Chiefs return to work, possibly with Smith at RB

By DOUG TUCKER
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo.(AP) — Kolby Smith’s timing may turn out to have
been perfect.

The Kansas City Chiefs will be without suspended running back
Larry Johnson when they travel to Jacksonville this week, and
Smith, a year after knee surgery, is eligible and eager to come
off the physically unable to perform list.

“This is what I’m here for: to play,” Smith said. “I’m over my
injury and I feel confident in my knee.”

Johnson, a former Pro Bowler who is struggling this season, is
serving a suspension for using gay slurs and belittling head
coach Todd Haley. Presumably, that will shift the running duties
to Jamaal Charles and Dantrell Savage.

Another possibility may be Smith, who says he’s fully healed
from his knee surgery. Activating him will be a decision the
Chiefs must make no later than Friday.

Haley, who held Kansas City’s first practice Monday after a
three-day weekend following their bye, said he’s encouraged by
the way Smith has been looking in practice.

“He made it through the first two weeks and it looked like he
was moving around pretty good today, so I’m optimistic about
seeing him play,” Haley said.

Johnson, like the rest of the Chiefs’ offense, has been largely
ineffective all year. His long-term future with the team may
still be in question.

Kansas City has averaged a shade more than 100 yards rushing,
putting the team in the bottom third of the league.

“Our running game is something we know we have to have to have a
chance to win,” said Haley. “We’re not going to beat people
throwing it 50-60 times a game right now. Our running game is
one of those areas that has to improve, especially eliminating
minus-yardage runs. So that’s where our focus has been and
that’s where it will continue to be.”

Smith was placed on injured reserve on Nov. 4, 2008, and
underwent right knee surgery that caused him to miss the final
eight games. He’s been back at practice for two weeks.

After the first week he declared himself “not too rusty and
mentally still in the game.”

“It’s been a long fight getting over the injury,” he said. “I
had to learn how to walk again, then jog, then plant and cut. It
was tough not doing anything with the team during training
camp.”

His leg was in a cast for six weeks.

“Then I had to learn how to lift it again, and bend it. Just a
whole bunch of stuff,” he said.

He’s ready to be activated, he said.

“What the coaches decide to do is up to them. I feel like if
they needed me, I could be used.”

Smith had a spectacular debut, setting a Chiefs rookie record
with 31 carries for 150 yards in his fist start on Nov. 25,
2007, against Oakland.

“If they say, `Kolby, we’re ready for you to play,’ then I’ll be
ready,” he said.