Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 8/1

Six Observations From Sunday's Practice: KeiVarae Russell Impresses from Chiefs.com

6. The team's ability to catch the ball looks strong as a whole.

Throughout practice in its entirety, a number of different receivers and tight ends were making nice plays on balls for the Chiefs.

Jeremy Maclin, Albert Wilson, Chris Conley, Streater, Travis Kelce and Brian Parker all come to mind with having made tough catches down the field.

During Alex Smith's two-minute drill, he found Wilson with a perfectly placed ball in the back left corner of the end zone. Wilson needed to craftily keep two feet in bounds for the score.

Of course, something to remember with these first two practices is that it's much easier to catch the football when there is little risk of getting hit.

That all changes Monday with the first padded practice at 8:15 a.m.

What We Learned From Sunday's Media Availability from Chiefs.com

Q: What do you like about the new guys? What do you guys like about this defense this year, any big changes or anything of significance?

POE: "Not too many changes, we've got a couple new faces. So we just have to plug them in to wherever they fit in and find what they do well, and they just have to be a part of the team."

Q: What advice do you have for Chris Jones?

POE: "Just work. He's got to put on his blinders and just work. You've got to have tunnel vision and do whatever you need to do to get better in camp, and hopefully it'll pay off in the season."

Chiefs Players Embrace the Grind that Comes with Putting on Pads from Chiefs.com

"It's quite a bit different," head coach Andy Reid explained of how training camps have changed. "We had a long number of two-a-days. Normally those first three or four days were pretty rough compared to what they are today.

"They were normally two padded practices and in the heat -€” one of them in the heat for sure -€” and they were a bit rough."

It was a different time with a different kind of a grind, and with the NFL Players Association changing how much time can be spent in pads during camp in the CBA agreement, the reps each player takes in full pads now become that much more critical.

"I need it," Johnson explained of the grind of putting the pads on day after day. "You can't skip that, especially for myself. When the grind comes, accepting it walking out (of the locker room) and down that hill to practice. Then going at it again the next day and walking down that hill with the same attitude.

"That lets me know I'm ready for the season."

Chiefs training camp report, July 31: Receivers, cornerbacks shine during heavy passing practice from The Kansas City Star

Marcus Cooper spent some time at safety during organized team activities, but he's gotten the majority of his work at cornerback over the last few days. He worked as the second-string corner behind Marcus Peters, and moved up to the first string in nickel next to Peters and Nelson on Sunday when Phillip Gaines, who is working his way back from a torn ACL, sat during the indoor portion of practice. ...

Physicality of pads looms for impressive young Chiefs tight end Ross Travis from The Kansas City Star

Demetrius Harris nodded his head and grinned. He'd just been asked about the first hit he'd taken at the NFL level, and he knew a similar fate would soon await teammate and fellow hooper-turned-tight end Ross Travis.

That said, Harris has some simple advice for Travis ahead of the Chiefs' third full-squad practice — which is historically the Chiefs' first in pads — on Monday.

"Just expect the contact," Harris said with a chuckle. "I mean, coming from basketball, you just really didn't have this kind of impact on the court. So just embrace it, and don't think about it too much. Just go out there and play. He'll be fine."

Chiefs aim to improve two-minute offense from Chiefs Digest

The Kansas City Chiefs 2015 playoff run ended amid struggles with time management and scoring quickly. On the second day of training camp, the Chiefs worked on putting the past behind them.

The offense got the better of the day in two-minute drills, practicing the same scenarios where they struggled last January against the New England Patriots. Coaches and players alike pleased with the squad's performance.

Co-offensive coordinator Brad Childress praised the tempo and execution of his group.

Tight ends will again be a big part of Chiefs' offense from ESPN

The Kansas City Chiefs are looking for ways to get more big plays and improve offensively. To that end, tight end Travis Kelce has an idea.

"I'd love to see all of us on the field at once," Kelce said of the Chiefs' five tight ends. "We're that athletic in the tight-end room that I feel you could throw all of us on the field. But that's wishful thinking."

It is a stretch, but not too far from reality. Judging from the first two days of practice, the Chiefs intend to use plenty of their multi-TE formations. Because of their depth at the position, they could keep four tight ends when the regular season begins in September.

Chiefs tackle Eric Fisher's new contract surpasses tackle Mitchell Schwartz's from The Kansas City Star

When the Chiefs' Mitchell Schwartz was told after Sunday's Chiefs practice that he was no longer the highest-paid offensive lineman, he let out a chuckle.

After all, playing on the opposite side of the line from left tackle Eric Fisher, he's happy for him. Schwartz, the starting right tackle, is now the second highest-paid offensive lineman on the team with a five-year, $33 million contract, coming in under Fisher's deal which is worth $63 million over six years.

"Everyone's really excited for him, it's a really cool thing," Schwartz said. "From the public's perspective, he's taken stuff in his first couple of years, and it's extremely hard to come in from day one and be that guy at left tackle."

Mitch Schwartz is no longer the Chiefs' highest-paid offensive lineman from ESPN

Fisher's contract doesn't diminish that of Schwartz, who received a healthy deal for a right tackle. Also, unlike Fisher, he's getting into big money for the first time in his career. Schwartz made about $5.2 million in his four seasons with the Cleveland Browns while Fisher has been paid more than $15 million in his three seasons with the Chiefs.

That's a reflection on where each player was drafted. Fisher went No. 1 overall to the Chiefs in the 2013 draft while Schwartz went in the second round to the Browns a year earlier.

Quarterbacks Tyler Bray and Alex Smith operate smoothly in two-minute drill from The Kansas City Star

It was smooth, near flawless, and there were still 45 seconds left to spare.

Chiefs quarterback Tyler Bray, who has run through many two-minute drills so far in training camp, executed a quick, successful drive in his chance at the two-minute drill.

Bray, who is currently running as the No. 2 quarterback behind Alex Smith, used a three short passes to Frankie Hammond Jr. and two deep balls to Rod Streater, including an over-the-shoulder touchdown catch, to complete the two-minute drill with ease.

Bray's drive came after Smith's drive, which also was successful and capped with a perfectly-spotted pass to Albert Wilson with about 20 seconds left on the clock in the drill.

With help of Cairo Santos, Dustin Colquitt is picking up a new language from The Kansas City Star

Portuguese is Santos' first language, and the first language of Brazil. With the Olympics coming up in less than a week, the next month or so will be almost like a Brazilian culture month for Colquitt.

By the end of camp, he should be speaking Portuguese fluently, he said with a laugh.

"Three weeks and I'll be fluent," Colquitt said. "That's what (the app) claims."

Why it's now or never for the Kansas City Chiefs from KSHB

All the key components are there for the Chiefs to win it all. Speed, strength of schedule and experience. This is the year for another title to cap off one of the most amazing stretches of sports supremacy,  this town has ever seen.

Watch the video above to see more of Dee Jackson's predictions for the 2016 season.

Social Media Day ends early due to weather from The St Joseph News-Press

The Social Media Day was to have members of the Social Media Club of Kansas City in attendance to share content from the camp, deals on merchandise, prize giveaways and an autograph session with the players.

Brad Gee, manager of communications for the Kansas City Chiefs, said the events will not be rescheduled.

When It Comes to Jerseys, Cowboys Are Still America's Team from The Wall Street Journal

Nothing says, "I love my team" more than buying a jersey.

But love is blind.

So Dallas Cowboys fans are over the moon despite their team's 4-12 season, while playoff seasons in 2015 have failed to engage fans in Kansas City and Cincinnati.

The Count awarded points to each NFL team based on how high its players ranked in the Top 50 in jersey sales this year, according to numbers released recently by the NFL Players Association.

Predicting NFL teams that will face a salary-cap crunch from ESPN

Kansas City Chiefs

Commitments for 2017: $161.5 million
Free Agents: Eric Berry, Dontari Poe

The Chiefs are in an interesting spot: They don't really have many bad contracts on their books, but having invested in free agents like Jeremy Maclin and Mitchell Schwartz, while trading for (and then extending) Alex Smith, they are just about capped out for 2016 before even thinking about signing their two star free-agent defenders. General manager John Dorsey was unable to come to terms with Berry on a long-term extension after franchising his star safety this offseason, while the 25-year-old Poe is in line for a massive deal and likely eyeing the six-year, $103-million contract handed to Eagles star Fletcher Cox as a baseline.

Pre-Season NFL Rankings from The McCook Gazette

3. Kansas City Chiefs

With the Broncos taking major steps back with the retirement of Manning the Chiefs should fill the void left. Good coach, good QB, good defense. Everything points to the Chiefs getting to the Super Bowl.