The closer we get to training camp, the closer I am to believing Derrick Johnson will make an impact this year, an early impact. DJ was driving the pace car at Kansas Speedway this weekend and met with the media with questions about whether he will be recovered from last December’s Achilles rupture in order to be ready for training camp in July.

“I’m still on track,” DJ said via the KC Star. “The goal is to be ready by camp.”

He’s been saying that all along. The Chiefs coaches have indicated that he is doing well. We’re still plenty far away from camp - more than two months - but with each week we get closer, the more optimistic I become.

DJ will turn 35 years old in November. It’s looking like a good bet he will be back but the question is what kind of shape he will be at his age (“at his age” ... as if 34 is old. Football is weird). If he’s even 80 to 90 percent of the DJ we know, I would feel pretty good about his return.