OTAs Day One Recap from The Mothership
Q: How is dealing with the heat out here?
SMITH: "Yeah, love the heat. It's great work. It's new to me being on the West Coast for a long time, but I love it. Great conditions to practice in. I think it makes the environment tough."
Q: How much more advanced are you now then a year ago?
SMITH: "It's tough to even compare and put into words. You're learning to crawl last year at this time and for the guys that are back and here, obviously it's a night and day difference. The unique thing is that there are new faces though and you have to get them caught up and get them in the mix. That's everybody in the NFL, that's the name of the game. There is turnover from year to year and getting everybody caught up because it takes 11 guys to execute."
KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: OTAs Day One Gallery
KCChiefs.com Video: Phase Three OTAs: Alex Smith
KCChiefs.com Video: Phase Three OTAs: Derrick Johnson
KCChiefs.com Video: Head Coach Andy Reid On NFL Network
LB Houston, CB Flowers Absent On First Day Of OTAs from Chiefs Spin
Defensive tackle Risean Broussard (knee) and wide receiver Kyle Williams (knee) were absent due to injuries. Running back/specialist De'Anthony Thomas' nonattendance didn't cause a stir because of Oregon's quarter system.
The same can't be said over the absence of two Pro Bowl defensive starters: Outside linebacker Justin Houston, who enters the final year of his contract, and Brandon Flowers.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid wasn't available to the media following the afternoon practice. But team spokesman Ted Crews response of "camp is voluntary camp" effectively addressed Houston's and Flowers' absences.
Does Brandon Flowers' No-Show At OTAs Signal The End Of His Days As A Chiefs? from FS Kansas City
While that rookie, Marcus Cooper, became something of a revelation, at least for a couple months, Flowers bit his lip and did the good teammate/good soldier bit. The Chiefs opened with a 9-0 record, so nobody complained much, externally -- No. 24 included. When you're damn near locked into a playoff berth by Election Day, it's not cool to start rocking the boat.
May? May's different.
No shock: Robinson and Lewis are gone now.
And as the spring-slash-summer preseason cycle continued along Lancer Lane -- organized team activities formally got under way Tuesday morning -- Flowers was, too.
No formal reason announced. No explanation on high from the team, prepared or otherwise.
Read into it what you will.
Reid 'Sure' Chiefs Will Re-Sign QB Smith from Yahoo! Sports
"There's open communication between both parties. Now, I'm not in that business anymore -- that's (general manager) John Dorsey's side of it -- but there's been open communication," Reid said. "I've always believed that if there's open communication, then normally good things happen. So, I'm sure something will get done. I can't put a time frame on that, but I'm sure something will get done."
Breakout Stars Of The 2014 NFL Season from USA Today
The Chiefs lacked explosive play makers in their passing offense last year. Yet, the team decided not to add a high draft pick or experienced alternative at wide receiver or tight end.
What the Chiefs will gain this season is a healthy Kelce. The tight end was placed on injured reserve last season after only one game, because he required microfracture knee surgery...
...Andy Reid showed during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles his willingness to feature the tight end, if a talented one was on the roster (Chad Lewis, L.J. Smith and Brent Celek). Reid now has a talented target at the position with the Chiefs in Kelce.
Daphne's Ryan McKee Returns To NFL With Kansas City Chiefs from AL.com
Former Daphne High School standout Ryan McKee is back in the NFL after signing with the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday. McKee was the only player among the 35 free agents at the Chiefs' minicamp over the weekend who was signed by the team.
An offensive lineman, McKee spent the 2013 season as a graduate-assistant coach at North Carolina.
RB Charcandrick West Welcomes Challenge Ahead from Chiefs Spin
Undrafted rookie free agents don't have a guarantee of making an NFL roster or practice squad.
Considering the odds these players must overcome, it's no surprise they often aim to make the absolute most of the opportunity.
Former Abilene Christian University halfback Charcandrick West, who signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent, seeks to do exactly that.
Three In The Kee: The Common Theme From Chiefs' Rookie Minicamp Is Speed, Baby from FS Kansas City
The little kids table can bring it, too. In a hurry.
If there was a theme to the Kansas City Chiefs' Memorial Day weekend rookie minicamp, a trend, it could be boiled down to one word: Speed.
After four losses to division rivals (and playoff peers) Denver and San Diego on the ledger last fall, general manager John Dorsey vowed that his charges would get faster in 2014. Media and observers around the team's training complex got a chance to really see that vision, for the first time, in the flesh, as first-year and some second-year players scrimmaged Saturday through Monday.
First-round pick Dee Ford? Burner. Third-round pick Philip Gaines? Burner. Fourth-round pick De'Anthony Thomas? SUPER burner. And they weren't the only ones, either ...
Andy Reid's $2.3M Villanova Home On The Market from CBS Philly
Former Eagles head coach Andy Reid's Villanova home is up for sale. The Main Line abode hit the market with a $2.3 million asking price.
The home was built in 1999 and has features that will be sure to garner some high profile interest.
Andy Reid On Alex Smith's Contract: Something Will Get Done from ProFootballTalk
Although he's entering his 10th NFL season, Smith just turned 30 this month. There's no reason he can't be running Reid's offense for several more years.
San Francisco 49ers At Forefront Of Redshirting Trend In NFL Draft from NFL.com
Aaron Murray, QB, Kansas City Chiefs: The other SEC quarterback to suffer a late-season ACL tear, Murray participated in minicamp last weekend and reported that he wasn't limited. Still, he's likely to be inactive most weeks -- behind Alex Smith and Chase Daniel -- as he works his way back. Andy Reid's history of developing QBs makes Murray one to watch going forward.