By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Saturday's preseason game gave Chiefs rookies their first taste of game action after several weeks of training camp in St. Joseph.
One rookie that stood out among the rest was undrafted running back Carson Steele, who has been a hidden gem of sorts through camp.
Steele has run this camp as both a running back and a fullback, and says his goal coming into camp was to be a Swiss army knife
"Try to do it all type of deal and wherever they need to put me in is where I can get in," Steele tells reporters following practice. "So, like implementing the fullback in there as well, being able to block, especially being able to catch out of the backfield too, not only run."
Steele scored the lone Chiefs touchdown in the game against Jacksonville, rushing four times for 29 yards.
Steele has been that do it all back and has the potential to give the Chiefs an actual fullback, their first fullback since the retirement of Anthony Sherman.
Head Coach Andy Reid says Steele has been working out at the fullback position as needed.
"We used Noah (Gray) there last year who can still do that, but he's (Steele) got to be a good special teams player, if he's going to make the team, he's got to be a good special teams player, he's to to be able to carry the football and stay aggressive like he's doing right now," Reid explains. "But he had a productive day."
Chiefs first round pick Xavier Worthy also got his first bit of actual game action in Saturday's preseason loss to the Jaguars.
And after an early injury to receiver Hollywood Brown, Worthy's role in the offense could expand even more, at least for the first few weeks.
Worthy though says even with the injury to Brown, his mindset does not change, and his mindset is to just be the best
"Hollywood's definitely one of the leaders, he shows me a lot, teaches me a lot, but I feel like him just being there regardless is going to help me a lot," Worthy says. "But my mindset is to just be the best regardless."
Worthy was held without a catch or a target in the first preseason game but could be used more this Saturday against Detroit.
It was a lighter 10-10-10 practice today for the Chiefs. They practice again tomorrow at 9:15 in St. Joseph.
Injury Report
A handful of injured Chiefs returned to practice on Monday, but there was also a handful that sat out with injuries.
Absent from practice today were Hollywood Brown (shoulder), Bryan Cook (personal), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (sickness), McKade Mettauer, BJ Thompson. Also sitting out practice, but still at the fields were Jaaron Hayek, Chris Jones (shoulder), Wanya Morris (knee), Charles Omenihu (PUP list)
A positive sign for Chiefs fans was the return of safety Justin Reid from the non-injured list, Reid spent most of training camp just out at the fields in a jersey and shorts. Nick Bolton also returned, though he wore the yellow non-contact jersey and also had his left elbow heavily taped. Kadarius Toney was also back at practice on Monday.