KC Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman has hamstring injury: observations from team’s OTAs

The Chiefs were hamstrung during the first week of voluntary organized team activities.

In addition to rookie wide receiver Skyy Moore continuing to rehabilitate from a hamstring injury, the Chiefs on Thursday were without starting wideout Mecole Hardman.

“He tweaked a hamstring earlier (Wednesday),” Reid said of Hardman.

As for Moore, who was limited during early May’s rookie minicamp, the Chiefs are continuing to hold back their second-round pick during these voluntary OTA workouts.

“We’re just letting that thing heal up,” Reid said of Moore’s injury. “He’s chomping at the bit to get in there and go, but kind of letting that ride right now.”

While Moore observed his teammates’ on-field work, Hardman’s absence opened the door for other wide receivers, including newcomers Corey Coleman, Omar Bayless and Matthew Sexton, to experience more repetitions.

They all worked alongside the Chiefs’ prized free-agent receiver signings, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and impressed quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

“These guys are smart,” Mahomes said. “I think that’s the big thing for me. Marquez, JuJu, Corey Coleman, all these new guys that we have in the building are smart, they work hard and they want to compete. That’s a very deep receiving room.”

Without their two wide receivers, the Chiefs powered through a practice session that extended nearly two hours on Thursday morning.

Reid had the opportunity to see how much this year’s draft class retained from the rookie minicamp while working in the veterans. He came away pleased with the collective effort.

“It’s great to have these guys back in here,” Reid said. “We’ve had a good turnout. They’re working hard within the rules of what you can do and they’re competing the best they can.

“It’s good to introduce all this new stuff to the new players and they seem to be very responsive picking it up. They had some carryover from Phase II to Phase III, which has been good to see that.”

PARTICIPATION REPORT

Quarterback Chad Henne, wide receiver Daurice Fountain, tight end Mark Vital, right tackle Lucas Niang (knee), defensive end Frank Clark, defensive tackles Chris Jones and Khalen Saunders, linebacker Jermain Carter and safety Juan Thornhill were not observed on the practice field.

Reid didn’t appear concerned about the multiple absences, especially with the voluntary nature of these OTA workouts.

“We had a few injuries, sickness and we’ve had a couple of muscle pull things,” Reid said. “But nothing that is big and it is the offseason, so we’ll just kind of leave it at that.”

Cornerback Rashad Fenton (shoulder), defensive lineman Kehinde Oginni Hassan and tackle Prince Tega Wanogho didn’t have their helmets and observed the practice session off to the side.

Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed participated in stretching and conditioning, but the Chiefs appeared to hold him out of team-related drills.

Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. hasn’t signed his franchise tender, so he’s not under contract and not with the team this week.

OBSERVATIONS

The Chiefs’ media rules during OTAs prohibit the reporting of personnel groupings (first- or second- or third-team units), specific formations/alignments, trick plays, situational plays and statistics.

Allowed, however, are general observations about head-turning and notable plays:

• Mahomes made one of his signature no-look passes during 7-on-7 drills, connecting with Valdes-Scantling near the right sideline while looking at another receiver in the middle of the field.

• Cornerback Deandre Baker made a nifty interception during one-on-one drills against wide receiver Cornell Powell. At the snap of the ball, Powell took off down the right sideline with Baker in stride alongside him. Rookie quarterback Dustin Crum launched the pass, which appeared slightly underthrown and forced Baker and Powell to adjust mid-stride. Baker got the best of the play, as he jumped up and snared the pass out of Powell’s hands.

• During 11-on-11 red zone drills, wideout Justin Watson got behind cornerback Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs’ first-round pick, and was on the receiving end of a beautifully placed pass from Mahomes, who dropped the ball into Watson’s arms near the back of the end zone.

• Tight end Jody Fortson, who is making his return from a ruptured Achilles tendon, was on the field with his teammates. Fortson, however, might have been on a pitch count as his work during team drills was limited.