Community Projections: Linebackers

by Chris Thorman on Jul 1, 2008 2:56 PM CDT in 2008 Off Season Comment 14 comments

By my count, the Kansas City Chiefs have 89 players currently on their roster, which will have to be trimmed to 80 players by the time they arrive in River Falls, WI, for training camp.

We have approximately fifteen positions on the team that have competition going into camp, so we'll be reviewing each position every day or every other day or so until the start of camp. Just like last summer.

First up today, the linebacking corp.

The Chiefs currently have ten linebackers on their squad, they'll start three and probably keep six total for back up and special teams. So, out of the ten, which six stay and which four go? Or, why would the Chiefs keep less/more than six?

Weston Dacus
Donnie Edwards
Nap Harris
Nate Harris
Derrick Johnson
EJ Kuale
Steve Octavien
LeRue Rumph
Pat Thomas
Demorrio Williams

Our three starters are going to come from these four guys - Edwards, Johnson, Williams and Nap Harris. So I'll include those four in my six. And for the other two, I'm going to give Nate Harris and Pat Thomas the nod simply because of their slight seniority.

I know we don't have much to go on as far as on the field experience and you know I don't get too excited over the fresh UDFA blood coming in.

Your thoughts on the Chiefs linebackers this summer?

Note: To you newbies, the community projections are a great place to jump in for the first time. Remember, be respectful and make sound arguments and you'll be rewarded with an intelligent and lively discussion.

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Octavien

may replace Thomas or Harris. He should be good on special teams and has some potential. I guess it will depend on his ability to stay healthy during training camp (I think he has a record of being injury prone).

by pleaseblock on Jul 1, 2008 3:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

My 2 cents

If Octavien can play to his potential, I think he’ll make the team, despite his injury history. In my opinion, the sixth spot should go to LeRue Rumph merely because his name is awesome…no, really I think the 6th spot could be completely open…I don’t think seniority gives anybody a nod on the 2008 Chiefs.

by PVChiefsfan on Jul 1, 2008 3:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

You're probably right

The seniority argument was me looking for something, anything, to differentiate these guys.

by Chris Thorman on Jul 1, 2008 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think they should keep six...

with the condition that they use a high round pick next year for a linebacker. Donnie Edwards isn’t gonna be around forever, and we will need either a well developed guy of our own or a high draft pick that will start right away. If they keep seven though then I agree about Octavien having a chance. I think Thomas and Harris stay too.

by Vince D on Jul 1, 2008 3:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

How long does Donnie have you think?

One more year? I think two max, probably one.

by Chris Thorman on Jul 1, 2008 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with Chris

Donnie could stick around another 2 years, but I get the feeling if he has another injury prone season like last year he will hang it up after this year.

by ChiefDJ on Jul 1, 2008 5:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think he has two years left on his contract

So I assume he’d probably at least finish it out. Especially if we improve this year and are looking at possibly making the playoffs next.

by Vince D on Jul 1, 2008 4:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm still big on the 3-4

in such a case I’d have DeMorrio Williams as a ‘falcon’ type defender with Dorsey and Boone manning the inside. I don’t think there’s a chance that Herm will go to this in his cover 2 scheme, but I wish we utilized our relative depth at linebacker. We would have to carry 7 in such a scenario. I agree w/ Chris saying that Thomas and Nate Harris have the advantage with seniority, and I admit I don’t know a lick about these other guys.

Never giving up on your team is what makes you a good fan.

by kcisbetterthanstlateverything on Jul 1, 2008 5:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

additional thought

Some have argued, and I actually don’t agree with this, that Bernard Pollard be shifted to linebacker due to his size. If he could add 15-20 lbs this might be an option, but I personally think he will turn out to be a good safety. Lots of people disagree about him though.

Never giving up on your team is what makes you a good fan.

by kcisbetterthanstlateverything on Jul 1, 2008 5:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Switching to 3-4 and Pollard to LB

Those are two topics that completely drive me nuts.

Personally I love the 3-4 defense, but the players we have are based on the 4-3 and thats what they’re going to run. Its what Herms background is in and it is what they are looking for in the players they are picking up. You don’t just arbitrarily switch the scheme around whenever you feel like it. At least until the next head coaching change, the defensive scheme is going to stay as is.

Pollard to LB is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. People only talk about that because during the draft they commented that he was a huge safety that is the size of most linebackers. There is absolutely ZERO chance of Pollard ever being moved to LB. He is a Safety. Its what the Chiefs drafted him to play and so far he’s done a fine job there in his first season playing at that position in the NFL. They didn’t draft him as a Safety thinking “Well maybe we can turn him into a LB”. They got him as a Safety because they want a big safety to put in the box for run support. Makes no sense to move him to LB when you can just get a LB to do that job.

by ChiefDJ on Jul 1, 2008 5:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree w/ you on Pollard

but it just fits the discussion that I bring it up. The 3-4 thing is just something I favor based on our lack of depth at defensive end, while we have four competent linebackers, two of which have been comfortable in the middle. I understand we don’t have the BIG linebacker you sort of need in the 3-4, I just like the idea of the versatility of the scheme, because I don’t think we match up well on personnel out of the 4-3.

Never giving up on your team is what makes you a good fan.

by kcisbetterthanstlateverything on Jul 1, 2008 7:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I prefer the 3-4 myself

But this team is not built for it. We would need a great big giant nose tackle guy, plus our DTs are a little big to play a 3-4 DE. We would need faster, smaller Safeties and much bigger Inside LBs.

I love the 3-4. Its what I grew up learning football on and I like the versatility and blitzing it allows. But the Chiefs aren’t going back to it anytime soon.

by ChiefDJ on Jul 1, 2008 7:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

aye aye

I love the 3-4 too, but we absolutely aren’t built for it. We would probably have a worse LB situation because we would have to take some of our DE’s and move them to Rush OLB in that scheme. We just don’t have the personnel. Tamba and Turk aren’t really big enough to play DE in a 3-4. Dorsey isn’t a 3-4 nose tackle either.

Agree 100% on Pollard, I have nothing to add there.

by Ochophosphate on Jul 1, 2008 9:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs