WhitLock - Sims facing his make or break season

[DeepSouth]

Let’s play nice with Ryan Sims this season. We have nothing to lose.

This year, either Sims produces on the field or he’ll be playing for another team for a lot less money next season. Ryan Sims, the sixth pick in the 2002 draft, doesn’t need pressure from the coaching staff, the media or Chiefs fans.

He’s backed against a wall, playing for his professional, financial future.

“He’s in a contract year,” said Chiefs guard Brian Waters as we walked off the practice field Monday evening.

The rest of Sims’ rookie contract is so back-loaded, the Chiefs will have no choice but to redo his deal during the offseason. There’s no incentive to redo Sims’ deal if he doesn’t perform. The Chiefs will cut him to clear cap space.

So it absolutely doesn’t matter what we say about Ryan Sims this season. So I’m playing nice with Sims this season. Cracking the whip hasn’t inspired him. We might as well sit back and see whether money does for Sims what it has done for countless professional athletes over the years.

“He’s having by far his best training camp,” coach Dick Vermeil said. “The other day he had his best football practice ever since I’ve been here. He’s really getting better.”

The Chiefs brought in significant pieces to fix every level of their defense except the front four. I agreed with the decision-making that drove Kansas City’s free-agent philosophy. But I’m aware that there are wise football people who believe you build (or fix) a defense from front to back, not back to front.

Sims, a defensive tackle, could fix KC’s front four. He doesn’t have to be the second coming of Mean Joe Greene or Warren Sapp. Sims just needs to do what Dan Saleaumua used to do for the Chiefs. Sims just needs to consistently get in the backfield and screw up blocking schemes. Linebackers Derrick Johnson, Kendrell Bell and Kawika Mitchell can do the rest.

Thursday, I made the mistake of questioning the consistency of Sims’ effort his first three years in the league. Vermeil corrected me.

“He’s always had good effort,” Vermeil said. “It’s just the consistency of technique.”

Vermeil is exactly right. Sims has played hard. What’s hurt him is he hasn’t played smart. His effort has lacked maturity. The Chiefs believe they’ve convinced Sims to be more a student of the game. If Sims’ footwork and handwork improve, he’ll make plays. He has an explosive first step.

“I think it’s important to him now to be a good player,” Waters said. “I think he understands the pressure now of being the sixth pick in the draft.”

You might think that’s funny. How could Sims not comprehend the importance of being the sixth pick in the draft? You’d be amazed. Not everyone matures at the same speed. Getting handed millions of dollars at such a young age can do funny things to your mind.

A lot of athletes don’t really take care of their bodies until they’ve been in the league four or five years, because it’s only then that they realize their body is their No. 1 resource. You’d think they’d know that going in, but so much of their talent is God-given that they take their talent for granted until they really get tested at the professional level.

It’s probably not much different from your first work experience. You learned to work smart the older you got, and you really matured when the boss let you know you could be replaced at the end of the year.

That’s where we’re at with Ryan Sims. There’s no reason to bad-mouth him. He knows he hasn’t lived up to expectations. He knows the Chiefs will release him if his performance doesn’t significantly improve.

In fact, Sims needs to play well the first month of the season. Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham still loves John Browning, the anti-Ryan Sims. Cunningham could bench Sims and play Browning alongside Lionel Dalton, the surprise free-agent pickup from last season.