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Practice Update 8/24 A.M.
August 24, 2009 - Bob Gretz | Comments (2)
From the Truman Sports Complex
Todd Haley told his team last week that leaving Wisconsin did not mean the end of training camp. It was just a change of venue.
If they doubted the coach’s words, the players found out Monday morning what Haley was talking about. In the first of two practices on the day, the Chiefs were in full pads. They wrapped up the session with three plays of live goal line action.
That proved a not so good moment for the offense. From the location where the media is allowed to watch practice, it was hard to decipher whether the ball crossed the goal line; even if it did, the offense had a rough go. On the first play, RB Larry Johnson ran wide left and was suddenly brought down by a speading missle wearing No. 49, SS Bernard Pollard. On the second play, Johnson leaped over the middle of the pile and somewhere in going up or coming down, he lost the football. Pollard ended up with it and took off running in the other direction.
On the third play, Jackie Battle ran behind left tackle, but he too coughed up the football at some point. It was recovered by the defense.
“It was a little bit of a slow start, but we picked it up as we went and it ended up being a fairly competitive, productive practice,” said Haley. “We can’t have practice start like that ever, if we expect to be any good.”
The Chiefs are in the process of finalizing a trade with the Miami Dolphins that will bring offensive linemen Andy Alleman and Ikechuku Ndukwend to the team. If they pass physicals they will join the roster on Monday. Alleman is a third-year player who entered the league in 2007 with New Orleans out of the University of Akron. He started five games for the Dolphins at guard last season. Ndukwend started 15 games at guard for the Dolphins last season. He’sout of Northwestern and the Chiefs will be the fifth team of his NFL career.
To open up a roster spot, the Chiefs released OLB Vince Redd.
Other moments, details and stuff from the morning workout:
– Still no arrowheads on the helmets for Haley. OLB Mike Vrabel did have one crumpted arrowhead on his helmet, likely a leftover from last Friday night’s game. It was no longer on Vrabel’s helmet in the locker room after practice. Haley has said when players make the team, they arrowheads will go back on their helmets.
- Only two players were in No Man’s Land of injury rehab: ILB Zach Thomas and RB Kolby Smith. Returning to practice were QB Tyler Thigpen and G Tavares Washington. Rookie G Colin Brown was late arriving for the morning session, but did take part.
- When the No. 1 defense went out, first-round draft choice Tyson Jackson lined up at LDE, instead of Alfonso Boone. It’s the first time since he signed his contract and reported to camp that Jackson has lined up with the base defense.
- Jackson also has duties during practice, and that’s delivering a cup of Gatorade to the head coach during one of the breaks in the workout. Did not look like he spilled a drop on Monday.
- Still working at RT with the No. 1 offense was Barry Richardson. At WR, Terrance Copper and Devard Darling were still running with the first team.
- Here’s how the No. 2 line was arranged from left to right: Herb Taylor, Darryl Harris, Wade Smith, Tavares Washington and Damion McIntosh.
- In their situation period, the Chiefs worked on a quick kick out of a FG formation. K Ryan Succop did a nice job, as one of his punts rolled to the goal line and the other went out of bounds around the eight-yard line.
- Leggett had an interception of QB Matt Gutierrez on a tipped ball.
- Vrabel continues to be very vocal. On a 3rd-and-7 play, Darling moved before the snap and Vrabel let him here it. “Careful Devard, that’s a 3rd-and-7 to a 3rd-and-12,” Vrabel said.
- Working as punt returners were CB Maurice Leggett, RB Dantrell Savage and WR Rodney Wright.