Wichita Eagle: Kansas City Chiefs

Tight ends are again part of Chiefs’ passing game

Adam Teicher — Sat, 25 May 2013 18:19 CDT

The Chiefs first signaled their intent to improve at tight end in recent months when they acquired Anthony Fasano and Travis Kelce to go along with the injured incumbent starter, Tony Moeaki.

Since then, the Chiefs have revealed plenty of two-tight end formations during their offseason program and spent plenty of time at least trying to throw the ball to both Fasano and Kelce. The signs are everywhere that the tight end as a pass receiver is back in the Chiefs offense under new coach Andy Reid.

“I think the offense is very friendly for a tight end,” said Fasano, signed from Miami as a free agent. ”You can tell they’re becoming a very valuable position in this offense. We ultimately determine (how many passes they catch) by how we play, if we make plays, exploit mismatches. The tight ends have a good opportunity in this offense.”

Chiefs sign former Jayhawk Opurum

Adam Teicher — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:29 CDT

Former Kansas player Toben Opurum signed a contract with the Chiefs on Friday as an undrafted rookie. Opurum participated as a fullback on a trial basis in the Chiefs’ recent rookie camp, and that’s the position he will play for the Chiefs.

Opurum is the third fullback added by the Chiefs in recent weeks. The Chiefs acquired veteran Anthony Sherman from Arizona in a trade for cornerback Javier Arenas. They also drafted Braden Wilson of Kansas State in the sixth round.

Opurum was a running back, linebacker and defensive end for the Jayhawks.

Chiefs sorting through options for receiver alongside Bowe

Adam Teicher — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:10 CDT

The signature moment for a Chiefs wide receiver during offseason practice happened this week when coach Andy Reid chewed out Jon Baldwin for being lackadaisical in getting to the line of scrimmage before a play.

It’s early, but that can’t be a positive sign for the Chiefs as they work to develop one or more receivers capable of helping Dwayne Bowe boost their passing game. Baldwin is the other starter with Bowe and leads the list of candidates, but hasn’t yet emerged as the dominant offseason player he was last season before faltering when the games started.

The Chiefs signed Donnie Avery, who caught 60 passes for the Colts last season, but he has mostly been a backup. Avery turned an ankle in practice on Tuesday and his participation has been limited since.

Chiefs’ Bowe has lofty goals for himself, offense

Adam Teicher — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:55 CDT

Maybe it’s the optimism from the first week of Chiefs offseason practice, or maybe it’s that wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has removed his muzzle and is showing more of the trademark bravado he was known for early in his career.

Either way, Bowe on Wednesday laid some heavy expectations on himself and his offensive teammates — running back Jamaal Charles in particular. Bowe predicted that he would lead the NFL next season in receptions and touchdowns and Charles would lead in rushing yardage.

Bowe also suggested that the Chiefs would be one of the NFL’s better offensive teams.

Branden Albert back in Chiefs camp

Adam Teicher — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:38 CDT

All was good for Branden Albert in his long-awaited return to Chiefs camp Tuesday. His arrival was hailed by his coaches and teammates, and as the Chiefs continued their offseason practice, Albert took his spot at starting left tackle as he had been promised

That, Albert said, was what he wanted all along. But, until the Chiefs exhausted all trade possibilities for Albert and he was told he could play his favored position, he wasn’t sure he would get that in Kansas City.

“I never was sad, never disgruntled, just a little confused,” Albert said. “Everything is clear now. It’s in the past.”

Chiefs add former Nevada head coach as consultant

ADAM TEICHER — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:56 CDT

The Chiefs added another offensive specialist to their coaching staff, hiring former University of Nevada coach Chris Ault as a consultant.

Ault is known as a guru of the pistol offensive formation, which features option plays. Colin Kaepernick was among the quarterbacks who played for Ault at Nevada.

Kaepernick eventually replaced Alex Smith at quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. Smith was traded to the Chiefs over the winter and though he hasn’t been used much as a runner in the NFL, Smith was a dual-threat quarterback in college at Utah.

Chiefs sign third-round pick Knile Davis

ADAM TEICHER — Tue, 14 May 2013 07:11 CDT

Running back Knile Davis, selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the NFL Draft last month, signed with the club on Monday.

The Chiefs are hoping the 227-pound Davis can be a power back to complement the speed and big-play ability of Jamaal Charles. But they also believe Davis has the speed and ability to be more than just a goal-line and short-yardage alternative to Charles.

Davis had a huge season at Arkansas in 2010, rushing for 1,322 yards and 13 touchdowns. But he missed all of 2011 because of a broken ankle.

Bray making most of shot with Chiefs

ADAM TEICHER — Sat, 11 May 2013 19:00 CDT

Tyler Bray left the University of Tennessee with one season of collegiate eligibility remaining thinking he might be one of the first quarterbacks picked in the NFL Draft last month.

He wasn’t drafted at all, dropping all the way through to rookie free agency. That made for a rather uncomfortable three-day experience.

“It’s not your choice,’’ said Bray, who eventually signed with the Chiefs and is participating in this weekend’s rookie camp. “You’re not the one sitting around in the draft room picking, so you just wait around. If you don’t get drafted, you pick up the phone and try to find a team and I found a team here in Kansas City.”

Chiefs’ top pick Fisher gets to work

ADAM TEICHER — Fri, 10 May 2013 23:30 CDT

Life started to get back to normal for Chiefs tackle Eric Fisher on Friday. He was a football player again.

Fisher merely did the things that helped make him the first overall pick in the NFL Draft last month. He attended team meetings and participated in practice at the opening of the three-day rookie camp at the Chiefs’ Truman Sports Complex practice facility.

But unlike he did at any of his collegiate practices at Central Michigan, Fisher did these things under the weight of some heavy expectations.

Demetrius Harris passes up basketball for a chance to play tight end for Chiefs

ADAM TEICHER — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:05 CDT

As recently as six weeks ago, Demetrius Harris thought by now he’d be preparing for an overseas career in pro basketball. That he instead is under contract to the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent makes him the most remarkable story of the three-day rookie camp that begins Friday at their Truman Sports Complex practice facility.

Harris hasn’t played football in four years, since high school in Arkansas. He was a basketball player in college, first at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo., then at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

The Chiefs signed him anyway after the draft as a tight end, hoping the 6-foot-7, 230-pound Harris has enough ability to eventually do what NFL tight ends like Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham have done. Both were basketball players who played little or no football in college but still have become top NFL tight ends.

Chiefs trade Arenas to Cardinals for fullback Anthony Sherman

ADAM TEICHER — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:09 CDT

Cornerback Javier Arenas occupies a unique place in Chiefs history. He’s the player the Chiefs selected with the 2010 second-round NFL Draft pick they acquired from Atlanta by trading tight end Tony Gonzalez.

Wednesday’s trade that sent Arenas to the Arizona Cardinals in return for fullback Anthony Sherman guarantees the Gonzalez deal will be Arenas’ legacy.

Arenas played four seasons for the Chiefs, or not as many as Gonzalez has played for the Falcons. He was their nickel back and punt returner for much of that time, but Arenas had little impact in either area.

Tyler Bray intriguing as a future Chiefs quarterback

ADAM TEICHER — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:49 CDT

Tennessee’s Tyler Bray has so many of the qualities NFL scouts like to see in a starting quarterback that he should have been drafted: a big arm, classic size (6-feet-6, 232 pounds) and plenty of college production.

Bray has enough negatives that he went through seven rounds of this year’s NFL Draft without being selected: a lack of maturity and poor work habits.

His ability still makes Bray an intriguing prospect. The Chiefs will be the team that will try to develop him. They signed him after the draft, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Hunt’s feelings on Chiefs’ draft ranged from cursed to confident

ADAM TEICHER — Sun, 05 May 2013 08:14 CDT

Clark Hunt can tell the story now, after the Chiefs traded for quarterback Alex Smith and used their first-round NFL Draft choice on offensive tackle Eric Fisher.

But shortly after the Chiefs finished a miserable 2-14 season, gaining the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since they joined the NFL, Hunt thought his franchise was cursed.

The Chiefs, quarterback needy at the time, would have the first pick in a draft in a year when the consensus was that no quarterback would be worthy of the choice. Most of the better players appeared to be linemen.

Fisher, Chiefs aware of expectations

ADAM TEICHER — Sun, 05 May 2013 08:14 CDT

Offensive tackle Eric Fisher received a glimpse of how his life would now be different when he boarded his flight Friday morning from New York to Kansas City.

He was stopped by the pilot as he walked by the cockpit, congratulated on being the first overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft and asked to pose for a photo. He was congratulated by several Chiefs fans also on the flight.

For 22 years, Fisher could operate in relative anonymity outside of Mount Pleasant, Mich., home to Central Michigan University. Not anymore, and probably never again.

Chiefs add picks, keep Albert

ADAM TEICHER — Sun, 05 May 2013 08:14 CDT

The Chiefs added two more offensive players as the NFL Draft continued Friday night. But the bigger news was the player they retained.

The Chiefs’ effort to send discontented left tackle Branden Albert to the Miami Dolphins in return for a second-round draft pick failed and the day ended with Albert still on the roster. Unless the Chiefs lower their asking price for Albert or accept a future draft pick, Albert is destined to remain in Kansas City.

The Chiefs were missing their own second-round choice, sent in March to San Francisco as part of a trade for quarterback Alex Smith. The Chiefs used the first pick in the third round, 63rd overall, on Cincinnati tight end Travis Kelce.

Chiefs make OT Eric Fisher first pick of NFL Draft

ADAM TEICHER — Sun, 05 May 2013 08:14 CDT

In an NFL Draft deep with talented offensive linemen, the Chiefs made quite a statement with the first overall pick Thursday night in bypassing the ones from larger schools and selecting tackle Eric Fisher of Central Michigan.

The Chiefs showed no fear in making a Mid-American Conference player the No. 1 pick for the first time.

“You wanted to come out with what you felt was the best player and that’s what we did,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “We made the evaluation. We went and visited him. We watched all of his workouts. We watched their games. Eric had an opportunity to play against Iowa and Michigan State, which are large schools.

Chiefs’ Fisher: ‘This is like winning the lottery right here’

JEFF ROSEN — Sun, 05 May 2013 08:14 CDT

The Chiefs chiseled a new face into Kansas City professional football history Thursday night, using the first No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick in their 50-plus years to select left tackle Eric Fisher of Central Michigan.

With red-clad fans in the crowd and “Kansas City Here I Come” pumping through the Radio City Music Hall loudspeakers, Fisher strolled out, blinked into the bright stage lights and bear-hugged NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before accepting a Chiefs cap and jersey.

Soon after, Kansas City’s newest millionaire thanked the Hunt family and, in a moment most anyone with a heart could appreciate, his mother.

Chiefs fans like the Fisher pick

BLAIR KERKHOFF — Sun, 05 May 2013 08:14 CDT

There may have been an element of mystery to the overall first pick in the NFL Draft — the Chiefs never tipped their hand — but by the time Central Michigan offensive tackle Eric Fisher was selected, fans kind of knew.

Mitch Holthus, the Chiefs’ radio play-by-play announcer and master of ceremonies for the team’s draft party, was reporting the Twitter messages and rumors some 30 minutes before the coverage. The day’s lean had been toward Fisher instead of Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel, so when the call was made, the 4,000 or so who filled the team’s practice facility cheered the selection they mostly had expected.

“I like it,” said Danny Lobb, 23, of Kansas City. “It’s a strong year for offensive linemen.”

It’s time for Chiefs to tackle the No. 1 pick

ADAM TEICHER — Sun, 05 May 2013 08:14 CDT

If things work out as they plan, the Chiefs will make the first overall pick in the NFL Draft for the only time Thursday night.

The Chiefs are ultimately trying to win AFC West titles, playoff games and Super Bowls, so bigger prizes are at stake. But if this is indeed the only time they’re going to pick first, the Chiefs want to get it right.

Whether their choice is one of the favorites, offensive tackles Eric Fisher of Central Michigan and Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M, or another player, the pressure is on to select an eventual Pro Bowler or even a Hall of Famer instead of a bust.

2013 NFL Draft: Looking for Superman

ADAM TEICHER — Sun, 05 May 2013 08:14 CDT

Shortly after 7 Thursday night, Andy Reid will make a public proclamation about the player the Chiefs drafted with the No. 1 overall pick. His words will no doubt be similar to the ones spoken by Cleveland Browns president Carmen Policy in 2000, immediately after his team made defensive lineman Courtney Brown the NFL Draft’s top choice.

“You find someone better,’’ Policy said, his words now infamous, “and that man is Superman.”

Every top overall pick is Superman on the night he is drafted, and usually for at least a short time afterward. Then things can go sour, as they quickly did for the Browns and Brown, the Raiders and quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007 and the Texans and quarterback David Carr in 2002, among other busts.