Covitz: Eric Fisher still not cleared for full practice sessions

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs’ tackle Eric Fisher still not cleared for full practice sessions
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star

Chiefs tackle Eric Fisher’s move from the right side of the line to the all-important left side had to wait another day.

Fisher, who is coming back from offseason shoulder surgery, participated in the first day of the Chiefs’ OTA session on Tuesday but has not been cleared to participate in 11-on-11 team practices.

Donald Stephenson, tabbed to start at right tackle — where Fisher started for most of his rookie year in 2013 — took over the left tackle spot Tuesday. For now, it’s Stephenson who’ll be protecting the quarterback’s blind side, the position vacated when longtime starter Branden Albert left Kansas City as a free agent.

That wasn’t the only change in the first-team offensive line. Rishaw Johnson, who started the regular-season finale at San Diego at right guard last year, was in that spot, a position vacated by Geoff Schwartz and Jon Asamoah. Free-agent signee Jeff Linkenbach was at right tackle.

Only center Rodney Hudson and left guard Jeff Allen were in their same positions as a year ago.

“There are new faces and you have to get them caught up and get them in the mix,” said quarterback Alex Smith. “That’s everybody in the NFL. There is turnover year to year.

“This time of year, because we’re just in helmets, for those guys (on the line), it’s a time to work on assignments, technique … they don’t get to practice the physical part of the game. It’s a different aspect of it for us on the edge … at the skill positions, we can make a little more happen.”

Hurry up offense

It was just the first day of the OTAs, but the Chiefs were already working on their no-huddle offense.

“It’s something we’ve had in the package for a long time,” quarterback Alex Smith said. “I don’t know if (coach Andy Reid) is doing it from an execution or from a conditioning aspect. It’s good work for us out in the heat. These were great conditions to practice in. It makes the environment tough.”

New faces, old places

Free-agent signee Joe Mays took the place of Akeem Jordan at inside linebacker in the base defense; backup Frank Zombo, not first-round draft choice Dee Ford, played in the outside linebacker spot of Justin Houston, who did not report; second-year man Marcus Cooper started at left cornerback in place of Brandon Flowers, who did not report; and veteran Husain Abdullah was in the free safety spot vacated by Kendrick Lewis.

When the Chiefs went to their nickel and dime packages, second-year man Sanders Commings was the third safety; and free agent Chris Owens joined Cooper and Sean Smith as an extra cornerback.

“This league is about change,” Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Johnson said of having a new partner on the inside. “I’m going into my 10th year, and I’ve probably had 10 mike-backers next to me, so it’s one of those things where the organization always gets a reliable mike-backer and Joe Mays is another guy that’s very smart.

“He’s been in the league. He’s a big thumper. We’re working good together right now.”

Plays of the day

In 11-on-11 work, Alex Smith connected on a deep corner route with tight end Anthony Fasano.

Owens made a nice interception of a pass by second-team quarterback Chase Daniel. Commings intercepted a bad throw by second-year quarterback Tyler Bray. Bray came back and hit tight end Richard Jordan for a nice gain down the middle.

Injury report

Tight end Travis Kelce, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, was on the practice field but could not participate. Nose tackle Risean Broussard (knee) and wide receiver Kyle Williams (knee) were also out.

[Pablo]

Soft and oft-injured at 1.1.

Sounds like the Chiefs luck.

[LOCOChief]

The big issue is a shoulder injury, can't strength train with it and it will make putting good weight on difficult. He needs both to have a chance.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Shoulda picked that Geno Smith guy huh?

Literally nobody saying that except the Geno haters...

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Literally nobody saying that except the Geno haters...

There were obviously no other options at 1.1.

Geno or Eric Fisher. That's it.

We had our choice of any player. And we chose Eric Fisher.

Lucky us.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

The Chiefs could have chosen any player in that draft last year and it wouldn't have made them any worse than picking Eric Fisher. He had no positive impact on the team. Drafting a QB and stowing him, or picking a fifth WR leaves the 2013 Chiefs just the same.

Obviously, you hope he improves, but to act like there was a worse pick out there for year one is just ****ing moronic

[In58men]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Shoulda picked that Geno Smith guy huh?

We don't draft 1st round QBs idiot

[IamBATMAN]

IIRC didn't albert sit a few games last year with a sprained knee in the second half of the season last year? And during that time the offensive line did fairly well in keeping up the avg points of 35+. All the drama about this line I think is a little overrated. If fisher fails at LT early on Andy will make the change. Stephenson at left and fisher back at right is very similar to the same line we used last year to cover for albert. I'm not going to put the white flag up on Fisher just yet, but I am confident that if Alex starts taking repitive beatings back there Andy will shift things around.

[Big Tedd]

Originally Posted by milkman

That is exactly the kind of draft that you take a risk.

You don't have a clear cut #1 overall, you take a guy that has big time playmaker potential, and big time bust potential.

I think Fisher was a bit of a risk/reward type of pick. Most people thought that Joeckel was the safe pick IIRC.

Here are the non O line or D line picks in the top 20 of the 2013 draft.

Tavon Austin (WR), Dee Milner (CB), DJ Hayden (CB), Kenny Vaccaro (S), EJ Manuel (QB), Jarvis Jones (LB), and Eric Reid (S)

Do you see a #1 overall type of talent there? The draft class sucked and there is nothing we can do about it.

[the Talking Can]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Shoulda picked that Geno Smith guy huh?

a much better pick than fisher


but then not using the pick would have had at least the same impact as drafting fisher


or we could have drafted your boy Tyler Wilson...ouch

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Big Tedd

I think Fisher was a bit of a risk/reward type of pick. Most people thought that Joeckel was the safe pick IIRC.

Here are the non O line or D line picks in the top 20 of the 2013 draft.

Tavon Austin (WR), Dee Milner (CB), DJ Hayden (CB), Kenny Vaccaro (S), EJ Manuel (QB), Jarvis Jones (LB), and Eric Reid (S)

Do you see a #1 overall type of talent there? The draft class sucked and there is nothing we can do about it.

You missed a few.

You take a Ziggy Ansah or a Bark Mingo, who have playmaker potential as pass rushers.

You take a Tavon Austin, who has playmaker, gamebreaker potential in the slot.

Or a Kenny Vaccaro, who could have combined with Berry to give us playmakers at safety?

In a draft that has no clear #1, you throw out traditional thinking and take a risk.

Eric Fisher was a safe pick.

Luke Joekel would have been the only selection that would have been safer.

[In58men]

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

a much better pick than fisher


but then not using the pick would have had at least the same impact as drafting fisher


or we could have drafted your boy Tyler Wilson...ouch

This

[the Talking Can]

the only benefit we've derived from drafting fisher with the #1 pick in the draft (....sorry....still get sick at the thought...just a sec)








...is that we have forever ended the stupid argument about QBs being 'risky' and OL being 'safe'

every pick is a risk, the idea of a safe pick is a lie

by 'safe' people have always just been saying they want to draft of a position of less importance than QB (True Fans)...which is, of course, absurd

[tecumseh]

Hopefully, Chiefs staff are holding him back abit so there are no medical excuses come spring training. That being said , I can't see how he owns the LT spot without serious improvement. Reid's gotta know this and is maybe "baby stepping" him along to avoid the egg.

[ChiefsLV]

I have never believed in the idea of a safe pick. Looking back over the past twenty years of drafts and seeing all the 1.1's who were busts or left after their first contract is mind bottling . Hell look at all the first round busts. It's a crap shoot.

[Rausch]

I'm shocked...