The Chiefs drafted two players this season -- Dexter McCluster and Javier Arenas -- that will likely fill the return-man void they've been missing since Dante Hall.
Through the first week of training camp, it's been McCluster who has been out there the most even though Arenas is the more experience kick and punt returner.
Chiefs GM Scott Pioli said before training camp that it's important not to get too wrapped up in where guys are in the depth chart and who's first or second in.
"Understand that when you have a guy like Jon McGraw," Pioli began, "who's so smart, and knows everything about both safety positions, cornerback positions and where the linebackers are...sometimes it's more important for a younger player, or a less experienced player -- whether it's Kendrick Lewis or Donald Washington, Eric Berry, Reshard Langford or DaJuan Morgan -- to get more reps because Jon knows what to do.
"So, sometimes when you look at people in certain situations, have an understanding of why it appears certain guys are at certain levels in the depth chart. Don't let yourself get fooled all the time."
That helps explain why it's been McCluster, and not Arenas, seeing most of the kick and punt returns.
McCluster took a combined four punt returns over his final two seasons at Ole Miss. He took no kick returns. So putting him out there suggests they're trying to find out what he can do in that area -- it doesn't mean he's ahead of Arenas, as the Kansas City Star pointed out this morning.
“Potentially great return guys,” coach Todd Haley said. “One (Arenas) was a great college returner. McCluster did a lot of other things. That’s a little more speculative of what his abilities are there."
By speculative, he means we have no idea what he can do there so we're going to give him more reps in that area because Arenas is already highly accomplished as a returner. With four years of college tape, they know what Arenas can do. They don't know what McCluster can do.
So while McCluster has been the first one out in kick and punt returns, it doesn't mean he's no. 1 on the depth chart.