St. Joseph, Mo. ? After the NFL lockout wiped away most of the offseason, resulting in a most unusual training camp, Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli believes things are finally getting back to normal.

Just in time, too. Kansas City’s first preseason game is Friday night.

“We’re making progress,” Pioli said after a walkthrough Wednesday morning. “It was an awkward start in terms of logistics and getting everyone organized and understanding what we could do, what we couldn’t do, not having everybody at once at the beginning part. But it looks like we’re finally into what appears to be a normal group.”

That’s especially good news to Pioli.

The entire offseason was condensed into just a couple of days once the owners and players agreed on a new labor deal, so Pioli has been sequestered in his room trying to maneuver through free agency — and the new rules governing it — to bolster the defending AFC West champs any way he could.

“The priority is always to get players that are better,” Pioli said, “or players that will improve our situation.”

Pioli said he’s not necessarily done making moves, though he acknowledged no one position group is due an overhaul. That includes the quarterback spot, where the two backups behind Matt Cassel are fifth-round draft choice Ricky Stanzi and young journeyman Tyler Palko — both almost entirely devoid of NFL experience.

“We’re going to see good competition,” Pioli said. “We have two good players competing really hard.”