Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 8/10

Five Observations from Tuesday's Practice from Chiefs.com

"We are entering in the dog days here," Chiefs co-offensive coordinator Brad Childress said after practice on Tuesday. "Just finished one of those dog days. Another tough one tomorrow, players' day off Thursday, mock game Friday and ready to play on Saturday."

The Chiefs take on the Seattle Seahawks at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium. You can watch the game on KCTV5.

Despite the aches and pains the guys are pushing through right now, there were still a few standout plays on Tuesday afternoon.

Here are five observations from Tuesday's practice:

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

Q: Until Justin Houston gets back, how important will it be for you guys on the defensive line to play at a high level? 

POE: "We've been putting pressure on ourselves since day one. It's up to us to carry this team just as much as anyone else to see how far we can take this team. It doesn't matter who is in or who is out, we've got to perform at a high level every day."

Q: Is the defensive line at an all-time high at this point since you've been here?

POE: "Yes, I think so. Coach (Britt) Reid has been doing a good job as a D-Line coach of putting us in the right positions and letting us play. When he lets us go out there, we show up and make plays."

Derrick Johnson Breaks Down a Talented Inside Linebackers Group from Chiefs.com

In his career, Johnson has started 141 games and amassed 1,101 tackles, including 69 for loss. He has picked up 26.5 sacks and 13 interceptions—3 of which three were returned for touchdowns—and has 68 passes defensed with 22 forced fumbles and 7 fumble recoveries throughout his career.

Johnson has been a playmaker since he first stepped on the field at Arrowhead Stadium, and he could have gone anywhere this offseason. He was a free agent and had that option, but he wanted to return to the only NFL home he's ever known.

In layman's terms, he's the glue that holds this room together.

Jamaal Charles Continues to Lead RB Group From Behind the Scenes in St. Joe from Chiefs.com

After the Kansas City Chiefs finished their 10th full-team practice of this year's training camp Tuesday morning, for the first time in a while, the name "Jamaal Charles" was brought up at a media opportunity.

Charles underwent surgery last October to repair his torn right ACL and has yet to practice this training camp.

So, how is he exactly?

"JC has been doing great," Charcandrick West said at the post-practice press conference. "He's just getting better each and every day. Like I said, nobody's worried about JC. He's done this a lot, so he's going to be ready."

Chiefs camp report, Aug. 9: Ross Travis shows potential, cornerbacks make plays from The Kansas City Star

The number

28 — Years Zarda Bar-B-Q has fed the Chiefs. The company will again bring several hundred pounds of barbecue to St. Joseph on Wednesday to feed the team.

Top songs played today at Chiefs camp

"Hype" — Drake

"Flex" — Rich Homie Quan

"Enter Sandman" — Metallica

"Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)" — Digable Planets"

"Knuck If You Buck" — Crime Mob ft. Lil' Scrappy

"Welcome to Jamrock" — Damian Marley

"Jumpman" — Drake ft. Future

Niko Davis hopes to dance on to Chiefs roster from Chiefs Digest

Davis had no scholarship offers to play college sports. He instead headed south from his hometown of Buffalo, N.Y., to Fort Myers, Fla., attending the Florida School of Discipleship, a faith-based institution that matched his spiritual interests.

There Davis found himself a creative job to help pay for school: dancing and performing on the streets and beaches of Fort Myers entertaining tourists for tips.

"I just went out there, took my hat off, put it on the ground and started doing ‘The Robot,'" Davis said. "I don't think I ever made less than $30 for an hour."

Chiefs defensive back Deveron Carr said he's impressed with the performing skills of his teammate.

Breaking down the contract of new Chiefs quarterback Nick Foles from The Kansas City Star

There was no signing bonus, but Foles will be due a roster bonus of $200,000 if he makes the 53-man roster for the season opener. He can also earn a bonus of $18,750 for every game he makes the active roster, for a total of $300,000 over the course of the season. He can also earn an additional $2 million in not-likely-to-be-earned incentives for things like touchdowns, passing yards, completion percentages, etc.

Nick Foles has to learn a new role: backup quarterback from ESPN

"That's really what is key, when you're talking about a backup role, is a guy that takes limited reps but still is able to come in and know the game plan and be able to come in and execute,'' co-offensive coordinator Brad Childress said. "It's a hard thing to do when you're not getting to see it in real time. You take mental reps.

He's got to be the eyes for Alex when he comes off the football field, like all those [backup quarterbacks] are. ... A good backup quarterback is a guy that has the ability to come in and translate your game plan when he hasn't done much [in practice].''

Stronger, leaner Rakeem Nunez-Roches hopes to make pass-rush impact for Chiefs from The Kansas City Star

"We were at the cafe and he came beside me and he was like ‘You did a hell of a job today — you continue that,' " Nunez-Roches said. " ‘That's what I like about you.' And he walked off. I felt touched — my whole day was made.

No wonder. Nunez-Roches, the Chiefs' sixth-round pick in 2015, was kept on the active roster last season, though he played little, recording just four tackles. He is grateful for the opportunity to learn and get stronger for a year, and wants to repay the team for their faith.

For Chiefs, afternoon start for preseason game could be start of trend from ESPN

The game will kick off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CT.

The Chiefs haven't started a preseason game at Arrowhead in the afternoon in many years, if ever. But it may be something they do more often in the future.

Team president Mark Donovan said the Chiefs thought an afternoon start made more sense for fans.

"It seems like more and more teams have gone this way,'' Donovan said. "I think this will probably be the trend. It's a more efficient way of doing it. It's more consistent with what we do during the season.''

Chiefs' Daniel Sorensen making the most of his time with the first team from The Kansas City Star

"He's a smart player and we're asking him to do lot back there," Reid said. "But that's what the position holds."

The strong-safety position remains in something of a state of limbo with Eric Berry not in camp after not coming to terms with the Chiefs on a long-term deal in the offseason.

Berry remains the starter, according to the depth chart issued by the Chiefs in advance of Saturday's preseason opener against the Seahawks at Arrowhead Stadium. But it's next man up on the depth chart, and that's Sorensen, taking first-teams reps in camp.

Mellinger Minutes: Mizzou and new A.D. Jim Sterk, Justin Houston and the Chiefs, and more from The Kansas City Star

Chris Jones is the obvious answer, and he's probably the correct answer. He is 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, but more than that, he displays an enthusiasm for food that would carry him through a competition.

You know how the Chiefs talk constantly of looking for "guys who love football," because those are the ones who'll get better? With Jones, you're getting a guy who loves barbecue, so you know he'll attack a contest with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.

But if you're looking for a smaller guy, I feel like Charcandrick West would do better than you might think. He's a hard worker, and would likely appreciate the opportunity to show his talents. Skinny guys tend to do really well in eating contests.

Top moments from the first 10 seasons of 'Hard Knocks' from ESPN

Quarterback Casey Printers was incredulous when told by Ray Farmer, the Chiefs' personnel director, that he would be released. Printers wasn't good in training camp or the preseason, but he might have played better than any of the other Chiefs' quarterbacks. "Hard Knocks" made a cult hero of Bobby Sippio, a journeyman wide receiver who joined the Chiefs in the middle of training camp after injuries struck hard at the position.

Season result: The Chiefs, after winning four of their first seven games, lost their final nine to finish at 4-12.

Chiefs LB Houston might not return from MCL injury for a while from WPTZ

There's increasing doubt on whether Houston will see any time on the field in the next five months. Comments by Chiefs general manager John Dorsey last week have muddied what was already a murky situation.

Houston is rehabbing from February ACL surgery and months ago, Dorsey said he expected to see his linebacker on the field in the 2016 season.

Speaking with the Kansas City Star, Dorsey was asked about Houston's return to the field, something Dorsey predicted back in April.

Nodaway Holt grad gaining experience as Chiefs intern from The Maryville Daily Forum

While Nodaway Holt graduate Cody Schniedermeyer doesn't get to go through drills with the Kansas City Chiefs players, he does get pretty close to the action with the Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp Internship.

Schniedermeyer, one of more than 20 interns participating in the unpaid learning experience, has a wide range of responsibilities during the nearly three-week Chiefs training camp schedule.

Dan Meers, KC Wolf, receives Lifetime Achievement Award that now bears his name from FOX4KC

Kansas City Chiefs mascot Dan Meers is known for his perseverance, enthusiasm and humility, so when he received a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award' at the NFL Mascots Summit in Indianapolis in July, we didn't see much of the KC Wolf-style swagger from him.

But he could have. Not only was he presented the Lifetime Achievement Award, but the Lifetime Achievement Award was named after him. It's now called The Dan Meers Lifetime Achievement Award and will be presented, not annually, but when a recipient is deemed worthy.

Vikings, Bengals plan to avoid Brock Lesnar-inspired mayhem of 2004 joint scrimmage from The Minneapolis Star Tribune

NFL joint practices are combustible settings that need strict adult supervision or else things tend to go kablooey.

Right, Shaun Hill?

"Well, I just remember a Chiefs coach down around [Jim] Kleinsasser's ankles during one of the brawls," the Vikings backup quarterback said. "I thought that was kind of interesting. Bodies were flying around that day for sure."

Holding out shouldn't be necessary for NFL stars to get paid from SB Nation

The one notable veteran holdout this summer involves Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry — the other is a rookie, San Diego Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa. Berry, who was given the franchise tag earlier this year, couldn't agree to a new contract with the team before the July 15 deadline. Negotiations reportedly stalled when the Chiefs asked the recent cancer survivor to pay for a disability policy that made the club its beneficiary.

Fantasy football overvalued: Pay their price and you'll pay the price from USA Today

RB Jamaal Charles, Kansas City Chiefs | ADP: 2nd round

Charles turns 30 years old in December and is recovering from his second torn ACL in the past five seasons. If there is such a thing as a silver lining in this situation, at least it wasn't the same knee. KC has two capable backs to ease the load, and with playoff hopes in sight, Charles' days as a workhorse are likely in the rearview.

Cleveland's Chief Wahoo: Why the most offensive image in sports survives from The Chicago Tribune

On Tuesday, the Indians arrive in Washington for a two-game series, bringing Cleveland fans and their Wahoo regalia to Nationals Park. They will play in a city where another professional team, the Washington Redskins, has long been the prime target of activists opposed to Indian imagery in athletics.

While many colleges and high schools around the country have renamed teams and dropped Native American mascots, professional clubs - the Redskins, Indians, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Blackhawks - have resisted.

Cleveland has, however, gradually reduced Wahoo's presence - sort of.

What Happened To The Most Memorable Characters From 15 Years Of ‘Hard Knocks'? from UPROXX

Did you know there was one season when the silky tones of Live Schreiber weren't the ones you heard during the show's narration? During the 2007 season with the Kansas City Chiefs, HBO used Kansas native and Chiefs fan Paul Rudd, who has since gone on to star in a few popular movies, including one in which he plays Ant-Man.

Now that we have caught up with that obscure actor, what are the rest of those faces doing today?

Technically not employed by Chiefs, Eric Berry is still a starting safety from ProFootballTalk

Like everyone in the world not currently under contract with the Chiefs, safety Eric Berry isn't employed by the Chiefs. But that hasn't stopped the Chiefs from holding a prominent spot for him.

The Chiefs have made Berry the starting strong safety on the team's initial depth chart.