Arrowhead Pride
Kansas City’s head coach spoke to reporters before Day 2 of rookie minicamp.
On Sunday, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid met with local reporters before Day 2 of the team’s rookie minicamp.
The press conference marked Reid’s first media availability since speaking on the first night of the NFL Draft, when the club selected Ohio State left tackle Josh Simmons with the No. 32 overall pick.
Reid has been able to watch and work with Simmons over the weekend.
“Josh is doing mostly the individual work,” said Reid. “We try to keep him out of the team stuff — if we’re going against a defense — so just taking it slow here. We’re just kind of getting a feel where he’s at with this; he had a kind of a heavy traffic travel schedule during the 30-visit thing, so [we want to] make sure [his knee’s] strong and going. But he looks like he’s got some talent there.”
On Saturday, Simmons told reporters he would be limited for rookie minicamp, emphasizing playbook study and mental reps during team periods. Kansas City’s medical staff is continuing its cautious approach following Simmons’ patellar tendon tear in mid-October.
So far, so good, per Reid.
“It looks like he’s moving around good,” he added. “He’s right on [to] where he just needs a little bit more time, but he’s moving around well. I was surprised on how well [he] was doing out there moving — and he looks like he’s comfortable with it.”
Fourth-round selection Jalen Royals — a wide receiver from Utah State — is also getting his initial look with Reid and the Chiefs’ offensive coaches.
“He did a couple good things [Saturday],” said Reid. “We’ll just see how he does [Sunday]. We load him up again [Sunday]. And they actually have a walkthrough, so it’s very much like training camp. They have a walkthrough, and then they have the practice in the afternoon. So sometimes the second day could be a nice challenge for him with the overload part of it.”
The goal is to prepare the young players for what they’ll experience when organized team activities (OTAs) begin in about a month.
Overall, the Chiefs have listed 87 players in camp, including 16 undrafted free agents already signed to the club. 60 players are in Kansas City on a tryout basis, each hoping to make a strong enough impression to make the club.
“That’s a challenge for them to catch our eye, but they’re going about it the right way,” said Reid of the tryouts. “It’s literally that: ‘Are you gonna make the catch?’ or ‘Are you gonna make the throw?’ or ‘Are you gonna make the coverage adjustment that you need to make on the back end and defensive line?’
“It’s all passing, so you have rush ability in that. Linebackers [are the] same way: coverage and...
