NFL notes: New QB Alex Smith gets started in Kansas City

The first pass that Alex Smith threw on Tuesday was to Tony Moeaki, who might have a hard time making the Kansas City Chiefs after an injury-plagued start to his career.

Then came passes to Tyler Shoemaker, Rico Richardson and Junior Hemingway. It was about as modest of a start as you could get to Smith's first training camp with the Chiefs — a bunch of throws to wide receivers who may not be around in six weeks.

Still, those passes on an unseasonably cool morning on the campus of Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Mo., represented the first step by Smith toward fulfilling expectations that have steadily grown ever since he was acquired from the 49ers this past offseason.

"The entire locker room is hungry. Expectations are high," Smith said, "and I think that's a good thing. The fun thing now is that we'll put the pads on and get to playing real football."

Shaky quarterback play was a big reason the Chiefs had one of the lowliest offenses in the league, and why the team went 2-14 to match the worst in franchise history.

Smith, a former No. 1 overall pick from the University of Utah, has said that he felt like he lost his job in San Francisco without doing anything wrong, and that it's only made him hungrier to succeed with Kansas City.

"It's a fresh start," he said. "It's a fresh beginning for everybody."

Around the league

Colts • Running back Ahmad Bradshaw will not be available to practice when the team reports to training camp this weekend. The team placed Bradshaw on the physically unable to perform list. He spent the previous six seasons with the New York Giants and is trying to return from January surgery on his right foot.

Raiders • Oakland signed fourth-round pick quarterback Tyler Wilson to a contract. Wilson was selected 112th overall in April out of Arkansas.

Jaguars • Coach Gus Bradley announced that running back Maurice Jones-Drew has been cleared by team doctors to start practice with his teammates on Friday. Jones-Drew suffered a fracture of his left foot, later diagnosed as a Lisfranc injury, on the first play from scrimmage against Oakland on Oct. 21.

Cowboys • Defensive end Anthony Spencer is having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and could miss the rest of training camp. Spencer hyperextended the knee in offseason workouts and said he aggravated the injury in the conditioning test before training camp.

Broncos • Denver saved $3.5 million with the release of linebacker Joe Mays, who lost his starting job and then broke his left leg last season.

Buccaneers • Tampa Bay signed running back Peyton Hillis to a one-year contract. Last year Hillis played for Kansas City Chiefs, rushing for 309 yards and 1 TD.