Steve Spagnuolo didn’t leave much room for guesswork when asked how Mansoor Delane is progressing toward a possible Week 1 return. The Chiefs defensive coordinator used one blunt answer to describe what still needs to happen: “a lot.”
That was the tone around Delane on Thursday as Kansas City got back on the field at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, this time without pads. The lighter practice setup gave the rookie more room to work than he’s had on most days in camp, and it fit with the club’s cautious handling of a shoulder issue that has limited him throughout the spring and summer.
“We’re trying to be a little cautious with the shoulder, the shoulder blade," said Spagnuolo. "I think you guys saw him, he’s out there today, because we only had shells on, so he could protect himself, but the other three days, with the shoulder pads, it was really being safe. You protect from himself, because when you put pads on, we don’t want to set him back.
"But I do think he did a good job. You saw him in and out of huddles, getting everything mentally.
Trying to keep the conditioning up. We’ll see where we’re at tomorrow because we put the pads back on, but that will be Rick’s [Burkholder] call.”
Delane, the Chiefs’ first of two first-round picks, was selected No. 6 overall after Kansas City traded up from No. 9. But since then, the rookie has spent plenty of time on the sideline in a yellow non-contact jersey while working back from the shoulder problem that has kept him from full participation.
Spagnuolo’s comments made it plain the Chiefs are not treating this like a short, tidy recovery. Delane still has a lot of catching up to do after missing important reps during mandatory minicamp and training camp, and the staff doesn’t sound ready to assume he’ll be available for the September 14 opener against Denver.
“We just haven’t had the work. I mean, you go through OTAs, and it’s just helmets.
And he hasn’t had a chance to really… the thing he’s missing right now is the continuity with a bunch of guys who are new to him. Everybody’s new, so we’re gonna have to fight through that.
Before you know it, we’re going to be lining up against Denver. Hopefully we get him back quicker than we thought.”
That final line is where the uncertainty really hangs. Spagnuolo mentioned Denver in a way that suggested Delane may not be on track for that game, then added that he hopes the cornerback can “get back quicker than we thought.” It’s not a firm verdict, but it does line up with the careful way the Chiefs have handled him since the spring.
For Kansas City, the bigger picture matters most. Delane was brought in to be a lockdown piece in a rebuilt secondary, but the timing of his return remains the question. Right now, the Chiefs are focused on making sure the rookie is ready for the long haul, even if that means being patient in the short term.
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