Originally Posted by :
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Before Andy Reid began his vacation in California this week, Kansas City Chiefs head coach made an amusing yet literal request to his players: Please don’t report to training camp next month on crutches.
The Chiefs finished their offseason program last week without any significant injuries. Reid has enjoyed tinkering with his offensive playbook and watching his new defense, led by new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. The biggest hope for Reid is that none of his players need crutches or have to removed from the practice field on a cart during camp, which begins July 24 at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Mo.
The projected roster below assumes player is healthy and in top shape. An NFL season, however, is loaded with variables and the unexpected. In order to reach the Super Bowl, the Chiefs will need contributions from veteran backups and production from young, unproven players. The Chiefs were the biggest surprise of last year, as quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the NFL’s reigning MVP, led the team to the AFC Championship game. Reid wants his reconstructed defense to be another surprise this season.
After 12 practices, six of which were open to reporters, the Chiefs do appear to be a more balanced team. Reid and general manager Brett Veach will have difficult decisions to make at various positions, including wide receiver, linebacker and along the defensive line.
The three minicamp practices last week gave reporters the best indication of what the Chiefs’ depth chart looks like. From notes, observations and Reid’s preference in past seasons, here’s our early projection of the Chiefs’ 53-man roster.
Quarterbacks: Patrick Mahomes, Chad Henne
Analysis: The quarterbacks’ room shouldn’t change from last year. Mahomes has been supported by Henne, who also understands the offense better in his second season with the Chiefs. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, quarterbacks assistant Mike Kafka and Reid will continue to brainstorm on how Mahomes can stay ahead of opposing defenses. Henne, an 11-year veteran, is a suitable backup who can smoothly operate the Chiefs’ offense.
Practice-squad consideration: Chase Litton is entering his second season with the Chiefs after performing well last year in the preseason. If Litton continues to develop in camp, he’ll likely stay with the Chiefs and win the third-string battle over undrafted free agent Kyle Shurmur.
Running backs: Damien Williams, Carlos Hyde, Darrel Williams, Darwin Thompson
Analysis: This is an interesting group. All four players are capable of being additional receivers in Reid’s offense and Damien Williams appears to be ready for his role as the Chiefs’ primary ball carrier.
Hyde should be most effective in short-yardage situations and on swing passes out of the backfield. Last season, Darrel Williams performed well in his six games, showing toughness in space. The most unpredictable player at the position is Thompson, who could be used in screen passes, on special teams or as a gadget player for Reid. Thompson has enough speed that he should see the ball in space at least a few times this season. The Chiefs don’t need their running backs to be spectacular. The goal for this group should be consistency in keeping opposing defenses balanced.
Fullback: Anthony Sherman
Analysis: As one of the best fullbacks in the league, Sherman will continue to do a little bit of everything. Sherman will block for Mahomes and Williams, catch critical passes and be a plus on special teams. Another Pro Bowl appearance seems reasonable.
Tight ends: Travis Kelce, Deon Yelder, John Lovett
Analysis: Kelce, who missed the offseason practices to rest his surgically repaired ankle, should be fully healthy in time for camp. He is Mahomes’ favorite target, and that shouldn’t change this season, particularly on third down. The real intrigue in camp is who will play with Kelce as Reid’s second and third tight ends. The reason for two backups here is simple: Reid wants to run plays with two tight ends, and both Yelder and Lovett have the most potential. Yelder, the more traditional tight end who excels at blocking, spent most of last season on the Chiefs’ practice squad. The preseason is going to be critical for him. As for Lovett, he’s one of the best athletes on the roster. He made impressive catches during the open offseason practices and spent plenty of snaps with the projected starters with Kelce and Yelder out with injuries.
Practice-squad consideration: Nick Keizer is another young, solid option in case of an injury. Keizer spent last season on the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad.
Analysis: After the NFL Draft, Hill was not on our projected depth chart ahead of the team’s organized practices. Although he’s indefinitely suspended by the Chiefs, Hill could rejoin the team in camp since he’s no longer under criminal investigation from the Johnson County (Kan.) District Attorney’s office. The Chiefs believe Hill could receive a suspension from the NFL as soon as next month for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy.
Beyond Hill’s potential return, the rest of the position is a steady group. Watkins was a star during the offseason program, and Robinson has received greater responsibility within the offense. Pringle and Dieter are players who can contribute on offense and special teams. Hardman, the speedy rookie, should have an increased role as the season progresses and he better understands the offense.
Practice-squad consideration: Cody Thompson, an undrafted rookie from Toledo, was the second-most consistent receiver in the offseason practices behind Watkins. Thompson caught almost every ball thrown to him during the open practices and his route running, especially in the slot, was impressive. If Hill is suspended, Thompson could start the season on the Chiefs’ 53-man roster if he performs well in the preseason.
Offensive linemen: Mitchell Schwartz, Eric Fisher, Austin Reiter, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Andrew Wylie, Cam Erving, Kahlil McKenzie, Jimmy Murray, Nick Allegretti
Analysis: The Chiefs’ starting lineup appears set with a healthy Duverney-Tardif and an emerging Wylie as the projected guards next to Reiter as the center. Schwartz and Fisher are quality tackles. But one reason the Chiefs have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL is because of their depth and versatility. Erving, who spent much of last season as the starting left guard, appears ready for a new role as the swingman tackle. McKenzie learned the guard position last year as a rookie and should get plenty of snaps in the preseason. Murray and Allegretti are athletic enough to play both the center and guard positions.
Practice-squad consideration: Tackle Ryan Hunter should be given another year to learn from Schwartz, Fisher and assistant coach Andy Heck.
Defensive linemen: Frank Clark, Chris Jones, Alex Okafor, Emmanuel Ogbah, Derrick Nnadi, Breeland Speaks, Tanoh Kpassagnon, Khalen Saunders, Xavier Williams
Analysis: Spagnuolo is going to place a lot of his faith in these players. The trio of pass rushers in Clark, Jones and Okafor is a quality group that should put consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Jones, who is seeking a sizable contract extension, is expected to return to the team early in camp after missing all of the offseason practices. The two wild cards are former second-round picks Speaks and Kpassagnon. Spagnuolo wants the two players to play both on the edge and in the interior based on the matchups against the opposing offensive line. Speaks and Kpassagnon haven’t done that since their college careers. Nnadi, Saunders and Williams are all capable defensive tackles who can rotate and be stout in Spagnuolo’s 4-3 defense.
Practice-squad consideration: The Chiefs are very high on Tim Ward, an undrafted rookie defensive end who missed all of the offseason practices because of a knee injury.
Linebackers: Anthony Hitchens, Reggie Ragland, Damien Wilson, Darron Lee, Dorian O’Daniel, Ben Niemann
Analysis: The position appears to still be fluid for Spagnuolo, as Hitchens is the lone unquestioned starter. Ragland, Wilson and Lee could all be starters at some point this season with O’Daniel as a situational option. One of the most fascinating parts of camp will be how often the Chiefs run snaps with three linebackers. The change in scheme appears to benefit Ragland the most, who could play in the middle or as the strong-side ‘backer. The winner of these position battles will likely be the players who can sprint sideline to sideline and be effective in pass coverage. Niemann is the perfect role player who is disciplined and strong on special teams. O’Daniel is also a plus option on special teams.
Practice-squad considerations: Darius Harris, an undrafted rookie, has potential. Raymond Davison should get another year to develop after being on the Chiefs’s practice squad last season.
Cornerbacks: Kendall Fuller, Bashaud Breeland, Charvarius Ward, Keith Reaser, Tremon Smith
Analysis: Something unforeseen would have to happen in camp or the preseason for this position to change. Fuller, Breeland and Ward are the Chiefs’ primary options. Reaser is a reasonable option in dime coverage if he can stay healthy, which has been his biggest issue in the NFL. Spagnuolo likely will leave Fuller in the slot position and the burden will increase for Ward, who blossomed late last season as a rookie. Smith, a second-year player, is the projected winner of the final spot on the roster since he was excellent as the team’s kickoff returner last season.
Practice-squad considerations: Rookies Rashad Fenton and Mark Fields will need to perform better than expected in the preseason, both on defense and special teams, for them to make the roster. If they prove competent, both players should spend the season learning Spagnuolo’s system.
Safeties: Tyrann Mathieu, Juan Thornhill, Daniel Sorensen, Jordan Lucas, Armani Watts
Analysis: The order of this position is set entering training camp with Mathieu and Thornhill as the starters. Sorensen, Lucas and Watts are all capable backups who can make contributions on special teams. Spagnuolo just needs this group to stay healthy.
Specialists: Harrison Butker (kicker), Dustin Colquitt (punter), James Winchester (long snapper)
Analysis: All three players rank among the best at their position in the NFL with coordinator Dave Toub as their guru.
Practice-squad considerations: Undrafted rookie punter Jack Fox has a big and consistent leg; he’ll continue to develop under Colquitt and Toub.
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
I know it won't happen, but I reeeeally want Cam Erving's fat clunky ass the fuck out of here.
Yes. His versatility gets hyped, but to me that just means he sucks at more than one position. If we keep him I can only hope it's not as a starter. I feel like when I focused on the on-line last year while watching the all-22, he was never really winning his one-on-one match-ups, and only had better than average success on plays where he pulled on run blocking plays.
And of course I will add the obligatory Ragland sucks comment. I hate watching his slow ass take bad angles to the ball, bite too hard on play action, and then when he does make the correct read just being too damn slow to get to the ball. Sure, he makes a good play maybe once or twice a game, but his position on the field is too important for a slow, seemingly un-athletic, lumbering oaf. He is the Bob Sutton of linebackers.
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
I think Derrick Nnadi might have more lateral quickness than Herb Miller, and if he shaved off 5 pounds could probably beat him in a foot race. Miller might have great instincts and be a good tackler, but he's slower than whale jizz. He's going to get fucking eviscerated by any WRs if he doesn't play absolutely perfect coverage each and every time.
After this preseason I think our fastest corner is Juan Thornhill, a rookie safety who can play corner when the scheme calls for it.
I don't feel good about a single CB on this team. Ward, Breeland, and Fuller look slow, and Ward and Breeland have looked lost at times. I feel like even if the defensive line and linebackers are better than last year, our secondary is going to be such a weak spot, and will be the biggest reason we can't get off the field on 3rd downs.
Maybe Frank Clark and Chris Jones will be the second coming of DT and Neil Smith, and QBs won't have enough time to carve up our secondary.
Still not sure why Cody Thompson needs to be protected and not just practice squadded. 2 catches for 15 yards last night. 2 catches for 19 yards against the Bengals. 1 catch for 5 yards against the 9ers. The outlier here was those 7 catches against the Steelers for 69 yards. Who exactly is going to steal him from us, and if they do...so what? [Reply]
Originally Posted by wasi:
(3) QB: PM2, Shurmur, Moore
Shurmur looks like someone that might fetch a draft pick in trade down the road. Henne is headed to IR
(4) RB: Williams, Williams, Thompson, Sherman
I could see Reid keeping Hyde just because he is a vet. I wouldn’t hate it, but only if they don’t lose a good prospect.
(4) Tight ends: Kelce, Bell, Yelder
Yelder is the wildcard due to injury. Keizer could take this spot but I think he clears waivers anyway, so use the spot elsewhere if Yelder needs to go on IR.
(7)WR: Hill, Watkins, Robinson, Hardman, Pringle, Thompson, DAT
Thompson deserves to be protected from waivers and put on the practise squad. Everything points to Pringle making the team, but Hardman does everything Pringle does, so I would prefer to the Chiefs use the spot elsewhere.
(10) OL: Fisher, Erving, Reiter, LDT, Schwartz, Wylie, McKenzie, Allegretti, Murphy, Allen
Pace Murphy look like a good prospect at RT, so I have the Chiefs protecting him from waivers.
(28) OFFENSE
(7) DL: Clark, Jones, Okafor, Nnadi, TK, Saunders, Williams
Ogbah has shown nothing. He didn’t play in the fourth game, which is usually a good indicator of making the roster. But this is one of two players I’d be pissed if the Chiefs kept on the roster, the other is Ragland. Ogbah and Ogbah and Ragland save over $3M with no dead money. Saunders is the definition of a raw prospect. Speaks is headed to IR.
(5) LB: Hitchens, Damien Wilson, Lee, Niemann, Attaochu
I kept Pringle over DOD because it looks like the Chiefs favour Pringle over DOD. Ragland hasn’t developed. He entirely missed the read on the Packers second TD. Just seeing him play so much in the fourth week of preseason indicates the Chiefs still don’t know where he fits and that is not a good scenario for Ragland.
(5) CB: Fuller, Breeland, Ward, Miller, Fenton
Fenton has looked pretty good, and Miller should be protected from waivers.
(5) S: Mathieu, Thornhill, Sorensen, Lucas, Watts
I'd be very surprised if we have a 28 - 22 split from offense to defense. I will also be surprised if we see very many of our cuts tomorrow getting picked up on another teams 53 man roster. Maybe signed to some other practice squads [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chief Roundup:
You mean the guy that stopped Aaron Donald.....No I don't like him that much either but he did keep Aaron Donald in check.
Originally Posted by :
Who made the grade for Chiefs against the Green Bay Packers in fourth preseason game?
BY BLAIR KERKHOFF
GREEN BAY, WIS.
It wasn’t the most artistic of games, but that’s expected from a fourth preseason contest.
Not only did the starters for the Chiefs and Packers not play, they didn’t dress for the game in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Some 36 Packers, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers, were not in uniform Thursday night.
But a Rodgers-Patrick Mahomes matchup is on the calendar. The teams meet in the regular season on Oct. 27.
Player of the game: Quarterback Kyle Shurmur got the start and was on target for most of the first half, completing 14 of 20 passes for 146 yards. On his interception that was returned for a touchdown by Ty Summers, the pocket collapsed quickly and Shurmur’s arm was hit.
Reason to hope: The Chiefs’ reserves moved the ball on the Packers’ reserves early, with their first two possessions amassing 147 yards. But the drives resulted in a field goal for the Chiefs and a pick-six for the Packers.
Reason to mope: Two turnovers became 13 Packers points in the first half, and through 3 1/2 games of the preseason, the Chiefs had committed six turnovers. Non-starters have to take care of the ball, too.
Looking ahead: The regular season arrives on Sept. 8 at the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kickoff is at noon Central. Andy Reid returns to the site of his first victory as the Chiefs coach in the 2013 opener.
Rushing offense: C
Not much going on here. Carlos Hyde started and only he and Marcus Marshall got attempts through three quarters. Twice in the third quarter, Marshall slipped by the pile on fourth-and-1 on runs that produced first downs. Still, he’s likely a long shot to make the team and Hyde’s chances seem to be slipping by the week.
Passing offense: B
Shurmur had some nice moments, showing some touch on a 36-yard floater to Jody Fortson and later finding Fortson for a 2-yard score. Chase Litton went sidearm to hit Nick Keizer for a 4-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. At that point in the game, the Chiefs had outgained Green Bay 270 yards to 111. It didn’t count as a rush, but the alert play of the game belonged to wide receiver Rashard Davis, who picked up a fumble by Shurmur and advanced it 13 yards.
Rushing defense: C
The top player on the Chiefs’ defense was end Jeremiah Attaochu, who produced two sacks in the first half and was a run stopper. He also took some snaps at linebacker. Linebacker Reggie Ragland started and was in on a couple of stops.
Passing defense: D
Jordan Lucas’ interception of DeShone Kizer set up the Chiefs with a short-field touchdown. Morris Claiborne had a beautiful pass breakup in the end zone. But on the same series, Mark Fields had a tough go, committing penalties for pass interference and hands to the face.
They were two of the three defensive penalties on the drive that started after Marcus Marshall lost a fumble. Later in the second quarter, Fields committed another pass interference infraction in the end zone to set up a touchdown.
Special teams: B
Tremon Smith came up with a nice tackle on a kickoff and returned a kick 45 yards. The Chiefs forced a fumble on a kickoff to set up a third-quarter field goal.
The next time we see the Chiefs, it’s the season opener. Here’s a preseason assessment
BY SAM MELLINGER
Originally Posted by :
GREEN BAY, WIS.
The temptation is to make fun of the absurdity of regular-season pomp for preseason slop. This was the Chiefs’ fourth preseason game, and if there is any common sense in the world, this will be the last time anyone plays a fourth preseason game.
The most notable news from this one, as it is for every preseason game, is that Patrick Mahomes remains healthy. The second most notable moment might’ve been his fairly impressive punt in pre-game warm-ups. After that, would you be interested in knowing that Harrison Butker was good from 62 yards in warm-ups without much wind?
The game was choppy, and some of the starters on the bench joined in with the crowd doing the wave in the first quarter. But let’s resist the temptation. Men who are the best players in their hometown’s history played the last game of their lives on Thursday, here and around the league.
This particular game was telling in other ways, too.
Running backs Darwin Thompson and Darrel Williams did not play, while Carlos Hyde was used heavily. This is as strong an indication as we could have that Thompson and Williams are the Chiefs’ Nos. 2 and 3 running backs while Hyde’s place on the team is uncertain.
Reggie Ragland, who finished second on the team in tackles last year, also played. He showed out well (which he should) and was playing the SAM spot in a bit of a roster crunch, but it was still an odd sight. He’s listed as a starter on the team’s official depth chart.
Morris Claiborne also showed well. That’s to be expected, but nothing’s guaranteed, and the Chiefs had to be encouraged with his most extensive action before he serves his suspension and rejoins the team for week five.
But the thing that stuck out the most is a thing that’s often easy to miss, or take for granted. The Chiefs tackled reliably and consistently, same as they’ve tackled reliably and consistently all preseason.
Maybe that sounds like a small thing, but do you remember last season? The Chiefs had plenty of problems defensively, so tackling was sometimes overlooked, but the Chiefs gave away too many yards, particularly within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage.
The Chiefs missed eight tackles in the AFC Championship loss to the Patriots, according to Pro Football Focus, and even with all the roster turnover seven of those misses were by players who are back.
Overall, PFF graded the Chiefs 17th in tackling last year.
In this preseason, PFF graded the Chiefs as first overall entering Thursday’s games.
Preseason disclaimers apply, but logically it would make sense that tackling might translate to the regular season. Game plans and scheme shouldn’t matter for something so basic.
The improvement with tackling is a reminder of the complications in judging the Chiefs’ defense. That group has been so bad the last two years that a full makeover was required. The burden of proof is theirs, and more than a good showing at Jacksonville next Sunday will be required to convince.
But if the tackling improvement carries over, it will be a different reminder. Football people often talk of tackling being about effort, focus and technique.
While never tied directly to tackling, each of those traits was criticized inside and outside of the organization at times last year.
Steve Spagnuolo’s hiring as defensive coordinator came with many reasons, but toward the top of the list was his energy and insistence that everyone be held accountable. That goes for players, but also coaches, and to each other.
Look, this may prove to be off-base. The preseason can lie, if you let it.
But the preseason is now officially over with Thursday’s game, and the most pressing questions were always about the defense. We know the offense will score, and score a lot. We saw what happens last year when the opposing offense scores, and scores a lot.
This Chiefs team isn’t perfect. The defense has holes, and some injuries have likely put its cohesion at least a little behind schedule. But the little stuff matters, too.
And especially in the context of a fourth preseason game, the Chiefs’ improvement in tackling is among the more encouraging signs that we haven’t talked much about yet.
Chiefs fans watching Thursday night’s preseason finale in Green Bay, Wisconsin may have wondered what was happening during a commercial break.
It was halftime in the game when a University of Kansas Health System commercial ran and an unknown voice suddenly could be heard.
“Brian, are you there?” the voice said. “OK, Andy was actually really animated. Surprisingly. Let’s just say, I don’t think 26 has a spot on the roster.”
It sounded like Todd McShay, who was part of KCTV-5’s coverage of the game. He was talking about Chiefs coach Andy Reid. No. 26 is cornerback Mark Fields, who was signed as an undrafted free agent, and had a tough time against the Packers.
I don't know why we need to automatically give a roster spot to Matt Moore. I feel better about Shurmur being the backup. If you want him in the QB room as a vet. Hire him as a fucking assistant coach. [Reply]
Originally Posted by keg in kc:
Still not sure why Cody Thompson needs to be protected and not just practice squadded. 2 catches for 15 yards last night. 2 catches for 19 yards against the Bengals. 1 catch for 5 yards against the 9ers. The outlier here was those 7 catches against the Steelers for 69 yards. Who exactly is going to steal him from us, and if they do...so what?
Rashard Davis looked better than him last night too. [Reply]
Originally Posted by RealSNR:
Has Pringle gotten open ONCE this preseason?
He's gotten basically all of his reps with Shurmer who literally doesn't throw to the outside, watch him. It's all slants and middle routes or dump offs. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mecca:
He's gotten basically all of his reps with Shurmer who literally doesn't throw to the outside, watch him. It's all slants and middle routes or dump offs.
Shurmer is just so bad.
I truly have no idea what the coaching staff sees in this guy. It has to be the Pat Shurmer thing - Litton never really got a fair shake at all.
That said - Pringle isn't any good either. Just another Bobby Sippio. [Reply]
And man, did Fields !@#$ing implode last night or what?
I do think that 3rd penalty on him, the PI that set up the touchdown, was a little iffy. But the holds were awful, he got embarrassed on the hurdle. He just looked pretty !@#$ing bad.
I think he had a roster spot and I think the amount of time he got to prove it supports that. But I think he played himself right off the team last night and that's a shame. I'm hopeful he can get a PS slot and earn his way back.
The talent is there - but he just blew up on the pad last night and there's no way to sugar coat that. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
Shurmer is just so bad.
I truly have no idea what the coaching staff sees in this guy. It has to be the Pat Shurmer thing - Litton never really got a fair shake at all.
That said - Pringle isn't any good either. Just another Bobby Sippio.
It's his dad and it's also that for some reason teams like backups that don't take chances. So his "super safe play" is more appealing I guess. [Reply]