Practice Update 8/31 A.M.

From the Truman Sports Complex

It was another day, another adventure around the Chiefs during their Monday morning practice session.

Generally, we show up for these workouts and do a roll call of the players. Monday, it was the coaching staff where the roll call was needed, as Chan Gailey was not on the field when the media arrived. A few minutes later the team made the announcement that Gailey had been relieved of his duties as offensive coordinator.

But practice went on, with head coach Todd Haley handling the play calling and working with the quarterbacks. He got help from offensive quality control assistant Nick Sirianni.

Then came the roll call of the players. Missing from the field were QB Matt Cassel and WR Devard Darling. Both suffered injuries to their left legs during Saturday night’s game against Seattle. Both are thought to be knee injuries, with Cassel spraining his MCL and Darling tearing his ACL.

Haley refused to discuss any injured players after the practice.

He also said that a starting quarterback for Thursday night’s pre-season finale in St. Louis against the Rams had not been determined, although Tyler Thigpen took almost all of the snaps with the first team offense in the practice.

Here’s some other tidbits and news from the practice:

– Also not participating but working with the rehab team were RB Kolby Smith, TE Jake O’Connell, LB Zach Thomas, WR Amani Toomer, CB Brandon Flowers and SS Bernard Pollard.

– Returning to practice was ILB Derrick Johnson, who said he did not play Saturday night because of a sprained ankle. He was working with the second team defense in the practice, as Demorrio Williams was with the starters alongside Corey Mays.

– Also practicing was FS Jarrad Page, who did not play in the Seattle game, after practicing all of last week. Page refused to discuss his injury status, referring questions to Haley. Page also was not working with the first team defense, as Jon McGraw took his place. Page got an interception off a Brodie Croyle throw in the practice. Mike Brown was holding down Pollard’s position.

– Flowers shoulder injury does not appear to be serious, but he could miss several games. Working in his spot with the first team defense was rookie Donald Washington.

– Thomas was actually on the field after being absent from the rehab team’s public work last Wednesday and Thursday. He seemed to be running without a problem. O’Connell was wearing a boot last week on his left ankle, but that was gone Monday.

– Damion McIntosh was back running with the first team offense at RT. All last week Barry Richardson had held down that spot. Richardson worked at left tackle during Monday’s practice.

– Rookie kicker Ryan Succop hit all four of his FG attempts in practice, as he was good from 31, 36, 40 and 49 yards. He also had four kickoffs that went to the 10, 2 and 2 yards, with the last kick going five yards deep in the end zone.

– Here’s how the second team defense lined up: Wallace Gilberry, Ron Edwards and Alex Magee on the line, Andy Studebaker, Jovan Belcher, Derrick Johnson and Turk McBride at linebacker with Maurice Leggett and Ricardo Colclough on the corners and DaJuan Morgan and Page at safety.