Post by lazarus on May 10, 2003 0:19:33 GMT -5
Blaylock, not Johnson, will replace Holmes at mini-camp
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
The main beneficiary of Priest Holmes' injury at Chiefs minicamp this weekend will be Derrick Blaylock, not first-round draft pick Larry Johnson.
Blaylock will start at halfback in place of Holmes, who won't participate because he's recovering from a hip injury.
Johnson will be like the other rookies, which is to say he will doing a lot of observing during team drills as he absorbs the playbook.
"We don't put (rookies) in a position to embarrass themselves because they're a long ways behind," Vermeil said. "We let them get a few (snaps), but we don't include them in a lot of the team stuff. They'll watch it and listen to it. They just haven't been around."
Johnson and the other rookies will miss next week's three practice sessions. Under NFL rules, they aren't allowed to join the Chiefs until May 16 except for the three-day minicamp.
Johnson figures to receive more of the workload as the off-season workouts continue.
• HUNTING A PUNTER: Negotiations with free-agent punter Craig Hentrich continue to drag along, but the Chiefs haven't given up hope of signing him.
"I talked to him (Tuesday) morning," Vermeil said. "I think it will all be resolved in a couple of days. I think we still have a good shot. I'd like to believe it's 50-50. He hasn't told us he's ruled us out."
After releasing Dan Stryzinski, the Chiefs are left with CFL veteran Noel Prefontaine as their only punter. Prefontaine has never punted in an NFL regular-season game.
The Chiefs invited two NFL veterans, Leo Araguz and Jason Baker, to punt during the weekend minicamp. Araguz has punted for the Graybeards and Lions and Baker with the Eagles and 49ers.
• K-STATE'S DUNN TO PLAY: Kansas State's Marc Dunn will serve as the Chiefs' fourth quarterback this weekend. Dunn began last season as the Wildcats' starting quarterback but lost the job after four games to Ell Roberson and never got it back.
Dunn will participate without a contract, and the Chiefs are unlikely to offer him one. They intend to sign David Priestley, currently playing in NFL Europe, as their fourth quarterback for training camp.
Priestley played in college at Pittsburgh and went to training camp last season with Buffalo.
The Chiefs recently signed another Kansas State player, Tank Reese, who played defensive tackle for the Wildcats. The Chiefs will make a fullback out of Reese, and the position shouldn't be completely foreign to him. He rushed for more than 1,700 yards in high school in Auburndale, Fla.
• PRACTICE OPEN TO PUBLIC: Saturday morning's practice at Arrowhead Stadium will be open to the public. Admission and parking are free. Parking lots open at 8:30 a.m. and the stadium gates open at 9. Practice begins at 10.
Minicamp practices Friday, Saturday afternoon and Sunday are closed to the public.
• SEVERAL PLAYERS RECOVERING: While Holmes won't participate this weekend, the Chiefs are planning to limit the participation of three other starters: fullback Tony Richardson, guard Will Shields and safety Jerome Woods.
Richardson's 2002 season was ended prematurely because of a shoulder injury. Woods missed all of last season because of a broken leg. Shields had off-season arthroscopic knee surgery.
Other players who will be limited because of injuries or surgery include running back Omar Easy (knee), defensive lineman Derrick Ransom (shoulder) and offensive lineman Donald Willis (Achilles' tendon).
Willis is the Chiefs' top reserve at guard and center. Vermeil is becoming increasingly concerned about Willis' inability to lose weight or regain his health.
"When you combine an Achilles' tendon problem with a fork problem," Vermeil said, "you've got two problems."
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
The main beneficiary of Priest Holmes' injury at Chiefs minicamp this weekend will be Derrick Blaylock, not first-round draft pick Larry Johnson.
Blaylock will start at halfback in place of Holmes, who won't participate because he's recovering from a hip injury.
Johnson will be like the other rookies, which is to say he will doing a lot of observing during team drills as he absorbs the playbook.
"We don't put (rookies) in a position to embarrass themselves because they're a long ways behind," Vermeil said. "We let them get a few (snaps), but we don't include them in a lot of the team stuff. They'll watch it and listen to it. They just haven't been around."
Johnson and the other rookies will miss next week's three practice sessions. Under NFL rules, they aren't allowed to join the Chiefs until May 16 except for the three-day minicamp.
Johnson figures to receive more of the workload as the off-season workouts continue.
• HUNTING A PUNTER: Negotiations with free-agent punter Craig Hentrich continue to drag along, but the Chiefs haven't given up hope of signing him.
"I talked to him (Tuesday) morning," Vermeil said. "I think it will all be resolved in a couple of days. I think we still have a good shot. I'd like to believe it's 50-50. He hasn't told us he's ruled us out."
After releasing Dan Stryzinski, the Chiefs are left with CFL veteran Noel Prefontaine as their only punter. Prefontaine has never punted in an NFL regular-season game.
The Chiefs invited two NFL veterans, Leo Araguz and Jason Baker, to punt during the weekend minicamp. Araguz has punted for the Graybeards and Lions and Baker with the Eagles and 49ers.
• K-STATE'S DUNN TO PLAY: Kansas State's Marc Dunn will serve as the Chiefs' fourth quarterback this weekend. Dunn began last season as the Wildcats' starting quarterback but lost the job after four games to Ell Roberson and never got it back.
Dunn will participate without a contract, and the Chiefs are unlikely to offer him one. They intend to sign David Priestley, currently playing in NFL Europe, as their fourth quarterback for training camp.
Priestley played in college at Pittsburgh and went to training camp last season with Buffalo.
The Chiefs recently signed another Kansas State player, Tank Reese, who played defensive tackle for the Wildcats. The Chiefs will make a fullback out of Reese, and the position shouldn't be completely foreign to him. He rushed for more than 1,700 yards in high school in Auburndale, Fla.
• PRACTICE OPEN TO PUBLIC: Saturday morning's practice at Arrowhead Stadium will be open to the public. Admission and parking are free. Parking lots open at 8:30 a.m. and the stadium gates open at 9. Practice begins at 10.
Minicamp practices Friday, Saturday afternoon and Sunday are closed to the public.
• SEVERAL PLAYERS RECOVERING: While Holmes won't participate this weekend, the Chiefs are planning to limit the participation of three other starters: fullback Tony Richardson, guard Will Shields and safety Jerome Woods.
Richardson's 2002 season was ended prematurely because of a shoulder injury. Woods missed all of last season because of a broken leg. Shields had off-season arthroscopic knee surgery.
Other players who will be limited because of injuries or surgery include running back Omar Easy (knee), defensive lineman Derrick Ransom (shoulder) and offensive lineman Donald Willis (Achilles' tendon).
Willis is the Chiefs' top reserve at guard and center. Vermeil is becoming increasingly concerned about Willis' inability to lose weight or regain his health.
"When you combine an Achilles' tendon problem with a fork problem," Vermeil said, "you've got two problems."
:laugh1: