Kansas City, Mo. ? Wide receiver Marc Boerigter did not have knee surgery on Monday as the Kansas City Chiefs had expected.

But coach Dick Vermeil still believes his third-year receiver, who has looked sharp in training camp, probably will miss the entire season. He injured the knee on a non-contact play in the first quarter of Kansas City’s exhibition loss Saturday to Cleveland.

“He’s going for a second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh opinion,” Vermeil said following Monday’s practice. “He just wants another opinion on the proposed operation. That’s his right.”

Vermeil said Sunday he did not think Boerigter would be back this season.

There was good news on the injury front, however, as the Chiefs prepared for their fourth exhibition game Thursday at Dallas: Wide receiver Johnnie Morton’s tender Achilles’ tendon seemed to be getting better.

“He’s a lot better than he was last week. A lot better. Hopefully, we’ll get Johnnie back and we can get him ready to go,” Vermeil said.

Nevertheless, the Chiefs’ opener Sept. 12 at Denver is looming with a host of question marks hovering over the team that was 13-3 last year in what was considered a breakthrough season.

The strength of Vermeil’s fourth Kansas City team still will be the offense. Pro-bowlers Trent Green, Priest Holmes, Tony Gonzalez and Dante Hall have led the NFL in scoring each of the past two seasons, and they should again be a potent force.

Holmes, who last year set an NFL record with 27 touchdowns, looks as quick and energetic as he did before knee surgery in 2002.

Coaches believe Gonzalez, a five-time Pro Bowl tight end, could be poised for his biggest season ever.

The biggest mystery is a defense which has been at or near the bottom of the league for the past two years.

New defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham does not have many new players, but he’s worked hard to install a new scheme and a different style by emphasizing aggressiveness rather than the read-and-react scheme of his predecessor, Greg Robinson.

As expected, there have been growing pains.

“I think they show flashes of brilliance,” Vermeil said. “Our overall pass defense stats are much better right now. Our run defense stats aren’t as good as they were last year at the same time.”

In the 21-19 loss Saturday night to the Browns, the first team defense put on a promising show. But the Chiefs are down to their third-team middle linebacker in former Kansas State standout Monty Beisel.

Starter Mike Maslowski, slow to rebound from offseason knee surgery, may have to sit out the year. His backup, Kawika Mitchell, is on crutches because of an ankle injury and probably won’t be ready for the opener. Beisel, who has moved from defensive end to outside linebacker, was spotty while playing in the middle against the Browns.

“(Beisel) did some good things and he did some bad things,” Vermeil said. “I think he’ll be better this week than last.”

If there is one big worry for the Chiefs, it’s punting. Jason Baker, who was inconsistent last year, has done nothing to soothe coaches’ fears. The Chiefs are looking for a punter.

“One bad (punt) against Denver can kill you. A second bad one can lose the game for you,” Vermeil said. “(The Browns game) was a disaster. He hasn’t gotten to the point where he can carry over what he does on the practice field to game day. He punted well today. But I’ve seen that before.”

In the meantime, the Chiefs made several roster moves Monday in advance of the first roster cutdown today.

The Chiefs waived fullback Marvin Brown, tackle Matt Miller, defensive end Demetrios Walker, cornerback Sean Weston and punter Rodney Williams.

Tight end Billy Baber and linebackers Scott Shields and Isaac White were waived injured.

Sunday is the deadline for reducing rosters to the final 53 players.