Merill: Welbourn gets another shot (and Trent practices)

[DaFace]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...as_city_chiefs

Welbourn gets another shot with Chiefs’ offensive line
Tackle returning from five-game suspension
By ELIZABETH MERRILL
The Kansas City Star

On the heels of the grittiest performance of the season by the Chiefs’ offensive line, John Welbourn stood on the practice field Tuesday, auditioning for another chance.

He says he could write a book about this but doesn’t really elaborate. Here’s what the tests say: Two times in the last two years, Welbourn has come up positive for a banned substance in the NFL. He hints that it was again all a mistake, but follows with, “I don’t want to answer any questions about that stuff.”

So it is up to Chiefs coach Herm Edwards to answer why Welbourn is back after a six-game suspension, a retirement announcement before that suspension, joining a 3-3 team that is seemingly managing OK despite a rash of injuries and departures.

“Do you have kids?” Edwards said. “I have one who’s grown up already and two little girls, and they’re not old enough to make mistakes where they know any better. But when they do, hopefully, if they make two of them, I don’t get rid of them.

“I just think players make mistakes because they’re human. When they do, you have to take a stand and say, ‘What do you want to do with the guy?’ Do you want to say that since you’ve made some mistakes in your life that you can’t play on this team anymore?”

When the Chiefs resume practice today, they’ll reacquaint themselves with a few familiar faces. Quarterback Trent Green will practice for the first time since being knocked unconscious in the season opener against the Bengals. Welbourn hasn’t played since the final game of the 2005 season.

He arrived in town Saturday, and Edwards said Welbourn, a 310-pound right tackle, “looks good” after working with a personal trainer back home in Southern California. Welbourn started last year on an offense that finished No. 1 in the NFL, then told the Chiefs in the spring he would retire. He later applied for reinstatement and was suspended by the NFL in early September.

After Welbourn served his four-game suspension last year, he maintained his innocence and said he didn’t take steroids. He said he took an independent lie-detector test that proved no wrongdoing. On Tuesday, he said the league made its ruling and he had to live with it.

“There really is no clearing the air for this kind of stuff,” Welbourn told The Star. “What’s unfortunate … with things like this is that the attention gets pulled away from what’s important, the team doing well and guys coming off a huge win.

“I’m just one person in this whole thing, someone who got caught up in something unfortunate. I wouldn’t wish this upon anybody. It’s definitely a nightmare situation. I’m just glad to come back and resume doing what I have a good time doing — seeing friends, working hard and winning some football games. I know that sounds corny, but it’s pretty basic.”

Welbourn’s return came just hours after news broke that Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman had failed a drug test. Merriman, probably the biggest name in the NFL to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs, says he will appeal his four-game suspension.

Asked Tuesday whether he thinks steroids are a growing problem in the NFL, Edwards said, “All I know is this — in life you make choices. You make choices, and there are consequences for your choices.”

Welbourn is expected to push third-year lineman Kevin Sampson for the starting job, and he could be back on the field as early as the Nov. 5 game at St. Louis.

The Chiefs’ offensive line has been plagued with injuries. They lost 11-time Pro Bowl left tackle Willie Roaf, who retired because of knee and hamstring injuries, and have played without Kyle Turley (back) and Will Svitek (knee).

Edwards said he’d still want Welbourn back even if Sampson and Jordan Black were playing at a Pro Bowl level.

“He’s a good football player,” Edwards said. “You know what makes coaches good? Good players, last time I checked.

“He hurt the team; he hurt his reputation because of the accusations that came along. But no one knows what happened. Then you look at it and say he’s done those things and he’s paid a price for it, too, because everyone’s talking about that player. So you have to make a decision as a coach. … Did he work hard when he was here? Yeah. Is he a good football player? Yeah. Is he hard to handle? No, not hard to handle, comes to work every day on time, made a bad decision or two. So then you have to decide if you want him back. At this point, I want him back.”

[Hoover]

Welbourn at RT would sure help the running game IMO this year and years to come.

[Inspector]

I wonder who gets canned to make room.

[jjjayb]

Poor guy. 99% of NFL players are using steroids. (the 1% that aren't are Leinert and Bush). He must have just pissed someone off in the league office to get tested. Of course we'll take him back.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Inspector

I wonder who gets canned to make room.

My understanding is that they'll get 2 weeks to decide whether he's officially on the roster or not. So they won't have to cut someone until then. Once they put him on the roster (and into the game), then someone will have to get cut.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by article

He hints that it was again all a mistake, but follows with, “I don’t want to answer any questions about that stuff.”

“Do you have kids?” Edwards said. “I have one who’s grown up already and two little girls, and they’re not old enough to make mistakes where they know any better. But when they do, hopefully, if they make two of them, I don’t get rid of them.

“I just think players make mistakes because they’re human. When they do, you have to take a stand and say, ‘What do you want to do with the guy?’ Do you want to say that since you’ve made some mistakes in your life that you can’t play on this team anymore?”

Asked Tuesday whether he thinks steroids are a growing problem in the NFL, Edwards said, “All I know is this — in life you make choices. You make choices, and there are consequences for your choices.”

Sounds like Herm is trying to glaze this over with coachspeak...

[jspchief]

"another shot"... clever.

[Bwana]

Devils advocate: Green comes back and plays like hell. Will Herm have the rocks to put Huard back in?

[MGRS13]

Originally Posted by Inspector

I wonder who gets canned to make room.

I vote for Hicks.

[jspchief]

Originally Posted by Bwana

Devils advocate: Green comes back and plays like hell. Will Herm have the rocks to put Huard back in?

No way. Not going to happen.

[MichaelH]

Originally Posted by jspchief

No way. Not going to happen.

I've been wondering the same thing. I hope it doesn't happen. We all believed that Huardwould tank though and look what's happened.

[kepp]

Herm's press conferences remind me of that new Verizon Wireless commercial:

"Are you as reliable as my Verizon network?"

"...excellent question."

[Iowanian]

I think he comes back and helps the team. If he takes Sampson's spot, the Running game immediately improves.

I think Welbourn is a bigger impact next year as RG if Shields retires.

Roids or not...this is a good thing for the Chiefs.

[Lzen]

The guy has to be pretty dumb to get caught a 2nd time. Hopefully, he's learned his lesson. He would be an improvement in the run and pass blocking. Sampson is a decent young tackle who definitely has promise. He makes some good plays. But every few plays he totally whiffs on a block (like the play when Huard fumbled late in the game against San Diego). Welbourn would definitely be an upgrade at that spot right now.

[Tribal Warfare]

Did I just read pro bowl and Jordan Black in the same sentence??????