Kansas City, Mo. ? Willie Roaf was smiling Tuesday morning, which brought an even bigger smile to Kansas City coach Dick Vermeil.

The Chiefs’ 10-time Pro Bowl left tackle is almost back. A hamstring injury which has sidelined him almost the entire first four games and had a debilitating trickle-down effect on the entire offense is healed.

Roaf will be ready when the Chiefs return from their bye week to play Washington on Oct. 16, and perhaps no one will be happier than Tony Gonzalez. The Pro Bowl tight end’s receiving stats seemed to disappear with Roaf.

With quarterback Trent Green’s main protector on the sidelines and backup Jordan Black struggling in his place, coaches were forced to use Gonzalez much of the time in pass blocking – which is not his strong suit.

When he does break out in a passing pattern, there’s been less time to get downfield because Green has less time to throw.

“Last week, we did a lot of maximum protection,” Vermeil said Tuesday. “Tony was in pass protection a lot. Also, tight-end stuff takes a little more time downfield. If you get harassed in our play-action passing and that kind of stuff where Tony’s a major key in, and the quarterback’s getting knocked around, you use less of that.”

After catching only two meaningless passes for five yards in Sunday’s 37-31 loss to Philadelphia, Gonzalez let his unhappiness spew forth.

“I didn’t go downfield at all,” he said. “It’s frustrating. I haven’t even sniffed the end zone this year. I’m not going to lie to you. I’m really frustrated.”

In four games, Gonzalez has caught only 16 passes for 129 yards and no touchdowns – far below the standard he set while going to the Pro Bowl six times and way off the pace he set last season while breaking the NFL receiving record for his position.

“Regardless of what excuse we want to make, we have to do a better job of getting the ball to Tony Gonzalez’s hands,” Vermeil said. “He set an all-time record in the history of the National Football League with 102 catches last year, and I’m certainly not going to panic because he’s not at that pace right now.”

Vermeil said he was not worried about Gonzalez’ unhappiness.

“Tony’s frustration comes from not being able to make a contribution to winning by not catching the ball, rather than just not catching passes. I guarantee that,” he said. “I know him well enough to know that. It’s not a selfish frustration. It’s a good frustration. I appreciate that kind of frustration.”