RIVER FALLS, WIS. ? The Kansas City Chiefs hit the ground running in their first practice of training camp Thursday, and coach Dick Vermeil said he expected nothing less.

“Twenty-nine of these guys have been here before,” Vermeil pointed out after practice. “They’re four years into the mission, so they know what to expect, and they did it well.”

Vermeil said he was especially impressed by the players’ concentration on the first day.

“We worked as if we’ve been practicing for a week,” he said. “There were no mental mistakes. No offsides, no guys jumping. The only illegal procedure we had was on a punt. They showed real good discipline, and I was very pleased.”

With 21 of 22 starters back from last year, it may come as no surprise that things went so smoothly on the first day. But Vermeil said that couldn’t happen unless there were quality players on the team to begin with.

“To good football players, it’s an advantage,” he said about the familiarity factor. “If they’re not good football players, they’re going to get beat. But these are good football players.”

Vermeil said one of the first priorities in training camp would be to solidify the starting right tackle position left vacant by the free-agent loss of John Tait to Chicago.

The Chiefs obtained John Welbourn in a draft-weekend trade with Philadelphia and worked both Chris Bober and Brett Williams at right tackle Thursday.

The coach said he’d like to have a starter penciled in at the position by the first preseason game against the New York Giants.

Kansas City's Trent Green, left, joins centers and his fellow quarterbacks for a drill on the first day of the Chiefs' preseason camp. K.C. opened drills Thursday on the campus of the University of Wisconsin in River Falls, Wis..

One of the most intriguing matchups of the first day of training camp was between second-year cornerback Julian Battle and third-year wideout Marc Boerigter. During an 11-on-11 drill near the end of practice, the pair ran side-by-side down the right sideline before Boerigter hauled in a 40-yard strike from quarterback Trent Green.

But Battle never gave up and got his arm between the ball and Boerigter’s body and wrestled the ball loose.

Vermeil said matchups like that in training camp would make both players better.

“When you’re running routes against Julian Battle you’re running routes against a quality, quality corner,” he said. “It’s good for him to be going against a quality receiver, and it’s good for the receiver. I really think he (Battle) is going to ascend rapidly in this training camp. Bo started out good today, too. Bo just has to catch the ball consistently.”

First-round draft pick Junior Siavii worked out mainly with the second and third units Thursday. Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham said Siavii’s first day may have been less than impressive, but Cunningham was confident the rookie defensive tackle would live up to expectations.

Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil doles out back rubs as he greets players during stretching exercises at the first day of summer camp.

“You didn’t really notice him out there today,” Cunningham said. “I think he’s a little apprehensive, like all young guys are. It’s not that they’re worried about the offensive line. They’re worried about the schedules and getting lunch on time and things like that. It will take him a couple of days to get in the rhythm, but he’ll be fine.”

The only injury reported Thursday was to wide receiver Eddie Kennison. Vermeil said Kennison fell and landed awkwardly on his wrist before leaving the field.

“I don’t think it’s anything serious,” the coach said. “But he had to go off the field, and he’ll have it x-rayed.”

Notes: The Chiefs made a pair of roster moves before taking the field for their first practice Thursday. The team waived tight end Mike Pinkard and placed wide receiver LaShaun Ward on the NFL Europe Injured Reserve list. The moves bring the team to the league-imposed limit of 91 players for training camp.