Tribal Warfare
08-26-2009, 01:24 AM
Chiefs notebook: New linemen could play right away (http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/1406109.html)
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
They were spare offensive linemen with the Miami Dolphins, so Ikechuku Ndukwe and Andy Alleman expected the Chiefs didn’t have to fork over a ransom to acquire them in Monday’s trade.
“Andy and I were joking about it,” Ndukwe said. “We thought it was maybe a pack of Chiclets and an old fingernail clipper. It doesn’t matter. We’re here, and we’re happy to be here.”
Both will get a chance with the Chiefs. In their first Kansas City practice Tuesday, Ndukwe worked at right tackle, Alleman at right guard.
Coach Todd Haley said those are the positions where both players will continue to work and they would play there in Saturday night’s preseason against Seattle at Arrowhead Stadium.
“That was the plan,” Haley said. “When we had an opportunity to get these guys, they were two players and we were excited about the chance to get them on our team and for those positions specifically.
“I would expect these guys to kind of integrate in fairly quickly. The guys down in Miami, the program is not going to be a lot different. We know a lot of those people down there, a lot of those coaches.”
The Chiefs haven’t been satisfied with Damion McIntosh or Barry Richardson at right tackle, so Ndukwe in particular will get a shot to start. He’s played mostly right guard in his two NFL seasons but has played some at left tackle and a handful of plays at right tackle.
He played right tackle in camp this year for the Dolphins and said he’s comfortable at that position.
“I’m a good run blocker, but there’s always room for improvement,” he said.
Out of the doghouse
When training camp started, the Chiefs were unsure about how much they would get from Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters, who was unhappy for most of the off-season with his situation.
The Chiefs demoted wide receiver Dwayne Bowe to third-team early in training camp because of what Haley believed was his often lackadaisical attitude.
Both situations have, at least to this point, resolved themselves to Haley’s satisfaction. Waters is having a strong camp and is clearly the Chiefs’ best offensive lineman.
“This is a player that has come in and done above and beyond what has been asked of him every day,” Haley said of Waters. “He can obviously play. He’s shown that. He got himself in very good condition, which I think he’s kind of seeing as an advantage.”
Meanwhile, Bowe returned to the starting lineup in practice Tuesday, joining Devard Darling as a starting wide receiver.
“That’s pretty obvious … that you’ve seen a progression from Dwayne that’s encouraging from the early days of camp to where he’s at now,” Haley said. “He’s made very good progress. Is he there? No. Does he need to make more plays? Yes.
“That’s what coaching is all about: trying to push the right buttons all the time with a lot of different guys.”
Receivers catching on
Haley was frustrated earlier in camp with the progress at wide receiver. The Chiefs added veterans Amani Toomer and Ashley Lelie since the start of camp in hopes of upgrading at those positions.
But Haley indicated he was pleased with the progress of the group as a whole and not just Bowe.
“Amani has gotten a little more acclimated to the system,” Haley said. “Bobby Engram, he’s an older veteran that I’ve got to worry about him conserving too much and I kind of got on him this week that I wanted to see what we were going to get from him, so he’s stepped it up.
“As a whole, the group has made some progress. I felt like we were banging our heads against the wall early on, and I don’t feel there’s quite as much banging going on now.”
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
They were spare offensive linemen with the Miami Dolphins, so Ikechuku Ndukwe and Andy Alleman expected the Chiefs didn’t have to fork over a ransom to acquire them in Monday’s trade.
“Andy and I were joking about it,” Ndukwe said. “We thought it was maybe a pack of Chiclets and an old fingernail clipper. It doesn’t matter. We’re here, and we’re happy to be here.”
Both will get a chance with the Chiefs. In their first Kansas City practice Tuesday, Ndukwe worked at right tackle, Alleman at right guard.
Coach Todd Haley said those are the positions where both players will continue to work and they would play there in Saturday night’s preseason against Seattle at Arrowhead Stadium.
“That was the plan,” Haley said. “When we had an opportunity to get these guys, they were two players and we were excited about the chance to get them on our team and for those positions specifically.
“I would expect these guys to kind of integrate in fairly quickly. The guys down in Miami, the program is not going to be a lot different. We know a lot of those people down there, a lot of those coaches.”
The Chiefs haven’t been satisfied with Damion McIntosh or Barry Richardson at right tackle, so Ndukwe in particular will get a shot to start. He’s played mostly right guard in his two NFL seasons but has played some at left tackle and a handful of plays at right tackle.
He played right tackle in camp this year for the Dolphins and said he’s comfortable at that position.
“I’m a good run blocker, but there’s always room for improvement,” he said.
Out of the doghouse
When training camp started, the Chiefs were unsure about how much they would get from Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters, who was unhappy for most of the off-season with his situation.
The Chiefs demoted wide receiver Dwayne Bowe to third-team early in training camp because of what Haley believed was his often lackadaisical attitude.
Both situations have, at least to this point, resolved themselves to Haley’s satisfaction. Waters is having a strong camp and is clearly the Chiefs’ best offensive lineman.
“This is a player that has come in and done above and beyond what has been asked of him every day,” Haley said of Waters. “He can obviously play. He’s shown that. He got himself in very good condition, which I think he’s kind of seeing as an advantage.”
Meanwhile, Bowe returned to the starting lineup in practice Tuesday, joining Devard Darling as a starting wide receiver.
“That’s pretty obvious … that you’ve seen a progression from Dwayne that’s encouraging from the early days of camp to where he’s at now,” Haley said. “He’s made very good progress. Is he there? No. Does he need to make more plays? Yes.
“That’s what coaching is all about: trying to push the right buttons all the time with a lot of different guys.”
Receivers catching on
Haley was frustrated earlier in camp with the progress at wide receiver. The Chiefs added veterans Amani Toomer and Ashley Lelie since the start of camp in hopes of upgrading at those positions.
But Haley indicated he was pleased with the progress of the group as a whole and not just Bowe.
“Amani has gotten a little more acclimated to the system,” Haley said. “Bobby Engram, he’s an older veteran that I’ve got to worry about him conserving too much and I kind of got on him this week that I wanted to see what we were going to get from him, so he’s stepped it up.
“As a whole, the group has made some progress. I felt like we were banging our heads against the wall early on, and I don’t feel there’s quite as much banging going on now.”