AirForceChief
06-23-2005, 06:59 AM
RAND: Chiefs need a cornerback…and some perspective
Jun 23, 2005, 4:30:37 AM by Jonathan Rand
The Chiefs’ biggest worry right now is finding a backup cornerback. As the old Saturday Night Live joke went, it’s always something. Especially in the NFL.
I mentioned recently that head football coaches are the world’s biggest worriers. That’s partly the nature of the beast and partly because any football team can always stand improvement. That’s been especially true since free agency started a dozen years ago. Now, even championship teams have shaky spots.
Yet just the fact that the Chiefs’ biggest need is for a backup cornerback tells you how much they’ve upgraded their defense since the end of last season. What do you think coach Dick Vermeil would’ve told you had you predicted that by late June his biggest headache would be finding a cornerback to step in for Eric Warfield, should he be suspended four games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy?
More than likely, Vermeil would’ve suspected you of violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, too. Remember, the Chiefs ranked 31st in total defense and had more pressing needs than seemed possible to address in one offseason. But the Chiefs apparently have addressed them all in the draft, a trade and free-agent signings.
The Chiefs back in January weren’t worried about finding a backup cornerback. Their top priority was finding a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback to start opposite Warfield. They needed more oomph in their pass rush and more speed and surer tackling at linebacker. For goodness sakes, they even needed another starting safety after Jerome Woods and Greg Wesley experienced disappointing seasons.
By filling all those needs, the Chiefs now have a defense that should rise at least to the middle of the pack. The probable absence of Warfield for four games and the season-ending injury to Julian Battle, who was projected to step in for him, should not change that outlook.
First off, Battle still is trying to prove himself as an NFL cornerback. Secondly, losing a starter for four games because of injury or suspension is no shocker in the NFL. Only extremely fortunate teams go through a season keeping all starters in the lineup on either side of the ball.
The New England Patriots won the last Super Bowl despite a patched-up secondary that should have been easy pickings for any rival cornerback. But it wasn’t, thanks in part to a very strong front seven and excellent coaching. One mark of a championship defense it that it’s overpowering in enough areas to hide or overcome one soft spot.
The Chiefs’ pass rush from their seven should be stronger now. Sammy Knight, the new strong safety, has a big-play history. Because they acquired Patrick Surtain from Miami, the Chiefs still will have a big-time cornerback on the field even with Warfield out. So the cornerback who steps in for Warfield shouldn’t experience as much duress as the Chiefs at that position over the past few years.
You can’t blame Vermeil for worrying about the likelihood of going without Warfield into a brutal opening stretch of the Jets, Raiders, Broncos and Eagles. But if the Chiefs can’t get by with a backup cornerback for those four games, then their defense hasn’t improved as much as we think.
The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.
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My only problem with this is that Rand dosen't clarify, or maybe emphasize, that unlike most situations where your looking to improve your depth with a quality backup, the Chiefs need another starter at CB. We know Warfield will be out for a number of games. It's like knowing a certain position will have an injured starter. It is NOT the normal 'worry' that coaches do...
Jun 23, 2005, 4:30:37 AM by Jonathan Rand
The Chiefs’ biggest worry right now is finding a backup cornerback. As the old Saturday Night Live joke went, it’s always something. Especially in the NFL.
I mentioned recently that head football coaches are the world’s biggest worriers. That’s partly the nature of the beast and partly because any football team can always stand improvement. That’s been especially true since free agency started a dozen years ago. Now, even championship teams have shaky spots.
Yet just the fact that the Chiefs’ biggest need is for a backup cornerback tells you how much they’ve upgraded their defense since the end of last season. What do you think coach Dick Vermeil would’ve told you had you predicted that by late June his biggest headache would be finding a cornerback to step in for Eric Warfield, should he be suspended four games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy?
More than likely, Vermeil would’ve suspected you of violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, too. Remember, the Chiefs ranked 31st in total defense and had more pressing needs than seemed possible to address in one offseason. But the Chiefs apparently have addressed them all in the draft, a trade and free-agent signings.
The Chiefs back in January weren’t worried about finding a backup cornerback. Their top priority was finding a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback to start opposite Warfield. They needed more oomph in their pass rush and more speed and surer tackling at linebacker. For goodness sakes, they even needed another starting safety after Jerome Woods and Greg Wesley experienced disappointing seasons.
By filling all those needs, the Chiefs now have a defense that should rise at least to the middle of the pack. The probable absence of Warfield for four games and the season-ending injury to Julian Battle, who was projected to step in for him, should not change that outlook.
First off, Battle still is trying to prove himself as an NFL cornerback. Secondly, losing a starter for four games because of injury or suspension is no shocker in the NFL. Only extremely fortunate teams go through a season keeping all starters in the lineup on either side of the ball.
The New England Patriots won the last Super Bowl despite a patched-up secondary that should have been easy pickings for any rival cornerback. But it wasn’t, thanks in part to a very strong front seven and excellent coaching. One mark of a championship defense it that it’s overpowering in enough areas to hide or overcome one soft spot.
The Chiefs’ pass rush from their seven should be stronger now. Sammy Knight, the new strong safety, has a big-play history. Because they acquired Patrick Surtain from Miami, the Chiefs still will have a big-time cornerback on the field even with Warfield out. So the cornerback who steps in for Warfield shouldn’t experience as much duress as the Chiefs at that position over the past few years.
You can’t blame Vermeil for worrying about the likelihood of going without Warfield into a brutal opening stretch of the Jets, Raiders, Broncos and Eagles. But if the Chiefs can’t get by with a backup cornerback for those four games, then their defense hasn’t improved as much as we think.
The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My only problem with this is that Rand dosen't clarify, or maybe emphasize, that unlike most situations where your looking to improve your depth with a quality backup, the Chiefs need another starter at CB. We know Warfield will be out for a number of games. It's like knowing a certain position will have an injured starter. It is NOT the normal 'worry' that coaches do...