KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2014 rookie minicamp for second-year Chiefs coach Andy Reid is officially in the books following Monday afternoon’s practice at the team’s training facility.
May 26, 2013; Kansas City, MO; General view of rookies taking the field for last day of minicamp. Credit: Teope.
“It’s good to get through this camp and get a chance to work with these guys,” Reid said. “I appreciate their effort and diligence in learning in a short period of time some new things that we’re doing here.”
The three-day minicamp afforded rookies an opportunity to become familiar with the fast pace of the NFL.
And more importantly, what to expect from the Chiefs coaching staff in organized team activities (OTAs).
“It was also good to get the guys that have been here the last couple of weeks in Phase Two,” Reid said. “The rookies and college free agents that we had on board, a taste where they could get a few more reps with a helmet on, offense vs. defense, which they haven’t been able to do in Phase Two. That’s a good lead-in to Phase Three, which we’re starting tomorrow.”
There were a number of bright spots from the weekend. Among the group included the speed of outside linebacker Dee Ford, the team’s first-round pick (23rd overall) and versatility of offensive tackle Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, one of two sixth-round picks (200th overall).
Still, both players were drafted for a reason. Rookie minicamp also gave undrafted free agent signings a chance to show what they had, notably wide receiver Albert Wilson and strong safety Daniel Sorensen.
“I like his athletic ability,” Reid said of Wilson. “He’s strong, I mean very strong even though he’s not the tallest guy and he runs fast.”
Wilson, who measures 5-9, 200 pounds and runs a 4.43 40-yard dash, showed burst and good hands throughout the weekend. He also worked out as a returner, a position he excelled at Georgia State where he holds the school records for longest kickoff return (100 yards) and punt return (62).
He’s not bitter about not being drafted, saying he understood the draft process and teams addressed other needs.
But it didn’t take long for Wilson’s phone to ring immediately after the draft. Wilson said he received calls from “probably all them” when it came to interesting teams around the league before settling on the Chiefs after receiving a phone call from Reid.
“He told me he felt like I had the best opportunity here in Kansas City,” Wilson said. “I believe him. I put my trust in him.”
Sorensen put that same trust into Reid.
“My agent and I both thought this would be a good fit,” the former Brigham Young University standout said. “There’s a lot of respect for Andy Reid. He’s well-known and respected at BYU, and looked up to. That was something I knew coming here.”
Sorensen, who made an impact on the first day of practice with two interceptions, said he looks forward to learning from the veterans in OTAs, namely starting strong safety Eric Berry.
“I’m going to try and soak up as much knowledge as I can throughout these couple of weeks,” Sorensen said.
With the weekend over, the Chiefs now shift attention to voluntary OTAs by bringing the rookies and veterans together.
The Chiefs hold OTAs on May 27-29, June 3-5 and June 10-13. The team’s mandatory minicamp is June 17-19.
Other observations from Monday’s final day of rookie minicamp:
Harris closes on high note. Tight end Demetrius Harris made quite a few nice catches, including a sliding grab. His play didn’t go unnoticed by Reid, whose version of the West Coast offense is made for a tight end to excel.
“I think this camp was great for him,” Reid said. “I thought he played exceptionally well.”
Daily Dressler catch. Three straight days with a Weston Dressler update, but it’s hard to ignore his play on the field.
Dressler once again continued to command attention during 11-on-11 drills, turning in yet another strong performance with acrobatic catches.
OK, Dressler has six years experience in the Canadian Football League, so he should have his way facing rookies when considering his professional experience.
But even then, a nice catch is a nice catch.
Injury update. Defensive tackle Risean Broussard suffered a knee injury, but Reid said the injury is not considered serious.
“He’ll be back,” Reid said. “It’s not anything he needs surgically repaired or anything.”
Broussard, who participated on the first day of rookie minicamp, wasn’t on the field Sunday and Monday.
Audio recap. Click here to listen to an audio recap of rookie minicamp (fast forward to the 22:45) from a guest spot on 610 Sports Radio. Discussion topics with the 610 hosts range from the meaning of Memorial Day, Dee Ford, Weston Dressler, Daniel Sorensen, among others.
