Locked on Chiefs: Defense shifts into gear at minicamp

Tuesday saw the return of several high-profile Chiefs who have been absent to this point in off-season activities.

Derrick Johnson was able to participate in individual defensive drills for the first time since rupturing his Achilles tendon late in the 2016 season. His return at this point in the run-up to training camp is a positive sign that he may indeed be ready to start Week 1.

Likewise, both Justin Houston and Marcus Peters return to the field. Both had missed the previous organized team activities up to this point. Both practiced without incident and their returns were welcome on both fronts.

The question for Houston is where is he health-wise. He answered that in his press conference following practice Tuesday, saying:

"“I feel great now. Last year I couldn’t even run at this time. So this is a night and day difference. I feel great just to be able to get up and go without even thinking about it.” – OLB Justin Houston"

Marcus Peters return marks the first time this offseason that the four returning starters from 2016 were back together on the field. The group including Peters as well as Eric Berry, Ron Parker and Steven Nelson has a chance to take another step up the ladder of the elite secondaries in the NFL. Recently, Berry and Parker were singled out and ranked third in production by Pro Football Focus.

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