Chiefs camp: 5 things we have learned thus far

Dec 7, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Chiefs 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs began training camp in St. Joseph, Mo., on Aug. 1, getting the 2015 season underway. Head coach Andy Reid is entering his third season with the Chiefs, sporting a 20-12 record with a club that went 2-14 in 2012, the season before he arrived.

Going into 2013, there were few expectations for Kansas City. Shockingly, the team began the campaign 9-0 and finished 11-5, taking advantage of a soft schedule. Last year, the expectations were higher but still fairly low with a brutal schedule and a tough offseason that saw multiple departures in free agency. Yet, despite injuries and some bad fortune, the Chiefs were able to go 9-7 while beating both Super Bowl participants.

This year, the thought around Chiefs Kingdom is that Kansas City is ready to compete for a division title and perhaps much more. The Chiefs were able to add Jeremy Maclin in free agency while trading for Ben Grubbs. The draft class looks strong with Marcus Peters leading the way, and Derrick Johnson, Jeff Allen, Eric Berry and Mike DeVito looking healthy once again. However, the loss of Dontari Poe to back surgery has put a damper on things a bit.

Now that we are four days into camp (with two of those practices padded), let’s take a look at what we have learned.

Next: The defensive sleeper and a gelling unit