Chiefs Teicher: Chiefs say draft mission accomplished as team gains playmakers

**Tribal Warfare** · 04-24-2010, 10:41 PM

Chiefs say draft mission accomplished as team gains playmakers
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

The draft hadn’t even concluded but Todd Haley and some of his offensive coaches were already tinkering with ways to use the Chiefs’ new offensive pieces. Some of the things they were drawing up included Jamaal Charles, Thomas Jones and Dexter McCluster all on the field at once.

That’s already a change from last year, when the Chiefs most times were struggling to find enough playmakers to line up and play at one time.

The Chiefs made finding playmakers, whether they’re on offense, defense or special teams, an emphasis in the draft. They cast the net wide and emerged with safety Eric Berry of Tennessee in the first round and running back/wide receiver McCluster of Mississippi and kick returner/nickel back Javier Arenas of Alabama in the second.

The Chiefs finished their draft Saturday by using their last two picks, both in the fifth round, on developmental players — safety Kendrick Lewis of Mississippi and outside linebacker Cameron Sheffield of Troy.

The emphasis on playmakers came at a cost. The Chiefs failed to add an offensive tackle, meaning Branden Albert and Ryan O’Callaghan will start again next season.

Their only major offseason player additions on defense were Berry and Arenas. They appeared content with that.

“We accomplished as much as we could this year,” general manager Scott Pioli said. “We made significant progress this offseason, this draft.”

The Chiefs already faced the prospect of a crowded backfield with Charles, who ran for more than 900 yards over the final eight games last year, and Jones, who rushed for more than 1,400 yards for the New York Jets in 2009.

To this, they added McCluster, who between rushing and receiving accumulated 1,700 yards and 11 touchdowns last year at Ole Miss. The Chiefs plan to use him in a variety of ways: as a wide receiver, slot receiver, traditional running back and perhaps even as a quarterback in the Wildcat formation.

McCluster is only 5 feet 8 and 165 pounds, so he’s hard for defenders to find and because of his quickness, he can be difficult for them to handle once they do. Then there’s Charles and his speed and the more conventional abilities of Jones.

“I think when you have unique ability guys that have some of those qualities, it’s an advantage to whoever has those players,” Haley said. “(McCluster) was one of the higher-rated running backs we’ve had on the board and he was one of the higher-rated receivers we had on the board. When you have a unique player like that, the number one thing you gain or you have a chance to utilize is matchups. He’s a player that you put at a number of different spots and pressure a defense in a sense.

“We have another guy in Jamaal Charles that proved last year he can do some things in addition to running the football. So I’m excited from an offensive standpoint to have a guy like that because our motto is the more you can do … he’s a great example of a player that can do a number of things.”

One of the Chiefs’ biggest offseason goals was to find a skilled kick return specialist. Their return game has been among the most lackluster in the league the last three seasons since the Chiefs traded Dante Hall.

“It was a must, in my opinion,” Haley said. “There are musts and then there are needs and that was a must.”

The Chiefs now potentially have two returners. Arenas scored seven touchdowns and averaged 14 yards per punt return over his four seasons in college. McCluster returned little at Ole Miss because his coaches wanted to preserve him for offense, but he has the ability.

“I know coach (Steve) Hoffman, our special teams coach, is as excited as I’ve seen him. I said, ‘We better not hear another word out of you.’ We got him two of the better returners in the league and now he’s got to put them to good use.

“Having a potential game-changer returner would be a nice addition to this team. In general, we just felt like we needed some difference-makers. At least on paper and how we came out of this weekend, I think we’re excited.”

As far as improvement on defense, the Chiefs will rely mainly on help from Berry, who will start at safety, and Arenas, who could be the nickel back.

The Chiefs are also counting on improvement from their younger defensive players, including ends Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson.

“Defense is a team game,” Haley said. “We’re developing the guys we have here that are already on campus. We’re all really excited about that process and where we are as we speak. Then adding the guys we have on defense to the mix, we expect them to have an impact on that.

“It’s important that some of these young guys take another step for us.”

HotRoute · 04-24-2010, 10:56 PM

"There are musts and then there are needs and that was a must"

The FO obviously didnt think a NT or RT was a must they must really have faith in the new coordinators to coach em' up this year, and i think they will do that

BIG K · 04-24-2010, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC111110

"There are musts and then there are needs and that was a must"

The FO obviously didnt think a NT or RT was a must they must really have faith in the new coordinators to coach em' up this year, and i think they will do that

Yep.

Hammock Parties · 04-24-2010, 11:16 PM

BIG K · 04-24-2010, 11:21 PM

[QUOTE=Tribal Warfare;6711864] Chiefs say draft mission accomplished as team gains playmakers

The emphasis on playmakers came at a cost. The Chiefs failed to add an offensive tackle, meaning Branden Albert and Ryan O’Callaghan will start again next season.

UOTE]

Jesus, another dumb mother****er who does not know shit. Wow, cause they failed to draft an OT, which clearly was the biggest need, broke dicks Albert and O'Callaghan will start again. We are doomed.....

**BigMeatballDave** · 04-24-2010, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

When I saw 'mission accomplished', I KNEW someone was gonna make a parody like this...

milkman · 04-25-2010, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC111110

"There are musts and then there are needs and that was a must"

The FO obviously didnt think a NT or RT was a must they must really have faith in the new coordinators to coach em' up this year, and i think they will do that

Dorsey and Jackson will both take that next step, most likely, but the belief that they are going to be able to coach up career scrubs like Ron Edwards and Shaun Smith is hysterical.

You guys don't want coaches.

You want ****ing miracle workers.

donkhater · 04-25-2010, 07:44 AM

Well, I'll say this:

When you have Bobby Engram, who looked like his feet were welded to the football field, as your best returner, you have issues with team speed.

Outside of Charles and maybe Flowers, there was NO ONE with any sort of speed on this team that could change a game.

He said getting a returner was a must. I think more like getting players that can run (Berry, McCluster, Arenas) was a must.

Some more speed at LB and WR is still desperatly needed.

ILChief · 04-25-2010, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

Dorsey and Jackson will both take that next step, most likely, but the belief that they are going to be able to coach up career scrubs like Ron Edwards and Shaun Smith is hysterical.

You guys don't want coaches.

You want ****ing miracle workers.

Smith actually had a couple of decent years under Romeo in Cleveland. My hope is he can be adequate until next year's draft.

Deberg_1990 · 04-25-2010, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

Dorsey and Jackson will both take that next step, most likely, but the belief that they are going to be able to coach up career scrubs like Ron Edwards and Shaun Smith is hysterical.

You guys don't want coaches.

You want ****ing miracle workers.

If they would have drafted more linemen, alot of guys on here would be bitching "wheres the playmakers??"

Its impossible to fill every single hole. you know this. at least they went in with an agenda and stuck to it.

But yea, guys who are career backups are not suddenly going to be better no matter who the coach is. Thats why i laugh when people keep waiting for DJ to "bust out"

**CosmicPal** · 04-25-2010, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

If they would have drafted more linemen, alot of guys on here would be bitching "wheres the playmakers??"

They upgraded the speed of their game with the picks too- something that they needed to do more than anything. They were one of the slowest teams in the NFL and drafting a couple of fat slobs to the defensive line certainly wasn't going to help that at all.

milkman · 04-25-2010, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

If they would have drafted more linemen, alot of guys on here would be bitching "wheres the playmakers??"

Its impossible to fill every single hole. you know this. at least they went in with an agenda and stuck to it.

But yea, guys who are career backups are not suddenly going to be better no matter who the coach is. Thats why i laugh when people keep waiting for DJ to "bust out"

People wanted FULL TIME playmakers.

Reerun_KC · 04-25-2010, 09:05 AM

Well I am looking forward to putting this team on the field and watching some football...

Reerun_KC · 04-25-2010, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

People wanted FULL TIME playmakers.

Which left Cody from Alabama out....

No way he could play 3 straight downs at a time, all game...

Deberg_1990 · 04-25-2010, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

People wanted FULL TIME playmakers.

Full time safety
Full time slot reciever
full time kick returner

Hopefully........

04-24-2010, 10:41 PM
Tribal Warfare Man of Culture Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-3107187	Teicher: Chiefs say draft mission accomplished as team gains playmakers Chiefs say draft mission accomplished as team gains playmakers By ADAM TEICHER The Kansas City Star The draft hadn’t even concluded but Todd Haley and some of his offensive coaches were already tinkering with ways to use the Chiefs’ new offensive pieces. Some of the things they were drawing up included Jamaal Charles, Thomas Jones and Dexter McCluster all on the field at once. That’s already a change from last year, when the Chiefs most times were struggling to find enough playmakers to line up and play at one time. The Chiefs made finding playmakers, whether they’re on offense, defense or special teams, an emphasis in the draft. They cast the net wide and emerged with safety Eric Berry of Tennessee in the first round and running back/wide receiver McCluster of Mississippi and kick returner/nickel back Javier Arenas of Alabama in the second. The Chiefs finished their draft Saturday by using their last two picks, both in the fifth round, on developmental players — safety Kendrick Lewis of Mississippi and outside linebacker Cameron Sheffield of Troy. The emphasis on playmakers came at a cost. The Chiefs failed to add an offensive tackle, meaning Branden Albert and Ryan O’Callaghan will start again next season. Their only major offseason player additions on defense were Berry and Arenas. They appeared content with that. “We accomplished as much as we could this year,” general manager Scott Pioli said. “We made significant progress this offseason, this draft.” The Chiefs already faced the prospect of a crowded backfield with Charles, who ran for more than 900 yards over the final eight games last year, and Jones, who rushed for more than 1,400 yards for the New York Jets in 2009. To this, they added McCluster, who between rushing and receiving accumulated 1,700 yards and 11 touchdowns last year at Ole Miss. The Chiefs plan to use him in a variety of ways: as a wide receiver, slot receiver, traditional running back and perhaps even as a quarterback in the Wildcat formation. McCluster is only 5 feet 8 and 165 pounds, so he’s hard for defenders to find and because of his quickness, he can be difficult for them to handle once they do. Then there’s Charles and his speed and the more conventional abilities of Jones. “I think when you have unique ability guys that have some of those qualities, it’s an advantage to whoever has those players,” Haley said. “(McCluster) was one of the higher-rated running backs we’ve had on the board and he was one of the higher-rated receivers we had on the board. When you have a unique player like that, the number one thing you gain or you have a chance to utilize is matchups. He’s a player that you put at a number of different spots and pressure a defense in a sense. “We have another guy in Jamaal Charles that proved last year he can do some things in addition to running the football. So I’m excited from an offensive standpoint to have a guy like that because our motto is the more you can do … he’s a great example of a player that can do a number of things.” One of the Chiefs’ biggest offseason goals was to find a skilled kick return specialist. Their return game has been among the most lackluster in the league the last three seasons since the Chiefs traded Dante Hall. “It was a must, in my opinion,” Haley said. “There are musts and then there are needs and that was a must.” The Chiefs now potentially have two returners. Arenas scored seven touchdowns and averaged 14 yards per punt return over his four seasons in college. McCluster returned little at Ole Miss because his coaches wanted to preserve him for offense, but he has the ability. “I know coach (Steve) Hoffman, our special teams coach, is as excited as I’ve seen him. I said, ‘We better not hear another word out of you.’ We got him two of the better returners in the league and now he’s got to put them to good use. “Having a potential game-changer returner would be a nice addition to this team. In general, we just felt like we needed some difference-makers. At least on paper and how we came out of this weekend, I think we’re excited.” As far as improvement on defense, the Chiefs will rely mainly on help from Berry, who will start at safety, and Arenas, who could be the nickel back. The Chiefs are also counting on improvement from their younger defensive players, including ends Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson. “Defense is a team game,” Haley said. “We’re developing the guys we have here that are already on campus. We’re all really excited about that process and where we are as we speak. Then adding the guys we have on defense to the mix, we expect them to have an impact on that. “It’s important that some of these young guys take another step for us.”
Posts: 43,465

04-24-2010, 10:56 PM	#2
HotRoute Veteran Join Date: Aug 2009 Casino cash: $9605656	"There are musts and then there are needs and that was a must" The FO obviously didnt think a NT or RT was a must they must really have faith in the new coordinators to coach em' up this year, and i think they will do that
Posts: 2,274

04-24-2010, 11:16 PM	#4
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $690478	__________________ Chiefs game films
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04-24-2010, 11:21 PM	#5
BIG K Veteran Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: California Casino cash: $9795230	[QUOTE=Tribal Warfare;6711864] Chiefs say draft mission accomplished as team gains playmakers The emphasis on playmakers came at a cost. The Chiefs failed to add an offensive tackle, meaning Branden Albert and Ryan O’Callaghan will start again next season. UOTE] Jesus, another dumb mother***er who does not know shit. Wow, cause they failed to draft an OT, which clearly was the biggest need, broke dicks Albert and O'Callaghan will start again. We are doomed..... Last edited by BIG K; 04-24-2010 at 11:24 PM.. Reason: left it out*
Posts: 2,743

04-25-2010, 07:44 AM	#8
donkhater Brilliant!! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Indiana, USA Casino cash: $10014051	Well, I'll say this: When you have Bobby Engram, who looked like his feet were welded to the football field, as your best returner, you have issues with team speed. Outside of Charles and maybe Flowers, there was NO ONE with any sort of speed on this team that could change a game. He said getting a returner was a must. I think more like getting players that can run (Berry, McCluster, Arenas) was a must. Some more speed at LB and WR is still desperatly needed. __________________ The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants
Posts: 3,994

04-25-2010, 09:05 AM	#13
Reerun_KC Banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Casino cash: $7231160	Well I am looking forward to putting this team on the field and watching some football...
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