NFL Notes: Chiefs, Steelers, Titans, Vikings

Chiefs

Chiefs HC Andy Reid said that he is unsure if recently acquired LB Reggie Ragland is completely recovered from the ACL injury he sustained last season, but thinks he is a good fit for Kansas City’s defense.

“He’s coming off an ACL so we’re just going to see where he is physically,” Reid said, via Adam Teicher of ESPN. “I don’t think he’s all the way back from that … though he’s played in these games. We’ll let him get caught up on the defense though some of it might be carryover. We haven’t had a chance to meet with him but some of it might be carryover because of the fact he was with Buffalo last year and Rex (Ryan’s) defense and (Kansas City’s) defense are similar.”

According to Teicher, the Chiefs believe that Ragland could play in passing situations and continue being a good run defender to eventually become LB Derrick Johnson‘s replacement.

Steelers

Steelers HC Mike Tomlin said he has not anointed recently acquired TE Vance McDonald as the team’s starting tight end and that he will have to compete for the first-team role.

“We’re not going to anoint him in any way,” Tomlin said, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. “We’re going to put him in uniform like the rest of them and continue to allow them to sort themselves out. It’s reasonable to expect the guys that are here to respond positively in the right way to his presence and elevate their play.”

Tomlin added that the reason for trading for McDonald was because the tight ends on the roster were “not consistently varsity enough.”

Titans

• Titans HC Mike Mularkey said WRs Eric Decker (ankle) and first-round rookie Corey Davis (hamstring) are expected to be completely recovered in time for the regular season opener against the Raiders: “I was pleased with them. That was the plan, to come out here and get limited reps, limited work. I was pretty pleased with them.” (Jason Wolf)

Vikings

Vikings HC Mike Zimmer mentioned that all of the reports he’s received regarding QB Teddy Bridgewater and his return from a devasting knee injury have been positive.

“I don’t watch him every single day because he’s over there off to the side while we’re practicing,” Zimmer said, via ESPN.com. “But the reports I get are all positive. And he knows where he’s at and where he’s got to get to. I think he’s progressing well.”

As for returning to practice, Zimmer said: “When he’s there, he’ll practice.”

• Mark Craig of the Star Tribune writes that Bridgewater can either become a free agent after this season or have his contract tolled depending on what happens with him being on the PUP list.
• If Bridgewater’s contract tolled, he would stay with Minnesota for an additional year at the same $1.354 million salary he’ll make this season.
• According to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, a player on Reserve/PUP list is compensated at the applicable rate specified in his contract. His contract will not be tolled for the period that he is on Reserve/PUP, except in the last year of his contract when the contract will be tolled if he is still physically unable to perform as of the sixth regular-season game.