KC Chiefs D Update

[Beaumont]

From the KC Star this AM:

 

 

The Chiefs probably will begin today with Bell and Johnson outside and Kawika Mitchell in the middle, but it may not be that way when they open the regular season Sept. 11 against the Jets at Arrowhead Stadium.

 

Much will depend on what the Chiefs believe to be Bell's best position. They have other linebacking concerns involving Johnson (will he be ready to start the opener?), Mitchell (has he finally developed into a reliable player?) and Shawn Barber and Scott Fujita (what to do with them when and if they return from injuries).

 

“(Bell) has never played in the middle before,” Cunningham said. “I don't think a lot of people realize that he was the right inside linebacker at Pittsburgh. That's the equivalent of where Anthony Davis used to play (for the Chiefs).

 

“When I got enamored with Kendrell Bell was when I was in Tennessee and he single-handedly took apart our offense. That's what he is. He's a powerful, explosive blitz guy. He played really as a right linebacker in Pittsburgh. What I don't want to do is to get anybody to trap me into saying, ‘He's going to be this.'

 

“We've got to see all these things. Through the (offseason practices) we're going to have a floating depth chart and position chart. We need to put these players into positions to do what they do best.”

 

Surtain and Eric Warfield will be the starting cornerbacks. But Warfield is facing a possible suspension for violation of the NFL's substance-abuse policy, so the Chiefs must identify an interim starter.

 

At safety, the Chiefs are pitting two longtime starters, Greg Wesley and Jerome Woods, against one another for one position. The Chiefs signed veteran Sammy Knight to start at strong safety.

 

“People are getting what I call a healthy degree of anxiety,” Vermeil said. “Greg Wesley's work ethic in our offseason program is better than it's ever been. So he's benefiting from the challenge. We haven't seen much of Jerome Woods, but I understand he's working hard, and if I know Jerome Woods like I think I know him, he's not going to surrender.”

[Beaumont]

And this, in an otherwise puff piece from CBS Sportsline Clark Judge, suggesting a move of Burntee (oops, Bartee) to safety:

 

Surtain, a two-time Pro Bowl player, is the steady cornerback the Chiefs missed the past two seasons. He's proven. He's 28. And he allows the club to move Eric Warfield to right cornerback and William Bartee to safety. Sure, the Chiefs were interested in a free agent like Ken Lucas or Samari Rolle, but they landed Surtain instead, sacrificing a second-round draft pick to make the trade.

 

Awful crowded at KC in the safety position ... I would be hesitant to draft Wesley too high, given the competition from Woods, Bartee and even Harts ...

 

Woods and/or Wesley may be June 1 cuts ...

[Beaumont]

And right off my last comments, an update from OTAs showing Wesley is looking good, and Derrick Johnson is not yet in the starting lineup:

 

 

DEFENSE: all defensive hands save one were on deck. Veteran S Jerome Woods was missing, but he’s expected to arrive soon. Starting assignments in mid-May are meaningless, so take this for what it’s worth, but the first linebackers were Kawika Mitchell in the middle, Kendrell Bell at right linebacker and second-year man Keyaron Fox on the left side.

 

That’s right, No. 1 choice Derrick Johnson was not in the starting lineup. No surprise there; hey, the kid has to earn the job, which he will likely do by the first week of September. Second linebackers were Johnson, rookie Boomer Grigsby in the middle and veteran Quinton Caver.

 

Plus, Eric Warfield has moved to right cornerback and Patrick Surtain is working on the left side. That’s where Surtain played at Miami. Warfield has primarily been on the left side with the Chiefs.

 

Also, Gary Stills is back at linebacker, after spending several years as an under-sized defensive end. He was working with the third team. So was William Bartee, but he was at safety, not cornerback. Remember, Bartee played most of his college career at safety. Greg Wesley started at safety with Sammy Knight. Even if Woods had been on the field, he would not have worked with the first base defense.

 

Injuries kept DE Jimmy Wilkerson, LBs Scott Fujita, Shawn Barber and Mike Maslowski and CB Benny Sapp on the sidelines. Veteran CB Dexter McCleon did some of the individual drills, but none of the team work.

 

One thing was very evident in this session: explosion and speed have increased. It’s visible in the way Bell moves when the ball is in the air and he’s got a clear shot at the receiver. It can be seen in Fox and how he moved around the field. Wesley looked faster and quicker. Surtain, well you can see this isn’t his first rodeo, even though he was beaten on a throw by Trent Green in the blitz period. It took the perfect pass to do make the play work.

[Beaumont]

Continuing daily coverage, from Dickie V:

 

Q: have you been impressed with DE Carlos Hall? He has had a lot of batted balls lately.

 

VERMEIL: “Yeah he is impressive. He really is. I think he is going to be a big time contributor to the improvement of our defense.”

 

Q: Did you move William Bartee to safety and is that permanent?

 

VERMEIL: “Yes we did move him. He made an interception today. Right now we will say it’s permanent if everything goes right with the cornerback position. He made a few nice plays today.”

 

Q: Do you have a health update on LB Mike Maslowski, LB Scott Fujita, and WR Marc Boerigter?

 

VERMEIL: “They are all progressing nicely. Maslowski really could practice, but it’s just better that he doesn’t from a medical standpoint. Fujita is not ready to practice. Boerigter is ready to practice, but he needs a medical release to practice and we will always been on the conservative side this time of year.”

 

Q: What about LB Shawn Barber?

 

VERMEIL: “Shawn has a ways to go, but he is ahead of schedule.”

 

Q: Are you concerned that S Jerome Woods is not here?

 

VERMEIL: “It always bothers me when a player isn’t at camp.”

 

Q: Especially in light of the competition he is facing with the new players at his position?

 

VERMEIL: “Jerome Woods is an outstanding young man and has not been any problem in this program at all. I was told he has some personal problems and I just think that the timing of his personal problems is just bad. He ought to be here.”

 

Q: Do you expect him here?

 

VERMEIL: “Yes, I expect him here tomorrow.”

[Rovers]

hey, Beaumont, does Peterson ever talk with the KC coaching staff? He throws a ton of money at Bell, then drafts D johnson, and they still don't really have an MLB. Not to mention the fact that DJ doesnt even look like a starter now. Bell has never played the middle before. What the heck are they doing?

[Beaumont]

hey, Beaumont, does Peterson ever talk with the KC coaching staff? He throws a ton of money at Bell, then drafts D johnson, and they still don't really have an MLB. Not to mention the fact that DJ doesnt even look like a starter now. Bell has never played the middle before. What the heck are they doing?

 

817445[/snapback]

 

 

 

 

Gunther is high on K. Mitchell ... he may be the middle LB ... and Maz may not be as done as everyone is saying ...

 

Or they may just be playin around and Bell may eventually go to the middle ...

 

Who knows? They need all the LBs they can get ...

[Beaumont]

5/20 Update:

 

Veteran Kendrell Bell and rookie Derrick Johnson cover ground like no Chiefs linebacker since perhaps Donnie Edwards and maybe even longer. Bell caught everyone’s attention in Wednesday’s practice when he came across the field and chased down Priest Holmes on a screen pass.

 

It’s early in the offseason to make any final decisions, but the Chiefs privately are impressed enough with both players that they’re already thinking Shawn Barber and Scott Fujita could have trouble getting their starting jobs back.

 

Barber and Fujita, the incumbent starters at outside linebacker, will miss the offseason practices because they are rehabbing from surgeries.

[spain]

How is Carlos Hall looking?

[Beaumont]

How is Carlos Hall looking?

 

818396[/snapback]

 

 

 

 

Q: have you been impressed with DE Carlos Hall? He has had a lot of batted balls lately.

 

VERMEIL: “Yeah he is impressive. He really is. I think he is going to be a big time contributor to the improvement of our defense.”

[Beaumont]

RAND: Game is on at free safety

May 26, 2005, 5:11:30 AM by Jonathan Rand

 

 

If you want to see a player get better, just try to replace him with a high draft choice or marquee free agent. It’s uncanny to see the effect that competition can have upon performance. A player may assume he’s playing as hard as he can, only to discover that he can get into a higher gear once his job’s being threatened.

 

This is how competition is supposed to work, anyway. The Chiefs’ defense has beenwoods among the NFL’s worst in recent years because few of the players whose jobs were threatened or the ones brought in to replace them were able to get any better.

 

That scenario should change this year. The Chiefs have added five defensive players who range in ability from solid to outstanding. Three, barring injury, will be opening-game starters. Linebacker Derrick Johnson, the first-round pick, should get the chance to start at some point this year. End Carlos Hall will be in the line rotation.

 

The Chiefs, of course, added these five players to upgrade the defense, not just improve the competition. But there’s one key spot at which the Chiefs are hoping that improving the competition will significantly improve the defense. That’s at free safety.

 

“It’s on, it’s on in Kansas City,” free safety Jerome Woods barked Wednesday after his first off-season voluntary workout. He meant, of course, that the competition at his position is on.

 

When the Chiefs signed free agent Sammy Knight, a strong safety, incumbent safeties Greg Wesley and Jerome Woods were left to compete for the free safety spot. They were supposed to be among the pillars of a generally suspect defense in 2004, yet both gave disappointing performances. The Chiefs’ defense would get a boost if one bounces back.

 

Woods, entering his 10th season, has an edge in experience and is the incumbent free safety. Wesley, entering his sixth season, should be in his prime. There’s always the suspicion that a veteran coming off a bad season might be starting to decline.

 

Wesley has responded to the competition in the traditional way. He’s been working hard, saying the right things and attending off-season workouts. Woods, though, irked Vermeil a bit by preferring to work out back home in Memphis and didn’t show up until the fifth spring session.

 

Woods is convinced that despite a Pro Bowl season in 2003, he dropped off last year because he never fully recovered from a broken leg suffered in 2002. So he’s been working with a track coach to strengthen the leg, improve his running and get more individual attention than he’d get on the Chiefs’ practice field.

 

Woods’ approach is unconventional. Coaches like to think their practices, coaching and trainers are superior to any resources a player might find on his own. Then again, nobody else should know Woods’ body as well as he does. So who’s to say he’s wrong?

 

That point will become moot, anyway, this summer. Whether it’s Wesley or Woods who wins the free safety spot, his off-season approach will be barely remembered.

 

The best-case scenario for the Chiefs is that Wesley and Woods both come back strong and give the Chiefs a deep and talented secondary. The worst case would be that both continue to slide and the Chiefs are left with a hole at free safety.

 

Most likely, one of them will bounce back and the Chiefs won’t have a weak link in their secondary. If that’s the case, it’s hard to see their defense as a pushover, anymore.

[Beaumont]

This is the bast 53+8 I have seen for the Chiefs ... on the D side, I think you may see Woods or Sapp make the roster at the expense of Bartee or Hodge. Mitchell is not solid in the middle, but unless they move Bell over I am not sure what their options are unless they push Scanlon in given him tearing up NFLE. Look for Jared Allen to split time with Carlos Hall. Fujita is the odd man out at OLB and will be relegated to backup. Gary Stills very well stick on the roster for ST purposes as another backup OLB but I am having a hard time figgerin out over who ... maybe Sharpe?

 

LRW S. Parker, D. Hall, C. Thorpe, (J. Booth).

LT W. Roaf, (J. Parquet).

LG B. Waters, B. Williams.

C C. Wiegmann, C. Bober.

RG W. Shields, J. Welbourn.

RT J. Black, K. Sampson, (W. Svitek).

TE T. Gonzalez, K. Wilson, J. Dunn.

RWR E. Kennison, M. Boerigter, (R. Smith).

QB T. Green, T. Collins, D. Huard, (J. Kilian).

FB T. Richardson, R. Holcombe.

RB P. Holmes, L. Johnson, J. Smith.

 

LDE E. Hicks, J. Wilkerson.

LDT R. Sims, J. Browning.

RDT L. Dalton, J. Siavii, M. Sharpe.

RDE J. Allen, C. Hall, (K. Long).

LOLB D. Johnson, S. Fujita.

MLB K. Mitchell, R. Scanlon, J. Grigsby.

ROLB K. Bell, K. Fox.

LCB P. Surtain, J. Battle, A. Hodge.

SS S. Knight, S. Harts.

FS G. Wesley, W. Bartee, (S. Connot).

RCB E. Warfield, D. McCleon, (B. Sapp).

 

LS K. Gammon.

P. D. Colquitt.

K L. Tynes.

Edited May 27, 2005 by Beaumont

[Beaumont]

GRETZ: Watching the Linebackers

May 30, 2005, 5:02:03 AM by Bob Gretz

 

(This is the first of three columns this week on the Chiefs defense.)

 

Faithful readers of this little corner of kcchiefs.com might remember that last year, about this same time, I told you that linebacker was the position to watch in the Chiefs defense as it went through the off-season and headed off to training camp.

 

It’s a year later, the team is working hard towards getting ready for the 2005 season and I must say again: linebacker is the position to watch, although this time, the reasons are different.

 

Last year, it was watching to see how the returning linebackers fit into Guntheraarc Cunningham’s defensive scheme. We already know how that worked out.

 

That’s why this year it’s not so much how any of those linebackers will adjust, but rather whether any of those linebackers will still be on the roster come the opening game at Arrowhead Stadium against the Jets.

 

Here were the linebackers who were active for last year’s season opener against the Broncos in Denver: Monty Beisel, Scott Fujita, Quinton Caver, Shawn Barber and Fred Jones. On the inactive list for that game were Kawika Mitchell and Keyaron Fox.

 

As we head into the last days of May, Beisel and Jones are already gone. Fujita and Barber have not been on the practice field as they recover from injuries. Mitchell and Fox have been running with the first team in OTA workouts.

 

And new faces like Kendrell Bell, Derrick Johnson and Boomer Grigsby are eating up practice snaps and solidifying spots on the roster. Then there’s the wildcard name, the guy who is tearing up NFL Europe, Rich Scanlon.

 

Whether there will be a complete overhaul of the position or not, things will be different at the linebacker position. It was the number one disappointment for Cunningham last year and the prime area that showed his style was not going to work with Greg Robinson’s players.

 

That’s why change is inevitable at linebacker. Gunther wants knee benders. That’s another way of saying explosion. He wants backers who can run and move, but more importantly, can explode from their stance and either deliver a blow that won’t be forgotten, or hinder the play so that the ball comes loose or gets picked off.

 

That’s what Bell is about. That’s what Johnson is about. That’s even what Grigsby is about. Every linebacker on the Chiefs roster in 2005 had better be about bending his knees and exploding forward, or he’s going to be working for another team.

 

Right now, none of the starting spots are set in stone. Gunther does not want to be boxed in at this point; he wants to see how his players respond to the challenge.

 

At left linebacker, Fox has been the No. 1 guy, but Johnson keeps showing that remarkable athletic ability that made him the team’s No. 1 draft choice. It’s hard to imagine the Chiefs playing the Jets in the opener without Johnson in the starting lineup.

 

At right linebacker, Bell seemed to be making good progress until he tweaked a groin injury that’s bothered him last year. The Chiefs are being very cautious because it’s May and there’s no game to prepare for next week. A healthy Bell will likely be the right linebacker.

 

It’s the middle linebacker spot that remains very much up in the air and it may be the end of the pre-season before a starter is named. Cunningham will wait to see how the competition plays out.

 

“I was in a situation at Tennessee where we evolved from three veteran linebackers to three young players,” said Cunningham. “I moved around guys during the whole off-season and all of camp. The last week of that pre-season a guy named Rocky Calmus stepped forward into the middle linebacker position. He was by far the best player. What I wanted to do as a coach was prove that to the players and the staff and most of all to the head coach. That’s kind of what we are involved with right now.”

 

Yes, it’s the middle linebacker, the leader of the defense, the signal caller, the mood setter that remains elusive for Cunningham. Mitchell is in the middle with the first team, while Grigsby is probably getting more repetitions as the second and third team guy in the middle. If there was a way to combine the two, Gunther might have his man. Mitchell has athletic ability, but doesn’t seem to have the personality to play the position the way Cunningham wants. Grigsby has the personality that the defensive coordinator seeks. He’s just not what most people would call a classic middle backer, as he stands just 5-11 and weighs 250 pounds.

 

“Kawika Mitchell has a real feel for the game, but what I didn’t see last year was a real take charge attitude,” said Cunningham. “I didn’t see the attitude like, ‘I’m the guy, I’m the leader’ and that’s what we’ve tried to develop in him all through the off-season, and we’ve made progress. Boomer Grigsby has as much presence at the position as anybody I’ve been around at the start of his career.

 

“It will be interesting to see how this plays out.”

 

Think Cunningham is nuts if he’s talking about starting Grigsby in the middle at that size? Think again.

 

“One of the guys that I respect the most in this league is Zach Thomas,” Cunningham said of the Miami middle linebacker. “Zach Thomas on a good day is probably 5-8 _. He says he’s 5-11. I’ve walked next to him and I’m 5-10_ and I know how tall Zach Thomas is and it’s not 5-11. I don’t care how tall he is, he is by far one of the best linebackers in the NFL. He studies the game, he has tremendous leadership over his group of players and they all respect him.”

 

And don’t count Scanlon out of the mix at middle linebacker as well. The Chiefs had pretty good success with another guy who tore up the World League a few years ago named Mike Maslowski. Right now, Cunningham has his fingers crossed that Scanlon can get through the NFL Europe season without too much damage to his body. Scanlon’s Berlin Thunder team is headed for the league championship game in several weeks.

 

What about Maslowski, Fujita and Barber? Are any of these former starters a factor in the picture for the 2005 Chiefs? It’s possible, but none of that trio is guaranteed a roster spot. What about Gary Stills, the special teams dynamo who is moving back to linebacker from defensive end? Same goes for him.

 

The Chiefs figure to carry seven linebackers. Right now, Bell, Johnson, Mitchell, Fox and Grigsby look like they’ll be there for the Jets game. That leaves a lot of bodies fighting for two spots.

 

That’s why linebacker is the spot to watch between now and the opener.

[Beaumont]

Latest Dickie v comments from 6/7:

 

Q: We know that you are looking at wide receiver and also another position is cornerback, are you still in contact with CB Ty Law?

 

VERMEIL: “I haven’t talked to Ty Law.”

 

Q: Is there still some interest in him?

 

VERMEIL: “I think there would always be interest. Ty Law and the salary cap is a much more difficult situation.”

 

Q: Are you bringing CB Bobby Taylor in at all?

 

VERMEIL: “No, not that I know of.

 

Q: Could you give us an update physically on with Mike Maslowski and Scott Fujita?

 

VERMEIL: “Maslowski is running full speed. All the procedures have medically been done right here by our own medical staff chances are then they would be more apt to be going in the direction in turning them loose in practice. When it is done out of the area you have to be much more conservative because usually those doctors are more conservative to have them full go. I am still waiting for Dextor McCleon to be giving the full go to go to work. If our doctors had done the work and he had been in our program the whole time chances are he would be working. It is always more conservative when someone else does the work.”

 

Q: Does the same go with Marc Boerigter, is that the same situation?

 

VERMEIL: “Yeah really but Boerigter is an ACL. The time period is the same regardless which doctor does it. Boerigter looks like he is ready to go which is very pleasing. I know we have a real good report on Scott Fujita.

 

Q: Anybody you don’t anticipate having ready the first day of camp?

 

VERMEIL: “The one I am most concerned about is Shawn Barber. He could enter camp physically unable to perform.”

 

Q: In terms of middle linebacker, what does it look like right now?

 

VERMEIL: “You can’t really tell in terms of a linebacker position or how a battle is going because there is not contact being made. There are no tackles being made or being missed. There is no one running over top of your blocker. It is hard to evaluate but in watching the middle linebackers work they have been very impressive. The little guy reminds me so much of London Fletcher, Boomer does. He is bigger but he moves like him and bends his knees like him. I see the same kind of kid.”

 

Q: Is Rich Scanlon doing himself some good over in NFL Europe?

 

VERMEIL: “I wouldn’t doubt if he was the NFL Europe Defensive Player of the Year.

 

Q: As far as making an impact enough to work your way into your picture?

 

VERMEIL: “Sure he has, plus he has introduced himself to the rest of the league if he doesn’t here. That was the one reason I told him he needed to go. There is no guarantee you get jobs. The more people you expose your product to the better chance you have to getting one.”

 

Q: When he comes over just having played all spring will you take it a little easy on him?

 

VERMEIL: “No. Young kids like that they get a week vacation they can go to work. He will have over a month to recuperate. They don’t work them so hard over there. They don’t wear them out.”

 

Q: Az Hakim is a few years removed when you had him in St. Louis judging from today’s workout is he the same player?

 

VERMEIL:”I expect him to be a better player. He had a good year this last year. He caught over 40 balls and did a good job. They drafted three first-round receivers and eventually someone has to go. I just love the kid. It’s great to see the kid and have dinner with him tonight. He has other opportunities. I have been selling him to (Arizona offensive coordinator) Keith Rowen for a month and half to or how long he has been free to other teams I have talked to about him. He still didn’t have a job and so I just brought him in here and talked to him about our situation. I know he can play and I don’t have any reservations about that.

 

Q: Did he give you any indications about what his wishes are?

 

VERMEIL: “Yeah but we sometimes don’t get what we wish.”

 

Q: Does Kawika Mitchell have a chance to start?

 

VERMEIL: “He is the most gifted athlete I have ever been on the field with at the middle linebacker position in terms of athletic skill, movement, running. Now if he can turn in into playing the game in the utilization of all those skills and tackle well and knock the hell out of people and instinctively get started he will be a hell of linebacker. When we drafted him I still think he can be a great player and only time will tell.”

[muck]

I'm getting weepy reading these updates.

 

I am beginning to thing that KC may have drafted TWO starting LBs ... Grigsby had HUGE numbers in college and is crazy-active ...

 

Wow!

[Beaumont]

Q&A with DICK VERMEIL

Jun 09, 2005, 4:03:25 PM

 

 

Q: Eric Warfield was not with the first team today even in the nickel package. Is that going to be permanent?

 

VERMEIL: “No, that’s not permanent, but it stems from the problem that he’s facing and there’s some lack of definition of what’s going to happen to him. So, we’re working some other people in with the first unit just for coordination purposes.”

 

Q: Have you heard anything from the NFL on that?

 

VERMEIL: “No.”

 

Q: How have the other guys looked there?

 

VERMEIL: “Good, overall the defense in the movement to the ball, the closing of the space between the ball carrier and the defender has really come on. I think we’re going to have to do a much better job defending the big play that we’ve had trouble with for over three years. We have speed on defense.”

[Jimmy Neutron]

Anybody else when they say KC and D together?

[Beaumont]

More insight from Dickie V on 6/14:

 

Q: Jerome Woods is still working with the second team. Is there a reason for this?

 

VERMEIL: “Right now he’s behind Greg Wesley. I talked to Jerome about this. You can’t be fair to everybody and the coaches determined by the end of the season last year that Greg Wesley, when he was playing, had physically played that position better. And, Jerome was hurt part of the year.

 

“So, we started stacked as it is right now. But we’re a long ways away from playing in September. And, both those guys are doing well. I’ve never seen Greg Wesley work like he’s working right now. It’s going to pay off for him.”

 

Q: What about Jerome?

 

VERMEIL: “Jerome is getting back into it. You know, his feelings were hurt. I understand that. I hurt my wife’s feelings from time to time. But that’s my responsibility and my job to do. It’s just impossible to make everybody happy. But we respect Jerome Woods; we care about him and he will be put in a strong position to compete.”

 

Q: Rich Scanlon was back here today. Talk about how he may have progressed over in Europe?

 

VERMEIL: “Whenever you win player of the year as a defensive football player you’ve done a good job. I’m not surprised he did a good job. He needed to go play and that’s exactly what he did. He actually may have played beyond our expectations. To go over there and be the MVP on defense is a real honor. It’s great for him and for Scott Connot, who was also all-pro team. John Booth finished the championship with a great big game at wide receiver. So we sent the right guys over there and they did a real good job.”

 

Q: What do you want to get done the rest of week leading up to mini-camp?

 

VERMEIL: “We’re so much further ahead defensively than we were last year at the same time. Even on the mental side of it as well as the physical side. We went through a whole new phase of defense today going through the introduction of situation football like short yardage and the Red Zone. They’re handling it extremely well, much better than we did in the past at the same time. We hope that leads to progress, progress leads to confidence, and confidence leads to better performance.”

 

Q: How much of an impact can Scanlon have? Is he the kind of guy who could contribute more this, maybe as a backup and maybe even get a slot for a starting role?

 

VERMEIL: “Well, that’s what he’s here for. There’s going to be more competition at most of the positions than at any time that I’ve been here. A lot of guys handle competition extremely well and some guys don’t. But we know that he handled competition over in Europe very, very well.”

 

Q: Is Ty Law coming in for another visit next week?

 

VERMEIL: “Not that I know of.”

[muck]

Story in KC is that there is a chance that Brian Waters will restructure and lengthen his deal (w/ signing bonus) allowing KC to make a run at Law.

[crispirons]

nice info. good job. i took a shot on boomer late in the fusion rookie draft. wasn't expecting this kind of news. coach doesn't seem like he likes kawika very much, besides the praise of his athletic ability. i love the expression "knee bender". though grigsby is small, the comparison to zack and fletcher are very flattering.

[Beaumont]

Selected portions from today's KC Star article:

 

Posted on Fri, Jun. 17, 2005

 

chiefs to kick off three-day minicamp

 

It’s the offense, not defense, that worries Vermeil most

 

After several weeks of offseason practices and with minicamp on the horizon, Dick Vermeil’s primary concern is … the Chiefs’ offense?

 

There must be a plausible explanation. Is it wishful thinking about a defense that’s been lousy for too long, or the result of intuition sharpened by 34 years of coaching?

 

Whatever the reason, as the Chiefs today begin a three-day minicamp that concludes their offseason work, Vermeil’s biggest worry is not the revamped defense, but an offense that has been productive since the day he arrived.

 

Practices today and Sunday at the Chiefs’ Truman Sports Complex facility are closed to the public. Saturday’s, beginning at noon at Arrowhead Stadium, is open. Admission and parking are free.

 

“I’m concerned about the offense right now matching the standards that they have set over the last three years,” Vermeil said. “Right now, I’ve got five starters, all five of them Pro Bowl players, not practicing. That always creates an air of concern.

 

“Am I worried? Yeah, a little bit. We’ll have to play it out, but I believe that they’ll relieve my concerns as we get going into training camp. When you have five of your 11 starters not practicing, you’ve got to be a little concerned about your offense.”

 

The Chiefs practiced the last month without starting offensive linemen Willie Roaf, Will Shields and Brian Waters, and tight end Tony Gonzalez. Sitting out most of Wednesday’s workout as a precaution, the Chiefs said, was quarterback Trent Green.

 

All are projected back for the start of training camp in late July.

 

Vermeil’s concerns are more a reflection of the changes on defense, where the Chiefs probably will have four new starters. The difference in speed is dramatic over a month’s worth of practices, all held with practically no contact.

 

The starting defense won more than its share of battles. And the second-team defense usually got the better of its offensive counterpart, indicating the Chiefs may at long last be building some depth. Five former defensive starters are now backups.

 

New secondary starters in cornerback Patrick Surtain and safety Sammy Knight have given the Chiefs some peace of mind, but the most startling transformation is at linebacker. Free-agent addition Kendrell Bell and first-round draft choice Derrick Johnson cover more ground than any Chiefs linebacker since Donnie Edwards.

 

“I’ve never been on the field with this many talented linebackers anywhere,” Vermeil said. “How long it’s going to take them to play football, I don’t know. But they look good in their pajamas.”

 

Johnson has been particularly impressive on pass defense. Johnson is second team behind Keyaron Fox on the left side, but that may have more to do with looming contract negotiations. The Chiefs don’t want to provide the leverage of a starting spot.

 

Rich Scanlon’s play in NFL Europe, where he was the league player of the year, gives the Chiefs hope they have a high-quality alternative if the current starting middle linebacker, Kawika Mitchell, doesn’t improve.

 

When practice started last month, defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham was on a high from the personnel haul but cautioned that he wanted to see how the pieces fit.

 

He’s finding it more and more difficult to contain his excitement.

 

“This phase has gone as well as phase one,” Cunningham said. “I’m trying to keep level-headed. I’m trying to keep our emotions and our feelings to ourselves. There is improvement. I’ll say that. I want to keep it in check until we get the pads on. Judging from the offseason practices, it’s pretty darn good, as good as I’ve seen.”

[Czarina]

Buried in all that is that Bell has already re-tweaked his hammy. How long before he's injured himself out of a position?

 

Signed,

Bitter former Bell Owner

 

It sounds like they've made some good pick ups though. On the other hand, wasn't there a lot of good press last summer about how the KC defense had improved too...

[Beaumont]

I cannot be objective on whether the Chiefs have improved the D ... I fell for the Shawn Barber/Vonnie Holliday/Dexter McCleon thing ... tricky bastages ...

 

Sure FF prospect for the Chiefs:

 

Sammy Knight

 

Everyone else is a question mark ...

 

Only Hicks, Dalton, Bell, Knight, Warfield and Surtain are sure fire bets to start ...

 

Hicks and Dalton are without real FF value ...

 

Bell has health issues ...

 

Warfield is facing a several game suspension for DUIs ...

 

Surtain? I would imagine they will pick on the other side ...

[Beaumont]

I am starting to think Maslowski will not be all that competitive for the MLB spot, even though he will probably come back from his injury. And CB Julian Battle went down for the year with an ACL injury:

 

 

Q&A with DICK VERMEIL

Jun 19, 2005, 1:13:15 PM

 

Q: How is Julian Battle?

 

VERMEIL: “He’s going to be operated on. He popped his Achilles tendon and he’s lost for the year.”

 

Q: What are you going to do? Are you going to look outside?

 

VERMEIL: “I don’t know yet. We’ll look, but I don’t know what’s out there. We’ll also more deeply evaluate those young people we have. We have time. We’re not going to panic.”

 

Q: That is a shock to you considering he was practicing with the first team. Isn’t this a very big concern to you?

 

VERMEIL: “I’m more concerned about him because he’s been here for two years and was going into his third year and was just starting to find out what it takes to be a pro football player. We’ve known for a long time that he has the ability to be one and he was really demonstrating that all through these OTA’s and mini-camp. It’s part of the game.”

 

Q: How does the depth chart look now as a result of the injury?

 

VERMEIL: “Dexter McCleon will be healthy and ready to go. Benny Sapp. We’ve got some other kids who are doing a good job. All that will be better evaluated and determined once we get into training camp.”

 

Q: If Eric Warfield were unavailable for a certain period of time would Dexter be the guy?

 

VERMEIL: “I think Dexter is competitive to be a starter anyway.”

 

Q: What about moving William Bartee back?

 

VERMEIL: “That didn’t enter my mind. He’s done such a good job at safety I’d hate to screw him up.”

 

*** (talking offense)

 

That was one of my concerns from an offensive standpoint.

 

“Right now, defensively I think it’s just the one corner position.”

 

Q: Middle linebacker isn’t?

 

VERMEIL: “Right now it isn’t. It’s awfully good right now.”

 

Q: Do you expect Mike Maslowski back for training camp?

 

VERMEIL: “Yes, I do expect him to be back and to be competitive. I think it’s going to be tough – for all the guys. I’m meeting with the guys who have been rehabbing the whole off-season today separate. It’s tough when you lose all that time and all these other people come in. But that’s the National Football League. It’s almost unsympathetic because it doesn’t stand still and wait for you. It keeps going every day. Same thing for old coaches.”

[780]

I love Derrick Johnson. He will make an impact with the Chiefs this year even if Shawn Barber gets healthy. DJ is just too good to have riding the pine.

[spain]

Julian Battle - CB, Kansas City Chiefs 06/21/05

 

Chiefs CB Julian Battle will miss the entire 2005 season after tearing his left Achilles tendon during a mini-camp practice this past weekend. Battle, who has played in 26 games for the Chiefs, has been practicing with the first team because of Eric Warfield's legal problems. Warfield is expected to be suspended by the NFL for violating the league's drug and alcohol policy so Battle was in a position to get some serious playing time but the injury will require surgery and it will keep him sidelined until the 2006 season.

 

Huddle Up: Tough break for Battle. With Battle gone and Warfield out of the picture for at least the first 4 games of the regular season look for Dexter McCleon to be the starter opposite Patrick Surtain.