PFT: Seven steps towards Chiefs success

[|Zach|]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/30/seven-steps-towards-chiefs-success/

The Chiefs developed faster under todd Haley than anyone expected. Now comes the hard part.

With a much tougher out of division schedule this year — they face the Colts, Steelers, the NFC South, and the AFC East — the Chiefs will have a lot of work to do if they want to repeat their 2010 record. They are up next in our team checklist series.

1. Find an offensive tackle

Take a quarterback with shaky pocket presence, put Barry Richardson at right tackle, and hope. That doesn’t sound like much of a plan.

The Chiefs surprisingly passed on tackle in the draft. They have no depth behind Richardson and left tackle Branden Albert. Perhaps Matt Light of the Patriots could be an option.

2. Fortify defensive line.

Scott Pioli has work left to do here. Shaun Smith and Ron Edwards are free agents. Rookie sixth-round pick Jerrell Powe is probably the best nose tackle on the roster. They can get by with their defensive ends and Glenn Dorsey can move inside, but they need another veteran in the middle. Re-signing Edwards makes sense.


3. Make a quick decision on Brian Waters.

The Chiefs drafted Rodney Hudson and reportedly want to promote guard Jon Asamoah. That has led to speculation the team could cut five-time Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters. If they are going to do it, they should do it quickly. Waters has been one of the classiest guys in the league for a long time.

4. Add a wide receiver to play a big role.

Adding first-round pick Jonathan Baldwin was a start. But who is this team’s third receiver? (Or No. 2 if Baldwin takes time to develop.)

The best current options include Jerheme Urban and Verran Tucker. Don’t forget Dwayne Bowe is on the last year of his contract. Signing a solid second-tier free agent wideout like Steve Breaston who worked under Todd Haley in Arizona makes a lot of sense.

5. Find quarterback insurance.

With Brodie Croyle expected to leave, rookie fifth-round pick Ricky Stanzi is the presumptive backup. Expect him to get veteran competition.

6. Get the ball to Jamaal Charles more.

Few players were more effective on a per-play basis last year. It’s time to give Charles more plays.

7. Get Kermit an appropriate uniform. (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/01/11/jason-whitlock-thinks-charlie-weis-replacement-will-be-green-literally/)

[Demonpenz]

Step 1 - You put 8 men in the box
Step 2- Put Berry inthe box
Step 3- Give the other team your box


That's the way you DOooOOoOO it

[Hammock Parties]

GOTTA GET DAT OT

[loochy]

Jamaal Charles needs more carries.

[The Franchise]

1. Tyson Clabo or Ryan Harris
2. Trade for Sammie Lee Hill. Punch anyone in the face that mentions Dorsey moving to NT.
3. Cut/Trade Waters and start Asamoah.
4. Sign Steve Breaston.
5. Sign Drew Stanton

[keg in kc]

Punch anyone in the face that mentions Dorsey moving to NTThat was my only reaction to the article.

[Sofa King]

1. Tyson Clabo or Ryan Harris
2. Trade for Sammie Lee Hill. Punch anyone in the face that mentions Dorsey moving to NT.
3. Cut/Trade Waters and start Asamoah.
4. Sign Steve Breaston.
5. Sign Drew Stanton

SIGN MATT LIGHT1!!11!1!1

[RealSNR]

Get another offensive tackle. Everything else I don't give a shit about. Still nervous about NT, but they're not going to sign a veteran in the middle worth a shit, so doing the Smith/Edwards/Powe thing is the most sensible course of action

[ModSocks]

I still think we need another RB. Jones is done. We squeezed everything he had left out of him last season. Not going into the season with another dependable back is a really bad idea IMO.

[ForeverChiefs58]

weird they didn't mention the vrable LB hole

[The Franchise]

weird they didn't mention the vrable LB hole

That's where Justin Houston and Studebaker get involved.

[keg in kc]

That's where Justin Houston and Studebaker get involved.And hopefully Cameron Sheffield.

[The Franchise]

And hopefully Cameron Sheffield.

Maybe Sheffield will back up Hali.

[Rausch]

2. Fortify defensive line.

Scott Pioli has work left to do here. Shaun Smith and Ron Edwards are free agents.

Resign both, and they should both come cheap, for depth.

Rookie sixth-round pick Jerrell Powe is probably the best nose tackle on the roster.

Probably. But I like the combination of the 3. Between them, as long as we rotate and keep them fresh, could be respectable.

They can get by with their defensive ends and Glenn Dorsey can move inside...

****ing stupid idea.

Anyone who thinks Dorsey is a NT is huffing gold paint...

4. Add a wide receiver to play a big role.

Adding first-round pick Jonathan Baldwin was a start. But who is this team’s third receiver? (Or No. 2 if Baldwin takes time to develop.)

We don't need to be pro-bowl deep at WR.

The Pack have two legit WR's (no one that absolutely scares you, just 2 guys who can get open and catch the ball) and a TE who can catch.

With just two legit WR's and a respectable TE (which I think all will agree ToMo is at this point) that should be enough targets for Casshole to throw to and take pressure off the running game.

Having that stud slot is a luxury. One we might luck into if McCluster ever develops.

5. Find quarterback insurance.

With Brodie Croyle expected to leave, rookie fifth-round pick Ricky Stanzi is the presumptive backup. Expect him to get veteran competition.

Ok, completely agree here.

I love Stanzi as a developmental 3rd QB but definitely think we need a seasoned vet to b/u.

With the defenses we'll (hopefully) play this year I see no way Matty doesn't miss some time.

6. Get the ball to Jamaal Charles more.

Shut the **** up.

We don't need more Charles. Charles role was clearly perfect last year. His average was out-****ing-standing per carry.

Give him the same time and a better spelling HB...

[ChiefGator]

Perhaps Matt Light of the Patriots could be an option.


I almost stopped reading here... but... football news is far and few between.. so I push on.

[BigRichard]

Step 1. Have a season

[Skyy God]

1. Find an offensive tackle

Take a quarterback with shaky pocket presence, put Barry Richardson at right tackle, and hope. That doesn’t sound like much of a plan.

The Chiefs surprisingly passed on tackle in the draft. They have no depth behind Richardson and left tackle Branden Albert. Perhaps Matt Light of the Patriots could be an option.

Well, at least they got the obligatory "Chiefs need an OT" argument out of the way first.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

I still think we need another RB. Jones is done. We squeezed everything he had left out of him last season. Not going into the season with another dependable back is a really bad idea IMO.

You should keep detoxing. Jones is a good fit.

[|Zach|]

It is sort of weird reading through this thread....with my names attached to the quotes its like people slamming me over and over. ROFL

[CoMoChief]

#1 - Find a NT. The true anchor and most important position in a 34 defense, yet we STILL refuse to address this position now heading into the 3rd year of it. Yes, we drafted Powe, but he's a rookie and after that there's virtuall nobody. Smith and Edwards are both FA's and probably good chance they won't be re-signed, and even then...they aren't true 34 NT's.

#2 - Find a (good) vet backup QB. Face it, if we were to lose Cassel to inj, our chances of winning ANY game falls anywhere from 0 to 1 percent.

#3 - Slot WR. Bowe and Baldwin (hopefully) will lockdown as a formidable WR duo for the next 7+ years....but after them we don't have anyone else. Chambers is awful....and DMC apparantly is gonna take on more of a RB role (he's gonna get killed).

#4 - Offensive tackle. I know a lot of people and radio nutjobs have this higher on the priority list, but our Oline was fairly good last season, not great, but good enough to allow Cassel to have an improving year, even gave us Chiefs fans a false sense of security given that he made the probowl. Charles had a helluva year running, so the OL had to have been somewhat good, probably better than most people around here give them credit for. Having that said, we have no depth at OT (left or right). Need to address that. If we can sign Jamaal Brown, he'd be a instand upgrade over BRich or even Albert for that matter (should Albert move to RT).

5# Backup RB. Thomas Jones was a good compliment brusing back to JC, but he was slow, and there were SO many times where he got a seal and got tackled from behind and I would think (damnit if that was Charles that would have been at least a 15+ yd run.) Appreciate Jones' work while here, but I think he should move on, the Chiefs should too. He's a helluva guy, deserves a ring, he should go somewhere and ride the pine and get one. Chiefs won't be there this season.

6# ILB - I can deal with Belcher starting again this season, he did an ok job, but it's not something to absolutely worry about at this point. Next season this probably needs to be an issue of concern, we got bigger holes to fill this season.

7# CB - Can't have too many good CB's. Hopefully Carr is resigned. But the depth behind Flowers and Carr isn't good. Arenas' role on this team is more of a ST player and after that might as well be camp fodder. A good NCB would be nice.

[el borracho]

1. Get a franchise QB
2. everything else

[CoMoChief]

1. Get a franchise QB
2. everything else

while i agree with this, we're stuck with Cassel and there ain't a damn thing Pioli is gonna do about it

[Backwards Masking]

#1 - Find a NT. The true anchor and most important position in a 34 defense, yet we STILL refuse to address this position now heading into the 3rd year of it. Yes, we drafted Powe, but he's a rookie and after that there's virtuall nobody. Smith and Edwards are both FA's and probably good chance they won't be re-signed, and even then...they aren't true 34 NT's.

#2 - Find a (good) vet backup QB. Face it, if we were to lose Cassel to inj, our chances of winning ANY game falls anywhere from 0 to 1 percent.

#3 - Slot WR. Bowe and Baldwin (hopefully) will lockdown as a formidable WR duo for the next 7+ years....but after them we don't have anyone else. Chambers is awful....and DMC apparantly is gonna take on more of a RB role (he's gonna get killed).

#4 - Offensive tackle. I know a lot of people and radio nutjobs have this higher on the priority list, but our Oline was fairly good last season, not great, but good enough to allow Cassel to have an improving year, even gave us Chiefs fans a false sense of security given that he made the probowl. Charles had a helluva year running, so the OL had to have been somewhat good, probably better than most people around here give them credit for. Having that said, we have no depth at OT (left or right). Need to address that. If we can sign Jamaal Brown, he'd be a instand upgrade over BRich or even Albert for that matter (should Albert move to RT).

5# Backup RB. Thomas Jones was a good compliment brusing back to JC, but he was slow, and there were SO many times where he got a seal and got tackled from behind and I would think (damnit if that was Charles that would have been at least a 15+ yd run.) Appreciate Jones' work while here, but I think he should move on, the Chiefs should too. He's a helluva guy, deserves a ring, he should go somewhere and ride the pine and get one. Chiefs won't be there this season.

6# ILB - I can deal with Belcher starting again this season, he did an ok job, but it's not something to absolutely worry about at this point. Next season this probably needs to be an issue of concern, we got bigger holes to fill this season.

7# CB - Can't have too many good CB's. Hopefully Carr is resigned. But the depth behind Flowers and Carr isn't good. Arenas' role on this team is more of a ST player and after that might as well be camp fodder. A good NCB would be nice.

I might like this list more than the original.

Not to nitpick, but the OP says w play the NFC South, aren't we playing the NFC North?

[chefsos]

I might like this list more than the original.

Not to nitpick, but the OP says w play the NFC South, aren't we playing the NFC North?Damn, you're right.

NULL AND VOID

[CoMoChief]

I might like this list more than the original.

Not to nitpick, but the OP says w play the NFC South, aren't we playing the NFC North?

it's a pro football talk article. most of their staff is drunk half the time.

[ChiefGator]

...

That's the dumbest piece of crap I ever read.

No offense, of course, Zach.

[ChiefGator]

7# CB - Can't have too many good CB's. Hopefully Carr is resigned. But the depth behind Flowers and Carr isn't good. Arenas' role on this team is more of a ST player and after that might as well be camp fodder. A good NCB would be nice.

I disagree.. I think for a rookie Arenas played damn well. He is a smart kid and will only get better. He will probably never be more than a NCB, but he could be a good one.

[ClevelandBronco]

Give Charles more carries. I want that guy beat up and out of the league as quickly as possible.

[Crush]

1. Score more points than the other team.

[CoMoChief]

1. Score more points than the other team.

Ya know....................that aint that bad of an idea!!!

[suzzer99]

I disagree.. I think for a rookie Arenas played damn well. He is a smart kid and will only get better. He will probably never be more than a NCB, but he could be a good one.

Is Leggitt coming back?

[Frankie]

1. Tyson Clabo or Ryan Harris
2. Trade for Sammie Lee Hill. Punch anyone in the face that mentions Dorsey moving to NT.

Why do you think Hill is available? Detroit will probably use him in their rotation.

[Frankie]

Why do you think Hill is available? Detroit will probably use him in their rotation.

AND, is Hill a nose T?

[wazu]

1. Get a franchise QB
2. everything else

This. All other plans are worthless.

[ChiefGator]

Is Leggitt coming back?

It looks like he is training to try and make a come back. I forgot about Leggett.. We actually have a wee bit of depth if we can just keep Carr and Flowers.