KC Chiefs wrap up minicamp with relatively healthy roster ahead of training camp
The Chiefs on Thursday wrapped up a three-day mandatory minicamp and now head off on a mini-vacation before the start of training camp in late July.
The month-long break comes at an ideal time for players to get their minds and bodies right, especially for players who dealt with minor injuries during organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp.
Rookie cornerback Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, headlines the group. McDuffie left the practice field Tuesday with a trainer and didn’t work Wednesday, but Reid didn’t appear concerned.
“He’ll be ready for camp,” Reid said.
The same applies to wide receiver Josh Gordon, who went down during Wednesday’s practice and briefly lay on the ground as the training staff tended to him. The veteran wide receiver eventually got up and walked off the field under his own power, before leaving the practice area with a trainer and heading inside.
“He’ll be fine,” Reid said of Gordon. “That one, he came out on the better end of that.”
Reid further believes he’ll have a relatively healthy roster in late July, and that apparently applies to other players who have missed time either during OTAs and minicamp.
The list includes cornerback Rashad Fenton (shoulder), tackle Lucas Niang (knee), rookie wide receiver Justyn Ross, tight end Blake Bell, defensive end Malik Herring and rookie cornerback Joshua Williams, who left Tuesday’s practice.
“I think we’ll for the most part, we’ll have everybody back without getting into all the injuries,” Reid said.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach previously identified training camp as return timelines for Niang, who continues to recover from a torn patellar tendon, and Fenton, who underwent a cleanup procedure during the offseason.
With mandatory minicamp in the books, Reid appeared pleased, saying the players did a “good job” over the past week.
The hard part, though, arrives now.
Players shouldn’t get complacent and must do what they can to prepare for the rigors of training camp in late July, quickly followed by the regular season.
“They’ve got some time off, and then they’ll be back and ready to hit camp,” Reid said Thursday. “Looks like the team’s in good shape now. It will be important that they even ramp it up even more for the long haul of the season.”
This story was originally published June 16, 2022 at 12:55 PM.
