Two of the Chiefs&#8217; wounded rookies returned to practice Wednesday, and Herm Edwards is as eager as anyone to see how left tackle Branden Albert and receiver Will Franklin hold up in a game.</p><p>The Chiefs&#8217; practice was closed to reporters Wednesday, but Edwards said Albert &#8220;took every rep.&#8221; Franklin, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery two weeks ago, participated only in individual drills.</p><p>Albert missed all but four days of the preseason after spraining his foot July 31. Albert admitted he missed valuable time, and he knows he won&#8217;t be granted any excuses come Sunday.</p><p>&#8220;I&#8217;m going to have to (be ready),&#8221; he said. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know if I am, but I&#8217;m going to have to. We&#8217;ll see on Sunday what I can do.&#8221;</p><p>Edwards took it a step further.</p><p>&#8220;Doesn&#8217;t matter if he&#8217;s ready or not,&#8221; the coach said. &#8220;He&#8217;s going to have to play.&#8221;</p><p>Edwards said backup tackle Herb Taylor would be ready if Albert needs relief. Edwards said it was encouraging to see Albert practice Wednesday, and for now the Chiefs are bringing their first offensive draft pick along slowly.</p><p>&#8220;If he needs to be monitored and he needs to come out, we&#8217;ll get him out,&#8221; Edwards said. &#8220;Sometimes he might look bad, and that&#8217;s part of it, too.&#8221;</p><p>Franklin said his right knee is healing faster than he and team doctors expected. Franklin tweaked the knee in a practice two weeks ago and had surgery two days later. On Wednesday, the only visible reminder of his injury was a few pieces of white tape to cover the surgical wounds on his knee.</p><p>Franklin said those weren&#8217;t his only reminders.</p><p>&#8220;I was tired as hell today,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s nothing like the speed and tempo that you have out there when you&#8217;re on the treadmill or doing the bike. The speed of the game is different. I&#8217;ll get back into the swing of things after a couple of practices.&#8221;</p><p>He said he wasn&#8217;t certain he&#8217;d be ready to play Sunday. Franklin estimated his knee&#8217;s health at about 80 percent to 85 percent.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Edwards mum on backup</span></strong></p><p>After five weeks of preseason, Tyler Thigpen might still be Brodie Croyle&#8217;s backup. Then again, he might not be, either.</p><p>Edwards wouldn&#8217;t say Wednesday whether Thigpen or veteran Damon Huard would be the Chiefs&#8217; No. 2 quarterback at New England, saying only that he didn&#8217;t have to make that decision yet.</p><p>&#8220;Won&#8217;t make that (decision) till game day,&#8221; Edwards said.</p><p>Thigpen got the bulk of the playing time among the three quarterbacks, and he completed 25 of 54 passes for 282 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He played in all four preseason games.</p><p>Huard was 11 for 17 for 109 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in three preseason games. Edwards said Wednesday that Huard would be the scout team quarterback this week.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Speaking of quarterbacks &#8230;</span></strong></p><p>Edwards said he wasn&#8217;t aware Wednesday afternoon of a Boston-area report that New England quarterback Tom Brady has a fractured foot bone and might not play Sunday.</p><p>In a conference call with Kansas City reporters Wednesday, Patriots coach Bill Belichick wouldn&#8217;t comment on Brady&#8217;s status for this week.</p><p>Edwards said the Chiefs are planning as if Brady, last year&#8217;s NFL MVP, will start Sunday.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re preparing for Tom Brady,&#8221; Edwards said. &#8220;I know them. If he can play and he&#8217;s not going to hurt himself, he&#8217;s going to play.&#8221;</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Injury update</span></strong></p><p>Linebacker Demorrio Williams (cracked hand bone) returned to practice and is expected to play Sunday. Edwards said he&#8217;d been fitted with a cast that would allow him to play. &#8230; Rookie tight end Brad Cottam (shoulder) practiced Wednesday and should be available Sunday.</p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> @ Go to <strong>KansasCity.com </strong>for Herm Edwards video, plus photos and updates in the Red Zone blog.</p><p></div>