Rusty Chiefs begin fair-and-balanced minicamp

Published Saturday, June 2, 2007

KANSAS CITY (AP) - Passes were dropped, timing was off, and by the end, more than a few people were leg-weary and tired.

The Kansas City Chiefs opened a three-day mandatory minicamp yesterday, and the rust was obvious.

"This is the first time we’ve gotten together as a team, and all of a sudden we’re involved in 11-on-11 football," said Coach Herm Edwards, who did not seem overly concerned.

While many veterans seemed to be working hard to find their timing, Edwards was generally pleased with how far most of the rookies had come in the past month.

"Most of them have improved since the rookie minicamp because they’ve been challenged a lot more now," Edwards said. "They’ve done a lot more things. Most of them are catching on pretty well. The worst thing you can do is throw so much in, because that’s not fair to the young guys."

The quarterback situation during the three days will remain the same as it was the week before in organized team activities, Edwards said, with each quarterback taking his turn working with the first team. Yesterday, second-year man Brodie Croyle, widely expected to be the Chiefs’ quarterback of the future, worked with the starters while Trent Green and Damon Huard worked with the reserves.

Today, when the Chiefs stage a 2-hour practice in Arrowhead Stadium, Green will work with the starters. Huard will take his turn tomorrow.

"That’s the way it’ll be - fair," Edwards said.

The coach has been accused by Green of "weighting" the competition in favor of Croyle while General Manager Carl Peterson holds up a deal that would send Green to Miami.

"It’s been good competition so far," Edwards said. "All I know is we’re going to be as fair as we can be. I think they understand that."

Among the several missing players was rookie wide receiver Dwight Bowe, who was excused to go to Louisiana for the funeral of former LSU teammate Marquise Hill, who died after a jet ski accident on Lake Pontchartrain.

"He played with the kid for about two years," Edwards said. "He asked me, ‘What should I do?’ I told him there’s not any question what you’re going to do. You’re going to go down there to the funeral."