Rookies and quarterbacks for the Kansas City Chiefs reported to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph on Friday for the initial part of the team’s training camp this season.
The rookie camp portion had been a staple of head coach Andy Reid’s program for over a decade with the Chiefs. Last season, however, Reid bypassed the first stage and had rookies and veterans report together.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Reid left no doubt that he much prefers the phase-in. He also confirmed that the state
of the roster demanded a return of an early report date. Almost a third of Kansas City’s current 90-man roster is comprised of rookies.
The youth of the roster should allow for plenty of work to go around over the next two days.
“That’s the primary thing, the rookies,” said Reid. “I just thought it was necessary. I didn’t like not doing it last year after I got done with it. It’s a good thing for the quarterbacks. It’s a good thing for the rookies coming in. We do have more numbers this year, so it allows us to get more reps that I think will benefit us.”
By having the short time for coaches to work specifically with rookies, Reid believes that the players can get an extra refresher on what was learned in the offseason before the full squad is in meeting rooms later in the week.
The coach sees the college atmosphere — with the infamous dorm accommodations — as conducive to learning.
“It’s a little different,” Reid explained. “It’s great to be back with the cinderblocks surrounding you. It puts them right back as freshmen in college. I don’t think they’ll be too shocked by that part. The workload is going to be tough, obviously. They’ll push through it.
“These three days are great for rookies to give them an instruction to offense again, the defense again [and] special teams again where you can slow it down a little bit. You don’t have a ton of numbers, but you have enough where they can get reps. But you’ve got to slow it down because of numbers and the heat and all that to get work done there. It gives them a nice little ramp up. Then, they get another review once the veterans get in of basically the same plays for those first couple of days.
“It can be beneficial as long — as you are focused in on it.”
With quarterbacks also reporting early, the Chiefs have another beneficial ramp-up period. The early story of the NFL this season will be the health of star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who suffered multiple torn knee ligaments in December.
Reid revealed in his opening comments Friday that Mahomes has been cleared to practice. Still, the extra time the quarterback can get on the field is a bonus.
“The nice thing about having this rookie camp is you can kind of gradually build it up,” Reid acknowledged. “Then, he gets a day off normally that third day anyway. We’ll get an idea where he’s at there.”
