Oct 13, 2013; Kansas City, MO; strong safety Eric Berry (29) lines up against the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium. Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Chiefs All-Pro strong safety Eric Berry apparently suffered a setback to his right heel.
Berry, who did not dress for the preseason opener, left Tuesday’s practice after being on the field in full pads during the warm-up and stretching period.
The fifth-year pro consulted with trainers before the position drills portion of practice. He eventually departed the practice field with a trainer.
“His heel again was bothering him,” coach Andy Reid said of Berry. “He’s got tendonitis back there.”
Berry retuned late in practice without pads and joined a trainer on the sideline by the medical tent for conditioning exercises alongside the injured players.
“He works a few days,” Reid said, “and then if it bothers him, inflames a little bit, then we back off.”
Berry originally suffered the injury during practice on July 31. He missed two days of practice before returning on Aug. 3.
Rookie strong safety Daniel Sorensen, who started the preseason opener, worked with the first-team defense in Berry’s place.
Catapano sick again
Defensive end Mike Catapano, who missed a week of practice and the preseason opener battling an illness, wasn’t present on the field Tuesday.
“He’s been battling this virus,” Reid said. “He’s still battling it. He wasn’t feeling very good today, so we backed off from there.”
Status quo
Defensive end Mike DeVito (hand), linebacker Josh Mauga (groin), defensive end Kona Schwenke (shoulder), cornerback Damond Smith (abductor strain) and kicker Ryan Succop (groin) did not practice.
Succop has missed four straight days of practice.
Tight end Richard Gordon, who was excused from Monday’s practice, wasn’t on the field Tuesday.
Day 15 practice observations
• Sean Smith and Marcus Cooper were up first as part of the three-man rotation of cornerbacks as the battle continues between Smith, Cooper and Ron Parker. Smith lined up at right cornerback and Cooper at left cornerback during the first 11-on-11 drills.
• The Chiefs started the second 11-on-11 drills with Smith at right cornerback and Cooper at left cornerback. Ron Parker eventually rotated in for Cooper at the left cornerback spot.
• The good: Quarterback Tyler Bray found tight end Demetrius Harris with a short touchdown pass during 11-on-11 goal line work. The Bad: Harris, a former college basketball power forward, dunked the ball over the goal post, which would incur a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in a real game. The NFL has placed an emphasis this season on penalizing the use the goal post and/or pylons as celebratory props after a touchdown.
• Tight end Travis Kelce put a nifty move on strong safety Daniel Sorensen to get open down the seam for a touchdown pass from Alex Smith during 11-on-11 drills. Don’t let that play affect opinions on Sorensen, who has enjoyed a solid training camp.
• Wide receivers Albert Wilson and A.J. Jenkins each had bad moments during 11-on-11 drills. Wilson had a pass hit him squarely in the hands as he crossed the field on a short pattern, but dropped the ball. Jenkins was open down the field, but a pass from quarterback Alex Smith glanced off Jenkins’ hands right into the waiting arms of free safety Husain Abdullah for the interception.
• Defensive end Jaye Howard continues to fill in at right defensive end with Mike DeVito (hand) not practicing.
