Chiefs Friday Gretz:What the Chiefs Didn't Get Done

mikey23545 · 06-19-2009, 06:16 AM

http://www.bobgretz.com/

There was a lot that got done with the Chiefs during the last six months.

But then, there was a lot to do.

And the new regime of Scott Pioli/Todd Haley has not solved all the problems, plugged all the holes or gotten every questioned answered.

There are some things that didn’t get done. Here’s the top five.

GETTING BRIAN WATERS ON BOARD

There’s no question that Waters is one of the team’s best players. Now, that may be damning him with faint praise given the team is 6-26 over the last two years, but other than Larry Johnson, he’s the only returning Chiefs player who has sniffed the Pro Bowl.

Most people consider Waters one of the team’s leaders. Now again, that’s a tainted label given the fact the team has performed so poorly in recent years. The media likes to label Waters a leader, but that’s because the guard is always approachable and always willing to talk. If he’s as much a leader as everyone thinks, then he needs to start doing a better job of leading.

No matter what happened between Waters and Haley in their now famous hallway conversation back in February, that situation should be history. It appears it is not from Waters perspective. His only appearance was for the mandatory mini-camp, when missing would have lead to a fine. He showed up and was out of shape compared to his teammates. There was still pout in his demeanor.

It’s going to be very interesting to see what type of shape Waters is when he arrives in Wisconsin. It’s going to take him a lot of work over the next six weeks to get his conditioning to the level that Haley is looking for from his players.

That Waters decided to make himself an outsider during this off-season is a disappointment. Thankfully for the Chiefs, there was Mike Goff. He’s a year older and has played two more seasons in the league than Waters, but Goff was at every single off-season practice. Haley said the team honored Goff in one of their final meetings for his efforts during the last three months.

Goff has played in seven games in the playoffs over the last four years with the Chargers, who won three of those seven. In the same time frame, Waters played in one post-season game and did not get a victory.

If there was something for Goff to accomplish with this team during the last three months, there was certainly something for Waters to get done in this off-season.

GETTING MIKE VRABEL ON BOARD

Pioli/Haley believe in actions, not words. So forget Vrabel’s words during his brief appearance with the team, specifically his comments that he was happy to be with the Chiefs.

Go by Vrabel’s actions and his absence from all the non-mandatory work with the team says he’s not thrilled by his change of address. That has to be a disappointment, especially for Pioli. Getting Vrabel at this point of his career isn’t so much about production in the defense. It’s about him bringing the Patriots Way to the club. Vrabel was one of the poster boys for the way Belichick built those Super Bowl teams.

He’s smart, he’s durable, he’s versatile and he’s a leader, or was. Certainly, he can still bring those features to the Chiefs. But the fact it hasn’t happened during this off-season is a hole in the Chiefs picture.

NO PASS RUSHERS ADDED

When a team sets a new NFL record for pass rushing futility, it would figure that would be an area where a lot of attention, bodies and money would land in the off-season.

That hasn’t been the case with the ‘09 Chiefs. There have been veteran pass rushers available and they did not land in Kansas City. The most recent example is DE/OLB Greg Ellis, released by Dallas who signed with Oakland.

It appears that Pioli/Haley believe a change in scheme will bring more pressure on the quarterback. If what was seen in mini-camp and OTA sessions is how the Chiefs are going to rush the passer, then they are going to rely heavily on the blitz.

Defenses that live by the blitz will eventually die by the blitz. The Chiefs need somebody to step up their game and get the quarterback on the ground.

NO PUNT/KICKOFF RETURNER IDENTIFIED

Haley makes it very plain that special teams are going to be important to him and the ‘09 Chiefs. But as the summer vacation started, they don’t appear to be any closer to identifying a solid return man than they were when Haley and the staff first walked into the building.

In the public portions of practices, very little was done in the area of punt or kick returns. The one time they did work on catching punts, rookie Quentin Lawrence struggled to hold onto the football. Haley will stress ball security on special teams and he’s not going to give a fumbler a second chance.

First-year guy Rodney Wright has also been back returning kicks and punts, but his experience in that area comes from Arena Football over the last five years. RBs Jamaal Charles and Dantrell Savage handled some kickoffs last year as rookies; in fact Savage had the team’s longest kick return at 59 yards.

Again, there were returners available in free agency, but the Chiefs kept their hands in their pockets. The job is wide open.

NO OFFENSIVE WEAPONS ADDED

The plus/minus scale for the Chiefs offensively did not balance out in this off-season. On the minus side is TE Tony Gonzalez, traded to Atlanta and taking with him about 20 percent of the passing game over the last few years. On the plus side would be 36-year old, 14-year receiver Bobby Engram. He’s a possession/slot receiver at the end of his career.

Whether it was at tight end, wide receiver, or in the backfield, the Chiefs needed to add another weapon for Cassel to work with. It didn’t happen and that could have season-long consequences.

As proven and consistent NFL receivers, the Chiefs offense has WRs Engram and Dwayne Bowe. That’s it. WR Mark Bradley has shown flashes, but he’s not consistent and is often injured. WR Devard Darling seems to have the skills, but has never been given the opportunities. WRs Jeff Webb and Terrance Copper are journeymen types.

Cassel is going to need top notch protection because there are not many receivers available who can create plays with their speed, quickness or moves.

06-19-2009, 06:16 AM	Topic Starter
mikey23545 MVP Join Date: Aug 2000 Casino cash: $10015321	Friday Gretz:What the Chiefs Didn't Get Done http://www.bobgretz.com/ There was a lot that got done with the Chiefs during the last six months. But then, there was a lot to do. And the new regime of Scott Pioli/Todd Haley has not solved all the problems, plugged all the holes or gotten every questioned answered. There are some things that didn’t get done. Here’s the top five. GETTING BRIAN WATERS ON BOARD There’s no question that Waters is one of the team’s best players. Now, that may be damning him with faint praise given the team is 6-26 over the last two years, but other than Larry Johnson, he’s the only returning Chiefs player who has sniffed the Pro Bowl. Most people consider Waters one of the team’s leaders. Now again, that’s a tainted label given the fact the team has performed so poorly in recent years. The media likes to label Waters a leader, but that’s because the guard is always approachable and always willing to talk. If he’s as much a leader as everyone thinks, then he needs to start doing a better job of leading. No matter what happened between Waters and Haley in their now famous hallway conversation back in February, that situation should be history. It appears it is not from Waters perspective. His only appearance was for the mandatory mini-camp, when missing would have lead to a fine. He showed up and was out of shape compared to his teammates. There was still pout in his demeanor. It’s going to be very interesting to see what type of shape Waters is when he arrives in Wisconsin. It’s going to take him a lot of work over the next six weeks to get his conditioning to the level that Haley is looking for from his players. That Waters decided to make himself an outsider during this off-season is a disappointment. Thankfully for the Chiefs, there was Mike Goff. He’s a year older and has played two more seasons in the league than Waters, but Goff was at every single off-season practice. Haley said the team honored Goff in one of their final meetings for his efforts during the last three months. Goff has played in seven games in the playoffs over the last four years with the Chargers, who won three of those seven. In the same time frame, Waters played in one post-season game and did not get a victory. If there was something for Goff to accomplish with this team during the last three months, there was certainly something for Waters to get done in this off-season. GETTING MIKE VRABEL ON BOARD Pioli/Haley believe in actions, not words. So forget Vrabel’s words during his brief appearance with the team, specifically his comments that he was happy to be with the Chiefs. Go by Vrabel’s actions and his absence from all the non-mandatory work with the team says he’s not thrilled by his change of address. That has to be a disappointment, especially for Pioli. Getting Vrabel at this point of his career isn’t so much about production in the defense. It’s about him bringing the Patriots Way to the club. Vrabel was one of the poster boys for the way Belichick built those Super Bowl teams. He’s smart, he’s durable, he’s versatile and he’s a leader, or was. Certainly, he can still bring those features to the Chiefs. But the fact it hasn’t happened during this off-season is a hole in the Chiefs picture. NO PASS RUSHERS ADDED When a team sets a new NFL record for pass rushing futility, it would figure that would be an area where a lot of attention, bodies and money would land in the off-season. That hasn’t been the case with the ‘09 Chiefs. There have been veteran pass rushers available and they did not land in Kansas City. The most recent example is DE/OLB Greg Ellis, released by Dallas who signed with Oakland. It appears that Pioli/Haley believe a change in scheme will bring more pressure on the quarterback. If what was seen in mini-camp and OTA sessions is how the Chiefs are going to rush the passer, then they are going to rely heavily on the blitz. Defenses that live by the blitz will eventually die by the blitz. The Chiefs need somebody to step up their game and get the quarterback on the ground. NO PUNT/KICKOFF RETURNER IDENTIFIED Haley makes it very plain that special teams are going to be important to him and the ‘09 Chiefs. But as the summer vacation started, they don’t appear to be any closer to identifying a solid return man than they were when Haley and the staff first walked into the building. In the public portions of practices, very little was done in the area of punt or kick returns. The one time they did work on catching punts, rookie Quentin Lawrence struggled to hold onto the football. Haley will stress ball security on special teams and he’s not going to give a fumbler a second chance. First-year guy Rodney Wright has also been back returning kicks and punts, but his experience in that area comes from Arena Football over the last five years. RBs Jamaal Charles and Dantrell Savage handled some kickoffs last year as rookies; in fact Savage had the team’s longest kick return at 59 yards. Again, there were returners available in free agency, but the Chiefs kept their hands in their pockets. The job is wide open. NO OFFENSIVE WEAPONS ADDED The plus/minus scale for the Chiefs offensively did not balance out in this off-season. On the minus side is TE Tony Gonzalez, traded to Atlanta and taking with him about 20 percent of the passing game over the last few years. On the plus side would be 36-year old, 14-year receiver Bobby Engram. He’s a possession/slot receiver at the end of his career. Whether it was at tight end, wide receiver, or in the backfield, the Chiefs needed to add another weapon for Cassel to work with. It didn’t happen and that could have season-long consequences. As proven and consistent NFL receivers, the Chiefs offense has WRs Engram and Dwayne Bowe. That’s it. WR Mark Bradley has shown flashes, but he’s not consistent and is often injured. WR Devard Darling seems to have the skills, but has never been given the opportunities. WRs Jeff Webb and Terrance Copper are journeymen types. Cassel is going to need top notch protection because there are not many receivers available who can create plays with their speed, quickness or moves.
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