Chiefs hold off on final cuts: Teicher

[booger]

Chiefs hold off on final cuts
Team facing decision on how many offensive-line prospects it will keep.
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs initially planned to make their final roster cuts Friday, but they will go down to today’s NFL deadline to pare to the league-mandated 53 players.

Blame it, in part, on Ryan Lilja.

The Chiefs two years ago tried to sneak Lilja, a young offensive-line prospect from Shawnee Mission Northwest and Kansas State, onto their practice squad.

He never made it there. Indianapolis grabbed Lilja off waivers, and he’s now a starter for the Colts.

The Chiefs have since been skittish about exposing good prospects to other teams. The Chiefs were wrestling with exactly how many offensive-line prospects such as tackles Will Svitek and Jeremy Parquet and guards Tre Stallings and Rudy Niswanger they will keep.

“We’ve got some good young offensive linemen,” Chiefs president/general manager Carl Peterson said. “We’ll make a decision there of keeping nine, maybe 10.”

Otherwise, this year’s cuts aren’t overly taxing for the Chiefs.

“I don’t think there are any (particularly) difficult decisions,” Peterson said.

In another year, perhaps, halfback McKenzi Smith might have made the Chiefs think hard about keeping him. Smith had 51 yards and a touchdown in Thursday night’s 10-9 win over New Orleans and finished the preseason as the Chiefs’ leading rusher.

He has virtually no chance to stick. Larry Johnson is solid as the starter, the Chiefs traded a fourth-round draft pick for Michael Bennett, and they like Dee Brown because of his special-teams skills. The Chiefs don’t have roster space to carry four halfbacks.

Easy decisions materialized for the Chiefs at other positions for other reasons. None of the young cornerbacks proved to coach Herm Edwards that they were ready to play, so the Chiefs will keep veterans Ty Law, Patrick Surtain, Lenny Walls and Benny Sapp.

They may also keep fifth-round draft pick Marcus Maxey, but only as a developmental prospect.

On the defensive line, Carlos Hall, John Browning and Junior Siavii were injured throughout the preseason. Their inability to play means the roster spots of tackles Ron Edwards, James Reed, Ryan Sims and Lional Dalton and ends Tamba Hali, Jared Allen, Eric Hicks and Jimmy Wilkerson are safe.

Edwards might have initially held out hope of keeping four quarterbacks, but Casey Printers probably played his way off the roster.

“It’s not tough because I think you can only realistically carry three (quarterbacks) on your 53,” Peterson said. “Now you can carry one on your developmental squad. That’s a possibility. That’s always a question for any young player you want to bring on developmental. If he’s claimed, you can’t. If he’s not, most of them want to stay right here because they know the system.”

Edwards said last week he believed the Chiefs would have as many as 15 new players by the time they trimmed to 53 players. After giving it further thought, Edwards upped the count this week.

“We’ve got some young players who are probably going to make this football team,” he said. “I said there were probably going to be 15 (new) players. I was wrong. There will probably be 20 new players on this team with free-agency and the draft choices we’ve acquired.

“That’s a lot of players, but, hey, that’s kind of good, too, because what we’re trying to do is obviously keep the best players. I said it was going to be a competition, and I think we had a very competitive camp.”

Even after making their cuts, the Chiefs will scan the list of roster moves from around the league and perhaps make another move or two of their own. They are looking for help at wide receiver and on the defensive line.

Then the Chiefs would have even more cuts to make, as the Colts did two years ago when they claimed Lilja.

“That’s the nature of the game,” Peterson said. “Everybody’s got the same problem.”


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http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...s/15421893.htm

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Not really.

We're NOT gonna find quality at ANY position at this point in time.

We need quantity at DE, so that Hicks can go bye-bye...

I am starting to think nobody will be talking about him at the end of the year. I bet Tamba eats into his reps a ton as the season goes on.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Cochise

I am starting to think nobody will be talking about him at the end of the year. I bet Tamba eats into his reps a ton as the season goes on.

Screw that.
I don't want to see Eric Hicks on the field ever again.

Tamba and Jimmy Wilkerson better eat all of "his" reps.

[blueballs]

this is the heartland
people who can make more money in a 1/4 acre than they can in 200 is the devil's own
now meth on the other hand..

[Frankie]

Originally Posted by Mecca

"another druggie" so uh who's one right now? I do think it's kinda funny that people flip out that he tested positive for weed. I'm sure he knows he can't do it again or he'll put himself in a bad spot.

Doesn't over half the American population smoke weed?

The last couple of years of the Marty regime are still fresh in my mind. No thanks.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Frankie

The last couple of years of the Marty regime are still fresh in my mind. No thanks.

Giving 1 guy who's had an issue...and not a huge one mind you. A shot is alot different than building your entire team around players like that.

[Frankie]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Giving 1 guy who's had an issue...and not a huge one mind you. A shot is alot different than building your entire team around players like that.

OK, agreed. But I wouldn't want him if it means Webb is cut.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Frankie

OK, agreed. But I wouldn't want him if it means Webb is cut.

Whey are people enamored with a guy who was a 6th round pick and looked like total ass until the last preseason game when he made a few catches.....and he still dropped a ball and caused a pick. Jeff Webb is a major project if the Chiefs carry 5 WR's he should be the 5th WR that never dresses.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Whey are people enamored with a guy who was a 6th round pick and looked like total ass until the last preseason game when he made a few catches.....and he still dropped a ball and caused a pick. Jeff Webb is a major project if the Chiefs carry 5 WR's he should be the 5th WR that never dresses.

Because we are stupid Chief's fans. We all bitch and moan that we should cut the dead weight of the team, buy with our next breath we crow about some nobody who we "hope" is a future stud that was a low round draft pick or some street FA. To justify this we talk about how we let Joe horn get away or some other player.

I'm all for giveing Rodgers a second chance, the chance of sticking gold with him are going to be the same as they are with Webb. Plus, couldn't we just put Webb on the PS, there can't be that many teams who would give this guy a roster spot.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Because we are stupid Chief's fans. We all bitch and moan that we should cut the dead weight of the team, buy with our next breath we crow about some nobody who we "hope" is a future stud that was a low round draft pick or some street FA. To justify this we talk about how we let Joe horn get away or some other player.

I'm all for giveing Rodgers a second chance, the chance of sticking gold with him are going to be the same as they are with Webb. Plus, couldn't we just put Webb on the PS, there can't be that many teams who would give this guy a roster spot.

WR's who are basically the same thing Jeff Webb is will be cut all across the league today.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Because we are stupid Chief's fans. We all bitch and moan that we should cut the dead weight of the team, buy with our next breath we crow about some nobody who we "hope" is a future stud that was a low round draft pick or some street FA. To justify this we talk about how we let Joe horn get away or some other player.

I'm all for giveing Rodgers a second chance, the chance of sticking gold with him are going to be the same as they are with Webb. Plus, couldn't we just put Webb on the PS, there can't be that many teams who would give this guy a roster spot.

Carl said the Chiefs are going to carry 5 WRs, so Webb still makes the roster.

This isn't a discussion of whether we sign Rogers and cut Webb.

It's a question of whether we sign Rogers and cut one of the other never-will-be's, Hannon, McIntrye or Curry.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by booger

In another year, perhaps, halfback McKenzi Smith might have made the Chiefs think hard about keeping him. Smith had 51 yards and a touchdown in Thursday night’s 10-9 win over New Orleans and finished the preseason as the Chiefs’ leading rusher.

He has virtually no chance to stick. Larry Johnson is solid as the starter, the Chiefs traded a fourth-round draft pick for Michael Bennett, and they like Dee Brown because of his special-teams skills. The Chiefs don’t have roster space to carry four halfbacks.

does Dee Brown even play special teams?


Mckensi Smith led the NFLE in all purpose yards including punt returns and kick returns.


does Brown have secret photos of somebody?

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by milkman

Carl said the Chiefs are going to carry 5 WRs, so Webb still makes the roster.

This isn't a discussion of whether we sign Rogers and cut Webb.

It's a question of whether we sign Rogers and cut one of the other never-will-be's, Hannon, McIntrye or Curry.

haven't seen much of anything from Curry ....... or was it Hannon?


one of them hasn't done jack ... looks scared on returns and hasn't done anything as a receiver.

i think it's curry ...... no reason not to cut him that i can see.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Laz

haven't seen much of anything from Curry ....... or was it Hannon?


one of them hasn't done jack ... looks scared on returns and hasn't done anything as a receiver.

i think it's curry ...... no reason not to cut him that i can see.

I don't think I made myself all that clear.

The battle for the 5th receiver spot is between the never-will-be's that I mentioned.

If Carl were to go out and get Rogers, then none of those never-will-be's will make the roster, and Webb is moved down on the depth chart to #5.

[BigChiefFan]

Originally Posted by Laz

haven't seen much of anything from Curry ....... or was it Hannon?


one of them hasn't done jack ... looks scared on returns and hasn't done anything as a receiver.

i think it's curry ...... no reason not to cut him that i can see.

That's Curry and I concur. He hasn't done much at all. I think Webb has outplayed him. McIntyre may edge out Curry as well.

Originally Posted by Laz

Mckensi Smith led the NFLE in all purpose yards including punt returns and kick returns.

Yeah, I'm sure that weighs heavily on the coaches minds as they make those final cut-downs.