By AMIE JUST
Associated Press
(ST. JOSEPH, Mo., AP) — Kansas City rookie defensive end Chris Jones gained attention in the Chiefs’ preseason opener.
The team’s first pick of this year’s draft had two tackles against Seattle and pressured quarterbacks. He also helped thwart a fourth-and-1 attempt in Kansas City territory.
“He was able to reach out and grab people,” coach Andy Reid said Sunday. “I thought he did a good job of playing on the other side of the line of scrimmage. He got to do it against a couple of different looks.”
Jones is 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan.
“It was pretty exciting, man,” Jones said. “Just to be in the atmosphere, everybody hollering and, my first NFL game. It was an amazing, amazing feeling.”
Arrowhead Stadium can be intimidating for many veteran players, let alone rookies.
“I wasn’t intimidated or a little bit of nervous at all,” Jones said. “I was more excited than anything. I had butterflies in my stomach. I was just excited to be out there on the field. I was excited to hit someone else instead of my teammates.”
Jones is second on Kansas City’s unofficial depth chart behind Jaye Howard at left defensive end. He’s the only rookie listed on the first or second string on defense.
He sees areas he needs to improve, such as hand placement and pad leverage.
“Just the smaller things will separate a great player from an average player,” Jones said.
INJURIES AND ABSENCES
Running back Charcandrick West and quarterback Tyler Bray missed practice on Monday due to injuries.
Bray took a shot near the end of the first half of the opener and sustained a small chip fracture in his cervical spine, according to head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder. Burkholder said Bray’s main symptom is a stiff neck, and there is no timetable for his return.
“It sounds much worse than it is,” Burkholder said. “We think he’s going to be fine.”
West fell on his left arm while outstretched, resulting in a mild elbow strain He worked out with head strength and conditioning coach Barry Rubin while wearing a large elbow brace.
Linebacker Frank Zombo missed Monday’s practice; his wife, Jessica, gave birth to a baby boy.
POSITION BATTLES
Quarterback Nick Foles is listed as the second-string quarterback, passing Tyler Bray and Aaron Murray in the unofficial depth chart.
OLYMPIC CONNECTIONS
Jeff Henderson, the gold medal winner of the men’s long jump at the Olympics, tried out with the Chiefs during the offseason.
“I think he probably had his mind set on going to get the gold,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.