A look back at 2009 TEs
by tomahawk44 on Jan 4, 2010 3:29 PM CST
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PrintThis is a look back on the Kansas City Chiefs and the players that came in and either helped us or hurt us. I will be doing every position on the team but first will be the tight ends. So here we go....
20 Receptions for 174 Yards for 1 Touchdown. Averaging 8.7 Yards Per Catch
Pope came in and started 8 games for Kansas City but wasnt a huge asset to QB Matt Cassel. However Pope did make a few big catches including a touchdown in the Chiefs victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pope was brought in from Haley ex team the Arizona Cardinals.
9 Receptions for 120 yards. Averaging 13.3 yards per catch.
Brad Cottam found himself in the dog house at the beggining of the 2009 season but continued to hang around and finally get some playing time. Brads best outing of 2009 ended up being against the Cleveland Browns when he racked up 62 yards on 4 catches. Some people on AP have even said he showed some shades of Tony Gonzalez with the way he uses his size and hands when playing football. Unfortunately just as Cottam started getting the ball he was injured on a catch after all 6'8 of him came down on his neck causing a cracked cervical vertebra putting him on the injured reserve for the final two games of the season. I would look for Cottam to come back next season and earn himself the starting job and become a fixture in the Chiefs offense for years to come.
2 Receptions for 7 Yards. Averaging 3.5 Yards Per Catch
O'Connel came in as a Chiefs draft pick this year. Jake did not get very much playing time until the end of the season. O'Connel dropped a few passes that where thrown to him but kept going out there until he finally got that first catch. Jake is more of a project player that Im not sure will make it on the roster next season.
14 Receptions for135 Yards and 2 Touchdowns. Averaging 9.6 Yards Per Catch
Sean Ryan started the season as the Chiefs number one tight end but that didnt last long since Ryan started missing blocks and even worse easy passes. Ryan ended up being deactivated for most of the season.
So theres my first post on the 2009 KC Chiefs roster. There will be more to come! So who stays? Who Goes? Suprises?
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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Keep Pope and Cottam
Fire the rest of them!
Try to find a young TE late in draft or UDFA that looks better than OConnel. Or draft Aaron Hernandez to be our next Tony G!!
"Its going to be a challenge, its going to feel like forever, and there will be difficulties. But we will emerge on the other side of it stronger than we were when we entered." ~ Sudden
by Matt_Grbac on Jan 4, 2010 3:34 PM CST via mobile reply actions
I agree
And I hope that the UDFA would be Brad Cottams little brother Jeff who looks like he my have what it takes to be a good blocking Tight End in the NFL. And no not just because they are brothers… Jeff seems to lock down on his man and excels in blocking and has okay hands.
Agreed on Pope and Cottam.
To me, it’s a low priority on a big list, though. Too many other holes to fill right off the bat, so I imagine we’ll see a similar group next year.
And I appreciate the focus on the 2009 Chiefs. Looking forward to follow ups on other positions.
"I don't know if I want to go to New York. They'll have to pay me a lot more money because I like it here in Kansas City." -- Roger Maris
"I appreciate the focus on the 2009 Chiefs. Looking forward to follow ups on other positions."
hint hint hint
hint
hint hint
This is my signature line. It is full of awesome and win.
by KCSatchmo on Jan 4, 2010 4:12 PM CST up reply actions
Wha...what could you possibly mean? =)
"I don't know if I want to go to New York. They'll have to pay me a lot more money because I like it here in Kansas City." -- Roger Maris
keep Pope, Cottam, O'Connell
Cut Ryan ASAP
I know people don’t like O’Connell because he dropped his first few passes…
but, he’s an athletic kid, who can block and play special teams. He does have good hands and is a great athlete, was just overwhelmed early on.
I look for O’Connell to develop into a solid contributor next year, along with Cottam who should be the #1 guy… but Pope is solid enough, if neither guy really steps up.
I don’t see this as a big position of need for the Chiefs this offseason… any upgrades would be gravy at this point, but not required.
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
* Stats are for losers
by stagdsp on Jan 4, 2010 3:52 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
I'm with you stag
I also saw Pope make a couple of big blocks. I think we bring back those three for next year. I think Ryan is history.
-"A man may be a fool and not know it, but not if he is married." - H.L. Mencken
Nailed it
I wanna give Pioli the benefit of the doubt on O’Connell. What in the hell did they see in this kid that they decided to trade back into the round for? A blocked punt will makes up for any dropped passes in my book.
I liked the Pope signing as much as I did the Chambers signing during the season, I’m perfectly content with him and Cottam battling out the #1 spot. In the abscence of TG I’m surprised to be saying TE is one of the least area’s of need for this team.
Welcome to Chiefs REBUILD - Version 2.0 /The Clark Hunt Edition
D.J. - Pay The Man & Play The Man
by KansasCityShuffle on Jan 4, 2010 4:50 PM CST up reply actions
Don't like O'Connell at all.
When guys drop easy passes that I could catch, they have no business in the NFL. Also, this was another 09 draft pick that I thought was a ridiculous STUPID effing pick. We already had a project TE in Cottam who is head and shoulders above O’Connell so, I’m a little biased. I hope to never see him wearing the red and gold again.
drops happen, especially to rookie 7th round picks
you can’t cut EVERY player who has 3 drops… otherwise, KC would not be able to line up an offense.
Obviously, Pioli/Haley saw something special in O’Connell, otherwise they wouldn’t have traded into the draft for him… he’ll be back, for sure…
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
* Stats are for losers
He dropped some really EASY shit that kept us from getting 1st downs...
Plays that ANYBODY could have made. He looks like an athletic ball player but, can we count on him when the game is on the line? Sure as hell doesn’t look like it to me. You’re probably right, I’m sure he’ll be back but, I am SO not impressed at all.
by Chiefsfan1970 on Jan 4, 2010 4:24 PM CST up reply actions
he had the rookie jitters... we'll see if it's an issue next year
I hate drops as much as the next guy, but it’s pretty early to give up on O’Connell, IMO
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
* Stats are for losers
Why do we need to carry 4 TE's
ST’s I understand but 3 TE’s and another LB or DB or RB seems smarter to me
Rule 49. " Think and talk positive football off the field." Hank Stram
that's why you cut Sean Ryan!!!!
:)
* "I doubt anyone will miss Connor Barth except UCrawford"
* the LB corps may become the biggest strength of the Chiefs in 2009
* The OL is NOT as bad as you think it is... give it time, and you'll see improvement this season
* Stats are for losers
Not so optimistic
Not a sure thing that Cottam’s injury won’t set him back significantly. Anytime you have to start putting hardware into someone’s vertebrae, it’s a question re how quickly they heal, regain strength, etc. He’s still a project, albeit with potential.
I don’t think anyone actually ever said this, but my impression is that O’Connell is being groomed for more of an H-back type role. I don’t think he has the frame to be a big-time effective in-line blocker, but I think he’s got the speed and quickness to be a credible H-back. My assumption is that as the offense gets better-defined, you will start to see him in more packages where he is blocking or coming our for passes from the backfield.
Pope is OK, sort of middling as pass receiver, not a great in-line blocker. Ryan is gone, I assume, as soon as a new TE arrives.
I think to take the running attack to the next level, KC needs another tight end who can handle DE’s and big LB’s, i.e., who is (or can become) an excellent blocker. Perhaps a later-round pickup in the 2010 draft.
bq. I think to take the running attack to the next level, KC needs
another running back similar in style to Jamaal Charles.
My H-back dreams were ruined a few years back :)
Rule 49. " Think and talk positive football off the field." Hank Stram
There is a 2 FB look that Haley implements with 2 TEs plus FB, with one TE (usually the one on the left) shifting back to FB.
It’s something we saw from Haley early, this year, and we saw it a few times in Game 16. In 2 TE, lone setback packages, or in standard pro-set package, they go to this look, and that formation appears to have potential as a fairly flexible run/pass pre-snap look.
Prediction for '09: Chiefs are looking like a .500 team, especially considering Denver's inattention to D-Line, Chokeland's disarray, and a San Diego team that looks like it's on the decline. With a weak schedule, Chiefs steal a few and win between 7 and 9 games, and if .500 or better, will contend for supremacy in a weak division.
IIRC, O'Connell's coming-out party was in the rain in preseason.
Ball was coming out early and it was coming out fast. Terrible conditions.
Cottam didn’t really have big flashes until the running game started to catch a little fire, with Charles in charge. I’d say that ALL of our TEs started looking like viable weapons, once the play fake started working, and Cassel and his receivers’ routes were starting to set up as designed. Suddenly, you hear more people talking like maybe they weren’t idiots to part with Tony, train up Cottam, draft O’Connell and add Pope later on.
Prediction for '09: Chiefs are looking like a .500 team, especially considering Denver's inattention to D-Line, Chokeland's disarray, and a San Diego team that looks like it's on the decline. With a weak schedule, Chiefs steal a few and win between 7 and 9 games, and if .500 or better, will contend for supremacy in a weak division.
Cottam has upside and Pope is a solid #2 TE in this league
Sean Ryan needs to find a new career and O’Connell needs to continue to improve, but I think we are probably average at the TE position, looking at the rest of the league. We have been spoiled with guys like Tony G. and Jason Dunn over the last decade.
I put “undecided” just because I think Cottam can develop into the starter. I would like to see him get some competition though and wouldn’t be against drafting a true TE in the later rounds and moving O’Connell on the depth charts to a FB/H-Back role.
I guess I need some educating.
I think I have a reasonable understanding of the D now due to AP.
My O knowledge is sadly lacking. I hope to see some good
What is Haley trying to do offensively this Spring
Rule 49. " Think and talk positive football off the field." Hank Stram
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