T-post Tom
08-04-2007, 09:24 PM
It's been a long time since we've had to contemplate RBBC.
NFL: Bennett getting in shape for a run at backfield slot
The former Viking isn't the main man in K.C., but he's glad to be in the mix.
By Mark Craig, Star Tribune
Last update: August 02, 2007 – 7:48 PM
RIVER FALLS, WIS. - Michael Bennett sprints off right tackle, plants his left foot and cuts sharply into the open field. The next play, he does a little hurdle hop through a huge hole and goes untouched up the middle as a Kansas City Chiefs defensive coach screams an expletive loud enough to reach the Ramer Field sideline at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Not a bad start for the Chiefs' undermanned offense during the 11-on-11 portion of Wednesday morning's practice.
"Michael looks good," said Chiefs President and General Manager Carl Peterson, who traded a fourth-round draft pick to the New Orleans Saints to acquire Bennett last summer. "You can tell he has worked extremely hard. He's in great shape. He's what we thought he could be."
Priest Holmes, the Chiefs' career rushing leader, can't practice because he's still on the physically-unable-to-perform list 21 months after he last played. Larry Johnson, who ran for a team-record 1,789 yards last year, is holding out while being fined more than $14,000 a day. And yet coach Herm Edwards' run-oriented Chiefs seem almost nonchalant about their running back situation as they travel to Mankato for tonight's intersquad practice with the Vikings.
"I like running backs, and we have a lot of them," Edwards said. "My goal is for us to rush for 2,000 yards. Whether it's two running backs, three running backs who get it, it doesn't matter. Last year we had one running back get most of them. But now we're running back by committee, and Michael has done a great job stepping up and taking on that leadership role."
Bennett, the Vikings' first-round draft pick in 2001, is sharing the first-team workload with Kolby Smith, a fifth-round draft pick from Louisville who's creating quite a buzz. The 5-11, 219-pounder is intriguing because he's both squatty and quick, perpetually balanced and, as Edwards says with a smile, "a football player."
Bennett accepts it all with a smile, even though LJ could walk in today and cut right in front of him.
"You never want to be a backup, but the thing is I have to be a role player at this point in my career to get to where I want to be, which is eventually in the Super Bowl," Bennett said. "I think we have the team to do that. And Larry is the face of the franchise at running back. So was Priest. The way I look at it is we got three Pro Bowl guys and a great crop of rookies."
Bennett made the Pro Bowl in 2002, rushing for 1,296 yards, but hasn't been the same since. Foot, ankle, knee and hamstring injuries have cost him 19 games and slowed him in many more. He left the Vikings in free agency following the 2005 season.
Bennett still has a vacation home on Lake Mille Lacs. Still talks to and fishes with several of his former teammates. And he looks forward to seeing even more Vikings fans when the Chiefs travel to Mankato to practice on Saturday night. On Wednesday, he spent time with about 40 purple-clad fans after practice.
"It brought back memories," Bennett said. "When I made the Pro Bowl, I thought I had better things ahead of me in Minnesota. But it got to where even I didn't know what my role was, and things turned out rocky after that. Right now, I feel like I'm still climbing back."
NFL: Bennett getting in shape for a run at backfield slot
The former Viking isn't the main man in K.C., but he's glad to be in the mix.
By Mark Craig, Star Tribune
Last update: August 02, 2007 – 7:48 PM
RIVER FALLS, WIS. - Michael Bennett sprints off right tackle, plants his left foot and cuts sharply into the open field. The next play, he does a little hurdle hop through a huge hole and goes untouched up the middle as a Kansas City Chiefs defensive coach screams an expletive loud enough to reach the Ramer Field sideline at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Not a bad start for the Chiefs' undermanned offense during the 11-on-11 portion of Wednesday morning's practice.
"Michael looks good," said Chiefs President and General Manager Carl Peterson, who traded a fourth-round draft pick to the New Orleans Saints to acquire Bennett last summer. "You can tell he has worked extremely hard. He's in great shape. He's what we thought he could be."
Priest Holmes, the Chiefs' career rushing leader, can't practice because he's still on the physically-unable-to-perform list 21 months after he last played. Larry Johnson, who ran for a team-record 1,789 yards last year, is holding out while being fined more than $14,000 a day. And yet coach Herm Edwards' run-oriented Chiefs seem almost nonchalant about their running back situation as they travel to Mankato for tonight's intersquad practice with the Vikings.
"I like running backs, and we have a lot of them," Edwards said. "My goal is for us to rush for 2,000 yards. Whether it's two running backs, three running backs who get it, it doesn't matter. Last year we had one running back get most of them. But now we're running back by committee, and Michael has done a great job stepping up and taking on that leadership role."
Bennett, the Vikings' first-round draft pick in 2001, is sharing the first-team workload with Kolby Smith, a fifth-round draft pick from Louisville who's creating quite a buzz. The 5-11, 219-pounder is intriguing because he's both squatty and quick, perpetually balanced and, as Edwards says with a smile, "a football player."
Bennett accepts it all with a smile, even though LJ could walk in today and cut right in front of him.
"You never want to be a backup, but the thing is I have to be a role player at this point in my career to get to where I want to be, which is eventually in the Super Bowl," Bennett said. "I think we have the team to do that. And Larry is the face of the franchise at running back. So was Priest. The way I look at it is we got three Pro Bowl guys and a great crop of rookies."
Bennett made the Pro Bowl in 2002, rushing for 1,296 yards, but hasn't been the same since. Foot, ankle, knee and hamstring injuries have cost him 19 games and slowed him in many more. He left the Vikings in free agency following the 2005 season.
Bennett still has a vacation home on Lake Mille Lacs. Still talks to and fishes with several of his former teammates. And he looks forward to seeing even more Vikings fans when the Chiefs travel to Mankato to practice on Saturday night. On Wednesday, he spent time with about 40 purple-clad fans after practice.
"It brought back memories," Bennett said. "When I made the Pro Bowl, I thought I had better things ahead of me in Minnesota. But it got to where even I didn't know what my role was, and things turned out rocky after that. Right now, I feel like I'm still climbing back."