On Thursday, the Kansas City Chiefs conducted the next-to-last practice in Phase 3 of their organized team activities (OTAs) — and just like last Wednesday’s session, reporters were on hand to observe.
Last week marked the first time local media members had seen the team’s first-round draft pick Josh Simmons on the field with his teammates. He was back out there on Thursday — and head coach Andy Reid is happy with what he’s been seeing from the former Ohio State left tackle, who has been working his way back from a patellar tendon injury he suffered last October.
“He’s doing a nice job,” said Reid after practice. “We weren’t sure quite how much we were going to be able to get out of him, but he looks strong. He’s been jumping in and taking the team reps now — he was just doing the individual stuff before — and you can definitely see the talent. He’s gotta keep learning the stuff that [offensive line coach] Andy [Heck’s] teaching him — fundamentally [and] technique-wise — but he sure has a good attitude about it.”
Reid acknowledged that the team had been taking it slow with Simmons.
“We’ve done that with him,” he admitted, “and he’s asked for more. We’ve kind of kept backing him up here and easing him into it. But you could tell that he rehabbed — [and] did a nice job with it. Obviously the people that did the surgery did a nice job, so it looks like he’s in good shape.”
Reid then took another opportunity to emphasize how much the coaching staff likes Simmons’ attitude.
“He’s here quite a bit,” he observed. “He’s one of those guys that you’ve got to kind of kick out of the building.”
