ST. JOSEPH | After several days and increasing fan concern, the Chiefs finally filled a hole at nose tackle, signing veteran Kelly Gregg on Saturday.
Gregg, 34, is a Wichita native who played the last 11 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. Gregg, a 6-foot, 320-pound defensive lineman, also has played for Philadelphia and Cincinnati.
The move came after the Chiefs’ veteran nose tackle candidates, Ron Edwards and Shaun Smith, signed elsewhere. Edwards, the Chiefs’ starter at nose tackle the past two seasons, signed last week with Carolina, and Smith joined Tennessee.
The Chiefs’ only other nose tackle candidates are rookie Jerrell Powe, a sixth-round pick in April’s NFL draft, and Anthony Toribio.
Like all free agents under terms of the new collective-bargaining agreement, Gregg won’t practice until Aug. 4. Players are allowed only to attend team meetings, and their conditioning is considered voluntary and must be performed independently.
Gregg’s age could be a concern, and Baltimore began planning last year to part ways with the veteran when it selected Terrence Cody in the second round of last year’s draft. Still, Gregg started all 16 of the Ravens’ regular-season games, finishing with 38 combined tackles. For the first time since becoming a full-time player in 2002, Gregg didn’t record a sack. He missed the ’08 season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee.
Chiefs veteran lineman Glenn Dorsey said that, if Gregg’s age has slowed him, he would be willing to slide from defensive end to nose tackle.
“Especially here, we play everything,” Dorsey said. “You can be an end, you can be a (three-technique lineman), you can be a nose guard. You’ve got to be ready for whatever.”
In that scenario, rookie Allen Bailey or veteran Wallace Gilberry — who hasn’t yet signed his unrestricted free agent tender but is expected to — could replace Dorsey at end.
Dorsey was a defensive tackle at LSU and during his first season with the Chiefs. When coach Todd Haley replaced Herm Edwards, the Chiefs moved from the 4-3 defense to the 3-4, and Dorsey shifted to defensive end.
He has spent some time as an interior lineman the past two seasons, but usually in sub-formations.
“It really doesn’t change,” Dorsey said. “However they see it, man, I’m just ready to do it.”
Haley opted to move Saturday’s workout to 3 p.m., a half hour earlier than he had planned for the approximately 150-minute practice.
The coach said that after Friday’s practice, players and coaches had little time to get to meetings or dinner or to a place to watch footage from the afternoon. He said the fluctuating practice times are part of the adjustment to the new collective-bargaining agreement rules, which forbid two-a-day, full-contact practices.
“The schedule we were on the last two years,” he said, “we had worked the bugs out and had felt pretty comfortable with it.”
Today’s practice also was moved to 3 p.m. Haley said that the team will continue to tweak the schedule to make the most of the new times.
Rookie lineman Lucas Patterson, who signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent, moved from defense to offense in time for Saturday’s practice. Patterson never played on offensive in college at Texas A&M.
Jonathan Baldwin had a tough day. He dropped a slant pass from Matt Cassel on one play. On another, he lined up in the wrong spot, leading Todd Haley to have the players return to the huddle to regroup.
Linebackers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston are unsigned and not in camp. … Brandon Flowers stepped in front of a Cassel pass intended for Jerheme Urban and intercepted it.
Tight end Tony Moeaki and running back Tervaris Johnson are on the physically unable to perform list.
Jerheme Urban missed all of last season because of a broken hand, but he’s back and he still figures into the receiving picture. With Steve Breaston unable to practice until Thursday and Jonathan Baldwin still getting up to speed, Urban is practicing with the first team opposite Dwayne Bowe.
Walkthrough, 10:20 a.m.; practice, 3 p.m.
88 The uniform number given to rookie Charlie Gantt. It will eventually be retired by the Chiefs when Tony Gonzalez makes the Hall of Fame
68The uniform number given to rookie Lucas Patterson. It will eventually be retired when Will Shields makes the Hall of Fame
95 Today’s expected high temperature in St. Joseph
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