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.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by scott free

The truth is generally somewhere in the MIDDLE of it all... rabid sells, steady stays.

Not really. This is a dog shit franchise. Dog. Shit.

We've had two "good" years in the last eight, and those teams were barely even average, surviving mostly based on pathetically weak strength of schedule.

Everyone here knows I used to be the biggest ****ing homer on the Planet. These days I'd like to kill the Chiefs and play around with their blood.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by SNR

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the origins of the term "true fan" go back to the Keep ****ing Doubting Trent Green thread, right? It originally had nothing to do with offensive linemen, but simply an exasperation with fans who look at the negative side of things a lot of the time.

Of course, when you trade a 1st rounder for a 30+ year old QB to hit the ground running on a new complicated offense you're installing, and in year one you go 6-10 and said 30+ year old QB sucks shit for most of the year, you're going to come across some doubters. That's what the dude who created that thread refused to acknowledge when he said he didn't considered Trent Green doubters to be "true fans."

Kind of funny how even local slang terms can evolve over time.

Ah, the TR-INT old days...

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by Count Zarth

Not really. This is a dog shit franchise. Dog. Shit.

We've had two "good" years in the last eight, and those teams were barely even average, surviving mostly based on pathetically weak strength of schedule.

Everyone here knows I used to be the biggest ****ing homer on the Planet. These days I'd like to kill the Chiefs and play around with their blood.

lol

These days....

These days you're just a side kick riding the coattails of a monster other posters created.

[NWTF]

Originally Posted by Big Tedd

I agree that Fisher is not a number 1 overall type of talent. Neither was any other player in that lame ass draft. Chiefs had the best pick in the worst draft ever..

Yup. It will go down as one of the worst drafts for 1st rd talent.

Fisher will most likely turn out to be an average to slightly above average starting LT when its all said and done, but thats if things go well for him and he can remain healthy.

Truthfully he will never live up to 1.1. I think just about everyone knows that deep down. Hes not an Orlando Pace, Tony Boselli. Hes just not that caliber of player. It was just a bad year to have the number 1 overall pick. I think the only options (excluding trading down) Dorsey even considered was Joekel or Fisher. Either way he was screwed.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

lol

These days....

These days you're just a side kick riding the coattails of a monster other posters created.

I'm as real as the feelings I feel.

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by Count Zarth

I'm as real as the feelings I feel.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Count Zarth

I'm as real as the feelings I feel.

Then why continue to be a fan?

Seriously, if you truly feel that way, why bother?

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by BCD

Then why continue to be a fan?

Seriously, if you truly feel that way, why bother?

Because I know eventually I won't feel that way.

Someday my Prince will come.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by BCD

Then why continue to be a fan?

Seriously, if you truly feel that way, why bother?

If you have ever asked this question on this forum, you're not a moderate on the true fan/anti-fan spectrum.

You yourself seem to ask this question once a week.

You're full on ****ing true fan. A raging true fan. Flaming true fan.

And yes, that kind of true fannery is 10x more annoying than the angriest of anti-fans.

[Hammock Parties]

Hey guys let's watch a Chiefs game!

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by SNR

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the origins of the term "true fan" go back to the Keep ****ing Doubting Trent Green thread, right? It originally had nothing to do with offensive linemen, but simply an exasperation with fans who look at the negative side of things a lot of the time.

Of course, when you trade a 1st rounder for a 30+ year old QB to hit the ground running on a new complicated offense you're installing, and in year one you go 6-10 and said 30+ year old QB sucks shit for most of the year, you're going to come across some doubters. That's what the dude who created that thread refused to acknowledge when he said he didn't considered Trent Green doubters to be "true fans."

Kind of funny how even local slang terms can evolve over time.

I thought it came from Carl Peterson and the normal CP slant it evolved.

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by Count Zarth

Hey guys let's watch a Chiefs game!

Got the playoff game still on my DVR...lets do this!

what a great game that was....to lose when you're 28pts with a qtr 1/2 left of football. ****ing epic!

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Got the playoff game still on my DVR...lets do this!

what a great game that was....to lose when you're 28pts with a qtr 1/2 left of football. ****ing epic!

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Count Zarth

Not really. This is a dog shit franchise. Dog. Shit.

We've had two "good" years in the last eight, and those teams were barely even average, surviving mostly based on pathetically weak strength of schedule.

Everyone here knows I used to be the biggest ****ing homer on the Planet. These days I'd like to kill the Chiefs and play around with their blood.

From the very day I joined here and all of the regimes since, looking back now with a bit of maturity... I honestly cant say that I've seen such a clear direction and steady procurement of talent.

Our offensive game plans looked modern, and WORKED for the most part... our defensive scheme looked AGGRESSIVE, injuries/lack of depth aside.

New talent? well I'll certainly never get a consensus about our drafts, but does anyone really doubt Dorseys ability to find the hidden gems at this point? Not every guy works out of course, but the guy keeps throwing shit at the wall and a LOT of it seems to stick... its not all bad.

BTW, just lost my closest Uncle from out there in KC tonight, his name was Bobby Franklin and he was a straight up HOOOOOOT, the prototype cool uncle who would let ya do things mom or dad would freak about about... yet the old Unk knew it was good for ya long term.

So if ya get a minute, please say a quick piece for Bobby Franklin, my beloved Uncle.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by SNR

It's more about his detraction against cases of homerism where the homerism is denied by the homers.

For example, earlier in the thread I talked about a possible solution around the Eric Fisher pick and paying Branden Albert that involved starting Stephenson at LT. People apparently thought it was pretty funny that I and a few others asserted that Stephenson would make a better starting LT in 2014 than Eric Fisher. While not out of the question that Fisher will be better than Stephenson could, at this point the evidence tells us that Stephenson has stepped in at both LT and RT throughout last season, and the offensive line hasn't really been any worse off. And that's a line from people who supported Branden Albert leaving the team. Meanwhile, Eric Fisher hasn't done anything at RT to prove that he'd be a good NFL LT, and to top it off, he's been recovering from surgery all offseason, meaning he hasn't gotten in any valuable time with the offseason strength and conditioning program.

Looking at the situation objectively, one would say without any other information such as training camp or preseason reps that Stephenson is the better option for 2014. But instead, that idea is met with, "Hope Alex likes running for his life" and "Can't do that. Stephenson sucks." If Stephenson is this awful LT, then what does that make Eric Fisher?

Those beliefs that Fisher is way better than Stephenson are based on faith and hope that he's not a bust, and that his 1.1 status actually means something. They're seeing stuff in the player that just isn't there, or at least isn't evident at the moment.

And that's the essence of homerism.

There's also the flip side of homerism where people choose a target to criticize and exaggerate how bad the guy is. Fisher turned into a respectable right tackle toward the end of the year. And there are lots of good excuses for why he would underperform his rookie year. I don't see any reason why he can't be a solid left tackle.

On the flip side, was it a terrible pick? Yes. Will he be an elite left tackle? Probably not. Should we have taken someone else? **** yeah.

Critics blame homers. Homers blame critics. The problem is nobody seems to see middle ground. You're either awesome or you're terrible. I think Fisher will end up somewhere in between.