Depth Chart Guesstimation

by Direckshun on May 23, 2008 9:40 PM CDT

What's your guess, folks?

You are allowed 53 players on your roster, and eight first- or second-year players on your practice squad.

Here's mine:

QB: Croyle, Huard, Thigpen
RB: LJ, Charles, Smith
FB: Hoyte, Cox

WR: Bowe, Darling, Webb, Franklin, Robinson
TE: Tony G, Cottam, Allan

OT: Albert, McIntosh, Richardson, Taylor
OG: Waters, Jones, McDuffie
C: Niswanger, Smith

DT: Dorsey, Edwards, Edwards, Tyler, McBride, Lokey
DE: Hali, Boone, Johnston, Dingle

MLB: Harris, Harris
OLB: Edwards, DJ, Williams, Baldwin

CB: Surtain, Flowers, Barksdale, Brackenridge, Carr
S: Page, Pollard, Morgan, McGraw

K: Cundiff
P: Colquitt
LS: Darche
KR/PR: Robinson

Practice Squad:
QB Greene
RB Savage
WR Arthur
TE Merritt
OG Harrison
OLB Rumph
OLB Octavien
S Girault

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.

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Nice Starting Point

Helps a person visualize the possibilities. Here are my differences or questions.

What are the chances QB David Greene supplants Huard (for youth/future and possible trade) or Thigpen (just beats him out) for the 3rd QB spot?

I think they’ll go with Barth at kicker. It’s my contention that Medlock was released not just because of results, but also because he winged it too much. Didn’t have a consistent approach—in more ways than one. Barth will have to overcome the coaches being gun shy to try another rookie, but I feel much more of a Colquittesque approach in Barth. A focus on solid mechanics, consistency and a professional approach to the task of kicking.

Even with Chan, I think we only carrry one FB on the 53, and try to get the back-ups on the practice squad. We’ll be trying to carry three and (ugh) maybe even four tight ends, I bet.

I also bet one of your four OTs gets moved to G in order to get the best five in the line at the same time.

Kinda picky, but I make Carr third on the CB depth chart, and not fifth.

Finally, I’m not anticipating hardly any new acquisitions between now and opening day. Normally, I’d expect Herm to look for about three more signings of cast-offs from other squads. But unless there’s a rookie that they were high on, got drafted by someone else, gets cut and then Herm wants to bring in for a training camp workout, I just don’t see that pattern this year. If we were making a serious run this year, you’d wonder about Jason Taylor from the Fish for one or two years. But it’s a full commitment to youth right now.

Thanks, Direckshun!

by sunny D on May 23, 2008 11:32 PM CDT reply actions

Thanks for the comments, I’ll number my responses to keep it straight & simple:

1. Next to none on Greene. Thigpen’s getting negative buzz from OTAs, so I’m convinced Huard sticks around for sheer insurance reasons as the #2 this year. They might have moved him down to #3 if Brodie Croyle wasn’t injury prone, though.

2. I just think Barth kicks the ball too low, resulting in easily-blocked kicks. But that’s me. Cundiff was a good kicker for the Cowboys before he got injured, so if he’s fully healed, I’ll put my money on him.

3. Your FB observation is fair—I wouldn’t be opposed to switching Cox with Savage on the practice squad. Savage could be a reserve RB and a kick returner.

4. The Chiefs have historically only carried two backup interior lineman, so I put my money on McDuffie and Smith.

5. You know, I thought Carr would need some time to adjust but the buzz suggests he’s doing really well. Putting him in at nickel would be ideal.

6. Last year the Chiefs picked up about four rookies that they loved that were either released or placed on waivers for the Practice Squad: Thiggy, Barksdale, Pat Thomas, and Johnny Baldwin. I’m willing to bet they pick up another four or five this year.

A rumor is out there that the Chiefs are scoping WR Koren Robinson, but there you go.

by Direckshun on May 24, 2008 12:28 AM CDT up reply actions

Nickel back responsibilities

Regarding Carr @ nickel: Is it relatively easy to learn the responsibilities of being the fifth DB? Can a team insert a new person and have the rest of the team trust that person to do his job? And I have to admit I’ve never paid much attention as to where the nickel guy lines up. I assume he takes one of the linebacker spots because of better coverage skills, and lines up with a slot or fourth receiver. Depending on how many defensive schemes and blitz packages you run, the nickel position could have a lot to learn, I would think. And what got me started on this is whether Carr can learn the nickel responsibilities in a short period of time. He seems sharp. Benny Sapp seemed to do a good job with the position and between his Hard Knocks classroom demeanor and yellow flag tantrum, he didn’t strike me as the brains of the defense.

by sunny D on May 24, 2008 9:30 AM CDT up reply actions

The nickelback essentially is a third corner with slight zone responsibilities. It’s a fairly unique role and while the nickel doesn’t see the field as much as the starting corners do, sometimes his job can be just as hard, if not harder, considering how deep the Chiefs play—you heard coaches allude to how hard it is to play nickel on Hard Knocks last season.

The fifth DB doesn’t have much responsibility, he’s a reserve. He probably wouldn’t suit up for most games. At this point, I think Carr will need a season of tutelage, but OTA reports say that he’s looking as good as anybody, so who knows?

by Direckshun on May 24, 2008 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions

I see the confusion, since Carr is listed as your fifth CB. When I said fifth DB, I meant it as another name for the nickel back. My understanding is that nickel refers to the fact that after two safeties and two cornerbacks, a fifth defensive back (DB) is added for passing downs and sometimes even another, which would be the “dime” package since the sexcent never caught on as a US coin. (Sex- is a Latin prefix meaning “six”. Thus:. A group of six musicians is called a sextet; Six babies delivered in one birth are sextuplets.) But I digress…

Carr opening day nickel, imho. And sometimes even the sexback. =]

by sunny D on May 24, 2008 1:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Hmm...

That’s the second time I’ve read that Barth “kicks too low”... I think both on this website. I don’t understand how you can judge that unless he’s had a lot of blocked kicks in college, which I don’t think he did. I don’t see what would make him kick any lower than any other kicker… can someone please explain this concept to me?

by Vince D on May 24, 2008 1:59 AM CDT reply actions

I’ve been the guy saying it now, that Barth kicks too low. He actually did have a fair number of kicks blocked in college.

It’s like hitting a golf ball with a club: where you hit the ball angles how it will take off. If you hit it close to where it connects to the ground, it will pop high up and not get that much distance. If you hit it closer to the middle section of the ball, it will drive farther than usual but might not get high up.

The best kickers can adjust where they kick the ball given the distance. If it’s only a 30 yard field goal, your kicker will want to fly it high. If it’s a deep, 50 yard field goal, you want to drive it far. The best kickers (Janikowski, Viniateri, Elam, Crosby) can get a lot of distance while kicking it fairly high so that it’s difficult to block. Distance doesn’t seem to be Barth’s problem; he’s connected from 54 with room to spare. But he does kick it low to get that distance, and it led to an inordinate number of blocks.

by Direckshun on May 24, 2008 2:10 AM CDT reply actions

That makes a lot more sense now. That’s too bad, because I really like Barth and his little technique methods… maybe he can find a way to get his kicks up?

by Vince D on May 24, 2008 3:05 AM CDT up reply actions

Absolutely he can.

And he’s reportedly looked the best out of all the Chiefs kickers, so it’s entirely possible that he already has…

by Direckshun on May 24, 2008 11:17 AM CDT up reply actions

Crosby, really?

I know it stings that we took Medlock instead of Crosby, but is he really in class with Elam, Viniateri and Roofiekowski? Roofiekowski has been pretty janktastic recently, he just has a big leg.

Maybe your point is they don’t get their kicks blocked. I’d throw Shane Graham, Rob Bironas and Jeff Reed in there over Crosby and Jankyowski.

by Ochophosphate on May 24, 2008 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions

That’s fair.

Matt Stover, too.

by Direckshun on May 24, 2008 11:21 AM CDT up reply actions

I also like Stills, Nash and Young

by sunny D on May 24, 2008 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions

What is the scoop on Adrian Jones? Is he worthwhile at the guard position? I dont know much about him but I have heard a couple people moaning and groaning about him being in the starting lineup, I guess the big question might do we have more than one starting caliber guard?

by Shawn on May 24, 2008 11:24 AM CDT reply actions

Agreed

That’s why I think that one of the guys Direchsun has as an OT will get shifted to guard. Of the group Albert, McIntosh, Richardson, Taylor, the two best will be the starting tackles and one of them will slide into a guard spot, imo. From left to right, I’m guessing the opening day o-line is:
Albert, Waters, Niswanger, Taylor, MacIntosh.

by sunny D on May 24, 2008 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Run right this year?

After running behind Roaf/Waters seemingly more often than running right in the past (don’t actually know the stats), is it possible that the left side (with Albert) will be the better pass blocking side while the right side (plus tight end) will be the better run blocking side this year? Especially if Richardson comes long fast enough to play this year.

by sunny D on May 24, 2008 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Fullback

has anyone heard the buzz on the fullback position throughout OTA’s? I think it is likely we might keep 2 as well as 4 tightends, just wondering how Cox and Hoyte were doing I feel like those might be our two best options but I don’t know much about Steven Jackson… Manderino probably wont even make it to camp

watch for McDuffie to push for a start at right guard, Adrian Jones probably won’t make the team…

by akc on May 24, 2008 6:19 PM CDT reply actions

KEEP DOUBTING MANDERINO.

by Direckshun on May 25, 2008 7:03 PM CDT up reply actions

Adrian Jones will make the team. Herm obviously like him since he’s working him with the first team.

by Vince D on May 25, 2008 8:51 PM CDT up reply actions

maybe

but McDuffie is outplaying him so with all the talk Herm’s talk about the best player starting, right now i’d say it’s McDuffie’s and I prefer that to someone playing out of position i think.

by odendin on May 25, 2008 11:48 PM CDT up reply actions

Adrian Jones hasn’t looked too good in OTA’s so far and if he doesnt start… how many lineman do you think we will keep

McIntosh, Albert, Waters, Niswanger, Taylor, Richardson are all locks
if McDuffie keeps playing well… there is another spot and they will probably keep Wade Smith to back up at center and guard because they want to avoid Waters playing center, that makes 8 and if they decide to keep one more I’m betting Herm keeps a rookie (this all of course if their is no serious injurys before season starts)

is the Manderino statement sarcasm? if so please elaborate

by akc on May 26, 2008 12:24 PM CDT reply actions