Tribal Warfare
09-04-2009, 10:32 PM
Chiefs release eight, including right tackle McIntosh (http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/1425652.html)
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
After yet another night with their quarterbacks operating under constant pressure, it became obvious the Chiefs had to do something about their leaky offensive line.
Right tackle Damion McIntosh, who allowed a dreadful sack in Thursday’s final preseason game in St. Louis, was the victim. The Chiefs released McIntosh, a nine-year veteran and former Kansas State player, on Friday, leaving themselves a gaping hole at his position.
The leading in-house candidates are Ikechuku Ndukwe, obtained in a recent trade with Miami, and Barry Richardson. But the Chiefs can’t be completely comfortable with either possibility.
Ndukwe has never played right tackle in a regular-season game. Richardson replaced McIntosh as the starter for a recent game against Minnesota, but he was replaced when the Chiefs were dissatisfied with what they saw.
The Chiefs could claim a tackle off waivers or trade for one in the hope of finding a starter.
The Chiefs also released seven other players, including tackle Herb Taylor, a possible replacement for McIntosh. The others were center Eric Ghiaciuc, guard Tavares Washington, fullback Jed Collins, linebacker Corey Smith and cornerbacks Travis Daniels and Londen Fryar.
The moves bring their roster to 67 players. The Chiefs must be down to the regular-season limit of 53 players by 5 p.m. today.
After Friday’s moves, the Chiefs had eight offensive linemen plus Ndukwe and Richardson. The starters have been Branden Albert at left tackle, Brian Waters and Mike Goff at guard and Rudy Niswanger at center.
The current backups, other than Ndukwe and Richardson, are Andy Alleman, Darryl Harris and Colin Brown, a rookie from Missouri, at guard and Wade Smith at center.
McIntosh wasn’t available for comment but said last week in an interview that he didn’t fear for his job.
“I know I can still play at a high level,” he said. “I just need to prove it to them and to other people. But I can still play.”
His tumultuous training camp suggested McIntosh should have worried. He started by falling out of favor with coach Todd Haley by failing the conditioning test that started camp.
He soon joined his teammates for practice but was yanked from the lineup in favor of Richardson for the game against the Vikings.
“All teams do that,” McIntosh said last week of that demotion.
“If they want to take a look at someone, so be it. If it’s for other reasons, they’re the only ones that really know. So I can only focus on what I can do and what I can put on tape when I’m out in live games.
“We’ll see what happens at the end.”
McIntosh took over again at right tackle for the next game against Seattle, but his spot was anything but solid. As recently as this week he was taking some snaps as the backup at left tackle.
The Chiefs might have reached their limit with McIntosh while in St. Louis. Early in the second quarter, a player fighting for a job with the Rams, C.J. Ah You, blew by McIntosh and flattened quarterback Brodie Croyle.
McIntosh was a two-year starter for the Chiefs. He was signed in 2007 to solidify a left-tackle position that suddenly became a problem after Willie Roaf’s retirement the previous year.
McIntosh didn’t play to the Chiefs’ expectations his first season, so they drafted Albert in the first round last year. Albert became the left tackle, and McIntosh moved to the right side.
His play was again less than the Chiefs hoped, and McIntosh battled to meet the expectations of discipline demanded by Haley and the rest of the new coaching staff.
“I’ve been here the whole offseason working out at the facility,” McIntosh said after failing the initial conditioning test. “So I’ve tried to show that I care, which I do, and that I want to contribute. This is the mentality of the team right now. These are the rules, and we’ll follow the rules. I’ll keep plugging away and get to where they want.
“You’ve got to prove yourself to the new regime. I’ve got to be able to adjust. If you can only do things one way, that’s how you get yourself out of the league.”
Chiefs cuts
The Chiefs reduced their roster to 67 on Friday by releasing these eight players:
•OT Damion McIntosh
•OT Herb Taylor
•C Eric Ghiaciuc
•G Tavares Washington
•FB Jed Collins
•LB Corey Smith
•CB Travis Daniels
•CB Londen Fryar
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
After yet another night with their quarterbacks operating under constant pressure, it became obvious the Chiefs had to do something about their leaky offensive line.
Right tackle Damion McIntosh, who allowed a dreadful sack in Thursday’s final preseason game in St. Louis, was the victim. The Chiefs released McIntosh, a nine-year veteran and former Kansas State player, on Friday, leaving themselves a gaping hole at his position.
The leading in-house candidates are Ikechuku Ndukwe, obtained in a recent trade with Miami, and Barry Richardson. But the Chiefs can’t be completely comfortable with either possibility.
Ndukwe has never played right tackle in a regular-season game. Richardson replaced McIntosh as the starter for a recent game against Minnesota, but he was replaced when the Chiefs were dissatisfied with what they saw.
The Chiefs could claim a tackle off waivers or trade for one in the hope of finding a starter.
The Chiefs also released seven other players, including tackle Herb Taylor, a possible replacement for McIntosh. The others were center Eric Ghiaciuc, guard Tavares Washington, fullback Jed Collins, linebacker Corey Smith and cornerbacks Travis Daniels and Londen Fryar.
The moves bring their roster to 67 players. The Chiefs must be down to the regular-season limit of 53 players by 5 p.m. today.
After Friday’s moves, the Chiefs had eight offensive linemen plus Ndukwe and Richardson. The starters have been Branden Albert at left tackle, Brian Waters and Mike Goff at guard and Rudy Niswanger at center.
The current backups, other than Ndukwe and Richardson, are Andy Alleman, Darryl Harris and Colin Brown, a rookie from Missouri, at guard and Wade Smith at center.
McIntosh wasn’t available for comment but said last week in an interview that he didn’t fear for his job.
“I know I can still play at a high level,” he said. “I just need to prove it to them and to other people. But I can still play.”
His tumultuous training camp suggested McIntosh should have worried. He started by falling out of favor with coach Todd Haley by failing the conditioning test that started camp.
He soon joined his teammates for practice but was yanked from the lineup in favor of Richardson for the game against the Vikings.
“All teams do that,” McIntosh said last week of that demotion.
“If they want to take a look at someone, so be it. If it’s for other reasons, they’re the only ones that really know. So I can only focus on what I can do and what I can put on tape when I’m out in live games.
“We’ll see what happens at the end.”
McIntosh took over again at right tackle for the next game against Seattle, but his spot was anything but solid. As recently as this week he was taking some snaps as the backup at left tackle.
The Chiefs might have reached their limit with McIntosh while in St. Louis. Early in the second quarter, a player fighting for a job with the Rams, C.J. Ah You, blew by McIntosh and flattened quarterback Brodie Croyle.
McIntosh was a two-year starter for the Chiefs. He was signed in 2007 to solidify a left-tackle position that suddenly became a problem after Willie Roaf’s retirement the previous year.
McIntosh didn’t play to the Chiefs’ expectations his first season, so they drafted Albert in the first round last year. Albert became the left tackle, and McIntosh moved to the right side.
His play was again less than the Chiefs hoped, and McIntosh battled to meet the expectations of discipline demanded by Haley and the rest of the new coaching staff.
“I’ve been here the whole offseason working out at the facility,” McIntosh said after failing the initial conditioning test. “So I’ve tried to show that I care, which I do, and that I want to contribute. This is the mentality of the team right now. These are the rules, and we’ll follow the rules. I’ll keep plugging away and get to where they want.
“You’ve got to prove yourself to the new regime. I’ve got to be able to adjust. If you can only do things one way, that’s how you get yourself out of the league.”
Chiefs cuts
The Chiefs reduced their roster to 67 on Friday by releasing these eight players:
•OT Damion McIntosh
•OT Herb Taylor
•C Eric Ghiaciuc
•G Tavares Washington
•FB Jed Collins
•LB Corey Smith
•CB Travis Daniels
•CB Londen Fryar