ADAM TEICHER:Rookie linemen struggle to demonstrate they’re not a bust

**Tribal Warfare** · 12-15-2007, 05:07 AM

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...ry/404419.html

Rookie linemen struggle to demonstrate they’re not a bust
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

Filled with youthful exuberance shortly after signing his contract last summer, defensive lineman Tank Tyler promised he would spend his rookie season “busting heads” of Chiefs opponents.

That hasn’t happened for Tyler, a third-round draft pick, or fellow rookie defensive lineman Turk McBride, a second-round pick. Nothing unusual about that. Rookie defensive linemen tend to be the ones with the busted heads.

But Tyler and McBride have been so undistinguished the Chiefs quietly fear that neither will ever become a consistently productive player or even a dependable starter.

“I’m not satisfied,” said Tyler, who was speaking for himself but could have been talking for McBride, too. “It’s been more of a learning experience than I thought it would be. It’s a big step into the NFL. I want to be a star, but I also understand I’ve got a lot to learn and that I’ve got a ways to go.

“I wouldn’t take the season back. I wish we would have won some more games, but there’s been a lot of learning going on, too.”

The Chiefs drafted McBride to help ease the tremendous pressure on starting defensive ends Jared Allen and Tamba Hali. They were hopeful McBride would be ready to start the season’s first two games when Allen was unavailable because of an NFL suspension.

He wasn’t ready, and Jimmy Wilkerson started instead.

McBride plays at tackle in obvious passing situations but hasn’t relieved Allen or Hali much at end. Some of the reserve snaps that should have gone to McBride last week were given to Khreem Smith, who was recently promoted from the practice squad.

“This year was just the foundation,” McBride said. “I learned so much. Next year, I’ll be able to do more. I’ll have everything down. Right now, it seems like I’m hesitating when I get out there.

“It’s an extremely long season. It just seems like it will never end. Counting the preseason, there’s seven more games than we had in college. Practices are a lot more intense.”

Tyler also has relieved starting tackles Ron Edwards and Alfonso Boone as much as the Chiefs had hoped. He has just three tackles and was even inactive for one game against Green Bay last month.

The Chiefs were so disappointed in Tyler early in the season that veteran linebacker Donnie Edwards dragged him into the video room, popped in footage of Tyler busting Minnesota heads at a joint training camp practice and said, “What happened to this player?”

“They’re coming,” coach Herm Edwards said in a less-than-glowing endorsement. “They’re doing all right.

“It takes a while for guys at those positions to understand and to get better. But they’re a lot better than they were early in the season.

“We anticipated they might struggle some in the middle of the season, and they got their second wind now and they’re playing better. Going into next season, they’ll be better. They’re playing some in almost every game.”

But not as much as the Chiefs anticipated. Asked whether this was a reflection on their lack of progress, Edwards said, “It’s because the games have been so close. We feel like we can’t allow teams to have one or two big plays on us. You get nervous about that some.

“You wish those guys could have more snaps. It just seems like every series is a crucial series. It’s not like we’re playing with a big lead.”

There’s danger for the Chiefs in giving up on McBride and Tyler too soon, and they show no indication they will. Many a struggling rookie defensive lineman has gone on to become a dependable player, so it’s premature to call them the latest in a string of failed Chiefs defensive-line draft picks.

But the Chiefs would prefer to see them start to play aggressively sooner rather than later.

“I feel like I’ve had the opportunity a couple of times to bust some heads,” Tyler said. “I have my plays here and there. But there have been some negative plays, too. I plan on busting more of them next year and next game, too.”

**Tribal Warfare** · 12-15-2007, 05:08 AM

Sounds like Sedrick Ellis isn't out of the realm of KC selecting him

Fairplay · 12-15-2007, 05:21 AM

Depressing article. Im not interested in the chiefs much these days. The management is a joke. I've maybe seen 30 minutes of a game the last 3 games.

Now reading a couple high draft picks suck. Bah.

**HemiEd** · 12-15-2007, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fairplay

Now reading a couple high draft picks suck. Bah.

Don't believe it. It is a smokescreen. Herm is the best drafter ever!! He is a talent genius!

FringeNC · 12-15-2007, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Don't believe it. It is a smokescreen. Herm is the best drafter ever!! He is a talent genius!

To build through the draft, you need quite a few impact players per draft. How many impact players have Herm/Carl drafted total in the two years?

TEX · 12-15-2007, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FringeNC

To build through the draft, you need quite a few impact players per draft. How many impact players have Herm/Carl drafted total in the two years?

Possibly 1 - Bowe.

**HemiEd** · 12-15-2007, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FringeNC

To build through the draft, you need quite a few impact players per draft. How many impact players have Herm/Carl drafted total in the two years?

So far, one and a half IMO. Maybe 5 by the time the information is all in.

TEX · 12-15-2007, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Don't believe it. It is a smokescreen. Herm is the best drafter ever!! He is a talent genius!

Once this myth is proven false, there is NO reason to keep him as HC. IMO, Pollard and Page have shown nothing to indicate they they're anything other than serviceable.

Mecca · 12-15-2007, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by findthedr

that logic is futile. Drafting more rookies is not the answer at this point. Who would they cut? Turk and Tank wont get cut, and if they dont produce, do you really want to cur Boone or Edwards?

We have tried reaching for combine studs (siavii, freeman). didnt work
we tried getting the consensus #1 DT (sims). didnt work
we tried having krumrie weed out dlineman with his slap fight (tank/turk) and focus on game tape....so far not working.

what else can we do? keep wasting top picks at the position doesnt seem like a good idea. The colts have a starting rookie undrafted free agent. Maybe we should get as many as them in 2008 and let the best man win.

This line of logic sucks....it's like saying the Colts shouldn't have picked Manning because Jeff George didn't work out for them.

By the way anyone who thinks Ron Edwards is a good starter doesn't evaluate lineman very well.

King_Chief_Fan · 12-15-2007, 11:45 AM

I continue to ask the same question. So what makes everyone think that Herm is such a good talent evaluator? His choices aren't up to the billing. What is Herm good at?

Mecca · 12-15-2007, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King_Chief_Fan

I continue to ask the same question. So what makes everyone think that Herm is such a good talent evaluator? His choices aren't up to the billing. What is Herm good at?

It's because before him the drafts were so bad now people think this is good. Now the 1st round picks play which is more than we got before...but once again better than awful isn't good.

TEX · 12-15-2007, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

It's because before him the drafts were so bad now people think this is good. Now the 1st round picks play which is more than we got before...but once again better than awful isn't good.

I agree, but his decision-making about most everything is awful.

TEX · 12-15-2007, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King_Chief_Fan

I continue to ask the same question. So what makes everyone think that Herm is such a good talent evaluator? His choices aren't up to the billing. What is Herm good at?

Talking BS and not much more. The deal is we had a blueprint for all the BS, but still hired him and it cost us a draft pick. If the only positive thing that comes out of hiring Herm is that when he gets fired, Carl does also. Then and only then will it be worth it.

**OnTheWarpath15** · 12-15-2007, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TEX

Talking BS and not much more. The deal is we had a blueprint for all the BS, but still hired him and it cost us a draft pick. If the only positive thing that comes out of hiring Herm is that when he gets fired, Carl does also. Then and only then will it be worth it.

Jesus....

You just bitch for the sake of bitching, don't you?

Losing a 4th round draft pick is the end of the ****ing world? You've been ranting about that pick forever.

We spent a 2nd and a 3rd on DV to accomplish the same thing. One playoff loss. But I don't hear you bitching about that.....

Trust me, it's OK to hate Herm. But you don't have to look like a ****ing reerun doing it. You're way smarter than that.

Mecca · 12-15-2007, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by findthedr

Everyone says that dlineman take at least 3yrs to develop. We aldready have 2 young lineman developing.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=kluck/wrapup/070425&sportCat=nfl

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/2006/04/24/ramblings/nfl-draft/3828/

If we have a need, than we need to get some proven talent in FA and fill in our other needs via the draft. We cant afford to blow more picks in that area when we have huge needs on Oline and elsewhere.

Ron Edwards is cheap. if he isnt playing well, we can cut him...no loss. Same with Boone. The ramifications of cutting Turk/Tank or a 1st rnd DT are far greater.

I don't really buy into that.......good lineman are good right away. Tommie Harris didn't take 3 years to be any good, these guys at best are good rotation players they aren't stars that say hey we are set here we don't need any other guys...

Sedrick Ellis can be a Tommie Harris type, you'd wanna pass on that because of McBride and Tyler....that's nuts.

12-15-2007, 05:07 AM	Topic Starter
Tribal Warfare The Boom Boom Room Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $792813	ADAM TEICHER:Rookie linemen struggle to demonstrate they’re not a bust http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chi...ry/404419.html Rookie linemen struggle to demonstrate they’re not a bust By ADAM TEICHER The Kansas City Star Filled with youthful exuberance shortly after signing his contract last summer, defensive lineman Tank Tyler promised he would spend his rookie season “busting heads” of Chiefs opponents. That hasn’t happened for Tyler, a third-round draft pick, or fellow rookie defensive lineman Turk McBride, a second-round pick. Nothing unusual about that. Rookie defensive linemen tend to be the ones with the busted heads. But Tyler and McBride have been so undistinguished the Chiefs quietly fear that neither will ever become a consistently productive player or even a dependable starter. “I’m not satisfied,” said Tyler, who was speaking for himself but could have been talking for McBride, too. “It’s been more of a learning experience than I thought it would be. It’s a big step into the NFL. I want to be a star, but I also understand I’ve got a lot to learn and that I’ve got a ways to go. “I wouldn’t take the season back. I wish we would have won some more games, but there’s been a lot of learning going on, too.” The Chiefs drafted McBride to help ease the tremendous pressure on starting defensive ends Jared Allen and Tamba Hali. They were hopeful McBride would be ready to start the season’s first two games when Allen was unavailable because of an NFL suspension. He wasn’t ready, and Jimmy Wilkerson started instead. McBride plays at tackle in obvious passing situations but hasn’t relieved Allen or Hali much at end. Some of the reserve snaps that should have gone to McBride last week were given to Khreem Smith, who was recently promoted from the practice squad. “This year was just the foundation,” McBride said. “I learned so much. Next year, I’ll be able to do more. I’ll have everything down. Right now, it seems like I’m hesitating when I get out there. “It’s an extremely long season. It just seems like it will never end. Counting the preseason, there’s seven more games than we had in college. Practices are a lot more intense.” Tyler also has relieved starting tackles Ron Edwards and Alfonso Boone as much as the Chiefs had hoped. He has just three tackles and was even inactive for one game against Green Bay last month. The Chiefs were so disappointed in Tyler early in the season that veteran linebacker Donnie Edwards dragged him into the video room, popped in footage of Tyler busting Minnesota heads at a joint training camp practice and said, “What happened to this player?” “They’re coming,” coach Herm Edwards said in a less-than-glowing endorsement. “They’re doing all right. “It takes a while for guys at those positions to understand and to get better. But they’re a lot better than they were early in the season. “We anticipated they might struggle some in the middle of the season, and they got their second wind now and they’re playing better. Going into next season, they’ll be better. They’re playing some in almost every game.” But not as much as the Chiefs anticipated. Asked whether this was a reflection on their lack of progress, Edwards said, “It’s because the games have been so close. We feel like we can’t allow teams to have one or two big plays on us. You get nervous about that some. “You wish those guys could have more snaps. It just seems like every series is a crucial series. It’s not like we’re playing with a big lead.” There’s danger for the Chiefs in giving up on McBride and Tyler too soon, and they show no indication they will. Many a struggling rookie defensive lineman has gone on to become a dependable player, so it’s premature to call them the latest in a string of failed Chiefs defensive-line draft picks. But the Chiefs would prefer to see them start to play aggressively sooner rather than later. “I feel like I’ve had the opportunity a couple of times to bust some heads,” Tyler said. “I have my plays here and there. But there have been some negative plays, too. I plan on busting more of them next year and next game, too.”
Posts: 42,122

12-15-2007, 05:08 AM	#2
Tribal Warfare The Boom Boom Room Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $792813	Sounds like Sedrick Ellis isn't out of the realm of KC selecting him __________________
Posts: 42,122

12-15-2007, 05:21 AM	#3
Fairplay A certain set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: texas Casino cash: $10026683 VARSITY	Depressing article. Im not interested in the chiefs much these days. The management is a joke. I've maybe seen 30 minutes of a game the last 3 games. Now reading a couple high draft picks suck. Bah.
Posts: 25,265

12-15-2007, 11:45 AM	#10
King_Chief_Fan Praise Him Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: none ya Casino cash: $5885486	I continue to ask the same question. So what makes everyone think that Herm is such a good talent evaluator? His choices aren't up to the billing. What is Herm good at? __________________ No Jesus No Peace Know Jesus Know Peace Ephesians 2:8-10 English Standard Version (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Posts: 12,181