Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 5/27

Chiefs OTA Observations 5/26: Day One in the Books from The Mothership

Nuts and Bolts of Tuesday's practice:

Players not in attendance: Allen Bailey, Husain Abdullah, Daniel Sorensen, Eric Berry, Tyler Bray, Demetrius Harris and Justin Houston.

There's no live contact allowed, but the team did work through 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.

In offensive versus defensive drills, there was a level of competitiveness that showed how excited these guys were at getting back on the field.

While there appeared to be first team offenses and defenses, Chiefs coach Andy Reid says they'll rotate through a lot of guys.

What We Learned from Day One OTA Press Conferences from The Mothership

Andy Reid listed the current injuries (Demetrius Harris, Jarrod Pughsley) the Chiefs are dealing with.

On Harris: Harris had to have surgery on the same foot that was injured last season. 

"The natural grafting that takes place when you put a screw in there didn't take place, so they went in, they grafted it, they represented a screw and the bones there, and we'll see how he does. They feel pretty confident about this."

On Pughsley: "(Jarrod) Pughsley had a hamstring strain. It happened last week. It doesn't look like it's to bad, so I'm sure he'll be back out."

Chiefs coach Andy Reid Gives Update on Safety Eric Berry from The Mothership

"He's been through all the treatments," Reid explained. "Now the doctor's going to sit down with him and go over exactly what the results of that are. We don't have that. Eric doesn't have it quite yet.

"Everything up to this point has been very positive from the doctor and from Eric, so I think we're headed in the right direction."

Alex Smith Announces Partnership with Cornerstones of Care from The Mothership

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith announced that his Alex Smith Foundation is partnering with Cornerstones of Care to support foster youth in pursuit of higher education at a graduation celebration for foster children last Thursday at Arrowhead Stadium.

"I think to start, this program was here and running and there are just so many mutual values that we have together," Smith explained after speaking to the children in attendance at the ceremony. "My family's home now and wanted to be a part of it and wanted to do something and this is something that we're very serious about and very passionate about, especially these foster youth that are aging out of the system."

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Phase Three OTA Offseason Workouts Day 1

KCChiefs.com Video: Chiefs Feel Energetic after First Day of Phase 3

KCChiefs.com Video: Press Conference: Andy Reid

KCChiefs.com Video: Press Conference: Alex Smith

KCChiefs.com Video: Press Conference: Derrick Johnson

KCChiefs.com Video: Press Conference: Jamaal Charles

KCChiefs.com Video: Press Conference: Tamba Hali

KCChiefs.com Video: Press Conference: Jeremy Maclin

Chiefs S Eric Berry finished with cancer treatments from Chiefs Digest

The Chiefs have maintained communications with Berry throughout the offseason, including a visit in January from team chairman and CEO Clark Hunt and general manager John Dorsey.

Reid and head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder have also kept in touch with Berry.

Whether Berry is able to return to the football field in 2015 remains to be seen, but the Chiefs are more concerned about the overall health of the All-Pro strong safety.

Chiefs' Berry has finished cancer treatment, now awaiting results from FS Kansas City

Eric Berry has battled his tail off for three rounds. Then five.

All that's left now is the judges' scorecard.

"He's going to get his big end-of-school exam here," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Tuesday of Berry, the Kansas City safety reportedly undergoing the final phase of treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma.

"So he's been through all the treatments, and now the doctor's going to sit down with him and go over exactly what the results of that are."

Chiefs LB Justin Houston not present for first day of OTAs from Chiefs Digest

Houston, who skipped OTAs last year, and outside linebacker Tamba Hali have stayed in touch during the offseason.

"He's working, he's working his tail off," Hali said. "Like any player he wants to be here, but we know our league is a business. You have to allow that business to work itself out. He wants to be here."

The missed OTAs last year didn't adversely affect Houston on the field.

The fifth-year pro out of Georgia went on to set a team-record 22 sacks, which led the league, and earned a third straight Pro Bowl selection.

All-Pro LB Justin Houston absent from Chiefs OTAs from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

NOTES: Hali said he had his knee scoped during the offseason to deal with floating cartilage, which was causing the knee to swell. "Doctor cleaned it out and I feel good," Hali said. ... Running back Cyrus Gray and offensive lineman Jarrod Pughsley were on the practice field, but did not participate. Reid said Pughsley has a hamstring strain: "It happened last week. It doesn't look like it's too bad, so I'm sure he'll be back out." ... Gray returns from an ACL injury suffered last season.

Tamba Hali's role may be changing, but he's still valuable to Kansas City Chiefs from ESPN

Last season he had his lowest sacks total since early in his career and has been eclipsed as his team's dominant defensive player by Justin Houston. He accepted a reduced contract in order to remain with the Chiefs for what is likely a final season in Kansas City.

Hali is getting to stay with the Chiefs, something he desperately wanted, so there is that. Otherwise, he could be transitioning to a lesser role, something that was inevitable at some point given the development of Houston and the drafting of Dee Ford in the first round last year.

This wasn't in Hali's plan, but that doesn't necessarily mean it holds no appeal. He can look to any number of other players who have stayed vital in the final seasons of their careers by taking a reduced role.

Draft moves at linebacker were aimed at future from ESPN

The roster of the Kansas City Chiefs is at the NFL limit of 90 players. While they still could make a personnel move or two, the roster they have now is at least close to the one they will take to training camp this summer at Missouri Western State University.

Here, we'll continue a series that looks at their roster by position. This time, it's the linebackers.

Chiefs in search of ‘five best guys' on offensive line from Chiefs Digest

And it began Tuesday on the first day of organized team activities (OTAs) with Eric Fisher at left tackle, Grubbs at left guard, third-year pro Eric Kush was at center, Jeff Allen at right guard and Donald Stephenson at right tackle.

"We're kind of playing everybody in all different spots, so we don't even care," coach Andy Reid said. "Tomorrow will probably be different. We're going to find the five best guys, that's what we're trying to get to."

Fisher and Grubbs project as mainstays on the left side, but the center position and right side of the offensive line could experience adjustments leading to training camp.

Makeup of Chiefs' offensive line a key issue in offseason practice from The Mothership

The only 2014 starter certain to be a fixture in their lineup this year is left tackle Eric Fisher. Otherwise, the Chiefs could open with a line that includes Ben Grubbs at left guard, Eric Kush at center, Paul Fanaika at right guard and Donald Stephenson at right tackle. Grubbs was acquired in a trade with New Orleans, Fanaika was signed as a free agent from Arizona and while Kush and Stephenson were with the Chiefs last season, they didn't start. But the competition for starting jobs won't end in offseason practice. Indeed, it won't begin in earnest until training camp.

Chiefs short at tight end after Demetrius Harris has surgery from ESPN

Reid said he was confident Harris would be able to return for the start of training camp in July. Until then, the Chiefs have only Travis Kelce as a proven player at tight end. The others getting snaps with the starters in practice were journeyman Richard Gordon and rookie James O'Shaughnessy, a fifth-round draft pick. It might be a stretch to believe O'Shaughnessy, who played at Illinois State, can provide immediate help. "Up to this point, he's done very well,'' Reid said. "I'll be curious to see as we keep giving him things how he handles it. Once we put pads on, that will be another test."

Got Chiefs questions? We've got (a few) OTA answers from FS Kansas City

5. Who will be this year's Albert Wilson?

If rookie minicamp is any kind of barometer, the next undrafted rookie to crack the regular-season roster might be another wide receiver. Kenny Cook, a 6-foot-4 target out of Gardner-Webb, showed the kind of red-zone goods against his peers that the Andy Gang was in desperate --€” historically desperate, in fact -- need of a year ago, when the wideouts went 17 regular-season weeks without catching a touchdown pass. If Cook has the hands and the hops, then De'Vante Bausby, a rookie cornerback out of Pittsburg (Kan.) State is the sentimental choice. A Kansas City kid who grew up not far from Arrowhead Stadium, Bausby has press-coverage experience and features the kind of size (6-2) and speed (4.35 in the 40) profile that Dorsey likes along the boundary.

Andy Reid: Eric Berry "doing well" after finishing cancer treatments from ProFootballTalk

That's fantastic news for the Chiefs safety, who left the team last November complaining about discomfort in his chest. But to this point, all indications have been positive, and we hope they continue that way.

LIFE FIRST FOOTBALL SECOND from Warpaint Illustrated

Assuming he makes a full recovery, and there have been zero indications to suggest he won't, Berry has to take a hard look at returning to the football field. Though playing the game he loves so much won't have anything to do with the cancer that's temporarily shut down his NFL career, things are different now.

From all accounts, Berry has been wise with his money and has a solid family base in which to lean on in whatever he decides to do with the rest of his life. Cancer can be humbling. It does change people and forces them to revaluate their priorities.

I would love nothing more than to see Berry jump back into a Chiefs uniform. I think it would be a wonderful experience for the fans, and further for the man, who has battled this disease with grace, getting back on the field would continue a love affair he has with this city - that will never be severed.