Practice Update 8/21

From the Truman Sports Complex

It was a short practice session for the Chiefs, their last before Saturday night’s game in Miami.  These types of practices are more mental than physical, so there tends to be less to report as the players physical intensity level is throttled down.

We can update the injury front.

Newest injury was WR Will Franklin who walked off the practice field before the session ended wih the help of a trainer.  Afterwards, Franklin’s right knee was heavily wrapped and sporting an ice pack.  He was headed for an MRI. Franklin said he felt “a tweak” while running a route.  His status for Saturday is obviously up in the air.

Out of the game Saturday night will be: RB Jamaal Charles (shoulder), TE Brad Cottam (shoulder), WR Kevin Robinson (knee), LB Donnie Edwards (hamstring), LB Demorrio Williams (hand), CB Tyron Brackenridge (hamstring), DE Trevor Johnson (concussion), LT Branden Albert (foot), RT Damion McIntosh (ankle), LB Napoleon Harris (knee) and S Jon McGraw (shoulder.)

With the injury situation at linebacker, the Chiefs will have to get creative in their starting defensive lineup.  There were times in the last two days when rookie Wes Dacus ran with first-teamers Derrick Johnson and Pat Thomas.  But it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Chiefs went with a base nickel defense for this game, possibly bringing S DaJuan Morgan in for first downs and allowing him and/or Bernard Pollard to play closer to the line of scrimmage.

Expect some of the starters on both sides of the football to play into the third quarter.  Expect to see Damon Huard get some snaps in this game (he didn’t play last week) and expect to see the No. 1 offense come out and throw the ball a bit more than they have in the first two games.