Teicher: Moeaki looks good at tight end, while O’Connell struggles
 

Chiefs notebook: Moeaki looks good at tight end, while O’Connell struggles
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

The Chiefs selected a tight end in each of the last two drafts — and those players appear headed in different directions.

This year’s rookie, third-round pick Tony Moeaki, is having a solid offseason. He has shown good hands, is able to get downfield well and had another big day in the afternoon practice at Saturday’s minicamp.

The Chiefs thought enough last year of Jake O’Connell that they traded back into the seventh round to get him. He was even on the field last year for the last few plays when they were futilely trying to rally during an early-season loss to Oakland.

Judging by his play in offseason practices and again on Saturday, O’Connell may have a difficult time making the roster. He had dropped several passes, including two in Saturday afternoon’s practice.

The problem was so bad early last week that after one O’Connell drop, offensive coordinator Charlie Weis yelled, “That’s getting old, Jake.”

Croyle has hot hand

QB Brodie Croyle was still withheld from throwing during the full-squad workout because of his sore throwing hand.

But during a morning seven-on-seven passing drill when the Chiefs use no linemen on either side of the ball, Croyle was sharp.

On a set of plays from inside the 20, Croyle made three straight crisp throws that resulted in touchdowns, one going to Dwayne Bowe, another to Tim Castille and the last to rookie Jeremy Horne.

Mixing up the lineups

The Chiefs will occasionally shake up the starting lineup at many positions on both sides of the ball, even at positions where they is no true competition for the job. It hasn’t been unusual to see backups working with the first unit, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines.

“Sometimes when you just stay the same and nobody changes, you’re going against (the same player) every single snap,” coach Todd Haley said. “They get to know each other and they get to know each other’s little tricks and moves and steps.

“Just by moving guys in and out, now you create different matchups across the board. That’s really all we’re trying to do.”

What, they say?!? A 3rd-round pick looks pretty good, and a 7th-round pick doesn't?!? Wow, Adam Teicher! You get this month's "Captain ****ing Obvious" Award.

It's a 7th-round pick, fer crissake. How many 6ths and 7ths really work out? You can get a 6th or 7th draft pick by trading a team a box of jocks and some Gatorade. If and when they pan out (e.g. Tom Brady) it's more the exception than the norm.

sure hope he can catch a 10 yard pass ...

Which makes trading away a future pick to get back into the 7th round to pick him all the more stupid.

But we got the exec of the millenium, so it's all good.

So Croyle looked like Farve in a Wrangler commercial, shocking.

They are rushing Farve in the wrangler commercial. His O-Line is so good it makes Farve look like Croyle when he's throwing without one.

dam i just wish Brodie was more dependable.

Typical CP.

Story is about Moeaki looking good and the bitching is about last years wasted late round picks.

Typical Marcellus.

Bitch about a poster bitching.

Typical Milkman, defending his right to bitch.:cuss::)

Damn right.

Would you rate him better than Carl?

Are we comparing what each has done in their first 17 months on the job? If so, Carl wins easily.

At this point, I have no faith that he is anything more than equal to Carl, though he still has time to prove me wrong.

I wouldn't agree with that, except for their first draft choice.

Carl had far more to work with at the start of his tenure.

Jack Steadman, for all the hate he gets, actually did a damn good job in the drafts prior to being replaced by Carl.

He simply couldn't find the right HC.

Fair enough. I was just checking to see if you had gone insane. Carry on.

But that's all that's needed.

One selected DT. And the other took TJ and saddled us with Cassel.

I think we have to see how things play out with Haley over time, and how this draft pans out before we can say definitively.

JMO but you're using hindsight proof for Carl and yet to be determined logic for Pioli.

What DT was available in last year's draft?

If we are going to compare the 2, there has to be at least an equivalent.

I think we can say, with much confidence, that TJ, at his position, will never be a DT-level player.

But we'll see.

The Pioli era is too new. Berry could turn into a freaking stud, and this will work to change views pretty quickly.

I concede that point, which is why I factored Cassel into the decision.

I think we had the potential to have an out****ingstanding '09 draft, but we didn't. And it's water under the bridge now.

My point is that, 17 months in, Carl's work was superior to Pioli's. Doesn't mean that the latter might not be MUCH better when everything is said and done.

Croyle and Moeacki ... both could be good if they stayed healthy

Moeaki running with 1s today

Bob Fescoe bobfescoe

#chiefs mini camp over early today. Highlight of the day is Moeaki running w the 1's and making a nice catch in corner of end zone.

*crossing fingers*

this could be great for us if Moeacki can stay healthy ... he has lots of potential as a blocker and receiver. HUGE help for the offense.

This report isn't surprising. O'Connell struggled when active in 2009. We're barely six months removed from last season and not enough time has passed for him to have "turned it around". I'd bet he'll spend the 2010 season bouncing between active roster and the practice squad where hopefully, he'll be able to "figure it out".

I really like the Moeaki pick and I'm not surprised that he's doing well. His injuries weren't serious in college, just untimely. He may end up as the steal of the 2010 third round.

Is it April yet?! :D

Agreed, I liked Moeaki in College. He just needs experience and to see the field.

MY preference was Orakpo, while he may never be as good of a pass rusher as DT was, he will be much better against the run. He would have been a much better pick than TJ at 3.

JMO

...

KEEP ****ING DOUBTING TONY MOEAKI!!!

If you continue screaming, you might hurt Brokaki's ears, thus sidelining him until November.

ROFL

I think we're seeing a lot of the Charlie Weis influence. Since Weis left New England, the Pats valued the tight end but had no ****ing clue how to draft them. Moeaki, to me, seems like a Weis tight end. O'Connell seems like a McDaniels tight end. He can't block for shit and no way will that fly in Weis' offense. I think Moeaki will be a nice part of the offense if healthy, whereas I think O'Connell has a HUGE climb to get out of the doghouse.

I wonder what team we thought would select him before our original 4th rounder, that made us pull the trigger to trade up in front of them, was.

...and if there are no D-linemen on the field

aw c'mon, duck...

be a good sport and take the lb's off too...

Jake O'Connell wasn't even a good player at a mid major school. He didn't have projectable size or speed.

I asked some of the guys I knew who played against them what they thought and they told me, "I have no idea who that guy even is".

There were a shitload of really good players taken in the 3rd this year.

This reminds me of Cottam.
History states that he cannot stay on the field.
Definition of insanity actually.

Go ahead and list Moeaki's injuries. We'll be waiting.

In the meantime, compare Cottam's 21 catches in 4 years with Moeaki's production.

JFC, there are some dumb mother****ers that post here.

That may be true but since Moeaki was taken 29th, if he plays to the level that the Chiefs expect him to play, he may turn out to be the steal of the third round.

At this point, it's all speculation and probably not even worth discussing. But I am happy to hear that he's not choking on his own vomit like O'Connell.

7th rd pick or not I think the point he was trying to make was that Jake O'Connell is STILL having trouble catching the ball.......since that was a major issue for him last season.

Cottam's probably not a world beater, but he's only played for 2 years.

I actually believe that if Cottam can stay healthy, he absolutely belongs on an NFL roster.

But it's epic fail to compare his college production to Moeaki's, injuries and all.

From this day forward, can the acronym "IHCSH" be substitued for Moeaki?

Let's see.

Broken wrist
Dislocated elbow

Broken foot
Hamstring

And a concussion

But hey, he's going to be durable in the NFL.

And yet he was still drafted within the Top 100 players of the 2010 draft.

None of those injuries scream health issue to me.

Bad luck? Absolutely. But in a 17 week long season, he would have returned from all of those injuries while playing in the NFL.

None of those injuries, in and of themselves, would scream health issues to me.

However, all together scream brittle to me.

And the fact that so many scream that it's not an issue, screams blinders to me.

Eh, that's why he went 29th overall in the third. If he had half the injuries (or none), he's a bonafide Top 15 first rounder.

He may never have another injury again. Or he might be consistently injured. Either way, he's worth the risk because his talent is clearly evident.

Dane was referring to his 21 catches in his 4yrs. at Tennessee, not the NFL. Hell, in just two years as a pro he has already amassed a total of 16 catches. :rolleyes:

Why do people care about a 7th round pick?

As far Cottam, people forget that he logged a lot of minutes as a rookie and stayed healthy.

Top 15 is really pushing it!

While it didn't cost much, I think it's pretty representative of the 2009 draft that we traded up for a guy who's turned out to be pretty horrible.

The 2009 KC draft was horrid to say the least.

But this 2010 draft will be looked at as one of the best, possibly top 3 drafts of all the teams.

I'm glad to see they actually knew what they were doing this time around.

and Moeaki was one of them
Not if you read his post. Tight ends that are a weapon in the run game and pass game are over valued in the draft, they are rare. Not top 15 in a draft like the one we just had, but in a normal draft that is where those guys go. His only detractor was his injury history.

If he stays healthy in the NFL, he will be a player that makes a difference for our turnaround.

Trent Green was known as pretty fragile before he came here. Until Moeaki is injured all the time at this level, I'm not going to be too concerned about his past.

If they put their hot tubs in the same room Croyle could throw to Moeaki all season.

Trent Green:

The benchmark for head in-sand hope for all of Chiefs Nation. :rolleyes:

The milk is already spilt. It makes more sense to me to hope he stays healthy than to hope he continues to get injured to justify someone's opposition to the pick.

The trade is done, I'm simply hoping for suckage to justify USING a pick in next years Super-Awesome QB Class.

Or, I'll just hate and hate on Pioli( which I enjoy immensely anyway )until he's fired or otherwise no longer GM.

We're due for the 1st round pick as a franchise. Do it, win a Championship, or GTFO.

They didn't use a pick in next year's draft on Moeaki, they used one of their three fifth round 2010 picks to trade up to that slot.

It's an example of a guy who was hurt most of his career and stayed relatively healthy when he was a Chief.

I know it's pretty en vogue to bitch about everything, but I'm hoping he is healthy instead of being injured so I can have an agenda.

It would help if you had your facts straight.

Okay follow me here:

Mooky and injuries >

Trent Green reference >

Qb's >

Cassel trade >

My post.

I wasn't referring to our TE situation at all. I hope Mooky works out; he seems like a Chiefs kind of guy.

All clear now?

HOMOEAKI

Salame, you naughty little trollop, you.