Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 8/22

8/21 Practice Report from The Mothership

Chiefs fans can breathe a sigh of relief as the team prepares for its third preseason matchup on Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings.

After injuring his foot while moving out of the Missouri Western State University dorms in St. Joseph, running back Jamaal Charles returned to the practice field with the Chiefs on Thursday.

In a rather peculiar sight, Charles took his first practice reps in a week with secondary team units as Knile Davis continued to practice with the first team. As to why this was the case, Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton provided some insight.

Fresh Takes: 8/21 Practice from The Mothership

Bob Sutton

On the increased number of penalties in the preseason: "We've told the players: ‘We've got to adjust as this is going to continue.' That just means you're going to have to be very diligent with your technique, you're going to have to respect the five-yard rule which has always been a rule anyway and just know that it's like any game even before the enforcement of this rule was upped a little bit. Any time you're in a game, whether they're calling holding, whatever it is, you have to understand the officials you're dealing with and you got to adjust. You can complain all you'd like but they got the flag and if they're going to call them that way, you have to adjust in the game."

QB Smith Expects Offense To Execute from The Mothership

After practice on Wednesday in an exclusive interview, Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith talked about play calling and how to evaluate the offense as a whole, including the first team, when the entire playbook isn't being used during the preseason.

"It's never fun to go out there and kind of hamstring yourself by not being able to run all your stuff," Smith said. "But at the same point, I've played long enough. You'd love to throw a ton of touchdowns every time you're out there-but in two weeks, they wipe the slate clean and no one really cares how many touchdowns you throw or how many games you win in the preseason.

"So, there is some gamesmanship there and I definitely understand that and don't mind it. It's not bad to save some stuff and have it ready for the season and not show some things. You kind of have to make do. It's kind of like a double-edged sword a little bit when you are going out there and you got to execute with what you're working with and sometimes it's not everything."

Chiefs Trade Rishaw Johnson To Buccaneers For Kelcie McCray from The Mothership

McCray (6-1, 205) played in 15 games last season with the Miami Dolphins (4) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11). He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Dolphins in 2012 before being claimed via waivers by Tampa Bay on Oct. 2, 2013. He owns seven tackles, one for loss, one pass defensed and a fumble recovery.

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: 8/21 Practice

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Kelcie McCray

KCChiefs.com Video: Practice Report: 8/21

KCChiefs.com Video: Training Camp 8/21: Bob Sutton

KCChiefs.com Video: Training Camp 8/21: Dave Toub

KCChiefs.com Video: Derrick Johnson: The Longhorn Years

Chiefs Cornerbacks Adjusting Technique To Combat Penalties from Chiefs Spin

Yellow flags decorating a football field is commonplace through two preseason games, especially when it comes to illegal contact and defensive holding.

And the penalties are eye-popping when compared to the 2013 preseason, captured best in a tweet from Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports Network:

Beleaguered Chiefs Secondary Adjusting To Rules from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

Sean Smith backpedalled into the end zone with the scout-team wide receiver, careful not to lay a hand on him. When the quarterback let go of the ball, the Chiefs' cornerback quickly jumped on it, snapping it away for an easy interception.

It was perfect coverage. Perfect technique.

It was an important play for Smith to make in more ways than one.

No Firm Decision On Chiefs' Starting CBs from Chiefs Spin

The Chiefs have stayed true to its word since the final week of training camp in St. Joseph, Mo., with a first-team rotation of Marcus Cooper, Sean Smith and Ron Parker.

And the scenario won't change even as the Chiefs enter the third preseason game, which is often viewed as a dress rehearsal for the regular season when considering how deep into the contest starters play.

Chiefs Need Joe Mays To Return Quickly from ESPN

The plans the Chiefs had for Mays may have to be put on hold now that he's having surgery on his injured wrist. There's no word yet on when Mays might return, so the Chiefs need to prepare for the possibility he won't be available when the regular season begins on Sept. 7 against the Tennessee Titans at Arrowhead Stadium.

Chiefs send Guard Rishaw Johnson To Bucs Foe Safety Kelcie McCray from The Associated Press via FOX Sports

McCray entered the league with Miami as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas State. He's appeared in 15 games over the past two seasons with the Dolphins and Buccaneers.

The Chiefs are desperate for help at safety, particularly with Eric Berry still dealing with a nagging heel injury.

Cassel Isn't Worried About Reception From Chiefs Fans from The Minneapolis Star Tribune

"I'm excited to go back to Kansas City," he said. "I've got a lot of close family friends there. We enjoyed our time there. My three children were born there. So I've got a lot of good memories in Kansas City. It will be fun."

Cassel, who still has a home in Kansas City, said he has no "ill will" toward the Chiefs.

"I've moved on," he said. "They've moved on."

We'll see about the latter.

After Chiefs, Cassel Turned Career Around from ESPN

"He'd had some struggles in Kansas City, but he went to the Pro Bowl one year with them," Spielman said. "He came through that whole system with Tom Brady (in New England). That kind of set him apart -- not only the abilities he had, but the experience and the knowledge."

Seventeen months later, as Cassel returns to Kansas City for the Vikings' preseason game this weekend, he has taken a circuitous -- and sometimes bizarre -- route back to the fraternity of NFL starting quarterbacks.

Meet The Enemy: 5 Questions On The Kansas City Chiefs from Daily Norseman

We're two days away from the kickoff of the all-important Game 3 of the NFL preseason. The starters play the longest, the bubble players do their best to survive the first round of cuts, and the fans read into the results even more than usual.

Joel Thorman, the NFL League Manager for SB Nation and Editor for Chiefs blog Arrowhead Pride, was kind enough to answer some questions about Kansas City leading up to the game. Our Q&A is below.

Chiefs Mascot Settles After Zip-Line Mishap from Kansas City Business Journal

Dan Meers, who is better known as Kansas City Chiefs mascot KC Wolf, reached a settlement with a team vendor after a zip-line routine gone wrong.

Meers, who has been the team's mascot since its inception 24 years ago, suffered injuries Nov. 23, 2013, while rehearsing a stunt before the Chiefs played the San Diego Chargers.

Chiefs' Mascot Reaches Settlement from ESPN

Attorney Tim Dollar said in a news release that Meers is still recovering and is talking with the Chiefs about a modified role as KC Wolf in the future.

Meers has performed as KC Wolf since the Chiefs adopted the mascot 24 years ago.

Forbes: Kansas City Chiefs Rank 24th In NFL For Franchise Value from Kansas City Business Insider

The Kansas City Chiefs are worth $1.11 billion dollars, but that's only enough to rank 24th in the National Football League, according to a list from Forbes magazine.

The No. 24 ranking in 2014 has the team dropping four spots compared to their 2013 valuation.

Offseason Academies Keep NFL Players In Shape from The State

This past offseason, Chiefs offensive lineman Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson could have made like a couple of college kids on spring break, sleeping 'til noon and then hitting the beach.

Instead, they rose with the sun and worked until they dropped.

You see, Allen and Stephenson joined a growing number of players taking part in offseason camps and academies, often organized and run by former NFL players.

What's That Sound? It's Chiefs Fans, Attempting To Set A Guinness World Record - Again from FS Kansas City

To paraphrase that ancient philosopher Jim Croce, you don't tug on Superman's cape. You don't spit into the wind. You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger.

And you don't -- do not -- challenge a Kansas City Chiefs fan to an insane screaming contest.

"The Sea of Red will rise up and smash the current record by a huge number," Tim VanderPol says, releasing a little of his inner Churchill. "It will never be broken again."

No Shock That Johnson Made Top 100 List from ESPN

The Kansas City Chiefs have landed their first player on ESPN's ranking of the NFL's top 100 offensive and defensive players. Inside linebacker Derrick Johnsonchecks in at No. 62.

I can't say that Johnson is or isn't underrated on this list. These rankings are always so subjective and I find it almost impossible to compare someone at Johnson's position to, say, a cornerback or nose tackle.

Draft Strategy: Fabs' One-Man, Five-Round Mock Draft from NFL.com

3. Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs: Charles is coming off the best season of his career, recording 70 receptions, 1,980 scrimmage yards, 19 total touchdowns and 308 fantasy points. Whether he can duplicate his top status among running backs remains to be seen, but at age 27 he's still in his "salad days." Look for Charles to remain the focus of Andy Reid's offensive attack.

WR Hammond Jr. Steps Into Prominent Role For Chiefs from KC Star via The Columbia Daily Tribune

Frankie Hammond Jr. spent 18 weeks on the Chiefs practice squad last season and impersonated some of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

Dez Bryant one week, DeSean Jackson the next. Victor Cruz one week, Wes Welker the next.

This week, in the most important role of his career, he's Dwayne Bowe.

2014 Draft Prep: The WR Landscape from CBS Sports

The Chiefs are going to be in much more competitive games compared to last year, and Alex Smith will need Bowe. You won't see more downfield passes because that's not Smith's strength, but Bowe should build off last year's disappointing campaign. He can't get any worse, even with the one-game suspension.

Ranking Every Primetime Game On The 2014 NFL Schedule from Awful Announcing

51. Chiefs at Raiders (Nov. 20, NFLN): Does anybody expect Oakland to be in contention at this point? And frankly, Kansas City might be merely fighting for a wild-card spot at best at this stage. Just another Thursday nighter that doesn't have a special feel to it even though it is a decent rivalry game.