The Sports Xchange

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When the Kansas City Chiefs began their organized offseason work in April, coach Andy Reid’s offense was the focus of attention.

Two months later, the Chiefs adjourned for their summer vacation with more confidence in the state of the offense than at any time in Reid’s three years as coach.

“It would be tough to even compare those (previous) years,” quarterback Alex Smith said. “From last year, I think a huge step, a significant step (forward.)

“I think without a doubt as far as what we’ve got in, the amount of football that we have in this time of year, no question it’s probably not even comparable to the last couple years. So we’re able to do more. A greater percentage of our offense is in, and I think we’ve been able to go out and execute it more than we have in the last two years. We’ve been able to make adjustments on the fly, do different things on the field, which I think kind of comes with that with guys knowing the system.”

As an example, Smith talked about third-year tight end Travis Kelce, who was the Chiefs’ leader in catches and receiving yards last season. Kelce wants adjustments made to get him open more often.

“(Kelce) popped his head into the QB meeting and we’re talking about looks and he already wants adjustments to get the ball,” Smith said. “You’re doing things at the line of scrimmage, changing plays with him, with how they’re playing him leverage-wise and he wants a different route so he can get the football.

“Yesterday in practice, I can hear him make calls at the line of scrimmage because he wants the football. Things like that are encouraging because he’s obviously a tremendous player, but it’s so great to see that confidence there on the field, him calling for when he wants the football. As a quarterback, that’s encouraging.”

Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin has transitioned from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Chiefs’ offense with few problems, and the relationship between quarterback and receiver is already advanced far more than either expected.

“I think our comfort level with each other is pretty high,” Maclin said. “It kind of feels like this is not our first rodeo. I think we’ve hooked up a lot in practice on timing, on plays where he is just kind of throwing the ball and trusting me to make the play and stuff like that. I think we’ll want to continue to get better, but I think we’re off to a great, great start.”

Smith agreed with his receiver’s assessment.

“I feel really good about where things are right now, where they’re going, how they have progressed,” the quarterback said. “I think with all of the restrictions and stuff that are in place now in the offseason, I don’t see how we could have done any more. I really feel like we’ve gotten great work as a whole; but, yeah, he and I especially have gotten a lot of reps together. A lot of good looks, I really feel like we have a good foundation before we put the pads on and head into camp.”

The engine of the Chiefs’ offense is Jamaal Charles and the running game, and Charles said this week he has had the best offseason of work in his career.

“I feel like I know what I’m doing,” Charles said. “Not everything I did was at a fast pace; I did everything patiently. Being in the third year of the system, I feel good.”

That “feel good” position is one Charles is excited about, especially after an injury-plagued 2014 season in which he dealt with multiple injuries from training camp through the last game.

“I haven’t been in the training room this whole OTA,” Charles said. “The only time I’ve been in the training room was to clip my nails and my toenails. Normally, in the last year, I was in the training room checking on my knees, checking up on other things. But I haven’t been there but one time.”

There are still question marks the Chiefs must answer on their offense in training camp and the preseason. The offensive line remains in transition, and depth at wide receiver behind Maclin needs to be established.

But more than at any time in Reid’s three seasons as coach and offensive play caller, the unit appears prepared to be productive and consistent.

“This spring it’s been a ton of fun,” Smith said. “It’s like: Who is going to have the big day? You don’t know. And I think that’s the fun part even for us. You’re going out and you don’t know who it’s going to be because everybody has had their turn. That’s been a lot of fun for us to cut it loose. There are good matchups all over the place.”