Chiefs KC Star: Chiefs hope to have a solid O-line by the time Waters retires - Page 2

FloridaMan88 · 08-10-2008, 06:16 AM

Let's see since Waters is currently 31 and could play another 5 years (at least)... that means the Chiefs have a 5+ year rebuilding plan before they have a solid offensive line (which is obviously the prerequisite for being competitive again).

Dictator Carl and Herm may claim the Chiefs are now committed to rebuilding the offensive line, but if that were the case they would have aggressively gone after and signed YOUNG free agent offensive linemen such as Jeff Faine and Jake Scott AND drafted more than 1 offensive lineman in the first 4 rounds of this past draft.

After an entire offseason supposedly committed to rebuilding the offensive line, somehow the offensive line is WORSE than it was last year.

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/741401.html

The complete article from the KC Star:

Chiefs hope to be solid on the line by the time Waters has to hang it up

By KENT BABB
The Kansas City Star

Waters is 31 now, and that means he’s thinking about the end of his career. Yeah, he has some years left. But the three-time Pro Bowl guard wants this offensive line to right itself after last year’s dilapidated line gave up an NFL-high 55 sacks.

The Chiefs hope to have a solid line by the time Waters retires. Waters wants to finish his career on his terms. If both are to happen, thank goodness for that remaining time.

“I want to hand it off,” Waters said Saturday. “I feel like Will Shields handed it off to me like it was handed off to him. So I want to be able to pull some guys and hand it off to my guys and, when I walk away, feel like I left it in a good, stable situation.

“We’ve got a little ways to go to get to that point.”

The Chiefs began a massive overhaul this offseason when they drafted left tackle Branden Albert with the second of their first-round picks. He was a guard in college, and the transition to tackle is a work in progress. It didn’t help when Albert sprained his foot, an injury that will force him to miss the preseason. The injury also could cause a chain reaction that slows Albert’s progress until the middle of the season.

But coaches and players don’t want to talk about that. They want to talk about the changes they’ve made and that Chiefs management finally let go of the Willie Roaf and Shields era that now seems like a lifetime ago.

“We were spoiled,” Waters said.

Waters said the Chiefs tried to replace those players with quick fixes, signing free agents without the same level of talent. When they did that, the Chiefs did it at the expense of drafting top linemen, which Waters said is the way to build a line that doesn’t collapse upon the retirement of one or two players.

“You know,” Waters said, “I’ve heard a lot of different things about how bad last year was. It didn’t happen just last year.

“It really wasn’t that last year was so bad; it was just that we continued to Band-Aid it up until it got to a point to where we couldn’t hide it anymore.”

Before drafting Albert with the No. 15 overall pick in April, the Chiefs hadn’t drafted a lineman in the first three rounds since taking John Tait in the first round in 1999. Team president Carl Peterson admitted earlier this year that the front office allowed the line to get too old. The Chiefs gambled that the line’s experience could outweigh any potential breakdown.

“It didn’t work out,” Peterson said in January.

Waters said a team should draft a high-quality lineman each year, particularly when that team has at least one starter in his 30s. The Chiefs are expected to have two — Waters and right tackle Damion McIntosh — in their 30s when the season begins Sept. 7. All five of the Chiefs’ regular linemen last year were in their 30s.

Coach Herm Edwards said the team has begun the process of revamping the line. They’re not finished, possibly even for this year’s line. The Chiefs signed tackle Ken Shackleford on Saturday, and Edwards said the team might sign more linemen if the reserves don’t play better than they did in Thursday’s 24-20 preseason win against the Chicago Bears.

“If we don’t feel comfortable with these guys,” Edwards said, “and there’s a veteran guy out there who we can use for a year to back somebody up, then we’ll do that. We’ll do whatever we have to do to solidify some things if it doesn’t shape out in the next three weeks.”

It could be at least that long before Albert can return to practice. He’s been rehabbing that foot for the past two weeks, and Waters said it’s eating at the rookie that he can’t hang around the Chiefs’ practice field and get some work in.

Waters is Albert’s roommate while they’re at training camp. He’s also the veteran whose job it is to introduce Albert to rookie hazing: carrying this bag and that one, too; a few of the veterans’ helmets and shoulder pads; and both arms full of lunches. If Albert sits or speaks before Waters gives him the go-ahead, Albert hears about it.

“You better walk past them next time,” Waters told Albert the first week of camp, when Albert delayed lunch to speak to a television reporter.

Waters has fun with the kid, but he feels sorry for Albert, too. Waters said he knows Albert wants to play, and the Chiefs sure need him in there. Waters said Albert could be the same kind of tackle as Roaf, who was selected to 11 Pro Bowls. Yes, Waters said, the kid with the five backpacks has that kind of talent.

“We were trying to replace Willie for all these years. That’s where we made the mistake,” Waters said. “You don’t replace that guy with one guy. You replace him with a guy who you let grow into that position. Branden is that type of guy.”

Edwards said drafting Albert was the beginning of a long road toward strengthening the line. The coach stopped short of saying it was the Chiefs’ most important — and potentially longest-lasting — project, but he said it is among them.

Waters said he hopes to hold on long enough for the Chiefs to draft and develop a Pro Bowl-caliber lineman who can replace Waters the way no one replaced Roaf. Waters was asked Saturday how close the Chiefs’ line is to being there, a place where Waters would be comfortable stepping away and knowing he left it in good hands.

Waters laughed. He said there is work to be done. But, he said, at least the work has begun.

“We just made the mistake of really not taking it more seriously,” Waters said. “We’ve got a good start.”

milkman · 08-10-2008, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Hey, looks like that Adrian Jones guy's available for next year!

Jordan Black, my friend.

Jordan Black.

08-10-2008, 06:16 AM
FloridaMan88 Mahomes: We Are All Witnesses Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Miami, FL Casino cash: $3082906	KC Star: Chiefs hope to have a solid O-line by the time Waters retires Let's see since Waters is currently 31 and could play another 5 years (at least)... that means the Chiefs have a 5+ year rebuilding plan before they have a solid offensive line (which is obviously the prerequisite for being competitive again). Dictator Carl and Herm may claim the Chiefs are now committed to rebuilding the offensive line, but if that were the case they would have aggressively gone after and signed YOUNG free agent offensive linemen such as Jeff Faine and Jake Scott AND drafted more than 1 offensive lineman in the first 4 rounds of this past draft. After an entire offseason supposedly committed to rebuilding the offensive line, somehow the offensive line is WORSE than it was last year. http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/741401.html The complete article from the KC Star: Chiefs hope to be solid on the line by the time Waters has to hang it up By KENT BABB The Kansas City Star Waters is 31 now, and that means he’s thinking about the end of his career. Yeah, he has some years left. But the three-time Pro Bowl guard wants this offensive line to right itself after last year’s dilapidated line gave up an NFL-high 55 sacks. The Chiefs hope to have a solid line by the time Waters retires. Waters wants to finish his career on his terms. If both are to happen, thank goodness for that remaining time. “I want to hand it off,” Waters said Saturday. “I feel like Will Shields handed it off to me like it was handed off to him. So I want to be able to pull some guys and hand it off to my guys and, when I walk away, feel like I left it in a good, stable situation. “We’ve got a little ways to go to get to that point.” The Chiefs began a massive overhaul this offseason when they drafted left tackle Branden Albert with the second of their first-round picks. He was a guard in college, and the transition to tackle is a work in progress. It didn’t help when Albert sprained his foot, an injury that will force him to miss the preseason. The injury also could cause a chain reaction that slows Albert’s progress until the middle of the season. But coaches and players don’t want to talk about that. They want to talk about the changes they’ve made and that Chiefs management finally let go of the Willie Roaf and Shields era that now seems like a lifetime ago. “We were spoiled,” Waters said. Waters said the Chiefs tried to replace those players with quick fixes, signing free agents without the same level of talent. When they did that, the Chiefs did it at the expense of drafting top linemen, which Waters said is the way to build a line that doesn’t collapse upon the retirement of one or two players. “You know,” Waters said, “I’ve heard a lot of different things about how bad last year was. It didn’t happen just last year. “It really wasn’t that last year was so bad; it was just that we continued to Band-Aid it up until it got to a point to where we couldn’t hide it anymore.” Before drafting Albert with the No. 15 overall pick in April, the Chiefs hadn’t drafted a lineman in the first three rounds since taking John Tait in the first round in 1999. Team president Carl Peterson admitted earlier this year that the front office allowed the line to get too old. The Chiefs gambled that the line’s experience could outweigh any potential breakdown. “It didn’t work out,” Peterson said in January. Waters said a team should draft a high-quality lineman each year, particularly when that team has at least one starter in his 30s. The Chiefs are expected to have two — Waters and right tackle Damion McIntosh — in their 30s when the season begins Sept. 7. All five of the Chiefs’ regular linemen last year were in their 30s. Coach Herm Edwards said the team has begun the process of revamping the line. They’re not finished, possibly even for this year’s line. The Chiefs signed tackle Ken Shackleford on Saturday, and Edwards said the team might sign more linemen if the reserves don’t play better than they did in Thursday’s 24-20 preseason win against the Chicago Bears. “If we don’t feel comfortable with these guys,” Edwards said, “and there’s a veteran guy out there who we can use for a year to back somebody up, then we’ll do that. We’ll do whatever we have to do to solidify some things if it doesn’t shape out in the next three weeks.” It could be at least that long before Albert can return to practice. He’s been rehabbing that foot for the past two weeks, and Waters said it’s eating at the rookie that he can’t hang around the Chiefs’ practice field and get some work in. Waters is Albert’s roommate while they’re at training camp. He’s also the veteran whose job it is to introduce Albert to rookie hazing: carrying this bag and that one, too; a few of the veterans’ helmets and shoulder pads; and both arms full of lunches. If Albert sits or speaks before Waters gives him the go-ahead, Albert hears about it. “You better walk past them next time,” Waters told Albert the first week of camp, when Albert delayed lunch to speak to a television reporter. Waters has fun with the kid, but he feels sorry for Albert, too. Waters said he knows Albert wants to play, and the Chiefs sure need him in there. Waters said Albert could be the same kind of tackle as Roaf, who was selected to 11 Pro Bowls. Yes, Waters said, the kid with the five backpacks has that kind of talent. “We were trying to replace Willie for all these years. That’s where we made the mistake,” Waters said. “You don’t replace that guy with one guy. You replace him with a guy who you let grow into that position. Branden is that type of guy.” Edwards said drafting Albert was the beginning of a long road toward strengthening the line. The coach stopped short of saying it was the Chiefs’ most important — and potentially longest-lasting — project, but he said it is among them. Waters said he hopes to hold on long enough for the Chiefs to draft and develop a Pro Bowl-caliber lineman who can replace Waters the way no one replaced Roaf. Waters was asked Saturday how close the Chiefs’ line is to being there, a place where Waters would be comfortable stepping away and knowing he left it in good hands. Waters laughed. He said there is work to be done. But, he said, at least the work has begun. “We just made the mistake of really not taking it more seriously,” Waters said. “We’ve got a good start.”
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