The Morning Fix: Chiefs News From Around The Web

“We have some good talent on the roster,’’ Crennel said. “We have better depth overall than what we’ve had in the past. I feel decent about it. If we find a good player that’s available, we’ll still bring him in and add him.

“The only thing I would like to do better is put pads on them and see how they do, but we’re not able to do that. What we’ve learned during the offseason program, I think the guys have had the opportunity to get into the classroom and then get out here on the field and learn technique and learn the system. I think we’ve made progress in that.”

Just like OTAs, no contact periods or live blocking drills are allowed.

“There is a two hour max of the on-field up-tempo,” Crennel explained. “You can complement what you use there with the walk-through. So, usually you’re looking at an hour walk-through and an hour of up-tempo. But everything is in shorts. The walk-through, no helmets are allowed. You can have helmets on in your up-tempo.”

As for the practices being mandatory, that won’t offer much of a change for the Chiefs either.

Pleasant, the current Chiefs defensive line coach, played under Romeo Crennel twice–once as a member of the New York Jets, and again as a member of the New England Patriots. He thrived in New England, rushing the passer as a defensive end as stopping the run as a defensive tackle during two Super Bowl-winning seasons.

Crennel and the Chiefs had similar expectations in mind when they made Poe the eleventh overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft. And in order to groom their prized prospect, the Chiefs are relying on Pleasant to impart the knowledge he gained playing for Crennel on Poe.

Q: I disagree with you on Tampa Bay as the free-agency winner this year. Kansas City, by far, had the best and lost the least. Tampa Bay will have a lot of work to stay out of the cellar in its division, and Carolina, New Orleans and Atlanta all are better.

Patrick in Cape Carol, Fla.

A: By far the best? That’s a little bit of an overreaction. The Chiefs had a good free-agency period. In my opinion, they have more talent than the Bucs. They’ve added a No. 2 cornerback in Stanford Routt and a starting right tackle in Eric Winston.

After that, they added good backups: Kevin Boss, Brady Quinn, Peyton Hillis and Abram Elam. How can two starters top three starters: Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Eric Wright? I’m not even mentioning the backups signed by the Bucs.

But I do agree the Panthers could end up having a better record than the Buccaneers.