The Chiefs opened their three-day rookie minicamp on Friday with a streamlined roster of 29 players, including the team’s six draft picks, eight undrafted free agents and 10 first-year players on the club’s active roster.
Linebacker Nick Bolton, the team’s first pick in this year’s draft at No. 58 overall, said he’s working on picking up the playbook as he gets acclimated to the NFL.
“Not really trying to prove anything, just trying to soak everything up, learning the basic fundamentals, how to practice, how to become a Kansas City Chief and be a practice player,” Bolton said. “So I’m just doing that every single day and that’s what I hope to accomplish, proving myself and learning the playbook and also just learning how to be a Chief.”
The club’s other second-round selection, center Creed Humphrey, said he’s looking to his coachability to Andy Reid’s staff.
“I’m going to work my butt off making sure I’m doing all of the right things, showing them that I’m a loyal guy, I’m a team-first guy and just getting out there and competing,” Humphrey said.
Offensive lineman Lucas Niang, who opted out of the 2020 season, is the lone member of last year’s draft class attending the minicamp. He is joined by five other players who spent time with the Chiefs during the 2020 season. The club also invited five players to the minicamp on a tryout basis.
The Chiefs late Thursday announced the signing of eight undrafted rookie free agents, included SMU quarterback Shane Buechele, Nebraska cornerback Dicaprio Bootle and Georgia defensive end Malik Herring. Herring, who torn his ACL during Senior Bowl practices, watched from the sidelines and did not practice.
The 29 players attending the minicamp are a far cry from the numbers attending the rookie indoctrination in a typical season. In 2019, the Chiefs brought a total of 72 players in for the minicamp. As a result, players on Friday took part in individual drills, installation periods and seven-on-seven work but did not conduct any full team drills due to the lack of numbers.
Chiefs rookie minicamp roster
Draft picks
LB Nick Bolton
TE Noah Gray
OL Creed Humphrey
DE Joshua Kaindoh
WR Cornell Powell
OL Troy Smith
Rookie free agents signed by Chiefs
S Zyne Anderson
CB Dicaprio Bootle
QB Shane Buechele
CB Marlon Character
LB Riley Cole
DE Malik Herring
DB Devon Key
DB Jaylon McClain-Sapp
Tryout players
WR Daurice Fountain
LB Lawrence Garner
DB Thomas Leggett
DB Manny Patterson
RB Corey Taylor
Active roster players
DT Tyler Clark
DB Rodney Clemons
WR Maurice Ffrench
WR Chris Finke
TE Jody Fortson
QB Anthony Gordon
RB Derrick Gore
OL Lucas Niang
WR Dalton Schoen
OL Darryl Williams
