This Kansas City Fan went out to his deck at 5:30 CT Thursday, turned his head, and cupped his ear with his hand.  Listening. Wondering.  Anticipating a slow dull roar of of what might be the end of the world.

SHhh...Listen...Is that the sky falling?  I thought to myself.

On day one of the NFL draft Scott Pioli and company selected Eric Berry as their number #1pick in the 2010 NFL draft:  a great player to be sure.  The moment they did I had mathematicians and astrologers working feverishly around the clock to calculate and prognosticate the probability that the sky was now falling because the Chiefs did not strengthen their forward line of troops.

Oh the inhumanity of it all...Aaaahhhhhhh! (goes running into the night)

But it did not fall.

The reality is that the Chiefs did a good job with what they had.  Yea, they didn't get Okung but lets be realistic.  You can't strengthen every hole on a three-peat defeat-ed team.

So I won't be a chicken little.

Pic Source

What I WILL do, however, is be realistic.  The Chiefs cannot just set by and let this offensive line dissolve like it did a few years ago.  The current condition of the Kansas City Chiefs is adequate.  That is it.

Kansas City fans should not settle for slight improvements just because this franchise has been floundering for years.  One year bandages are not good enough.  Fans should expect championship moves and championship offensive lines.  It is not realistic to expect the line to be playoff quality in one year.  But fans of the trenches should demand to see the resurgence of the KC line of old.

Casey Wiegmann, whom I love as a player, is only a one year bandage at best.  Brian Waters has two, maybe three, good years left.  was an adequate, not great, but adequate right tackle left guard in 2009.  All those indicators point toward a future problem on the offensive line unless plans are made and young players are developed.

Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Line 2010
B. Albert	B. Waters	C. Wiegmann	B. Lilja	R. O'Callaghan

The above might or might not be the lineup on opening day, 2010.  If it is then Scott Pioli did a decent job, not great, but a decent job at building a line that can make the Chiefs successful in 2010.  But what about the future?

The future of the Kansas City Chiefs is now in the hands of players like Jon Asamoah and Colin Brown

via illinoisfansite.com

Jon Asamoah was the third round pick that is projected to play either guard or center.  He has good quickness, a nice motor, just stout enough to hold off those big NT he will be facing in the NFL, and will fit well in an NFL zone scheme.  (Just what the doctor ordered)

It is not clear which position the Chiefs envision Asamoah playing.  What is for certain is that Pioli picked up the second best guard (or center) in the 2010 NFL draft in the third round.  That is great value and a great pick.

Colin Bronwn

via www.fantasysp.com

The jury is still out on Colin Brown.  Are the Chiefs going to be able to bring Colin along to the point that he could be a starter 2 years from now?  Only time will tell.  But if he does not develop then the Chiefs are back where they ended up 3 years ago...looking at players getting old and no young talent to take their place.

What about Rudy Niswanger?

Rudy Niswanger

I don't want to leave out Rudy because I think he made a lot of improvement by the end of the season last year.  Niswanger has value because he can play both center and guard, is athletic enough to play in a zone scheme, and has a little stoutness to him.

Whatever is in the cards for Niswanger, starter or backup, he will be a part of the future health of the Kansas City offensive line.

But is all this enough?

Do we need more competition at right tackle?  If Asamoah is a center then will Colin Brown be able to step in for Waters when he retires?

There is still work to be done.

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