Edwards doesn’t rule out an end to Welbourn retirement

[Mr. Laz]

Tackle’s return possible
Chiefs coach Edwards doesn’t rule out an end to Welbourn retirement.
By ELIZABETH MERRILL

The Kansas City Star

The fax has been received, the replacement installed, and the Chiefs moved on Tuesday without right tackle John Welbourn.

But hold that thought.

Days after Welbourn announced his surprise retirement, coach Herm Edwards said he isn’t ruling out the possibility that Welbourn, a veteran starter, could change his mind.

“You hate to see good players decide to retire, but that was his choice at this point,” Edwards said Tuesday. “There’s nothing to say a guy can’t unretire and come back. I’ve seen guys do that. We’ll see what happens, but right now we’re moving on without him, and we’ll see what happens.”

Whatever happens, Welbourn’s departure, at the rather youthful age of 30, probably won’t go down as a thundering offseason jolt at Arrowhead Stadium. As the Chiefs wrapped up their workout, Edwards rated it one of the best practices of the summer for the offensive and defensive linemen.

The tempo was fast, and the linemen, Edwards said, are beginning to look well-conditioned. Third-year tackle Kevin Sampson appears to be back. The Jersey boy once dubbed as the Chiefs’ right tackle of the future ran with the No. 1 offense, the same spot he was in during last year’s training camp before he suffered a toe injury.

Sampson started one game in 2005, in week three against Philadelphia, then went home for the bye week and fell ill. He dropped 15 pounds and never regained his spot, but then Welbourn decided last week to bolt.

“I don’t look at it as a second chance,” Sampson said. “I look at it like I had a setback last year, this is my job, this is what I love to do and I’m trying to do it.

“Whether (Welbourn) was here or not, I was trying to win the starting right tackle job. I think health-wise, I’m back where I need to be. And you’re always trying to get better as a football player, so I’m not trying to get where I was last year.”

Edwards and offensive line coach John Matsko say they’re comfortable with the Chiefs’ depth at right tackle. They recently signed Kyle Turley and also have Jordan Black. Turley, who’s been out two years because of back issues, is expected to be Sampson’s biggest challenger for the starting job.

And Sampson will be ready. In his thick New Jersey accent, he said sitting during the Chiefs’ fight for the playoffs was “devastating.” He didn’t question former coach Dick Vermeil’s decision not to play him at the end. He said Welbourn and the offensive line were clicking, and he didn’t want to mess with that.

“I think John and Kevin are similar in the fact that they’re both tough guys,” Matsko said. “They’re hard-nosed guys who put their helmet on you and want to deliver the knockout punch when they play the running game.”

[StcChief]

This helps ease my concern about RT.....
Turley or Sampson.....Black would be an issue
Still think he will be a Guard.

So now they have 1.5M cap relief from Welbourne to sign the new guys... Eventually some contract money too.