2010 Chiefs

FootballDad

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Nothing like getting an early start! The Chiefs made it official today, they've hired Charlie Weis as the OC. Here is one article with some details. I like the hire in that I think it may make the Chefs more competitive. I don't look at Weis as being any sort of caste-breaker, but he's seemed to be relatively fair to whites in the past, with the emphasis on relatively.
 

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The Chiefs have signed WR Jerheme Urban, C Casey Weigmann, and G Ryan Lilja in the last few days, all outstanding white players. It's looking up in Chiefsville!
 

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Hopefully Urban is going to be given a chance to be a starter...
 

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From the KC Star, a list of the training camp fodder for the affletes guaranteed to make the team:


<H1 ="title">Chiefs sign 11 rookie free agents</H1>
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They are:


DL Garrett Brown, 6-1, 309, Minnesota
LB Justin Cole, 6-3, 242, San Jose State
TE T.C. Drake, 6-4, 248, Kentucky
OL Tyler Eastman, 6-5, 310, Maine
WR Rich Gunnell, 5-11, 197, Boston College
WR Jeremy Horne-Murdock, 6-2, 193, Mass.
OL Lemuel Jeanpierre, 6-3, 301, South Carolina
LB Michael Johnson, 6-0, 254, North Alabama
RB Tervaris Johnson, 6-2, 248, Miami
OL Nick Landry, 6-5, 291, Tulane
OL Andrew Lewis, 6-4, 298, Oklahoma State



It's obvious where the Chiefs were casting a wide net. Four of these players are offensive linemen.Edited by: FootballDad
 

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Here is an article from the Chiefs' website in regards to a position with many caste matchups. As the Chiefs will most likely only carry 3 tight ends on the opening day roster, most likely only 1 white player is going to make it.

Big, fat, slow Leonard Pope could conceivably be cut, but he's a fave of coach Haley from the Arizona days, so we're probably stuck with him, rookie Poly Moeaki is a lock of course. That leaves Brad Cottam, who the DWF's hate, Jake O'Connell, who dropped a couple of passes last year, which is not allowed for a white player with no margin for error, and Cody Slate, who is the all-time receiving leader for tight ends at Marshall. He had the misfortune of having a knee injury halfway through his senior campaign, which is death for a white guy, no matter how talented.

** Quick update, in order to make this position possibly all non-white, the Chiefs just announced that they signed undrafted free agent Leroy Banks out of Southern Mississippi who can maybe get rid of those white boys so that they will have an all-pass-dropping contingent of tight ends


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<DIV id=print-module rel="/cda-web/article-module.htm?id=cfa1da54-ada7-4510-8ee0-195ba9a3b7f2&amp;seoTitle=2010--Previews-Tight-End&amp;section=news&amp;vv=print">
<H2 ="article-title">2010 Position Previews: Tight End</H2>
By Josh Looney
Posted Jul 28, 2010
<DIV ="bd" jQuery1280412591311="6">
<H3>A diverse crop of players make up this position group</H3>
<DIV ="article-" jQuery1280412591311="5">
moeaki_250_7_28_10.jpg

Back for more: <NOBR jQuery1280412591311="3">Brad Cottam <OBR>; Jake O'Connell; <NOBR jQuery1280412591311="39">Leonard Pope <OBR>
Welcome to KC: <NOBR jQuery1280412591311="41">Tony Moeaki <OBR> (draft pick); <NOBR jQuery1280412591311="44">Cody Slate <OBR> (rookie free agent)


Departures: Sean Ryan


2009 Starts: Pope (8); Ryan (8); O'Connell (2); Cottam (1)


Career Games Played: Pope (55); Cottam (24); O'Connell (4); Moeaki (0); Slate (0)


Preview: It's far too easy to get caught up in the training camp hype surrounding the competition for the Chiefs starting tight end position. Yes, the battle should be a fun one to watch, but focusing on who wins the starting role clouds the overall view of the position.


Kansas City has a crop of tight ends that are very different from one another, creating expanded options for situational use of personnel. At 6-8, 264 pounds, returning starter Leonard Pope can provide a sturdy post on the hip of Kansas City's offensive tackles. Conversely, rookie Tony Moeaki showed excellent hands the ability to create mismatches in the downfield passing game during his limited, but very impressive, off-season work.


The versatility of Kansas City's tight ends offer Todd Haley's coaching staff multiple personnel options to use as they see fit. It's a welcoming sight, particularly since the Chiefs were somewhat one-dimensional at the position a year ago.


Pope's mid-season arrival steadied a position of wild rides through the first eight weeks of the 2009 season. Off-season departure Sean Ryan was the talk of training camp and sprinted out of the gates to lead the team in receiving a few games into the season. He came back down to Earth shortly afterward and was a healthy inactive for six of the final eight contests.


Last year's projected starter, Brad Cottam, had a rough go in training camp and found himself on the bench for the majority of 2009's first half. He worked his way back into the lineup the right way - through nothing but hard work â€" only to suffer a setback as he extended for extra yardage after a catch vs. Cleveland. It was a tough break for a player who seemed to be coming into his own at the time.


Cottam's neck injury would land him on injured reserve, and also cause the third-year player to miss Kansas City's on-field portion of spring work in its entirety. Cottam's participation in training camp is subject to medical clearance. He could be a candidate for the PUP list, despite chomping at the bit to make his on-field return.


At training camp, most fans will want to pay attention to Moeaki at the line of scrimmage. He's already shown the ability to go one-on-one with NFL talent in the passing game, but knocking helmets with linebackers and defensive lineman in the blocking game will be a first for the rookie in St. Joseph.


Outside of the three tight ends that seem to generate the most chatter is a pair of young players looking to make their way in the league.


A seventh-round pick in 2009, Jake O'Connell played sparingly as a rookie, but is a player who can play off the line of scrimmage or as an h-back. Rookie free agent Cody Slate was viewed by many scouting services as a draftable player at Marshall before a knee injury cut short his senior season. Slate's specialty is catching the football, consistently leading the Thundering Herd receiving efforts during his time in Huntington, WV. He's fully recovered from ACL surgery.


If the Chiefs decide to spread things out, they now appear to have the personnel at tight end to do so. If Haley and Co. would rather go with a sixth offensive lineman, that looks like it could be an option as well.


Quotable: The following player or coach quotes occurred this off-season, relative to the position group.


Haley is looking forward to seeing how Moeaki responds in pads"¦


"A tight end, another guy without pads that is hard to judge other than he looks like he has a pretty good feel, can find his way open and is not afraid to catch the ball so he is moving in the right direction."Â￾


Haley expects mid-season pickups for 2009, like Pope, to be better adjusted for 2010"¦


"We now have been able to put them into our program, which I've said a bunch of times I'm really excited about the direction we've been going in the off-season portion of it and I think it's got to give them a great chance to compete having that time and learning the system, all those factors, you have to factor in them taking a step for us. It's tough to come in mid-year and all those guys did a real good job at times. Other times you probably wanted to be better, but it has to help."Â￾


Number Crunch: The Chiefs carried three tight ends on the Opening Day roster in 2009 â€" Cottam, O'Connell and *Ryan


*indicates opening day starter<OBR>Edited by: FootballDad
 

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From a caste perspective, this is one of the very best positions on the Chiefs, with two outstanding white performers. The Chiefs' linebacking corps was a terrible disappointment last year with the possible exception of the OLB position. The problem that I saw is that the Inside Linebackers were so poor and constantly out of position that the outside guys had to do everything. Mike Vrabel might have looked a step slow last year due to his injuries, but mostly because he had to do everything. Andy Studebaker, IMHO, is the best player of the bunch, and should be a star on the level of Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews. Tamba Hali does a fair job rushing the passer, but heaven forbid if he's forced to actually cover a receiver! Of course, Pierre Walters, who is nothing special, is hyped up because of his "ideal football frame", meaning that he has that "black look".

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<DIV id=print-module rel="/cda-web/article-module.htm?id=701db5f5-f998-4cf7-9e98-5915e2815b4a&amp;seoTitle=2010--Preview-Outside-Linebackers&amp;section=news&amp;vv=print">
<H2 =article-title>2010 Position Preview: Outside Linebackers</H2>
By Josh Looney
Posted Jul 23, 2010
A pair of three-down performers from 2009 return as starters, but there is some talent lurking in the reserve ranks
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Back for more: <NOBR jQuery1280417194936="3">Tamba Hali <OBR>; <NOBR jQuery1280417194936="39">Andy Studebaker <OBR>; <NOBR jQuery1280417194936="41">Mike Vrabel <OBR>; <NOBR jQuery1280417194936="43">Pierre Walters <OBR>
Welcome to KC: <NOBR jQuery1280417194936="45">Justin Cole <OBR> (rookie free agent); <NOBR jQuery1280417194936="48">Cameron Sheffield <OBR> (draft pick)


Departures: None


2009 Starts: Hali (16); Vrabel (14); Studebaker (2)


Career Games Played: Vrabel (190); Hali (63); Studebaker (22); Walters (3); Cole (0); Sheffield (0)


Preview: Is this position group one of the most stable on the Chiefs roster heading into training camp? A pair of three-down veteran performers, in Tamba Hali and Mike Vrabel, return from the 2009 squad. Both players manned their familiar first-team posts throughout OTAs and mini-camp and are anticipated to do the same when camp opens next week.


There wasn't much movement among the Chiefs outside linebackers in 2009. Outside of the two games (and a portion of another) that Vrabel was injured, starters Hali and Vrabel were on the field non-stop. After playing just a handful of defensive snaps over the first eight games of the season, Andy Studebaker shined in Vrabel's absence and appears to have cemented himself, at a minimum, as the group's top reserve.


Did Studebaker do enough in a reserve role last season and throughout this off-season to warrant more playing time in 2010? He's expected to once again be a vital part of the coverage units on special teams, but an impressive training camp could be just the ingredient to catapult him to more time in the defensive rotation.


Pierre Walters took a "redshirt"Â last season as the Chiefs coaching staff took aim in developing the former collegiate defensive end that possess a great football frame. He played in just three games and received only a handful of defensive snaps. Walters will face competition in the reserve ranks from a pair of rookies in fifth-round pick Cameron Sheffield and rookie free agent Justin Cole.


Ironically, Cole has the most positional experience of any outside linebacker on this football team outside of Vrabel. Obviously, Cole's experience doesn't come at the pro level, but everyone else in this position group either transitioned into the position last year or is doing so this year. Even Vrabel originally entered the league as a defensive end with Pittsburgh in 1997.


Hali's transition to the outside linebacking position was well received in 2009 as he was easily the club's most disruptive defender. He led the team with 8.5 sacks, but remained strived for more and went to work this off-season pm improving the intricacies of the position such as spot drops, backside play and read recognitions. At age 26, the Chiefs are excited about the possibilities which await Hali in his second year at the position.


Quotable: The following player or coach quotes occurred this off-season, relative to the position group.


Todd Haley doesn't think Studebaker should pigeonhole himself as a reserve player"¦


"I have told Andy a bunch of times, ‘don't you assume that you can't be number one. You need to be pushing because who is to say that you can't do it?' That is his mindset and he has a great mentor in Mike (Vrabel) that he follows around non-stop."Â


Haley believes that good days are ahead for Hali"¦


"He's a guy that I don't hear a lot about, but this is an impressive guy who has really, in my opinion, bought in to what is going on around here, wants to be a special player and wants to be part of a really good team. He is a passionate guy that I think has put everything he has into the off-season once again, like he did last year. I think he'll start to see some more of those rewards here as he continues to become a big-time player."Â



The presence of Vrabel at voluntary workouts was felt throughout the locker room this off-season, according to Haley"¦
"There is no doubt when you have a presence like G <NOBR jQuery1280417194936="50">Brian Waters <OBR> and LB Mike Vrabel that there is a positive impact along with the guys who have shown clear leadership for us. They are making that step and from last year at this point, it is not close, that is all I can say there. There is a different vibe and energy in there."Â


Number Crunch: The Chiefs carried five outside linebackers on the Opening Day roster in 2009 â€" *Hali, Turk McBride, Studebaker, *Vrabel and Walters


*indicates opening day starter
 

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The Chiefs just signed John Russell, the outstanding (and undrafted, for some reason) linebacker from Wake Forest. Considering how piss-poor the LB corps are on the Chiefs, he might actually have a shot at making the team. Here is an interview that he did a couple of months ago when optimism reigned: John Russell DraftNasty Interview
 

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Some good news for Jon McGraw, at least for now. From Rotoworld

Jon McGraw is still running as the first team FS ahead of Kendrick Lewis.
<div ="s_pNewsTextMain">
With the Jarrad Page situation still at a stalemate, McGraw and Lewis
are going toe-to-toe. We like Lewis' upside to win out, although
starting two rookies at the safety spots (Eric Berry is the strong
safety) would be a bold move for Kansas City.

He did start 9 games last season so hopefully he is the starter this year.
</div>
 

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Yeah, Lewis ran a blistering 4.72 second 40 at the combine. Although he's allegedly been clocked in the 4.5's, a time like that for a white guy would have gotten him laughed out of the NFL. McGraw is taller, heavier, and faster than this rookie afflete, but is constantly maligned by the Chiefs DWF's. I remember the Cleveland game last year, where Harrison ran for almost 300 yards, and Cribbs took a couple of kickoffs to the house, McGraw was on the sidelines with a handinjury, but suited up and chomping at the bit to get in, yet the Chiefs went with the able-bodied affletes and the result was predictable
 

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whiteathlete33 said:
Some good news for Jon McGraw, at least for now. From Rotoworld

Jon McGraw is still running as the first team FS ahead of Kendrick Lewis.

<DIV ="s_pNewsTextMain">With the Jarrad Page situation still at a stalemate, McGraw and Lewis are going toe-to-toe. We like Lewis' upside to win out, although starting two rookies at the safety spots (Eric Berry is the strong safety) would be a bold move for Kansas City.

He did start 9 games last season so hopefully he is the starter this year.



That's Rotoworld's take every single time a White player and a black one are battling for a position.
 

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Scrolling around the Chiefs' site I noticed that they have been really moving the linebackers around quite a bit, and one package that has been particularly successful is when they move Mike Vrabel inside and put Andy Studebaker in Vrabel's outside slot. For some reason those white boys look like they can really play!
 

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I am sort of an observant type of person if you will and one thing has clearly stood out to me. Mike Vabel kind of reminds me of the "John Lynch" of the second half of the 2000s decade. Both players are/were actually widely respected in all circles (players/coaches/media) a very rare feat for a white defensive player. They're the type of guys who the media, TV broadcasters, will actually cling on to and give them props for being leaders. Lynch and vrabel are enigmas in the sense that they're treated with proper respect usually lavished upon their black peers.
 

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Lynch was the rare white safety that got respect from the DWF's. Just think of how Stuart Schweigert and Sabby Piscitelli were blamed for everything.
 

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whiteCB said:
I am sort of an observant type of person if you will and one thing has clearly stood out to me. Mike Vabel kind of reminds me of the "John Lynch" of the second half of the 2000s decade. Both players are/were actually widely respected in all circles (players/coaches/media) a very rare feat for a white defensive player. They're the type of guys who the media, TV broadcasters, will actually cling on to and give them props for being leaders. Additionally, John and Mike are never lambasted by DWFs and the DWFs actually will wear their jerseys. Lynch and vrabel are enigmas in the sense that they're treated with proper respect usually lavished upon their black peers.
 

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It looks like white players never are allowed tohave that "upside"! Does anybody ever remember a white player described as having some of that tremendous upside??

I hope Jon McGraw wins the battle! Was gonna post that in the Training Camp Battle thread...Edited by: TwentyTwo
 

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whiteCB said:
I am sort of an observant type of person if you will and one thing has clearly stood out to me. Mike Vabel kind of reminds me of the "John Lynch" of the second half of the 2000s decade. Both players are/were actually widely respected in all circles (players/coaches/media) a very rare feat for a white defensive player. They're the type of guys who the media, TV broadcasters, will actually cling on to and give them props for being leaders. Lynch and vrabel are enigmas in the sense that they're treated with proper respect usually lavished upon their black peers.



You're right about Vrabel. But he was jerked around by the Steelers for four seasons. Bill Cowher completely wasted his talent. It wasn't until he went to the Patriots that he got a chance to shine, a lot like Wes Welker in that way. But then again, Lynch rotted on the bench for three seasons before becoming a starter. Those damn racial apprenticeships.. .
smiley29.gif
 

Deadlift

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Very interesting... I like the way the article is structured!



Posted on Mon, Aug. 16, 2010 12:24 AM

Sunday in Chiefs camp | Offensive line has rough weekend; Lewis' goal is to start; Haley explains decision to defer


http://www.kansascity.com/2010/08/15/2152125/chiefs-day-in-camp-on-sunday.html

I'll just quote one thing:

DAILY BATTLE
Defensive end Alex Magee worked with the third-team defense Sunday, another sign that last year's third-round pick isn't improving as the team hoped. Jackson is listed as the Chiefs' starter at left end, and his backup is listed as Shaun Smith, whose experience is mostly as an interior lineman

It must suck to be worse than Shaun Smith!
smiley36.gif



A couple of excellent comments:

"¢ DT58HOF wrote on 8/16/2010 8:06:37 AM:

Why was nothing done in the offseason to address both sides of the line???? Will someone tell Tyson "bust" Jackson that it is ok to tackle someone not wearing the same color jersey. He could be more of a bust than Ryan Simms!


"¢ RedDirtOkie wrote on 8/16/2010 6:38:33 AM:

Jackson, McGee and Dorsey are busts. That became obvious friday night. Pioli and Haley's failure to recognize this in the off season has doomed the team again this year. A team that can't stop the run can't win in the NFL.

The NFL is a monumental joke!
 

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I watched parts of the Chief's game on Friday, and noted that Derek Lokey looked very good on the D-line while he was in. Bobby Greenwood played well also. Both played better than Dorsey or Jackson, who are going to be (already are) monumental busts. At one point in the game, both were in at the same time, I had to rub my eyes to make sure that I wasn't seeing things. For some reason the D-line (along with okay afflete, Wallace Gilberry) held their ground and didn't allow any running, and freed up the linebackers. But hey, they don't have "upside" like the affletes do.
 

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It was disappointing to see KC have another coal-black draft in 2010. Will they ever learn?

Does (UFA) Cody Slate have a chance at making the active roster?
 

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It depends on how many TE's the Chiefs decide to keep on the roster. Normally, they would carry three, which makes it a tough go for Cody, since supa dupa afflete Leonard Pope and high-draft pick Tony Moeaki are both locks. That leaves the third position battle to Jake O'Connell, who is the most likely to be kept, Cody, and afflete Leroy Banks, who the coaches love since he has lots of "upside".
 

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Andy Studebaker continues to get recognition. He's yet another potential White star in the making at LB. The timing seems right too, given that Mike Vrabel is near the end of his career, which should shorten Studebaker's racial apprenticeship.

Chiefs Need To Take Studebaker For A Spin

I have beenravingabout Andy Studebaker since least season.



It wasn't just his interceptions against the Steelers that impressed me. It was the fact that 17 of his 28 tackles last season came in the same 3 game span he was covering for the injured Mike Vrabel.


Small sample size? Sure. Yet if you take Studie's numbers in those 3 games and project them over the course of a season, this is what you get:


91 tackles and 10 interceptions.


Ok, so Studebaker is probably not likely to ever get 10 interceptions playing OLB but you get my point.





When the kid was in the game, he got to the ball carrier and made plays. I remember oneinstancelast season where he blew through 3 blockers to get to the ball carrier and knock him out of bounds. I just believed the kid could be special.


Studebaker seems to be generating more and more buzz and it appears the Chiefs are catching on. Studebaker recorded a tackle for nogameon his very first snap in the Falcons game. He had played very well all preseason and the team is giving him snaps with the first team defense, bringing him in during nickel situations and moving Mike Vrabel to MLB.


If Studebaker continues to impress this preseason, the Chiefs need to seriously consider making Vrabel's move to MLB permanent. Even with all hisexperience Vrabel is not getting any better. I understand the Chiefs desire to keep him on the field but they face a conundrum if their loyalty to Vrabel keeps Studebaker in the garage.


If the Chiefs think Studbaker is ready to take the field without being a liability, they have to find a way to get him out there.


It might be time for the Chiefs to take the Studebaker for a spin.
http://arrowheadaddict.com/2010/08/20/chiefs-need-to-take-studebaker-for-a-spin/
 

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It just bugs me that they have to rotate Studie with Vrabel. It would be nice if, as the author suggests, that Vrabel be moved inside so that Studie can be on the field full-time. After all, what else do the Chefs have at LB? They have Tamba Hali at the other OLB spot, who is a good "OLB/DE" pass rusher, but a liability in coverage, wildly inconsistent Derrick Johnson, and scrubs like Corey Mays, Demorrio Williams, Jovan Belcher, et al.


Heck, my dream Chiefs LB lineup would read John Russell ROLB, Andy Studebaker LOLB, Mike Vrabel and Cory Greenwood ILB's. Not a tackle would be missed.
 

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Deadlift said:
Does (UFA) Cody Slate have a chance at making the active roster?

Apparently not. Cody was one of the first Chief cuts this year. He went out with fellow white guys Bill Stull (QB) and OT Tyler Eastman, the rookie from Maine. Cody had one of the best preseasons of any of the TE's on the roster, but as I mentioned in a previous post, it was pretty crowded at that position, with 2 of the 3 positions set.

Both Eastman and Slate look to have a good shot at the practice squad. I think Eastman has considerable "upside"
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