The Morning Fix: Chiefs News

“Derrick has been a fast healer,” Crennel said. “We anticipate he’ll play ready to go. We’ll see through the course of the week how he progresses.”

Flowers’ condition appeared to improve last week. He didn’t practice but one day was on the sideline doing some light running, cutting and backpedalling for the first time since the injury,

“Hopefully with this time off and this rest, he will be feeling better and he will start doing more things and be able to help us out on Sunday,” Crennel said.

Teammates raved about the undrafted rookie from Colgate prior to Thursday night’s preseason finale in Green Bay and Eachus delivered once again on the field with a team-leading 21 carries for 99 yards.

Quarterback Brady Quinn called Eachus, “one of the most selfless players I’ve ever seen.” Others, including Chiefs fans, just called him “Rudy.”

“I think wearing No. 45 is really what it’s all about,” Eachus said of the nickname.

Also on Saturday, the Chiefs signed eight players to their practice squad, including wide receiver Junior Hemingway and defensive lineman Jerome Long, their seventh-round draft picks. Both of them were waived the previous day, when Kansas City trimmed its roster.

The Chiefs technically have 54 players under contract because Tamba Hali, suspended for the opener, does not count against the roster limit. The Pro Bowl linebacker will be eligible Week 2 after violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.

The other players signed to the practice squad were wide receivers Jamar Newsome and Josh Bellamy, offensive linemen Lucas Patterson and David Mims, fullback Patrick DiMarco and defensive back Neiko Thorpe.

Tanney – who saw his first preseason action in the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field – suffered an injury to his throwing hand in his first series, cutting his debut short and placing him on the Chiefs Injured Reserve list. While not on the final 53-man roster announced late Friday, Tanney does stay under contract with the Chiefs and will undergo treatment for the injury. The move allows Tanney to attend functions with the team, but will not be allowed to practice or play this season.

The path to the NFL for Tanney has been full of twists and turns since completing his collegiate career at Monmouth. After spending the winter and spring at a training facility in Florida, Tanney was invited to attend a mini-camp in Pittsburgh, but instead took the Buffalo Bills up on their offer to attend their mini-camp in New York. His chances with the Bills took a blow when they signed veteran quarterback Vince Young at the opening of the mini-camp. Tanney then received an offer from Kansas City to attend their OTAs and landed a contract offer.