The Kansas City Chiefs have given us plenty to talk about in the aftermath of Monday’s training camp practice. The Chiefs have been relatively healthy throughout the offseason with the notable exception of Dontari Poe, but now we have another key injury to worry about.
According to Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin sat out today with a neck strain. Maclin was given X-rays and luckily they came back negative. He spent the day in the medical tent, one day after having to briefly leave practice with a jammed thumb. Maclin also got into a fight with Marcus Cooper yesterday, causing a stir.
If Maclin truly has just a strained neck, it is no big deal. However, Maclin has been knocked around pretty good in recent days as mentioned. Hopefully he can bounce back quickly, because Kansas City needs him to have a productive offense beyond Jamaal Charles and Travis Kelce.
Return of the Conley!
On the positive side, Chris Conley finally made his debut at camp. During team drills, Conley was reportedly able to show off his speed, catching some long balls from Alex Smith. Conley gives Kansas City another vertical threat along with Maclin and Albert Wilson. The Chiefs might not be the most skilled team on the outside sans Maclin, but they have speed to burn.
O-Line shakeup
Another important note is how the offensive line is coming together. At the beginning of camp, head coach Andy Reid was putting up a line of Eric Fisher, Ben Grubbs, Eric Kush, Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson. This appeared to be a line that Reid was fairly set on, but then Stephenson began to struggle both when I was at camp, and reportedly since.
In the meantime, Zach Fulton has looked like a stud after playing inconsistently as a sixth-round rookie in 2014. Paylor has been tweeting out that Fulton is pancaking defensive linemen, perhaps thrusting himself in to the starting mix.
In fact, Paylor reports that Reid stated a line of Fisher, Grubbs, Mitch Morse, Fulton and Allen is looking very good right now. This may be the group we see on Saturday when Kansas City opens up the preseason against the Arizona Cardinals.
Tweets, tweets, tweets…
Charcandrick West hopes all-round skill-set helps his bid to make #Chiefs’ roster: http://t.co/oVjKFs4Anx
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 10, 2015
#Chiefs are wearing shoulder pads and helmets today. Wore full pads the last three days.
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 10, 2015
Morse, Fulton and Allen with the first team for the third straight day.
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 10, 2015
Jeremy Maclin is on the bike under the training tent.
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 10, 2015
Chris Conley getting some first team work.
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 10, 2015
Chris Conley catches his first pass with the 1s on a comeback route.
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 10, 2015
Charcandrick West got some reps with the first team in this red zone drill.
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 10, 2015