I've been rewatching some of the Eagles and Pats games the past week, and DJ is just insanely good.
Seriously, I don't even think I want to lose him this offseason, much as that financially makes sense.
Here's the deal: you can totally replace his speed and his athleticism. Especially these days.
But he's SO SMART. Easily the smartest player on our defense -- he never falls for a single fake, he can always anticipate where the play is going, and is so mentally tough.
Terez did a story on Ragland earlier this season where Ragland was talking about "hey all I'm here to do is exactly what DJ tells me -- it's his team." That kind of deference is invaluable and it's part of what makes our defense so incredibly difficult to score on.
I know nobody disagrees with me that DJ is an All Time Chief, but I'll tell you this right now: barring another injury or him falling off a cliff, we gotta keep this guy. He's nigh irreplaceable. [Reply]
Originally Posted by oldman:
This. I've seen a lot of great ILBs in my time and I'd have to say that he's about as good as they get. I hope he says as a coach when his time is up.
I want him to be our LBs coach. Imagine our group? Talk about instincts [Reply]
Originally Posted by penbrook:
DJ isn’t limping. He’s just slow. That’s what getting old does. However he still has some of the best instincts ever and is very good is the passing game.
Flexibility begets range of motion begets speed.
No, he's not limping, but full flexibility and range of motion are going to be the last things he gets back. No, he's not suddenly going to get back to being a 4.6 guy; but it doesn't take much to be the difference between turning someone back inside and losing the edge. Between snagging a foot on a dive and reaching for air.
Like I said - there's a distinct possibility that this is what he is. But you can't see if he has his dexterity back in his lower half yet nor can you know if he's back to 100% game shape. If he loosens up that ankle just a little more, he may have just an Nth more explosion out of a cut. If he gets just a little more past rehab and back into football conditioning, maybe he's just a little fresher in the 3rd.
There are ways for him to maybe get just an inkling of speed back and it could be the thing that saves a play that stops a drive that yields a 7 point swing and pulls a W from the jaws of an L. It's a funny sport that rests constantly on a knife's edge. He may not have anything left to recapture. It may not even matter if he does. But then again, he may and it might.
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
May still end up inactive depending on the coaching staff's belief as to whether or not he's ready to contribute despite limited reps.
He's 50/50 until the inactive list comes out, IMO.
He would be listed as questionable than. However he isn’t on the injury report at all and he practiced the past 2 days which means he will be play [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
May still end up inactive depending on the coaching staff's belief as to whether or not he's ready to contribute despite limited reps.
He's 50/50 until the inactive list comes out, IMO.
Originally Posted by penbrook:
He would be listed as questionable than. However he isn’t on the injury report at all and he practiced the past 2 days which means he will be play
No. 'Questionable' is whether or not he's injured.
Healthy don't mean he'll play. 53 man rosters; 46 gameday actives. Now they'll have some like Morse that will be on the 53 but unhealthy so they won't play. But they'll probably have 5ish 'healthy scratch' players.
Last week Tyler Bray, DJ White, Jordan Devey, Jehu Chesson and Jarvis Jenkins were all gameday inactives despite not being on an injury report. Those guys practiced every day and still didn't play. They didn't even dress.
You're just not right. He may play, yes. If the Chiefs determine he's presently up to speed and capable of contributing. But healthy or not, they may also decide that they need to see another week with him practicing to deactivate someone like Terrance Smith.
The recent spat of injuries is alarming. He's lost a step, but as was said... he's smart and instinctive.
If KC had some impressive young guys coming up, it would be different, but even at his age he's the best we have by miles.
Shit changes quickly in the NFL though.
Honestly for his first several years he was a bit of an underachiever. Haley benched him, and he's been an all pro since returning to the line-up. [Reply]
Originally Posted by penbrook:
DJ isn’t limping. He’s just slow. That’s what getting old does. However he still has some of the best instincts ever and is very good is the passing game.
I agree with you penbrook /things I'll probably never say again [Reply]
Originally Posted by TigeRRUppeRRcut:
I hope we can win it all this year and let Tamba and DJ retire so their bodies can stop taking a beating. Then Alex Smith can play out the last year of his contract without controversy and CP will be a happier place.
Dude, let it go already. AS11 won't be in a Chiefs uni in 18 period. [Reply]
Originally Posted by WhiteWhale:
The recent spat of injuries is alarming. He's lost a step, but as was said... he's smart and instinctive.
If KC had some impressive young guys coming up, it would be different, but even at his age he's the best we have by miles.
Shit changes quickly in the NFL though.
Honestly for his first several years he was a bit of an underachiever. Haley benched him, and he's been an all pro since returning to the line-up.
Eligwe is gonna be goooooood, man.
I like pretty much everything I've seen from that kid. Now there's no replacement for experience, especially with as much as we put on our Mike (and with as much as DJ is capable of handling from the mental side of things). But give Eligwe some time and I think he's exactly that 'impressive young guy' you're asking for. I think he'll be a hell of a ballplayer. [Reply]
