Tribal Warfare
05-27-2010, 11:19 PM
Chiefs’ Dorsey may find himself moving on the line (http://www.kansascity.com/2010/05/27/1976248/chiefs-dorsey-may-find-himself.html)
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star
Whatever the Chiefs have in their plans for Glenn Dorsey, the third-year defensive lineman is up for it.
Dorsey, the fifth overall draft pick in 2008, was a defensive tackle in the 4-3 scheme his rookie year. Last year, the Chiefs moved him to defensive end in a 3-4, a position and scheme Dorsey had never experienced. And it wasn’t always pretty watching him adjust to the new assignment. After an offseason that didn’t involve much discipline, Dorsey was made to lose about 50 pounds.
Now, as the Chiefs advance in their offseason practices, it’s not impossible that Dorsey could move again — this time to nose tackle or some combination of playing inside and outside.
“I want to win,” Dorsey said this week. “I’ve been here two years, and it’s been two tough years. Whatever they want me to do to help us win, I’m with it.”
Dorsey hasn’t practiced at nose tackle during the practice sessions that reporters have attended, but coach Todd Haley said that Dorsey is a “potentially versatile” player on the line. Dorsey said another transition wouldn’t be as difficult as the one he endured last year, saying that he wouldn’t have to gain weight or learn his place within a new scheme. He said nose tackle is similar enough to defensive tackle, which he played at LSU and in his rookie season with the Chiefs, that he’s confident he could play inside if called upon.
“The techniques don’t change,” he said. “It’s really not that much of a difference.”
Not everyone agrees. Wallace Gilberry, an end who has become known for his versatility within the Chiefs’ system, said that such a move would be jarring for any player — but that, on this team, players have to be open-minded when coaches begin tinkering with position assignments.
“It may look simple, but it’s not that simple,” Gilberry said. “There’s a lot going on. It’s all about training your eyes, training your hands, training your feet.
“If it was that easy, we could pull somebody off the street and have him do it. It’s definitely not that easy.”
The idea of moving Dorsey again is a nod to the lineman’s athleticism, but it also could be an acknowledgement that the Chiefs are looking for an upgrade at nose tackle. Veteran Ron Edwards started 14 games last season, and he’s expected to begin the season as the starter. The Chiefs signed free-agent lineman Shaun Smith, but they didn’t select a nose tackle in the draft. General manager Scott Pioli said before the draft that the team had considered experimenting with Dorsey at nose tackle.
The Chiefs also have a new defensive-line coach, former NFL lineman Anthony Pleasant, who replaced Tim Krumrie. Dorsey said it’s just the latest adjustment that he’s experienced in his two-plus seasons — nothing he’s not used to by now.
“This is our job,” Dorsey said. “This is what we do.”
Haley said that, for now, Dorsey’s focus is on reaching his conditioning target, something he didn’t do last season until the team was well into training camp. While his teammates practiced, Dorsey remained on the sidelines, often on a stationary bike or performing unusual conditioning tasks. Haley said that Dorsey is “light years” ahead of where he was at the same time last year.
“He’s continuing to work to get into the condition that he needs to be in, and that would be the same, whichever spot he’s playing,” Haley said. “He’s got enough bulk and size to do either.”
Dorsey said he remembered the extra work and embarrassment of last year, and he kept it in his mind throughout this offseason. When he returned home to his native Louisiana, he often called Chiefs end Tyson Jackson, who lives in the same Baton Rouge apartment complex as Dorsey, to join him for early-morning workouts.
“I just didn’t want to set myself back like I did last year,” he said. “That was in the back of my mind the whole time.
“We’d get up early and just go work out. It works out real good.”
Dorsey said he possesses the ability and willingness to play any line position, and he added that all it takes to make yet another move is for the Chiefs to ask.
“Wherever they want me, I’m going to play,” he said. “If they want me to play end, I’m going to get used to playing lighter. If they want me to play nose, I’ll do that, too.
“The more reps I get, the better off I’ll be.”
By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star
Whatever the Chiefs have in their plans for Glenn Dorsey, the third-year defensive lineman is up for it.
Dorsey, the fifth overall draft pick in 2008, was a defensive tackle in the 4-3 scheme his rookie year. Last year, the Chiefs moved him to defensive end in a 3-4, a position and scheme Dorsey had never experienced. And it wasn’t always pretty watching him adjust to the new assignment. After an offseason that didn’t involve much discipline, Dorsey was made to lose about 50 pounds.
Now, as the Chiefs advance in their offseason practices, it’s not impossible that Dorsey could move again — this time to nose tackle or some combination of playing inside and outside.
“I want to win,” Dorsey said this week. “I’ve been here two years, and it’s been two tough years. Whatever they want me to do to help us win, I’m with it.”
Dorsey hasn’t practiced at nose tackle during the practice sessions that reporters have attended, but coach Todd Haley said that Dorsey is a “potentially versatile” player on the line. Dorsey said another transition wouldn’t be as difficult as the one he endured last year, saying that he wouldn’t have to gain weight or learn his place within a new scheme. He said nose tackle is similar enough to defensive tackle, which he played at LSU and in his rookie season with the Chiefs, that he’s confident he could play inside if called upon.
“The techniques don’t change,” he said. “It’s really not that much of a difference.”
Not everyone agrees. Wallace Gilberry, an end who has become known for his versatility within the Chiefs’ system, said that such a move would be jarring for any player — but that, on this team, players have to be open-minded when coaches begin tinkering with position assignments.
“It may look simple, but it’s not that simple,” Gilberry said. “There’s a lot going on. It’s all about training your eyes, training your hands, training your feet.
“If it was that easy, we could pull somebody off the street and have him do it. It’s definitely not that easy.”
The idea of moving Dorsey again is a nod to the lineman’s athleticism, but it also could be an acknowledgement that the Chiefs are looking for an upgrade at nose tackle. Veteran Ron Edwards started 14 games last season, and he’s expected to begin the season as the starter. The Chiefs signed free-agent lineman Shaun Smith, but they didn’t select a nose tackle in the draft. General manager Scott Pioli said before the draft that the team had considered experimenting with Dorsey at nose tackle.
The Chiefs also have a new defensive-line coach, former NFL lineman Anthony Pleasant, who replaced Tim Krumrie. Dorsey said it’s just the latest adjustment that he’s experienced in his two-plus seasons — nothing he’s not used to by now.
“This is our job,” Dorsey said. “This is what we do.”
Haley said that, for now, Dorsey’s focus is on reaching his conditioning target, something he didn’t do last season until the team was well into training camp. While his teammates practiced, Dorsey remained on the sidelines, often on a stationary bike or performing unusual conditioning tasks. Haley said that Dorsey is “light years” ahead of where he was at the same time last year.
“He’s continuing to work to get into the condition that he needs to be in, and that would be the same, whichever spot he’s playing,” Haley said. “He’s got enough bulk and size to do either.”
Dorsey said he remembered the extra work and embarrassment of last year, and he kept it in his mind throughout this offseason. When he returned home to his native Louisiana, he often called Chiefs end Tyson Jackson, who lives in the same Baton Rouge apartment complex as Dorsey, to join him for early-morning workouts.
“I just didn’t want to set myself back like I did last year,” he said. “That was in the back of my mind the whole time.
“We’d get up early and just go work out. It works out real good.”
Dorsey said he possesses the ability and willingness to play any line position, and he added that all it takes to make yet another move is for the Chiefs to ask.
“Wherever they want me, I’m going to play,” he said. “If they want me to play end, I’m going to get used to playing lighter. If they want me to play nose, I’ll do that, too.
“The more reps I get, the better off I’ll be.”