Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 4/23

Diet, Exercise And Offseason Training from The Mothership

During the offseason, many of the players continue to train and prepare to get back on the field.Derrick Johnson and Jamaal Charles worked out at The University of Texas, while Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson did some work in Arizona. Eric Berry was back in Florida, working out on the beach from time to time, while Alex Smith was in California.

"You really have to be kind of self-driven in your offseason," Alex Smith explained. "You have to be able to take advantage of that time. You can't sit and do nothing. Everybody kind of goes their own direction and has to find what fits for them. Coaches, strength and conditioning, all that stuff included, you kind of have to be your own coach and put those things together for yourself."

Chiefs View Volunteer Workouts As Priority from The Mothership

"A lot of these guys, you haven't seen for a few months, so you get to put your eyes on them and see if they've been working and you have a pretty good idea," coach Reid said. "You give them an opportunity to get in there and get busy. Before we blink, we're going to be in training camp; that's how this thing works and then, you're out of camp and you're in that first preseason game and then boom, you're right into the season. It's exciting."

While the team's offseason workouts are voluntary, coach Reid says the players in attendance can benefit from the extra time in the building.

Alex Smith Says His Agent Has Contacted Kansas City Chiefs About Contract Extension from Sports Illustrated

"I've played long enough, going into year 10 now, it's all year-to-year in my mind anyway at this point," said Smith. "You've got to continually prove yourself. I don't think it changes anything as far as my mindset or approach to the game."

The Chiefs could add a quarterback in the middle rounds of the 2014 NFL draft as insurance, but if they are confident in Smith and believe they can get a deal, then they may wait to see how Tyler Bray develops this offseason before deciding what to do at back up.

Notes: QB Smith Still Waiting For Extension from ESPN

There's no urgency on the part of the Chiefs to get the deal done. Smith is under contract for this season and the Chiefs don't need to create room under the salary cap to get through this season.

A new deal sooner rather than later might benefit Smith, who had a nice first season for the Chiefs as their starting quarterback. He finished the season with a flourish. Smith's numbers got better over the second half of the season and then he completed 30 of 46 for 378 yards and four touchdowns in the playoff loss to Indianapolis.

Preseason Schedule Nearing Completion from ESPN

The third game on the preseason schedule is usually the featured contest. That is the one in which the starters generally play the longest, so Chiefs fans will be treated to the best that exhibition football has to offer when the Vikings come to Arrowhead. If he's still Minnesota's regular quarterback by then, Matt Cassel will start in Kansas City that night for the first time since being benched at halftime of the Chiefs' 28-6 loss to Cincinnati on Nov. 18, 2012.

Reid Comfortable With Offensive Line Mix from ESPN

To say the Kansas City Chiefs weren't concerned when three offensive linemen walked out the door in the moments after the free-agent signing period began wouldn't be accurate. But they certainly didn't go into a panic mode. This was part of their plan.

The Chiefs have tried to fortify at the five line positions in recent seasons. They drafted center Rodney Hudson in 2011, guard Jeff Allen and tackle Donald Stephenson the next April and tackle Eric Fisher last year. They also signed a developmental prospect, guard Rishaw Johnson, last year.

Those are the probable starters next season.

No Clowning: Kony Ealy Says He's The Best Defensive End from USA Today

Kansas City Chiefs: They could be in the market for a five-technique such as Notre Dame's Stephon Tuitt to take over for departed Jackson on their three-man line. Beefing up the rotation is a priority regardless.

Alex Smith In Contract Extension Talks With Chiefs from CBS Sports

But there's not much to worry about really. Andy Reid likes Smith, who will turn 30 in early May. The Chiefs gave up two second-round picks to the 49ers for the former No. 1 overall pick and surely that wasn't with the intent of getting two years of production.

Farinella: NFL Taking Hype To New Level from The Attleboro Sun Chronicle

We've known who the Patriots will be playing since the end of the 2013 season. At home, they'll entertain the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. On the road, they'll visit the Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.

Aside from the Denver game (a rematch of last year's AFC Championship Game), the home schedule is a little bit of a dud. I'm far more intrigued by the road games against the Packers, Colts and Chiefs - the latter being the second career game for North Attleboro's Anthony Sherman against the Patriots, and he's 1-0 against them.

As A Prequel To The world Cup, Panel Of Experts To Discuss "Is The USA Becoming A Soccer Country?" from Washington University In St. Louis

Grant Wahl, senior writer at Sports Illustrated and an analyst for Fox Soccer, and Clark Hunt, chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs and a founding investor in Major League Soccer, are among the panelists. The discussion will be at 7 p.m. Monday, May 5, in 
Graham Chapel on the university's Danforth Campus.

Alex Smith Says Extension Talks Are Underway from ProFootballTalk

If there's no deal before the draft, the Chiefs may give a signal about the chances of reaching one during the selection process. If they don't add a quarterback or pick a late-round developmental prospect, it will show confidence that Smith will be back in 2015 one way or another. If they pick a quarterback earlier, it would suggest they are leaving their options open in regard to a future with a different quarterback running the offense.

Building The Best Under-25 Team In The NFL from CBS Sports

Defensive tackle: Dontari Poe, Chiefs -- He is a power run player in the middle of the Kansas City defense. He is 23.

Miami Dolphins Sign Punter Matt Szymanski from The Sun-Sentinel

Szymanski, who has experience as a kicker and punter, was signed to the Kansas City Chiefs training camp roster, and was actually put on the practice squad last year.