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Chiefs Rookies Playing Catch-up After Strange Offseason

Sports

August 4th, 2011 by Jim Field

     ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) – Ricky Stanzi didn’t pick up his first NFL playbook until about a week ago.  He’d better be good at digesting that thick binder full of information, though, because his first preseason game with the Kansas City Chiefs is little more than a week away.  The disorganized and disjointed offseason brought on by maddening labor strife has been particularly hard on first-year players trying to find their way in professional football. Without rookie minicamps and organized team activities, guys such as Stanzi must play catch-up throughout the first week of training camp.  The Chiefs open their preseason a week from Friday against the Buffalo Bills, making that adjustment period more condensed than perhaps ever before.