Chiefs running back De’Anthony Thomas receiving instruction as a receiver

Chiefs rookie De’Anthony Thomas has spent most of his time in training camp as a running back, but he also has been receiving a little extra tutelage at receiver courtesy of assistant coach Brad Childress.

During practice, Childress — who is the team’s spread-game analyst and is in charge of special projects — can often be seen giving the speedy 5-foot-9, 174-pound Thomas tips on the finer points of receiving.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Childress is simply doing what he was hired to do. Thomas comes from a spread offense at Oregon and often lines up as a running back, but occasionally splits out wide in practice and has the potential to be a multidimensional weapon.

“I’m not gonna say De’Anthony is a hybrid, but he does a lot of different things,” Reid said. “He did it in college at Oregon, and he’s still doing it here. Brad works with him, (receivers coach) David (Culley) works with him a little bit, and E.B. (running backs coach Eric Bieniemy) works with him probably more than anybody. The kid’s got a lot on his plate, but he’s handling it pretty well.”

This story was originally published August 10, 2014 at 3:49 PM with the headline "Chiefs running back De’Anthony Thomas receiving instruction as a receiver."