Wrapping Up the Chiefs Rookie Mini-Camp

Yesterday morning, the Kansas City Chiefs completed their 2009 rookie mini-camp. Here's a summary of what happened. Click the picture above to browse more photos from camp.

Attendees

33 (Haley actually mentions 34 at one point) players participated in the mini-camp practices over the weekend, with two practices happening on Friday and Saturday and one on Sunday in addition to work on Thursday night. 12 of those players were undrafted free agents the Chiefs signed on Thursday. 8 more of those were the Chiefs' draft picks. 6 more were first year players who were allowed to take part in the practices, along with LS Tanner Purdum and LS Thomas Gafford. Purdum was a grad assistant last year at Baker so he qualifies as a first-year player and I'm not sure why Gafford got to participate. I saw him in a mini-camp picture.

That leaves 6 players that were there without a contract on a try-out basis.

We know two of those try-outs were quarterbacks - Drew Tate and Chase Patton. Yale LB Bobby Abare was also a participant. Bob Gretz also reports on an unknown safety, unknown center and an unknown running back.

That strong safety is likely Duke's Glenn Wiliams, whose agency said he was in KC for a try out on their Twitter page. In fact, I'm sure it's him after reading his Twitter page - "Missing my graduation this weekend make a dream come true w/ the KC chiefs!!"

That unknown center may be University of Nevada's Dominic Green. I haven't found an official confirmation but I think it's pretty good. The source is from another Twitter feed.

It's possible the remaining try-out players came from our rumored UDFA list.

The Chiefs currently have 86 players on the roster and the limit is 80 players under contract. None of the Chiefs' draft picks have signed yet but they're on the roster and allowed to participate in mini-camps. That means the Chiefs have room to sign only a couple try-out players if they so chose to. Of course, once the team's draft picks start signing, there will be some roster adjustments.

Todd Haley said that the Chiefs will be making a decision today on which try-out players to keep.

The (nearly) complete list of rookie mini-camp attendees is after the jump.

Friday, May 8th - Day One Notes

Q&A with Todd Haley

Friday update from Bob Gretz

Important notes:

• The players went through a mini-combine, which included height, weight, measurements, bench press, vertical jump, raw jump, and 40-yard dash
• Haley repeatedly mentioned that the players' heads "were spinning"
• Haley: "“First and foremost, we are trying to orientate them to what we are doing, what to expect to give them (which is) a briefing to what is in store and what is ahead of them, the conditioning, the strength portion, to give them a little taste of the system."

Saturday, May 9th - Day Two Notes

AM practice update from Bob Gretz

Q&As with Tyson Jackson, Alex Magee, Colin Brown and Ryan Succop

Q&A with Todd Haley

Important notes:

• 16 players were on offense and 17 were on defense
• Defense came out in a 3-4 formation
• Defensive line up - Tyson Jackson (LDE), Derek Lokey (NT), Alex Magee (RDE); Darrell Robertson and Pierre Walters (OLB); Jovan Belcher and Corey Smith (ILB); Donald Washington and Londen Fryan (CB); Ricky Price and an uknown player (S)
• Conditioning is an issue for many of the players
• The Chiefs believe 3rd round draft choice Alex Magee can play both defensive tackle and defensive end
• Don't know if they have a kick returner yet

Sunday, May 10th - Day Three Notes

Practice update from Bob Gretz

Q&A with CB Donald Washington

Q&A with Todd Haley

Important notes:

• The team is hoping Brodie Croyle is healthy by the start of training camp (late July)
• CB Donald Washington and UDFA LB Corey Smith are both technically still in school until June so they will not be able to participate in off season training until that time
  
• Haley is frustrated - “Like I said, it’s frustrating for me personally because you have a vision for how you want to practice and the pace at which you practice. We’re going to be a fast-paced group that gets out there and practices hard and fast and efficiently. Again, we only had 34 guys and we only had three receivers in this camp, so if we were in any multiple receiver groups those guys were going every route and they weren’t in the condition that they had to be to be able to function."
• Very vocal practice from the Chiefs' coaches
• Bob Gretz - "When the Chiefs went to a nickel defense,  Lokey came out and was replaced by a cornerback.  That had Jackson and Magee with their hands on the ground and Robertson and Walters standing up as ends."
• Our main man Pierre Walters had a solid pass rush against 5th round pick OT Colin Brown
• The defensive line up was the same as on Saturday

And that's a wrap on the Kansas City Chiefs off season training until May 18th, when everyone will get together for the first time. That is, everyone that wants to be at camp. The only mandatory mini-camp is June 5-7, so it's possible we may see a disgruntled veteran not show up.

For the most part, you can't look too deeply into some of these off season drills, especially with the rookies. You can't take 33 guys who have never played together, put them on the field and expect everything to run smoothly. It just isn't going to happen.

The Chiefs are working on becoming a team now and that intensity will increase when the entire team starts practicing together. Overall, you have to say that a mini-camp with no injuries or other flare ups is a success.

In addition to clicking the picture above to browse our gallery of mini-camp photos, head to the Kansas City Star and NFL.com for more.

*Not sure why Thomas Gafford was at the rookie mini-camp. He's been on practice squads since 2006 so it probably has something to do with the technical designation of being a first-year player.