Wile_E_Coyote
06-10-2005, 03:13 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2081949&num=0
• One longtime, knowledgeable personnel director reiterated this week he feels the most consistently productive unit in the NFL over the last several seasons has been the Kansas City offense, and its most consistent component has been the offensive line. Pretty tough for us to counter his argument. That said, his opinion led us to wonder just how much longer the Kansas City offensive line can continue its long and admirable skein of excellence. Thanks to the diligence of team president and general manager Carl Peterson, solid drafting and terrific coaching, the Kansas City line has been among the NFL's premier quintets for a lot of years. Players departed – standout blockers such as Tim Grunhard (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=1364), Dave Szott (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=1363), John Alt, Glenn Parker (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=1534) and John Tait (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4662) – but it seemed there was always someone ready to step up into the breach.
But are the current Chiefs youngsters ready to play? We're apt to find out about one of them, third-year pro Jordan Black (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6489), in 2005, as it appears he will take over at right tackle, a spot where he had four starts last season. A former fifth-round pick, Black has to deliver, but he'll soon be followed by guys like Brett Williams (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6449), Kevin Sampson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6990), Jeremy Parquet (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7414) and Will Svitek (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7363) in that regard. What do Black and the four others have in common? All were chosen in the fourth round or lower.
None of this is to suggest the Kansas City offensive line is on the cusp of impending doom, not given the manner in which it has been able to replenish itself. But consider the current starters beyond Black: In left tackle Willie Roaf (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=2586), left guard Brian Waters (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5349), center Casey Wiegmann (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=3820) and right guard Will Shields (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=2445), the Chiefs have a foursome that averages 31.8 years of age and 9.5 seasons of NFL tenure. At 28 years old, and with five years of experience, Waters is the baby of the bunch. Roaf is 35 now. Shields is 33 and still considering whether he wants to play in 2005. Former Eagles guard John Welbourn (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4747), acquired in a trade last spring to start at right tackle, hardly distinguished himself at the position and was moved back inside this offseason.
Then again, the line isn't the only part of the Kansas City offense getting up in years. Of the projected starters, only Black (25) and second-year wide receiver Samie Parker (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6864) (24), who is slated to replace the recently released Johnnie Morton (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=2876), are under 28. The offense, even with those two youngsters, averages 30.5 years and 7.9 seasons. Four of the starters are 33 or older.
• One longtime, knowledgeable personnel director reiterated this week he feels the most consistently productive unit in the NFL over the last several seasons has been the Kansas City offense, and its most consistent component has been the offensive line. Pretty tough for us to counter his argument. That said, his opinion led us to wonder just how much longer the Kansas City offensive line can continue its long and admirable skein of excellence. Thanks to the diligence of team president and general manager Carl Peterson, solid drafting and terrific coaching, the Kansas City line has been among the NFL's premier quintets for a lot of years. Players departed – standout blockers such as Tim Grunhard (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=1364), Dave Szott (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=1363), John Alt, Glenn Parker (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=1534) and John Tait (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4662) – but it seemed there was always someone ready to step up into the breach.
But are the current Chiefs youngsters ready to play? We're apt to find out about one of them, third-year pro Jordan Black (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6489), in 2005, as it appears he will take over at right tackle, a spot where he had four starts last season. A former fifth-round pick, Black has to deliver, but he'll soon be followed by guys like Brett Williams (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6449), Kevin Sampson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6990), Jeremy Parquet (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7414) and Will Svitek (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=7363) in that regard. What do Black and the four others have in common? All were chosen in the fourth round or lower.
None of this is to suggest the Kansas City offensive line is on the cusp of impending doom, not given the manner in which it has been able to replenish itself. But consider the current starters beyond Black: In left tackle Willie Roaf (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=2586), left guard Brian Waters (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=5349), center Casey Wiegmann (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=3820) and right guard Will Shields (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=2445), the Chiefs have a foursome that averages 31.8 years of age and 9.5 seasons of NFL tenure. At 28 years old, and with five years of experience, Waters is the baby of the bunch. Roaf is 35 now. Shields is 33 and still considering whether he wants to play in 2005. Former Eagles guard John Welbourn (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=4747), acquired in a trade last spring to start at right tackle, hardly distinguished himself at the position and was moved back inside this offseason.
Then again, the line isn't the only part of the Kansas City offense getting up in years. Of the projected starters, only Black (25) and second-year wide receiver Samie Parker (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=6864) (24), who is slated to replace the recently released Johnnie Morton (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?statsId=2876), are under 28. The offense, even with those two youngsters, averages 30.5 years and 7.9 seasons. Four of the starters are 33 or older.