Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 4/19

Chiefs Break Minicamp With Offensive Line In Flux from KC Star

The next time the full squad gathers for a practice session, in the middle of May, the Chiefs will have a different look to their offensive line.

Luke Joeckel will be their left tackle, assuming the Chiefs use the first pick in the upcoming draft on the Texas A&M lineman. Branden Albert, who skipped the mini-camp, is still on their roster, though the Chiefs have talked to the Dolphins about a trade that would send him to Miami.

Then there's the unsigned Ryan Lilja, who said at the end of last season he would retire. Lilja had surgeries on his knee and toe after the season and is in the rehab stage, but the Chiefs have asked him to reconsider. He could rejoin them in time for training camp this summer.

Alex Smith: "Every Day Is A Sprint" from The Mothership

The last three days have come and nearly gone as fast as the pace at practice; however, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and his staff prepared the team ahead of time, enabling the players for a very productive week.

"The way we went about it was, we installed the last couple weeks and we took it slow, took the eight days to do the install and then we came back and we're repeating those things that we had meetings on, the first couple weeks," coach Reid said. "So, they're hearing it a second time; they're digesting it and we're asking them to go out at a rapid fire pace, calling plays, getting up to the line of scrimmage and executing."

Reid Says Dolphins Can Talk With Albert's Agent from KC Star

Andy Reid on Thursday night clarified his comment from earlier in the day, saying the Chiefs have given the Miami Dolphins permission to negotiate a contract with the agent for left tackle Branden Albert. Earlier in the day, Reid denied a report the Chiefs had given the Dolphins permission to talk to Albert.

Reid said Thursday night that the Chiefs, while allowing Albert's agent to negotiate with the Dolphins, have denied the Dolphins the opportunity to contact Albert himself or give him a physical examination.

KCChiefs.com Video: Reid On Return To Philly

Chiefs 2013 Schedule Announced from The Mothership

Season tickets are available now for as low as $25 per game. Partial-plan ticket packages and group tickets go on sale to Jackson County residents on Monday, April 22 at 9 a.m. and to the general public on Wednesday, April 24 at 9 a.m.

Draft Spotlight - Day 26: Montee Ball from The Mothership

Defenses keyed on stopping Ball and Wisconsin fell short in two of its five first games. The second half of the season was a different story for Montee, who finished the regular season with 356 carries for 1,830 yards and 22 TDs, earning First-Team All-American honors and the Doak Walker trophy, awarded to the nation's best running back.

He closed out his Badgers career with 24 carries for 100 yards and one TD, during the 20-14 loss to the Stanford Cardinal in the Rose Bowl. He added one reception for seven yards in the loss. Ball left Wisconsin on a high note, the NCAA record holder for most career TDs (83).

Branden Albert, Dolphins Can Talk from ESPN

Albert, who lives in Miami, is expected to visit the Dolphins' facility in the next couple of days for a physical, a source told ESPN's John Clayton. However, Reid said the Chiefs have not given permission to the Dolphins to visit with Albert, give him a physical or speak with him directly because the two sides have not made any substantive progress on talks.

Reid later attributed the miscommunication to not fully comprehending a brief discussion with general manager John Dorsey, who had told the coach that there had been no communication between the involved parties for "a couple of days."

Andy Reid's Return On Tap In Week 3 from Delaware Online

The three-game stretch will conclude on a Thursday night in perhaps the most anticipated home game of the season, when the Eagles will face the Kansas City Chiefs in the return of former coach Andy Reid, who was fired after the 2012 season after 14 seasons with the Eagles.

It should be an intriguing matchup because both teams should be much improved from last season. It certainly will be emotional for Reid and Eagles fans.

Miami Dolphins Working On Deal For Chiefs Offensive Lineman Branden Albert from The Miami Herald

NFL Network's Mike Mayock said on a Thursday conference call that he would advise against most teams pursuing Albert but believes it's a good idea for the Dolphins. "Miami has already pushed the chips out there, but you can't compete without a left tackle," he said. "Miami is one of the teams that has to stand up and go get him."

Draft Not Sexy, Yet Unpredictable... Well, After Tackles Are Gone from CBS Sports

Texas A&M left tackle Luke Joeckel will be the first name called next week. According to numerous league sources, the Chiefs are locked in on him, barring anything unforeseen, after also strongly considering Central Michigan left tackle Eric Fisher. But Joeckel has played in a tougher conference and is a safer pick, and in a league where first-time general managers is becoming the rule (especially guys with college backgrounds), you are going to see a lot of clubs deferring to the safest guy (more on that later, when we delve into the guards).

Carrying Sunday Into The Work Week from The Leaven

As chief financial officer for the Kansas City Chiefs, Dan Crumb constantly works with figures in the financial sense.

But other key figures - from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to the saints - factor just as importantly into his days.
"Everything I do has a faith-based component to it," said Crumb, a parishioner of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Leawood.

Chiefs' Alex Smith Getting Warm-Up With Next Team from The Associated Press via Stow Sentry

The last couple weeks have been all about dry-erase boards, hours of game tape and seemingly endless time in a classroom at the Kansas City Chiefs' practice facility.

The last three days? They have been a bit more fun for Alex Smith.

The new quarterback of the Chiefs finally got to spend some time on the field with coach Andy Reid and his new teammates, even if it came during a voluntary three-day minicamp -- without pads, in the middle of April, in the echoing quiet of an indoor practice facility.

Pros, Cons For Branden Albert To Dolphins from ESPN

The Miami Dolphins appear one step closer to filling their vacant left tackle position. According to ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton, Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Branden Albert was given permission to visit Miami's team facility to meet with the Dolphins and take a physical. A trade could potentially commence soon after.

Is Albert a good match for the Dolphins? Let's examine the pros and cons.

Texans Schedule Looks Promising from The Houston Chronicle

OCTOBER

A bye week and two virtual bye weeks - home for the Rams and at Kansas City (OK, the Chiefs might not be a walkover) - should set the Texans up for a solid month.

On Schedule, Minicamp And More from PhiladelphiaEagles.com

It's an early litmus test for the Eagles and a chance for them to establish something in the division, on the road, and in front of a national television audience.

Beyond the opener, the early portion of the schedule is challenging -- and fascinating. The Chargers come to town to open Lincoln Financial Field on September 15 and then Andy Reid and the much-improved Kansas City Chiefs play in Philadelphia on Thursday, September 19 in a game televised on the NFL Network.

What Does 2013 Schedule Tell Us? from ESPN

How will they react to Reid, who led the Eagles to five NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl but never delivered what has eluded the organization: a Lombardi Trophy? The Eagles went 12-20 in Reid's final two years. His play calling and clock management throughout his tenure irritated fans. Reid didn't run the ball enough with Brian Westbrook or LeSean McCoy. He stuck with McNabb too long. He entrusted Michael Vick too much. And Reid never found an adequate replacement for the masterful Jim Johnson, his defensive coordinator who died prior to the 2009 season.

Change was overdue in Philadelphia. The fans at Lincoln Financial Field likely will politely applaud Reid when his Kansas City Chiefs take the field, and then howl -- and cheer if he calls three straight passing plays for Alex Smith on first-and-goal from the 1-yard line.

Geno Smith Isn't Great, But He's Good Enough To Be A First-Round Pick In NFL Draft That Lacks Star Quarterbacks from The NY Daily News

In each of the last four NFL drafts, a quarterback went first overall, and his dominance was established well before Draft Night. But Smith is hardly viewed with similar reverence; he could duplicate Andrew Luck next season, or he could be the next JaMarcus Russell. It's no wonder the Kansas City Chiefs, owners of this year's first overall selection, filled their QB void months ago, trading for Alex Smith in late February.

NFL Draft: Team-By-Team Draft Capsules from The Associated Press via The Washington Post

LAST SEASON: What didn't go wrong? They matched worst record in franchise history, had player involved in murder-suicide during season, and went through nasty fan rebellion that resulted in team owner Clark Hunt cleaning house after it was all over. Romeo Crennel has been replaced by longtime Eagles coach Andy Reid, and longtime Packers executive John Dorsey took over for general manager Scott Pioli.

Martin Mayhew: Detroit Lions Won't Trade Up To No. 1 from NFL.com

Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew met with reporters Thursday to talk shop ahead of next week's 2013 NFL Draft, and he put some gossip to bed quickly.

"There's a lot of rumors and speculation -- we're gonna trade up to No. 1 -- which is not going to happen," Mayhew said, in a light-hearted jab at ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper, who argued this week that the Lions should swap into the Kansas City Chiefs' top overall spot to land Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner.

2013 NFL Schedule: Colts, Steelers Have Good Roads To Playoffs; Not The Case For Vikings, Saints from The Sporting News

Can Kansas City do what Indy just did-go from having the first overall pick in the draft to ascending into AFC playoff position? You bet. Other than the mighty Broncos in the West and Andy Reid going through the entire NFC East again-including Chip Kelly's Eagles Week in 3-there are many winnable games with which to pad a wild-card resume. The first half of the season, through Week 9 and before their Week 10 bye, is quite kind.

Twelve Intriguing Regular-Season Games from ProFootballTalk

Chiefs at Broncos (Nov. 17) - Who's going to push Denver in the AFC West? Kansas City might have the best shot. Let's see how the Chiefs measure up.

Brandon George: Game-By-Game Analysis Of Dallas Cowboys 2013 NFL Schedule from The Dallas Morning News

The Cowboys will see a familiar face in new KC coach Andy Reid in the Chiefs' home opener. This will be a homecoming game for former Chiefs CB Brandon Carr. Cowboys WR Miles Austin certainly remembers Dallas' last trip to Kansas City in 2009, when he enjoyed a breakout game with a franchise-record 250 receiving yards and catching the winning TD in overtime.

The 25 Games On The 2013 NFL Schedule We Can't Wait To See from USA Today

12. Chiefs at Eagles, Sept. 19: Wear earmuffs, Andy Reid ... though there's a fair chance your new team will be much better than your previous one in 2013.

It Looks Like Yet Another 8-8 Season For Cowboys from The San Antonio Express

Sept. 15 at Kansas City: Andy Reid will make the Chiefs better, but the Cowboys have too much offensive firepower for a team that finished 20th in defense last season. (1-1)

In The FCS Huddle: Teammates Pass Each Other On Draft Board from KARE 11

It's not the case with former Georgia Southern standouts Brent Russell and J.J. Wilcox, who were like two ships passing in the night of their senior season in the opinions of NFL teams...

"...People know about me," added Russell, who has visited with the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. "It's just going to come down to who wants to pull the trigger and take a chance on an FCS defensive tackle that might be a bit short" (he laughs).