Chiefs' Dontari Poe undergoes back surgery, expected to miss training camp

The Kansas City Chiefs are going to be without defensive tackle Dontari Poe in training camp.

Poe underwent back surgery for a herniated disc earlier this month, according to Adam Teicher of ESPN. Poe missed some time in OTAs because of the ailment, and head coach Andy Reid indicated Tuesday that he could return early in the season.

It's possible Poe may not miss much regular-season time, but an absence from camp is never ideal. The nose tackle has emerged as one of the league's most unheralded defensive linemen, earning two consecutive Pro Bowl nods and coming off a season in which he posted a career-high six sacks.

This latest news adds more uncertainty to a defensive unit that already had many question marks heading into the season. Linebacker Derrick Johnson is coming off a ruptured Achilles tendon and cornerback Sean Smith is suspended for the first three games of 2015.