Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 6/8

Everything You Need to Know About Day Seven of OTAs from Chiefs.com

Adam Teicher (ESPN): Do you think about how much things have changed for you from this time last year?

WARE: "Yeah, they believed in me, honestly. I have to rise to the occasion. It's a good feeling when you have that support and that faith -€” (not only) by the coaching staff, but by the players. I'm still learning and picking up things and still trying to get better."

Terez Paylor (Kansas City Star): What's the one area you're looking to improve?

WARE: "Really trying to just be an all-purpose back. Do more things out of the backfield and also in the passing game -€” like the short-yardage or goal line situations. Being able to be used throughout the entire field."

TJ Carpenter (Sports Radio 810 WHB): What would you envision a backfield with you, Charcandrick West and Jamaal Charles looks like? Is it taking turns or can you be used at the same time?

Chiefs RBs Coach Eric Bieniemy: "It All Starts with Number 25" from Chiefs.com

When Charles went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 5, West and Ware were called upon to help lead a 1-5 team back from a time in which preseason goals were close to becoming unattainable.

They both answered that call, and as Charles now continues his rehab and by all accounts looks to be on track to participate in training camp, the running backs group looks to be one of the deepest and most talented in the NFL heading into this season.

"It all starts with number 25," Chiefs running backs coach Eric Bieniemy said. "Even though he's not out here (at OTAs), he does a great job with those guys in the meeting room. The way he conducts and carries himself on a day-to-day basis. All those things, they go hand in hand into why he's had the success he's had, and those guys are learning from what he's done.

"It's a great chemistry and vibe that we have."

Minions Take Over Arrowhead for Kids Club Movie Night from Chiefs.com

Arrowhead Stadium turned into "Minion mania" last Friday, as the Chiefs hosted the third annual Movie Night, a family fun evening designed for Chiefs Kids Club members.

After receiving the most votes by Kids Club Members, "Minions" was shown on ArrowVision inside Arrowhead Stadium while members and families got to sit on the field and enjoy the unforgettable experience.

Over 1,500 kids and family members laid out on the turf to enjoy the movie and various kid and Minion-friendly activities.

Chiefs.com Photo Gallery: OTAs Phase Three Day Seven

Chiefs' Aaron Murray logs No. 2 quarterback reps on Tuesday from The Kansas City Star

Aaron Murray found out the deal on Tuesday morning, hours before the Chiefs' seventh offseason practice. For the first time this month, Murray would be taking most of the No. 2 quarterback reps that day, not Tyler Bray.

"(They) just wanted to flip things around, mix it up a little," Murray said. "We knew going into this offseason it would be an open competition."

Murray cautions against reading too much into the promotion, however.

"No, we've got a long way to go," Murray said with a chuckle. "We've got another six practices now, a bunch of preseason stuff. So it's going to be a long road."

Chiefs start final week of OTAs with Aaron Murray as No. 2 QB from Chiefs Digest

The Chiefs have the luxury of two backup quarterbacks who have grown in the scheme in recent years.

Bray signed as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2013, while the Chiefs used a fifth-round pick on Murray out of Georgia in 2014.

But while the 6-1, 207-pound Murray has spent two seasons in the scheme, he points out there is room for improvement in his game.

"I think my biggest area is getting through my reads faster -€” recognizing the defensive, getting it together and understanding, OK, they're showing me this," Murray said. "Now I got to get to my first, second, third, fourth, you know, get down to my check down. So, being able to get down to my reads a little bit faster."

Aaron Murray's promotion signals the battle is on for Chiefs' No. 2 QB spot from ESPN

Bray was more impressive on Tuesday. He led the offense to a touchdown in his two-minute drill. The Chiefs scored in just two plays and 13 seconds on two long Bray passes. Murray's two-minute drill failed when his fourth-down pass fell incomplete.

That was just one day in a long process. This competition has a long way to go before it's settled, and that's why the Chiefs gave Murray the No. 2 snaps instead of Bray.

"The biggest thing," quarterbacks coach Matt Nagy said, "is letting them know that it is an open competition."

Chiefs' Aaron Murray will return to Georgia to host football camp from The Macon Telegraph via The Kansas City Star

Helping others always has been part of Chiefs quarterback Aaron Murray's repertoire.

Whether it's serving as the coach on the field in his college days or doing community service work off the field, Murray says he's a man for others, and he is bringing that mentality to Macon, Ga.

Murray will be combining two things that bring him joy: football and working with kids June 25 when he plays host to a football camp.

A local insurance company will provide the camp with more than 50 scholarships for low income children, ages 6-16, to participate. Murray, along with high school coaches, will run the camp, and the 100 participants will be grouped based on their age, and drills and fundamentals will be focused on all positions.

Maybe Chiefs just needed different QB for a successful two-minute drill from ESPN

The Kansas City Chiefs, hoping for improvement in the two-minute offense, dedicated three practice periods on Tuesday to the quick-score drill. They had no trouble getting a touchdown the first time, but it was with a backup quarterback.

The backup offense, quarterbacked by Tyler Bray, needed just two plays and 13 seconds to score against the backup defenders.

Notebook: Is Chiefs' running game at full strength best in league? from Chiefs Digest

But one of the league's top running games will only get better when Charles returns to the fold and Spencer Ware feels the Chiefs' backfield at full strength is the best in the league.

"I believe so," Ware said. "I think we're pretty good."

There is plenty of debate on what team has the best running attack in the NFL, of course. And arguments will be made for the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Still, Ware has a point for the Chiefs to command the top spot when considering Charles and Charcandrick West.

Chiefs' Marcus Cooper positive about potential switch from cornerback to safety from The Kansas City Star

After his first season with the Chiefs in 2013, Cooper was named the team's rookie of the year. He had 44 tackles and three interceptions.

But the past two seasons have been challenging. He has seen limited duty and totaled just 23 tackles and no interceptions since that solid rookie campaign.

Now, as he approaches a contract year, Cooper is looking at a potential position change. The team has stocked up on corners and might need him more at safety.

Chiefs bring back OLB Dezman Moses from Chiefs Digest

Moses offers experience in the defensive scheme and veteran depth at the outside linebacker position, especially with uncertainty surrounding Justin Houston, who underwent an anterior cruciate ligament procedure on his left knee in mid-February.

The 6-1, 205-pound Vea, a native of Hawaii, played collegiately at UNLV. Vea finished his collegiate career with 328 tackles (202 solo), 4 ½ sacks, four interceptions and 11 passes defensed.

Chiefs re-sign linebacker Dezman Moses, release Efe Obada from The Kansas City Star

To make room for Moses — who will reclaim his old No. 54 from fellow outside linebacker Andy Mulumba, who will wear No. 40 — the Chiefs released outside linebacker Efe Obada, a native of Nigeria who did not begin playing American football until 2014.

Chiefs, Andy Reid want to improve two-minute offense from NFL.com

The frustration over Reid's game management is a Fall tradition -- ask Philly fans. The Chiefs hope to correct the issues in 2016, squeezing two-minute drill work into organized team activities.

"We do this every year," Reid said, via ESPN.com. "It's an important part of the game. So many games are determined in that last part of the game, in the fourth quarter. The parity in the league has really made that an important part of the game."

The combination of checkdown tycoon Smith and Reid's career-long game management struggles make the Chiefs one of the worst units closing halves. In 2015, K.C. scored one touchdown and one field goal in 20 possessions when taking over the ball with two minutes or less remaining in a half.

Andy Reid is here to remind us that the Chiefs really do practice 2-minute drills from CBS Sports

All of this shouldn't overshadow the fact that Reid is a damn good football coach who quickly turned the Chiefs into a consistent playoff team. He overcame a 1-5 start and a Jamaal Charles ACL tear to make the playoffs last year. Alex Smith is his quarterback. In his 17-year coaching career, he's won 59 percent of his games.

The point being, all human beings -- with the notable exceptions of Leonardo DiCaprio and House Stark -- have their flaws. Clearly, time management isn't Reid's strong suit. It's an issue that's spanned more than a decade. It followed him from Philadelphia to Kansas City. It's not going away.

Mellinger Minutes: Stop the LeBron hate, the Royals Coaster and lots of other important stuff from The Kansas City Star

The Chiefs have proven they can win in Houston, the Jets scare nobody, the Saints are kind of a mess, the Jaguars are the Jaguars, and there are games against the Bucs, Falcons, and Titans.

I mean, yeah, sure. Lots of winnable games. If you are so inclined, you could make the case that a purely league average team could win nine or 10 games with that schedule.

But that's almost always nonsense. The Chiefs' three-year run of relative success — first string of winning seasons since the 1990s — is hard to sustain. NFL teams without elite quarterbacks do not tend to stay up over long periods. I also believe that Sean Smith's departure is a bigger problem than most, that Justin Houston will miss a chunk of the season, that Tamba Hali is getting older, that Dee Ford is not ready, and that the offense remains at least one dynamic playmaker short of being top-third.

Top 15 quarterback units of the Super Bowl era from NFL.com

15) San Francisco 49ers (2012): Colin Kaepernick, Alex Smith, Scott Tolzien

Laugh it up, but think back to that divisional-round game in Candlestick, where Kap spent the evening running away from a good Green Bay D over and over again. I remember feeling like I was watching a revolution -- and I understood why Jim Harbaugh was willing to yank the incumbent Smith, who'd gone 20-6-1 in a season-and-a-half when the QB switch was made. Also don't forget Kap got the Niners within one play of winning the Super Bowl (and one foot short with a throw that would've sent 'em back the next season). For his part, Smith has been to the postseason two of the last three years with Kansas City.