Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles is behind schedule from his knee injury. The Chiefs said during the offseason that barring a setback, Charles would be ready to participate when training camp started.
There was no setback, but Charles wasn’t ready for the start of camp. He hasn’t regained the role – full-time featured back – he had before last season’s torn ACL.
Charles was back and a playing full time by this point of his return from his previous ACL tear, in 2012. But he was four years younger then
“I’m happy where I’m at,’’ Charles said. “Every time is always different than the first time. I can’t treat it like when I had the first ACL. I’ve got to treat it different.
“The first time I tore it the second game (of the season). This time I tore it the fifth game. So it’s totally different. The doctor told me when I had (this injury), ‘Don’t do it like you did the first one because it’s totally different.’ Every knee is different.’’
In the meantime, Spencer Ware generally gets a lot of the starter’s snaps in practice. Charcandrick West gets some. Sometimes there are a few left for Charles, too, the story said. Ware and West proved to be more than capable NFL backs last season filling in for Charles. So even if Charles can play Week 1, owners have to wonder just how many snaps he'll get. He'll likely be eased back in - at best. It's possible his workload is reduced even if he's back to full strength.
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