Bob Gretz on Dorsey
 

- Gretz confirms that Dorsey is still healing from a college injury to his shin.
- I omitted the charts because they didn't format correctly.


Wednesday Morning Cup O’Chiefs
May 20, 2009 - Bob Gretz |

If you are one of those people who said Glenn Dorsey was a bust as the Chiefs No. 1 draft pick last year, understand that the man in question has heard you.

And if you are one of those people who think Dorsey is now obsolete because of the change in coaching staff and new defensive scheme, let it be known that he’s heard you on that as well.

“I’m not going to lie and say you don’t hear those things,” Dorsey said this week, as the Chiefs began their round of OTA sessions. “Hey, when a team wins two games there are not a lot of nice things they are going to say about anybody.

“It’s always discouraging when you hear negative things about you. But I don’t pay them much mind. I know what I did last year and I’m starting to get a pretty good idea of what’s ahead for this year with the new defense. I’m just working hard and trying to help this team win some more football games.”

The rush to judgment on the part of some in the media on Dorsey’s rookie season had less to do with what the young man did on the field, and more to do with the agendas of various pundits as they tried to make Carl Peterson/Herm Edwards look as bad as possible. We wrote about Dorsey and his rookie season back in January. Here’s the link to that story.

And here’s a chart of first-round defensive tackles in the last five NFL Drafts and what they did in his rookie seasons:


Those numbers scream that what Dorsey did last year in a bad season with a bad defense was pretty normal for first round defensive tackles.

“I don’t expect them to go back and do research,” said Dorsey. “That’s the fans, they react how they want to react.

“Listen, I was the fifth pick and we only one two games, so I guess I’m going to be in the bull’s eye. It comes with it. I talked to my parents about it and they told me what I was thinking: I’ve got to turn things into a positive. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

As to whether he’s out of place now with the defensive change around the Chiefs, Dorsey doesn’t see that.

“A lot of people are thinking this is a straight 3-4 defense and it’s not,” said Dorsey. “Being at an end is a new place for me, but it’s not going to be a classic 3-4 end on every snap. I think I can do it. It’s something new to get used too. I’m trying to get better with it and trying to improve one day at a time.

“There’s a place for me in this defense.”

Dorsey has been limited in his participation first in the team’s mini-camp and now in the first OTA by an old shin injury.

“It’s nothing major,” said Dorsey. “If it was a game, I would have played. We are just trying to make sure it heals and I can get over it.”

The focus for Glenn Dorsey is adapting to the new defense and getting stronger and in condition. There’s nothing else that he’s worried about.

“I can’t focus on stuff like that,” Dorsey said of the criticism. “The moment I do, I fall behind in getting done what I’ve got to get done. I know it comes with the territory and the only way I’m going to shut people up is to go out and dominate.

“That’s what I’m working for right now, trying to get better and be more of an impact player. I don’t take it negatively or positively, I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do.”

Whether is means anything to what Dorsey may get done this year, here’s what those DTs taken in the last five drafts did in their second season. Ellis and Balmer are not included, because like Dorsey, they are entering their sophomore NFL campaigns:


The Chiefs hope Dorsey follows in the footsteps of Ngata, Patterson and Wilfork in their second seasons in the league.

Y'all got a link to the charts?

lead story at bobgretz.com

Dorsey, regardless of success or falure last year, is the type of player one can root for.

Agreed. I like his attitude.

In bob gretzeze, he's won ewe can route four.

[/chuckles at "Listen, I was the fifth pick and we only one two games"]

so what's with this mysterious injury that hasn't healed in 2 years but will miraculously heal and he'll be fine this year even though an entire off season hasn't healed it?

I just read that Dorsey has had the shin injury since 2006.

I absolutely love this guy. He is the epitomy of what we want on this team. Down to Earth, hungry, mother****er that's going to get after it every minute of every game. I hope like hell we don't throw this guy away.

I think a lot of people over react to who the 3-4 will affect him. I agree with Dorsey when he say's its not a true 3-4. And after watching Arizona a lot last year I have to agree with him.

I think that a player like Dorsey could be a huge advantage in this defensive scheme. For as bad of a Defense as we were, I'm excited about all of the pieces we have to work with.

I think our secondary is young and strong. Our defensive front is full of talent, Dorsey, Jackson, Hali, and Johnson. Were all first rounders, so a better scheme will produce a better product. I also like players like Tank Tyler and Magee. Who also have the talent to make an impact in this league.

Finally, I think we were wise to bring in a guy like Vrabel and Thomas. Their leadership alone could turn this defense around. I think people will be surprised at our defense. Its the offense that I think is a year or two away.

It's strange, indeed, Mr. the Talking Can. The whole deal is a conundrum concealed in an enigma wrapped in an elastic bandage.

I thought his college injury (the main one) was a leg bone thing. The shin thing may be the same thing as the leg bone thing, but maybe not. Nevertheless, you have to wonder if Dorsey's physically okay or if our doctors missed something important.

FAX

If we can shut down the run, our defense will improve dramatically, Mr. Hoover. Herm's defense was a stupid joke. Game after game, the excuse was that the guys weren't playing their gaps correctly. True or not, it was a sublime coaching failure.

We have been so bad, in fact, that just tackling the ball carrier on first contact would make an enormous difference. Haley strikes me as the kind of guy who has the potential to put a D on the field with the right attitude. We'll see, but I'm looking forward to some head-knocking, testicle-crushing, ear-twisting, sending-the-enemy-O-home-in-a-friggin'-box defense this year.

FAX

Summer of 2007 off season article on Dorsey said:

"This is why I came back," Dorsey said last week. He could have been a first round choice in the last draft despite a shin injury late in the season that dropped his stock. But he wasn't talking about all the hardware he was about to get. He was talking about getting the chance to play for the national championship against Ohio State on Jan. 7 in the Louisiana Superdome.

rep