Hali was never a pure pass rusher.

He is what he is from sheer desire, effort and hard work.

Dee Ford can really learn a lot from him.

Are we giving up on the kid from Alabama, already?

I don't think that point can be emphasized enough. Alex Smith doesn't throw to receivers unless they clear about 5 yards from coverage. He just doesn't. And the scheme is designed around creating space inside the short and intermediate zones. Thomas will probably have as great or greater an impact on the offense as any of the receivers would have for those reasons alone. In this scheme with this quarterback probably the best thing that can happen is Kelce getting and staying healthy and catching 50 or 60 balls down the seam Brent Celek style. This is like the Al Saunders days, where receivers are decoys and blockers first, pulling coverage away from the middle of the field, the offense runs through the tailback and the primary idea is creating mismatches through formation and motion.

I wanted/expected a receiver as much as anyone but the reality is it wouldn't have turned this offense or the guy behind center into anything other than what they are, and it may not have given us any more from the receiver position than what we'll get with who we already have. At least not after Cooks was gone.

When you have to refer to him as the kid from Alabama in his second year... yup. Career backup.

I know nothing of the kid we got in the third other than what I've read on here. Great size and numbers, but man was I pulling for us to grab Donte Moncrief there. Perfect over the top guy to open up the intermediate routes.

Oh well. Maybe Hemmingway and Jenkins can take about four or five strides forward this year.

I sure hope Demetrios Harris becomes the next big thing.

That's exactly what I mean. Hali willed himself to where he is.

If even a fraction of that rubs off on Ford, and Ford can stay healthy, Ford could be a special OLB.

Great post.

For all the hype about Moncrief, he is the epitome of "developmental" prospect.

He's got great measurables and elite potential but he's just raw. He also has concentration issues and doesn't follow the ball all the time - let's passes get in on his body too much.

Considering how much people here bitch about our current crop of WRs, Moncrief would have driven some people batty.

The only thing I have a problem with is not getting a tight end. That was a much bigger need than WR.

I don't think year 1 is fail. I wasn't a fan of the first offseason though. I don't think the chiefs had the option of sledgehammering the team. What they did last year restored arrowhead for the fans and made it a place players will want to sign with. I think the damage last offseason can be easily fixed and this offseason is the start.

As shown by this offseason with all the players that stayed and joined the team.

1) They sure made it a place players would want to sign. Especially guys like Emmanuel Sanders.

2) Why would they care if players want to sign here? They obviously don't intend on signing anybody.

This.

I gotta second that, Keg nailed it.