By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Kansas City Chiefs had a lighter practice Monday during Training Camp.
The Chiefs held a 10-10-10 practice, cycling through 10 offensive plays, 10 defensive plays and 10 minutes of special teams.
Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo says the value of these types of practice is more mental than anything
"I think we went three straight days with pads, and I think Coach Reid would tell you the same thing, it's a good way to get a lot of work done but take a little bit of the physicality off and it was about time with our guys," Spagnuolo tells reporter's post-practice. "And now they'll have the day off and it works pretty good."
"It's a little agonizing for me sometimes because you can't do anything physical" Spagnuolo jokes about the 10-10-10 practice.
The Chiefs got a big boost to their offensive line over the weekend as guard Joe Thuney was cleared to return to action and was back at practice on Monday.
Thuney had spent all of Training Camp to start on the physically unable to perform, or PUP, list after suffering a pectoral injury in last year's playoffs.
Center Creed Humphrey says it's great to get a veteran like Thuney back
"Getting to have him back doing some group install stuff, some indy (individual) stuff, it's been good and obviously he's a big-time leader for us, he has a ton of experience, and he's a heck of a player," Humphrey says. "So, whenever you get a guy like that back its great."
Thuney worked with the starters during the teams install period, but seems to be working back slowly, giving snaps during drills to rookie Hunter Nourzad.
Roles are shifting all over the Chiefs defense as defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo looks to replace some key players from last year's squad.
Cornerback Trent McDuffie, an All-Pro last season, has seemingly been tabbed as the number one corner to replace L'Jarius Sneed who was traded.
McDuffie says even in an all-pro season he was still learning in his role as a nickel corner, and now replacing Sneed he says is a whole different ball game.
"Inside you've got help here and there, you can do things a little differently, but on the outside on the island, you have to be a technician," McDuffie explains. "And coming into this camp knowing that I might have to do some more of that, it's been each and every day working little by little on technique, technique, and just trying to perfect myself out there."
Spagnuolo says while they have their number one corner in McDuffie, there is still much evaluation going on for who else will fill out the secondary.
The Chiefs are off from practice Tuesday. They're back at 9:15 on Wednesday.
