teams. I'm loving this conditioning routine. Now they might actually look formidable out on the field.
Posted via Mobile Device

I saw Herm on NFL network this week when they were in camp with the Jets. It looked like the only thing getting worked was Herm's mouth.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Uncle_Ted

Ohio State's quarter system is teh ghey ... they don't even start Fall classes til the 3rd or 4th week of football season.

http://www.ureg.ohio-state.edu/ourwe...nt/bigcal.html

I've gone on a semester system as an undergrad and a quarter system as a grad student. It's good and bad at the same time. It's pretty sweet because you get to take more classes you want to take and the finals aren't as brutal because you have a lot less material to cover. It's also sweet because you get to enjoy the end of the summer while other programs have to go back early. It blows, though, when it's May and early June, sunny and awesome, and you still have to go to classes. Worse, recruiters HATE it because they have to give you a different start date than other people, especially for internships where most people work a similar timetable.