Popcorn Sutton
04-26-2007, 08:36 AM
ESPN Insider: Jeremy Green
Chiefs' offensive woes mounting
posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Kansas City Chiefs
Whether the Chiefs have been considered a good or bad team in recent years there was always one thing you could count on: a solid offensive line that could protect the quarterback and open holes in the running game.
That started to change last season with the sudden retirement of left tackle Willie Roaf and the suspension of right tackle John Welbourn. Welbourn returned but was not the same player he was in 2005. Throw in the recent retirement of 12-time Pro Bowl guard Will Shields and the departure of developing tackle Jordan Black in free agency and Kansas City now has major holes along the offensive line.
The Chiefs did add tackle Damion McIntosh to the mix, but he is not an upgrade over Black and the unit that has been the backbone of the Chiefs' offense for so many years now goes into the 2007 draft with questions at right guard and both tackle spots.
Those holes could have a trickle-down effect on the entire offense this season. Star running back Larry Johnson is not going to see as much daylight as in years past and must become even more creative as a runner. The team re-signed its top pass receiver in tight end Tony Gonzalez, but with the line in flux he will be asked to block even more. The result will take a toll on the passing game that does not have a No. 1 wide receiver right now. We seem to say that every year, but right now the Chiefs do not even have a wideout on the roster who would be considered a solid No. 2 receiver.
Add to that the ongoing trade talks involving veteran quarterback Trent Green and you have to wonder what will happen to the Kansas City offense. With all of the above factors considered, taking Johnson out of the mix clearly would drop the offense into the bottom third of the NFL. Not a good scenario for a team that also enters the draft with questions on the defensive side of the ball. The Chiefs were a playoff team last season but are taking major steps backward this offseason, though President/General Manager Carl Peterson is one of the best GMs in the league and they are never going to settle for mediocrity. :kiddingme
What is the fix? The main goal will be to start rebuilding the offensive line, finding suitable replacements to help solid starters in left guard Brian Waters and center Casey Wiegmann. First, Kansas City will look at the street free agent marker for offensive guard help. Former Cleveland guard Cosey Coleman has logged a lot of starts in his career, and while he is not dominating he would at least give the Chiefs a serviceable veteran presence in the starting lineup.
The rest is going to have to come via the draft. Kansas City has only six picks (no fourth-round selection) and Peterson will have to be creative, meaning the Chiefs could be primed to trade down and acquire extra picks. They have far too many needs to come out of draft day with only six players.
This team has stayed fairly consistent over the past five or six seasons without a lot of offensive firepower on the outside because they had a stud running back who carried the ball behind a top-three offensive line. Johnson is still there, but that line is a shell of what we are accustomed to seeing in Kansas City and that potentially could derail this offense.
:manesmack
Chiefs' offensive woes mounting
posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: Kansas City Chiefs
Whether the Chiefs have been considered a good or bad team in recent years there was always one thing you could count on: a solid offensive line that could protect the quarterback and open holes in the running game.
That started to change last season with the sudden retirement of left tackle Willie Roaf and the suspension of right tackle John Welbourn. Welbourn returned but was not the same player he was in 2005. Throw in the recent retirement of 12-time Pro Bowl guard Will Shields and the departure of developing tackle Jordan Black in free agency and Kansas City now has major holes along the offensive line.
The Chiefs did add tackle Damion McIntosh to the mix, but he is not an upgrade over Black and the unit that has been the backbone of the Chiefs' offense for so many years now goes into the 2007 draft with questions at right guard and both tackle spots.
Those holes could have a trickle-down effect on the entire offense this season. Star running back Larry Johnson is not going to see as much daylight as in years past and must become even more creative as a runner. The team re-signed its top pass receiver in tight end Tony Gonzalez, but with the line in flux he will be asked to block even more. The result will take a toll on the passing game that does not have a No. 1 wide receiver right now. We seem to say that every year, but right now the Chiefs do not even have a wideout on the roster who would be considered a solid No. 2 receiver.
Add to that the ongoing trade talks involving veteran quarterback Trent Green and you have to wonder what will happen to the Kansas City offense. With all of the above factors considered, taking Johnson out of the mix clearly would drop the offense into the bottom third of the NFL. Not a good scenario for a team that also enters the draft with questions on the defensive side of the ball. The Chiefs were a playoff team last season but are taking major steps backward this offseason, though President/General Manager Carl Peterson is one of the best GMs in the league and they are never going to settle for mediocrity. :kiddingme
What is the fix? The main goal will be to start rebuilding the offensive line, finding suitable replacements to help solid starters in left guard Brian Waters and center Casey Wiegmann. First, Kansas City will look at the street free agent marker for offensive guard help. Former Cleveland guard Cosey Coleman has logged a lot of starts in his career, and while he is not dominating he would at least give the Chiefs a serviceable veteran presence in the starting lineup.
The rest is going to have to come via the draft. Kansas City has only six picks (no fourth-round selection) and Peterson will have to be creative, meaning the Chiefs could be primed to trade down and acquire extra picks. They have far too many needs to come out of draft day with only six players.
This team has stayed fairly consistent over the past five or six seasons without a lot of offensive firepower on the outside because they had a stud running back who carried the ball behind a top-three offensive line. Johnson is still there, but that line is a shell of what we are accustomed to seeing in Kansas City and that potentially could derail this offense.
:manesmack