Key storylines to follow at Chiefs camp

By Mike Ash  |   Sunday, July 29, 2007  |  Comments( 5 )

Kansas City Chiefs
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Beginning Aug. 8, the HBO reality series "Hard Knocks" will cover the Kansas City Chiefs' training camp in River Falls, Wis. There will be five episodes in total, each an hour in length, with the finale coming on Sept. 5.

If history is any indication, the show will focus on a few specific players here and there. A rookie or walk-on just trying to make the team, or a veteran fighting to keep his spot, with a focus on what each player has to endure along the way. But, as with any team that gets put under the microscope, there are overriding issues with the Chiefs that will end up getting plenty of attention.

With the team set to hit the practice field on Friday, here are the major storylines to watch as camp unfolds.

Larry Johnson's contract

The Chiefs' biggest superstar won't be part of the HBO series until he gets the new deal he's looking for. According to recent reports, the team and Johnson's agent are as far apart as $14 million in terms of the guaranteed money the running back would receive.

Certainly, though, missing out on training camp won't have much effect on a running back of Johnson's proven ability. If anything, considering his NFL-record 416 carries in 2006, skipping the grind of camp may prove beneficial to Johnson. And his absence will give the team a chance to evaluate some of the younger runners on the roster, like rookie fifth-round pick Kolby Smith and NFL Europa co-MVP Derrick Smith.

Still, Johnson's contract situation will cast a large shadow over camp until the matter is finally resolved.

The return of Priest Holmes

Wednesday's announcement that Holmes would report to training camp came as a surprise to nearly everyone who follows the NFL. The Chiefs' all-time leading rusher, Holmes has been absent from the team since injuring his head and neck in an October 2005 game against the San Diego Chargers.

The unexpected return of a superstar at his level will surely be a major story among the players at camp. The notoriously private Holmes has also been criticized in some circles for going home to Texas and disappearing from public view after his injury, as opposed to staying around the Chiefs to support his teammates. Should any of the players hold a grudge toward Holmes for how he handled things, how will that impact the team?

And what will happen if and when Johnson reports to camp? What will the dynamic be like between the two star running backs? It's well-known that Johnson was unhappy during his first few seasons in Kansas City while he sat on the bench behind Holmes. Now that Johnson is the unquestioned starter, how will both men react to the new situation?

The status of first-round pick Dwayne Bowe

Bowe was not signed to a contract when the Chiefs departed for camp, making him ineligible to participate in any of the team activities. According to various rumors and reports, Bowe -- a receiver from LSU who was drafted 23rd overall -- could be waiting to see what Cleveland Browns QB Brady Quinn, taken 22nd, makes in his rookie deal. However, because the Browns used their first-round pick in 2008 to help them move up and acquire Quinn, it's expected that he'll be looking for more money than a standard player at the 22nd slot would receive. This could lead to Quinn holding out from camp.

If it's true that Bowe and his representatives want to see how Quinn's deal shakes out before negotiating their own, how much of camp might Bowe miss while they wait for Cleveland to work out a contract?

The Chiefs haven't spent a first-round pick on a receiver in several years, so there's a lot of interest in getting Bowe to camp and working him into the offense. If he misses too much time, it could affect his entire rookie campaign.

The development of Brodie Croyle

Kansas City will enter camp with a competition at the quarterback position between veteran backup Damon Huard and Croyle, the former signal-caller at Alabama. Croyle had an excellent senior season with the Crimson Tide in 2005, leading his team to a 9-0 start, a 10-2 final record, and finishing the year with a QB rating of 132.8 and the most passing yards in school history.

Because of injury concerns, though, he slipped to the third round in the '05 draft, where he was grabbed by the Chiefs. Croyle sat on the bench last season behind Huard and former starter Trent Green, and now he has the chance to win the QB job outright.

It's not a secret that head coach Herm Edwards would like to see Croyle win the job, but Huard played extremely well a year ago after Green went down in with a concussion in Week 1. Earning the starting position won't come easy, and the young gunslinger will surely be a big part of the HBO coverage.
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