Tribal Warfare
06-11-2008, 09:34 PM
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/660229.html
Practice exhausting, educational for Chiefs’ Dorsey
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star
Glenn Dorsey is trying to catch his breath. He’s standing at his locker now, partially wearing a gray sweatshirt because his arms feel like teabags and haven’t yet flung the fabric over his head.
He needs a minute to adjust to all this. He’s a rookie and a high-profile one. Dorsey was the Chiefs’ top pick, the No. 5 overall selection in April’s draft. He admits he is exhausted, but he knows he cannot let up.
“Everything is so quick-paced, quick-paced, quick-paced,” he says. “You’re breathing; you’ve got to rush the passer. It really tests your endurance and how strong you are.
“Everybody can play when they’re not tired. But when you get tired and you have to go faster and faster, it’s a little more difficult.”
Dorsey has been an NFL player in earnest for nearly four weeks. The Chiefs will wrap up offseason practice today with a noon session at Spratt Stadium, on the Missouri Western State University campus in St. Joseph. After that, the Chiefs have six weeks before training camp starts July 25.
Dorsey admits these four weeks have been exhausting and educational. He says he is adjusting to his new role, the lifestyle and schedule of an NFL player, and the speed of the game that never has a minute to give.
Coach Herm Edwards says Dorsey is about where he thought the former LSU star would be. He’s still learning, Edwards says, but he has come along even since practice started last month.
“He’s been good. He’s getting better,” Edwards says. “He’s starting to understand, really, what we want him to do.”
That’s stop the run and forget about sacks. If he gets to the quarterback, then yes, take him down. But Dorsey’s preliminary education has centered on reacting instead of reading; learning to focus on the run and mastering how to stuff it.
It must be working. Edwards says the Chiefs’ offensive line has been double-teaming Dorsey most times during live drills, something Edwards expects teams will do during the regular season, too.
But that’s a long time from now, and Dorsey admits he needs every minute of every practice to improve and learn. Training camp and preseason games remain on the horizon, and so much is left to do before those dates arrive.
The most important item is for Dorsey and the Chiefs to agree to a contract. Dorsey is one of two top-five picks — St. Louis Rams defensive end and No. 2 pick Chris Long is the other — who have not yet signed. As of last week, a deal was not imminent, although Chiefs president Carl Peterson told The Star that there have been discussions between the team and Dorsey’s agent, Joel Segal.
And that’s who should worry about it, Dorsey says. He says he has tried not to worry about negotiations or dollar figures. He has only one thing in mind when it comes to settling on a contract.
“I want to be in camp. That’s the goal,” he says, finally lifting that sweatshirt and pulling it over his head.
In the meantime, Dorsey has leaned on teammates to show him the way; help him understand that, yes, this is life in the NFL and the days don’t get any easier. They have told him that he has to keep moving, keep pushing and keep trying to get better — because around here, nothing is given away.
“I see a lot of things I can do better,” Dorsey says. “I’m still a rookie; I’ve still got the bumps and bruises of camps to come along. It’s still early. I don’t really look at it like they’re handing me a job. I’ve got to come out and earn it. As soon as I slip up or don’t take it like I’m supposed to, they’ll put somebody else in. I still have a long way to go, man.”
Draftee signs
The Chiefs signed the first of their 12 draft picks Wednesday, the team’s first step toward making official their youth movement.
Kansas City signed cornerback Brandon Carr, the Chiefs’ fifth-round pick, to a three-year deal. Financial terms were not released.
Practice exhausting, educational for Chiefs’ Dorsey
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star
Glenn Dorsey is trying to catch his breath. He’s standing at his locker now, partially wearing a gray sweatshirt because his arms feel like teabags and haven’t yet flung the fabric over his head.
He needs a minute to adjust to all this. He’s a rookie and a high-profile one. Dorsey was the Chiefs’ top pick, the No. 5 overall selection in April’s draft. He admits he is exhausted, but he knows he cannot let up.
“Everything is so quick-paced, quick-paced, quick-paced,” he says. “You’re breathing; you’ve got to rush the passer. It really tests your endurance and how strong you are.
“Everybody can play when they’re not tired. But when you get tired and you have to go faster and faster, it’s a little more difficult.”
Dorsey has been an NFL player in earnest for nearly four weeks. The Chiefs will wrap up offseason practice today with a noon session at Spratt Stadium, on the Missouri Western State University campus in St. Joseph. After that, the Chiefs have six weeks before training camp starts July 25.
Dorsey admits these four weeks have been exhausting and educational. He says he is adjusting to his new role, the lifestyle and schedule of an NFL player, and the speed of the game that never has a minute to give.
Coach Herm Edwards says Dorsey is about where he thought the former LSU star would be. He’s still learning, Edwards says, but he has come along even since practice started last month.
“He’s been good. He’s getting better,” Edwards says. “He’s starting to understand, really, what we want him to do.”
That’s stop the run and forget about sacks. If he gets to the quarterback, then yes, take him down. But Dorsey’s preliminary education has centered on reacting instead of reading; learning to focus on the run and mastering how to stuff it.
It must be working. Edwards says the Chiefs’ offensive line has been double-teaming Dorsey most times during live drills, something Edwards expects teams will do during the regular season, too.
But that’s a long time from now, and Dorsey admits he needs every minute of every practice to improve and learn. Training camp and preseason games remain on the horizon, and so much is left to do before those dates arrive.
The most important item is for Dorsey and the Chiefs to agree to a contract. Dorsey is one of two top-five picks — St. Louis Rams defensive end and No. 2 pick Chris Long is the other — who have not yet signed. As of last week, a deal was not imminent, although Chiefs president Carl Peterson told The Star that there have been discussions between the team and Dorsey’s agent, Joel Segal.
And that’s who should worry about it, Dorsey says. He says he has tried not to worry about negotiations or dollar figures. He has only one thing in mind when it comes to settling on a contract.
“I want to be in camp. That’s the goal,” he says, finally lifting that sweatshirt and pulling it over his head.
In the meantime, Dorsey has leaned on teammates to show him the way; help him understand that, yes, this is life in the NFL and the days don’t get any easier. They have told him that he has to keep moving, keep pushing and keep trying to get better — because around here, nothing is given away.
“I see a lot of things I can do better,” Dorsey says. “I’m still a rookie; I’ve still got the bumps and bruises of camps to come along. It’s still early. I don’t really look at it like they’re handing me a job. I’ve got to come out and earn it. As soon as I slip up or don’t take it like I’m supposed to, they’ll put somebody else in. I still have a long way to go, man.”
Draftee signs
The Chiefs signed the first of their 12 draft picks Wednesday, the team’s first step toward making official their youth movement.
Kansas City signed cornerback Brandon Carr, the Chiefs’ fifth-round pick, to a three-year deal. Financial terms were not released.