Tuesday OTA Recap
 

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<table><tbody><tr><td valign="top">Tuesday, Warpaint Illustrated got a second look as the Chiefs practiced, and it was a banner day for three rookies. Let’s take a look at who stood out and who struggled.
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LT Branden Albert – He was the star of the day. Defensive end Tamba Hali did everything but ride a bulldozer in his attempts to get past Albert to the quarterback, but was stopped. Albert is clearly the starting left tackle and was the best offensive lineman of the day. It’s early and the real bullets aren’t flying yet, but Albert is NFL ready. He was outstanding in preventing Hali and others from lowering their shoulders and driving toward the quarterback. He keeps defenders upright, negating any momentum or rush to the offensive backfield.

CB Brandon Carr - He was far more active outside on the practice field than he was last week in the indoor facility. He’s fast and his size will allow him to reach for plenty of errant throws. The Chiefs are already using more press coverage with Carr and second-round pick Brandon Flowers in the lineup. Dimitri Patterson is the starter opposite Flowers at the moment but if Carr can do it with pads on, we might see two rookie corners start in 2008.

DE Brian Johnston - Many of you thought I was drinking the KC Kool-Aid last week when I said Johnston reminded me of Jared Allen, but if you saw the way he got after the quarterback Tuesday, you’d agree. Johnston was outstanding again, and though he didn’t ever go up against Albert, he was able to blow past backup Herb Taylor. I can’t wait to see Johnston in KC’s first preseason game at Chicago in August.

RG Adrian Jones - It looks like he’s the starting right guard for the moment. Last week’s star, Chris McDuffie, wasn’t all that great Tuesday. Herm Edwards hopes Jones will be the guy because he wants another veteran on the line. Right guard is the only question mark on the line at the moment, and though it’s not set in stone, Jones appears to have a leg up on the competition at the moment.

FB Oliver Hoyte - He wasn’t good as a pass catcher or blocker Tuesday. To be honest, none of the fullbacks did anything for me. They’re all young, but Hoyte, who has the most experience, just looks like he’s not catching on in the early stages of the OTA sessions. The best guy so far is Mike Cox, the free agent from Georgia Tech. Hoyte plays too upright and needs some work.

RT Barry Richardson - The young man from Clemson has all the tools to be a solid tackle in the NFL. Today was my first look at him and he was about what you can expect for a sixth-round pick. He did some good things, but was also beaten a few times. He was playing right tackle, which is the spot for him at this level - I don’t think he can play left. Either way, he’s a project with upside. He’ll learn a lot playing behind Damion McIntosh.

DT T.J. Jackson - The free agent from Auburn was impressive Tuesday. He was quick off the ball and spent a considerable amount of time in the offensive backfield. I don’t know much about Jackson past what I saw today, but he was far better than Derek Lokey or starter Ron Edwards. He was not as good as Tank Tyler or first-round pick Glenn Dorsey, but stood out.

LB Napoleon Harris - This was the best I’ve seen out of him in quite some time. What I noticed today is that he stayed in the middle of the field and didn’t wander outside in the flat unless the play went that direction. He seems to be taking to the teachings of his new linebackers coach, Gunther Cunningham.

CB Will Poole - The Chiefs signed the veteran today after he had a short stay with the team last offseason in training camp. He looked much sharper this time and it appears he’s in better football shape. Patrick Surtain was not on the field today so it appears the Chiefs, who might carry five cornerbacks, are only set at three of those positions. Adding Poole was a smart move as an insurance policy.

K Connor Barth - He was the best kicker on the field today. The former Tar Heel is a rookie, which bodes problems for Herm Edwards who experienced plenty of headaches last year with Justin Medlock. The Chiefs have John Carney sitting at home in San Diego ready to fly east to KC if need be, so the kicking battle might not be finalized until the Chiefs reach New England in September. But Barth has a much stronger leg than Billy Cundiff or Nick Novak. That may be the determining factor in the end.

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Dang, I hope you guys are right about Uncle Albert, Mr. GoChiefs. That would be a huge step forward for the team.

FAX

The funny thing about these offseason and training camp reports is that for every player looking good they are making another one of our guys look bad. Albert dominating, but i guess you'd have reports of hali struggling.

I'm worried about the that RG spot.

It will be totally badass if Johnston does become a Jared Allen type of force, and damned funny too.

I think we're going to be running left this year. By mid season it will be so predictable that it will become ineffective on 3rd down due to teams cheating on that side. I'm expecting the right side of the line to be a disaster. In another year. maybe we can fix the right side too.

I guess I'm a tad confused about where Johnston is playing. Is he lining up in the right DE spot? 2nd string?

FAX

My money will be Duke Robinson or Herman Johnson shall be target players in next years draft.

Me too. I absolutely do not want Jones in there. Every report coming out says he struggles. Put Herb in there. If he struggles, maybe he'll learn something. D-Mac and Waters are all the experience the line needs. **** old guys that can't play. They belong as backups.

I think the pass blocking on that side will be better at least. Our best hope is for Richardson to start somewhere and be a beast in the run game.

Yep, while i'm loving the left side, the right could very well be the same nightmare it was a year ago. At least we have some young guys to man it down instead of washed up turds like terry, turley, and welbourne.

Richardson would be better suited for G, I think.

The Chiefs don't seem to think so. He's probably too slow to pull.

I'll hand it to Nick: OTA Recap >> Q&A Coachspeak.

Butt-sex offense does not require any pulling. Once you're ****ing with someone, you better stay in there and **** them to the death.

We've done plenty of pulling the last two years.

Yet, ironically, the team's o-line has gotten worse the past two years....

Talent on the online has gone down the crapper. from roaf to black/mcintosh shields to welbourn pretty substantial drop.

I'm not sure what your point is. At some point, a guard in a Chiefs uniform will pull this season. I guarantee it.

Hey Clayton, how's Dajaun Morgan performing?

Does Chris McDuffie have a shot at beating out Tre Stallins for the backup guard spot ?

What about Dorsey?

Dave

So a rookie looks better than the rest of the O-line? We're in trouble.

The one positive I did like is hearing is that we will be able to play more press coverage.

That is what I was thinking as well. I read all of the OTA reports and never hear much about our #1 pick

Adrian Jones is a problem. He was one of the weak points on a poor Jets oline....

http://hosted.stats.com/fb/playersta...d=6891&team=12

Seems to be a highly penalized player, too.

Moving him to guard might hide his problems, but who knows.

Good to see Tank Tyler doing good. I would love to see Tyler and Dorsey start.

Niswanger will be your starting Right Guard if he's healthy.
Unless Wade Smith stinks up the place and Rudy has to be moved to Center.

I think the Wanger is the center.

I'd like to see him stay at Guard. That's where he played (and played well) last year.

He's the starting center as of now. He was a center in college.

NiceWanger in the middle...

You could be right...
I'm confident in him regardless.

Good read, thanks Clayton.

Gee I hope not. We have enough Cox and Johnsons on our roster.

The Wang is our best center.

I don't doubt that. I've said for about 4 months that Niswanger would be a starter on the Offensive Line in 2008. I have lots of faith in that kid.

But saying he's our best Center isn't saying much...
:D

Yea. It is what is I guess. I think he'll be a surprise though.

Me too... He's one of the young players I'm really excited about.
I think he could step in and be a 7-10 year guy.

LSU's been good to this team the past few years has it not?
:D

Absolutely no way it is any worse than it was last year.

The right side of the line will be better than it was last year.

No, Niswanger is already at center. Niswanger is the starting center, end of story.

He has said himself that he is more comfortable at center.

I didn't realize that Herman Edwards posted on this site...
Nothing is as set in stone as you make it...

I'm fine with him playing Center, but to pretend that that's a foregone conclusion in May is...well...silly.

I have no bone to pick with that.
But if he's more productive at Guard (which remains to be seen) wouldn't that trump his level of comfort?

Just a thought...

Ummmm....

Yes yes yes. Thank you LSU.

If the Wang is what we think he is, we are going to be in good shape.

I like the way you think bro.

I hope so. Maybe we can land a right tackle next offseason.

Anybody who will be available next OS? Rookie or FA.

the guy is a stud

It'd be really cool if Richardson turned out to be a good starter at RT for us then we we won't be so prone to draft for need in 2009.

PhilFree:arrow:

I actually meant RG. I believe that's what we'll need the most.

I can't find anything on FA linemen for 2009. I would really like to know who will be out there.

That's a big difference and we should be able to find a RG next offseason be it throught the draft or free agency.

PhilFree:arrow:

Athan 38 Spot report

Dorsey - outstanding - gave Waters all he could handle
will require double teams

Albert - a specimen - great footwork - Hali didn't get within 3 feet of Brodie

Flowers - wouldn't be shocked if Flowers and Carr don't both start

Croyle - Struggled today - put on weight - arm is outstanding
depends on if the line holds

Thanks! Does this warrant a thread? or will he post an article later?

Claythan will probably post something
Nick comes off a homer on tv
but not as bad as he use to

so which is it ....... albert is great or Hali isn't good enough to play LDE

I wouldn't say getting handled by a rookie speaks well of your ability...

Don't you mean RDE? It's too early to tell on both counts isn't it?

PhilFree:arrow:

There is an epic 2,000-word recap coming with luscious tidbits such as the world has never seen.

There's rep in it for you if you use the word "panoramic" at least three times in it.

Nick doesn't know that word.

bet he knows "wide angle lens"

I think we really need to give Richardson, Taylor and McDuffie every opportunity to win spots on the right side of the line, cause Mcintosh as a RT or guard, Adrian Jones at RG are, at best, going to be only marginally better, if at all than what we had there last year.

McIntosh, for all of his size, is not a physical blocker, and Jones, at tackle, was manhandled by DEs in NY.

How's he going to man up against bigger, stronger, DTs?

Site is updated with Thursday's OTA recap.

Premium story.

I was thinking the same thing, (cept' RDE.) Let's all hope Albert is the second coming of Roaf...Otherwise, we're in trouble at DE..

It is still May though...

No pads either. They're not really hitting.

True.

But I think the thing that most people are forgetting is that the LT is (generally) the best athlete on the O-Line, a guy that has a quick step back, and quick feet.

The RT is (generally) slower off the snap.

Hali's strength is his initial burst.

If he doesn't beat his man with that initial burst, he doesn't have the speed to get around the edge, the quickness or athleticism to duck or spin inside.

Going against that quicker, more athletic LT, I can't envison him being any kind of force as a pass rusher as the RDE.

Interesting take. As far as I'm concerned QB and a pass rushing end are probably the needs that will be hardest to fill on this rebuild.

One would think that a 3rd year pass rusher would at least get the upper hand on the rookie. Seems to me, correct me if I am wrong, Hali had some difficulty with the slower maulers at RT(Strength versus speed). Now the poor guy get's shut out against a rookie at RDE? Should we be enamoured with Alberts play, or shamed with our 'pass rush'?

Hali was not shut out against Albert today.

This is how I see it.

If Albert isn't what we think he is, Hali would be schooling him.

So I think we should be both encouraged by Albert's showing and worried about Hali's.

Damn, I KNEW Albert was a bust.

Then that report is very misleading.

Reports from two different days. Different things happen.

Perhaps I misread the post. I gathered that there was a brick wall named Albert after reading the article. Can you give any details of Hali's positive performance?

Thanks!

That was Tuesday. Today is Thursday

Nein.

Well we are commenting on the report we have right here.

Since you are commenting on another report, when you posted that Hali wasn't shut out, you should have made that clear.

This report strongly suggests that Hali was shut down on this day.

Today is Thursday, not Tuesday.