The Kansas City Chiefs returned to practice in full pads on Thursday, and Derrick Johnson and Kenneth Acker returned after missing a couple days.
The entire Kansas City Chiefs roster had a well-deserved day off on Wednesday after their first full week of training camp. For Derrick Johnson and Kenneth Acker, it was another day to rest up and heal from their respective injuries. Fortunately both players are back and ready to practice again in full pads as the entire roster returns to the field for another week of camp at St. Joseph.
While Johnson has healed enough from an Achilles tear to return on time for training camp, unfortunately he began to deal with an abscessed tooth in recent days and missed a couple practices in the process. For Acker, the cornerback had been dealing with a groin injury of some kind, but fortunately he’s back to add to the secondary competition as well.
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Johnson brings an important mentor back on the field for a young linebacker group who will need such an experienced leader in the heart of the defense alongside them. Johnson will certainly man one of the two inside linebacker slots in the base defense, but the competition is hot on the other side, from Ramik Wilson to recent trade import Kevin Pierre-Louis to rookie Ukeme Eligwe and holdover Justin March-Lillard.
Acker faces a bit of an uphill climb to remain on the Chiefs, although he’s certainly proven the ability to make the cut in the past. But the Chiefs are loaded in the secondary at this point with plenty of young, intriguing options. Acker was a late August trade addition last year from the San Francisco 49ers and ended up playing 9 games, including 1 start, with the Chiefs in 2016.