Could have the Front Office done a better job for the inevitable decline of our OL?

[chiefsfan1963]

Wouldn't CP and the rest of the Front Office know players like Roaf, Shields, Welbourn could retire at any time? Wouldn't they have a clue that the players backing our 1st string OL just aren't going to cut it when that time comes?

Am I missing something here? If so please elaborate. Based on what I'm seeing I wouldn't want to be Trent this year.

[KCFalcon59]

YES

[KC Jones]

I think they've been trying, hence Sampson, Bober, Black, and so on. I don't know if it's a coaching and development problem or a drafting problem, but we really haven't developed much talent in house for a long time now. That goes for almost any position.

[listopencil]

Yes.

[jspchief]

Quality O-linemen don't grow on trees. We've drafted one or two every year looking for decent backups. KC has a storied history of getting good line play out of unheralded college players.

If we had been using high draft picks, people would have been freaking out over ignoring the defensive woes.

They tried to find guys, they just failed.

[Garcia Bronco]

If there was a guy as good as Roaf he wouldn't have been a backup waiting for him to retire and so on.

[FloridaMan88]

YES

The last time the Chiefs drafted an offensive lineman higher than the 4th round was John Tait back in 1999.

[Logical]

Other than doing what it would have taken to keep Tait, not a lot.

[jspchief]

They've drafted 5 tackles and one guard in the last 4 years.
It's not like they haven't tried.

What the hell happened to Brett Williams? Wasn't he supposed to be good?

[Hammock Parties]

Svitek is the left tackle of the future. The Chiefs targeted him to be just that.

Roaf and Welbourn's retirements were both a shock IMO.

[tk13]

We kept like 10-11 lineman on the 53 man roster last year. I think it's safe to say we've tried to find lineman. You just can't have two or three HOF'ers ready to step in everywhere.

[FringeNC]

Yeah, it's easy to have the best O-line in the game every year. In fact, it's the one area that CP has seemed to excel in. Since CP has been GM, I'd venture a guess that the Chiefs have had cumulatively the best Oline play in the league.

Another crazy thread almost as bad as the one of Siavii being the best DT on the team. You act as if there is another Roaf waiting to be signed off the street for league min. salary.

If only our Dline could be in decline the same way as the Oline.

[noa]

There would be much more whining on the planet if we drafted offensive linemen early and continued to neglect the defense. We had to address the defense as our number one priority, and we kept OLine in mind (as evidenced by Turley, Black, Sampson, and Svitek), its just that the OLine was a lower priority than defense.

[Moooo]

We tried... look at Turley.

Next draft I bet we'll draft a guard in one of the first two rounds, along with a DT.

Moooo

[blueballs]

when a PS player is stolen and
becomes a starter for the Colts
I say they were trying

[Pasta Little Brioni]

even with the loss of roaf the chiefs still have more talent on the O-line than most teams in the league.

[BIG K]

Quality O-linemen don't grow on trees. We've drafted one or two every year looking for decent backups. KC has a storied history of getting good line play out of unheralded college players.
If we had been using high draft picks, people would have been freaking out over ignoring the defensive woes.
They tried to find guys, they just failed.

I remember people complaining when the Chief's traded a draft pick for a 'has been' tackle by the name of Roaf.. JSP is correct that the Chiefs have tried, but have come up short in recent seasons...

[Miles]

The front office did pretty much all that should have been expected to keep the line in good shape. The timing of Roaf's retirement was a bit unexpected but they did make moves to cover for it. If not for this season then the next.

I think it was really the completly unexpected retirement of Welbourn that was the real setback.

[greeniemeanie]

The front office did pretty much all that should have been expected to keep the line in good shape. I think it was really the completly unexpected retirement of Welbourn that was the real setback.
Welbourn hinted at retirement last year. The FO definately should have seen it coming. Petersen just amazes me every year.

[Miles]

Welbourn hinted at retirement last year. The FO definately should have seen it coming. Petersen just amazes me every year.

Last year he was 29 going into camp. Its really not that suprising that hints of retirement would not be taken seriously or that they were a likely contract negotiation ploy.

30 year old lineman that are productive and have no chronic injury problems do not often just retire with little notice.

[greeniemeanie]

Last year he was 29 going into camp. Its really not that suprising that hints of retirement would not be taken seriously or that they were a likely contract negotiation ploy.

30 year old lineman that are productive and have no chronic injury problems do not often just retire with little notice.
true, but they players do retire and then come back.....look at seau with NE. he didn't want to be in KC, plain and simple. Deal him before you don't get anything for him.

[Miles]

true, but they players do retire and then come back.....look at seau with NE. he didn't want to be in KC, plain and simple. Deal him before you don't get anything for him.

A 37 year old linebacker that has battled injuries for the past two seasons is hardly the same thing.

[BIG K]

Welbourn hinted at retirement last year. The FO definately should have seen it coming. Petersen just amazes me every year.

Didn't the Chief's yet again draft one or two O-lineman this year? Combine that with the linemen of the future (according to their beliefs)already on the roster, and I believe they have attempted to keep fresh prospects on the roster. As JSP correctly pointed out, they have just failed in their attempts thus far. Had they instead, spent their first day picks on O-lineman this year, fans would have cried out that they were doing nothing to fix the defense.

IMHO, the Chief's have attempted to keep the O-line fresh but have come up short. At this point, I cannot fault their efforts regarding the O-line.

[RealSNR]

when a PS player is stolen and
becomes a starter for the Colts
I say they were tryingHe's looked like shit for the Colts.

That being said, I think Solari could've taught Lilja a thing or two about this offense or the position in general had we put him on the team instead of ****ing Brett Williams and Black. Or Darnell Alford or whoever the hell we've been trying to make work for years

[ChiefsCountry]

Stud LT's have to be taken in the first round, more than likely we had more pressing needs the last 3 years. I think the Chiefs have tried, LT will be the pick this year I bet, it was going to be anyways before Roaf retired I bet, now it will be for sure. There are dumbass like KCChiefs88 who think we haven't covered ourselves but we have.

[chubychecker]

Winston Justice was actually the player I wanted the chiefs to draft this last year. I am happy with the Hali pick, but Justice was a steal at #39. It would have been great if we could have traded up in the second to get him. He will be a monster in this league.

[ChiefsCountry]

Winston Justice was actually the player I wanted the chiefs to draft this last year. I am happy with the Hali pick, but Justice was a steal at #39. It would have been great if we could have traded up in the second to get him. He will be a monster in this league.

Yeah he would have been good get. It would have been a big jump up to get him though.

[mikey23545]

I blame Carl for this team not being three Probowlers deep at every position....

[Mecca]

Last year he was 29 going into camp. Its really not that suprising that hints of retirement would not be taken seriously or that they were a likely contract negotiation ploy.

30 year old lineman that are productive and have no chronic injury problems do not often just retire with little notice.

Actually John Welbourne has had some injury issues, I don't think he's ever played 16 games if he has it was quite awhile ago.

[ChiefFan31]

Good posts here.

My thoughts, for the most part repeat what has already been posted.

I think the Chiefs have tried. If we didnt have such Glaring needs on defense, im sure they would have drafted an OL or two in the first day of the draft over the last three seasons. Some of the picks just have not panned out. Kinda like our DT picks.

Welbourne, Im leaning towards believing the failed drug test storyline on him.

Roaf, I will miss that goofy walking bastard. Talk about a duck out of water...but on the field...