Vegas Sportsbook - Kansas City Chiefs

Even better was seeing all of those players reporting healthy and happy when the Chiefs opened training camp on July 28 in River Falls, Wis.

No contract holdouts, no major injury problems, no significant squabbles in Dick Vermeil's "one big happy family" approach to the NFL. Each of the 91 players Kansas City was counting on was aboard the team plane as it flew north, and all but one -- reserve linemen Donald Willis, slow to recover from back surgery -- were in uniform for the first workout on July 29.

Even players who missed significant parts of the spring program were back in uniform for the first workout. Tight end Tony Gonzalez, who watched all the spring on-field drills from the sideline while nursing a stress fracture in his ankle, seemed to be running at close to full speed. Cornerback Eric Warfield, limited in the spring while recovering from back surgery, took a full turn. Ditto with fellow starting corner Dexter McCleon, who nursed a heel injury all spring.

Starting middle linebacker Mike Maslowski, who missed six games last year after needing a second major surgery on the same knee in a four-year period, was running full bore with the first unit at the first workout, but the Chiefs will be monitoring his work level closely.

The one open starting position, the right tackle spot held by free agent departee John Tait, appeared to be nicely in the first workout by John Welbourn, the former Eagles starting guard who appears ready to make the transition to right tackle -- the position he played when entering the league six years ago. Welbourn was coming off offseason microscopic surgery but still was an active participant in spring workouts following his draft-day trade to Kansas City.

CAMP CALENDAR
Camp opened on July 28, progressed to one workout on the first full work date before starting the two-a-day schedule on Friday. The Chiefs will work with the Minnesota Vikings in four sessions over a two-day period in Mankato on Aug. 6-7. The team breaks camp on Aug. 21.