NaNz's Sleeper List: Rudy Niswanger
by 808NaNz808 on Jun 15, 2009 8:06 PM CDT
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If someone told you two undrafted players and a 3rd rounder was to be the interior of your offensive line you'd probably hesitate. Well that's exactly what KC is bringing to the table this season (pending on whether the Brian Waters situation escalates to a point where he's traded), yet the only starter on the interior of the line that fans grow wary of is Rudy Niswanger, the undrafted guard out of LSU (aka the Chiefs breeding program). I can give you a few reasons why you should believe Niswanger may potentially be the Center for the Chiefs for a very long time.
via cdn.picapp.com
We definitely have enough working against Niswanger heading into the season, the obvious being that we signed former Bengals failed center Eric Ghiaciuc and that Niswanger was 25th in least sacks given up amongst NFL centers (Ghiaciuc was 27th) and our inside running game never got running efficiently last season. We fail to realize however what Pioli hasn't done to dethrone Niswanger. We passed up on A.Q Shipley in every round of the draft and never even made an attempt to make a bid for free agent center talents such as Jason Brown, Jeff Saturday, and Matt Birk. Also we fail to take into account how big the uphill climb was for Niswanger in 08'.
I'm of the belief that the easiest way to build a solid offensive line is one of two ways
1. You acquire bookend tackles and a solid center with serviceable guards that can push pressure to their neighbors.
2. You acquire Pro Bowl Guards who make your tackles and center look better by taking pressure off of them.
Either way your linemen all rely on each other and you can never have two ineffective linemen playing next to each other or else your going to have big problems. Evidenced by our dismal line play in 08' that saw three linemen playing a position for the first time. The closest thing we had to a starting RG was Adrian Jones who was let go to free agency. This is very telling considering how well Pioli's offensive lines performed in New England and how cheap Jones would have come.
All this and take into account that Niswanger was attempting a position change under a dismal offensive line coach. I blame it on the coach because by all accounts Rudy was portrayed as a very smart football player yet he seemed lost in the secondary and played with his head down at the line.
The Pioli regime fixed these problems by bringing in Mike Goff who in San Diego was vital to the development of the best center in the AFC if not the league in Nick Hardwick. Barring a trade Brian Waters will still be playing on Rudy's left hand. With excellent guards on each side Rudy will have a lot less pressure on the inside and will be given a chance to develop into a starting Center under offensive line ace Bill Muir who was brought in this season. Niswanger holds all the right tools to develop into a good run blocker and an above average pass blocker much like Hardwick in San Diego.
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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I kinda like it
let’s give him a chance and see what we get.
Braccae illae virides cum subucula rosea et tunica Caledonia-quam elenganter concinnatur!
Love your view
Love your view. I to think with the addition of Goff and if we keep Waters on his other side Rudy will benefit from so and look a lot better. I think everyone is under estimating our OL this year. I think it will be alot better than expected. Except for Maintosh that is, him we could pick someone else up. I expect Rudy to do a lot better this year with the people around him to release some pressure and allow him to perform and look better.
In Pioli We Trust
As always
Well thought out, made me think and rec’d.
My question would be….at 34 and 35 years old, Waters and Goff won’t be around long, so are they going to help develop Niswanger or mask his inefficiencies as a center?
I say hold off on judgement
until after this year. Let’s see how he develops under some stability. This will be his second year at center and from what we’ve been hearing, he’ll be working under a good O-line coach. Makes you wonder how Sakintosh will fare as well.
Braccae illae virides cum subucula rosea et tunica Caledonia-quam elenganter concinnatur!
I give Goff and Waters at least two more solid seasons
enough to get either Barry Richardson or Colin Brown in at RT and Rudy up to speed at C.. Then we work the line in reverse
Time is a great teacher... unfortunately it kills all it's pupils.
I say
we have to draft an OL in first round next year
I'd lean more toward drafting two in later rounds
A solid guard in the second or third with a flyer on a promising guard prospect in the fourth of fifth.. I’m putting my bet on a ILB, WR, or NT in the first next year, in that order
Time is a great teacher... unfortunately it kills all it's pupils.
I'd be happy with
a starting caliber RT in the 2nd or 3rd round, and a G prospect or two in the later rounds
I’m hoping for ILB, OLB, WR, RB next year (in no particular order) along with the OL help.
Rudy
I like this guy.
I think he has the potential to be a very solid C for years to come.
Last year was the first year for him at that position, which probably takes a while to develop.
I hope that Nanz is right, and that the solid G play on either side helps him develop.
This OL needs to gel early, and work together as a solid unit.
Rec'd
Help on the other side and a year of experience will help. I think we’ll see a new starting RT this season and it will come from what we already have.
but they got jipped by New York
a trade up that high starts with two first round picks. They got a bunch of old guys instead
Time is a great teacher... unfortunately it kills all it's pupils.
How bout this thought
Niswanger’s 1st year at C was Brodie in 1st game, Huard in 2nd and Thigpen from then on. Winging it on that sequence. The Center has to call the line plays right? And has to make sure that QB gets the ball where he likes and needs it. Did we, I can’t remember have a bunch of a bad hikes from the Center in 2008? Did Niswanger have to adjust all season to a everchanging situation in line calls from Pro to Spread? Niswanger is a Big Boy and had to adjust to 3 different QB’s in heigth as well as the Big Fatty that was supposed to behead him as soon as he 1. called the line play, 2. made sure the QB got the ball and then 3. perform an assigned task.
Let's Kick some ASS in 09 or Die trying
by Steve_Chiefs on Jun 16, 2009 5:30 PM CDT reply actions 4 recs
nice observation
that never crossed my mind
Time is a great teacher... unfortunately it kills all it's pupils.
Hmmm
Good one Steve. Gotta give you a rec for that one.
Braccae illae virides cum subucula rosea et tunica Caledonia-quam elenganter concinnatur!
Thanks
I got a F-150 and 2 Contours and maybe soon to be Honda in my Driveway. All broke!
But I like the Wreck:)
Let's Kick some ASS in 09 or Die trying
by Steve_Chiefs on Jun 16, 2009 9:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Just don't tell me
that there’s a tree growing through the sunroof of any of them or I’ll have to take that wreck back :)
Braccae illae virides cum subucula rosea et tunica Caledonia-quam elenganter concinnatur!
No, though I have thought about a Couch in front yard!
and no cinder blocks under them as of yet.
Let's Kick some ASS in 09 or Die trying
by Steve_Chiefs on Jun 16, 2009 9:27 PM CDT up reply actions
Well SC
when it gets to that point, we need pictures. Ahaha
Braccae illae virides cum subucula rosea et tunica Caledonia-quam elenganter concinnatur!
I think of it as my little Arkansas in Lee's Summit MO
Let's Kick some ASS in 09 or Die trying
by Steve_Chiefs on Jun 16, 2009 10:33 PM CDT up reply actions
Well, My life moves so much faster than a Chiefs Off-season
The Contours as a pair are leaving tommorrow and a Pick-and-Pull Transmision will be arriving for the F-150. Now if the Brother-in-Law gets his mortgage the 2nd fridge in the Kitchen might find a new home. An YoungChiefsFan NO steak tonight so go lay down on the porch:)
Let's Kick some ASS in 09 or Die trying
by Steve_Chiefs on Jun 17, 2009 7:33 PM CDT up reply actions
Nice post Nanz
I am not sure I put as much confidence in Niswanger as you, but it would be a huge boon if he can step up and secure this position. I agree that it was a huge statement what the Chiefs didn’t do in regards to the center position. By making a RFA offer on Niswanger and only signing a guy in Ghiaciuc will most likely just add some starter experience to the depth of the O line, I would say it is Niswanger’s position to lose. They could have gone after a more sure thing if they didn’t have any confidence in Rudy.
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