Chiefs' Overall Offseason Grade: Chiefs Got Offensive in 2010
by Jon Yoon on Jun 18, 2010 7:42 AM CDT
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Okay, so in hindsight, the grading wasn't perfect. One bad score can really drag down the grades. So rather than cling to much to the overall grade, which was done in fun, let me sum up some of my thoughts.
I thought the Chiefs did really well this offseason to upgrade their offense. I do realize there's a major difference between what they should have done and what they could have done. They should have made massive upgrades to their offense. In reality, with an uncapped season and limited draft picks, there were only so many big moves they could have made.
I'll start off with a brief grading of the Tight Ends and then wrap up my thoughts on the Chiefs' improvements on offense.
Grading of the Tight Ends: I gave the Chiefs an A on offseason moves and a C+ in overall depth. To understand why the grades were so different, you have to really understand what Charlie Weis wants and expects from his tight ends. He expects them to be good blockers who also happen to catch some passes. Christian Fauria and Daniel Graham are the prototypes. So when I look at the roster, I see a lot of tight ends who are decent receivers, but below average blockers. Leonard Pope and Jake O'Connell are perfect examples of that (and O'Connell hasn't proven he can be a receiving tight end yet). On the flip side, that's what makes Tony Moeaki such a great find, even if the Chiefs had to trade an extra pick to draft him. I know we all want to find Tony Gonzalez, but this isn't about what we want. This is about what Charlie Weis wants. And if he stays healthy, Moeaki has potential to be one of the more talented Tight Ends that Charlie Weis has coached. Probably won't be the kind of blocker Graham and Fauria were, but a good blocker. But I think he has potential to also be a threat in the passing game.
Overall Assessment - Chiefs' Offense: The Chiefs did what they could to improve on offense, but there's also a lot of cracks in the armor. Namely, they got a little bit deeper, but they didn't get a whole lot younger. Thomas Jones, Ryan Lilja, Chris Chambers, and Casey Wiegmann are great solutions, but all of them probably have 2 years at the absolute most of productivity left.
I'm also not sure that I agree with the approach of being 100% behind Matt Cassel, which is why I gave the Chiefs such a poor grade for their moves at the Quarterback position. Cassel has potential to be a very good Quarterback for the Chiefs; however, there are some areas of his game that might make you a little nervous. Whether you're optimistic or pessimistic about him, it's the most important position in the game and one that can make or break a Super Bowl and the Chiefs are basically putting all their eggs into one basket. They better be right.
All-in-all, the Chiefs have everything they need to be a solid team on offense. That starts with very good coaching. The offense is going to be relatively simple, but that's the beauty of a Charlie Weis offense. What the Chiefs really did a good job of was arming Weis with versatile players. Weis really likes to do the exact opposite of what the defense is expecting and he's very good at it. If the defense blitzes, expect a screen. If they play pass, expect a run. The way he does that is by having players who are very good at doing multiple things so that he can run different plays out of the same personnel group. Dexter McCluster is a classic example of that. When he's on the field, is he going to be asked to run the ball? Is he going to motion into the slot and become a receiver? Is he going to stay in to pass protect or is he going to motion out to leave a multi-receiver set in an empty backfield?
Offseason moves:
Quarterback - D
Running Game - A
Wide Receivers - A-
Offensive Line - B+
Offensive Coaching Staff - A/A-
Tight Ends - A
OVERALL GRADE: B
Offensive Depth:
Quarterback - B
Running Game - A
Wide Receivers - B
Offensive Line - C+
Tight Ends - C+
OVERALL GRADE: C+/B-
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Nice writeup as usual
If I could ask one question to you Mr. Yoon it would be this: What type of QB would you prefer the Chiefs to have?
I know you did the writeup on Claussen, and Cassel seems to catch alot of flak around here. I know everyone wants a Peyton Manning, or Drew Brees but what type you want?
Are we the team to beat in 2010? I sure think so! Go Chiefs.
Well, just want a franchise Quarterback. It would be nice to get a Drew Brees, but that’s a lot easier said than done. Maybe Cassel can be that guy. I just firmly believe that unless you know for absolute sure you have a franchise Quarterback, you need to surround yourself with options. And for two years, the Chiefs’ best alternative has been a Quarterback who can’t stay on the field. Even if that meant taking a project like Lefevour or Jon Skelton in the later rounds.
and the flak Cassel catches is warranted
he did make some boneheaded plays out there, I know it would be hard to find our Peyton Manning but I just hope that someday Cassel can turn out like Brees, come from one team to another and succeed. In the end it probably would have been good insurance this year to have drafted someone just in case Cassel dumps in his bed this season. Thanks for the reply by the way and I agree I want a franchise QB, whether its Cassel or not I guess we will find out this year!
Are we the team to beat in 2010? I sure think so! Go Chiefs.
It's going to be very disappointing if Cassel doesn't improve and Claussen turns out to be good
Not that I’m unhappy with the McCluster pick, but arguably the best QB in the draft was still on the board. It’ll be interesting to see how he’s doing 2-3 seasons from now compared to Cassel.
Predictions:
This year will be better
I agree
hopefully we have given Cassel enough pieces to put it all together here. I just hope this season we can give him credit when he deserves it and critique him when he warrants it. Last season he got alot of heat from the dropped passes which was the receivers fault and the sacks which was about 50/50 his fault and the line.
Are we the team to beat in 2010? I sure think so! Go Chiefs.
I really do think Cassel is going to be good
I don’t recall him throwing any INTs in the red zone last season, and he seems to have the ability to stay calm in pressure situations (not that KC had too many of those last year!). To me those are two of the most important attributes in a good QB. I think my main concern with him, surprisingly, is his accuracy. He was certainly the victim of a lot of drops last season, but a lot of those balls were tough catches because of where he put the ball. He had a high completion percentage in NE the previous season, so I’m hoping the issues last year were due to the OL having him scrambling around and all the changes in the offense. I guess this is the “Show Me” season.
Predictions:
This year will be better
by jmcgoblue on Jun 18, 2010 8:43 AM CDT up reply actions 5 recs
haha Show Me season I like that
his accuracy is definately up for debate. I remember several times last season the ball was too deep or too short, I’m crossing my fingers that they will get all this figured out in camp, and the revolving merry-go-round of washed up receivers is over this year and Cassel and the WR core can establish an identity.
Are we the team to beat in 2010? I sure think so! Go Chiefs.
Rec'd
Perfect way to put it for Cassel. It is time to SHOW ME!
In wondrous beauty, once again, shall the golden tables stand mid the grass, which the gods had owned in the days of old.
by Chiefs_Ragnarok on Jun 18, 2010 8:49 AM CDT up reply actions
I agree, to an extent.
But let’s not count our offensive weapons before they hatch. For all the hype, McCluster is STILL just another 2nd-round draft pick with great up-side. WAY too early to crown him as savior. If Thomas Jones has a so-so or even bad year, it wouldn’t be the first time a 30+ RB hit the wall.
I keep coming back to the “weak link” thing. There’s too much that was sub-par on this offense last year to seriously believe Cassel was the weak link. And it’d be all to easy to waste energy/money on QB and continue to fall short at supporting positions. This is, imo, one of the MAIN reasons Marty never even MADE the SB. Gannon and Brees BOTH made the SB after Marty sent them packing. Always fiddling with QB, when he just needed to keep making the team around the QB better.
Yes exactly Jon
I totally agree we should be doing SOMETHING more for the future should Cassel finally prove he doesn’t have what the CHIEFS need (a game changer). If we ever have superstar studs on the OLine and all the other skill positions (WR maybe?), a game manager is acceptable.
What we have now is the need for “the real deal.” I don’t judge one way or the other – yet.
In wondrous beauty, once again, shall the golden tables stand mid the grass, which the gods had owned in the days of old.
by Chiefs_Ragnarok on Jun 18, 2010 8:12 AM CDT up reply actions
Jon Yoon says...
…(U)nless you know for absolute sure you have a franchise Quarterback, you need to surround yourself with options.
It’s hard to find much fault with this, but the downfall of a LOT of teams is a revolving door at the highest-paid position on the roster, when you still haven’t really set the table for ANY of your guys. Taking one bad play in isolation makes it easy to point to the flaws in a QB, but you have to put it all in context of what’s going on around the QB. If there’s total breakdown up front on 3 out of 4 plays, he’s not getting many good looks down the field (pass rusher at his ankles, no passing/vision lanes to speak of, …). And on the 1-in-4 where things hold together, he’s been conditioned to devote himself just to staying alive or dumping it off short.
There’s usually a tipping-point where the QB gets JUST enough from his teammates to be successful, or his teammates are playing well enough for you to say, without much question, that the QB is your weak link.
KC was medium-high pro-active in going after the guy they wanted, and have been conservative since then, and you can’t say that Brady in the ?5th? was as aggressive as Jon Yoon seems to want Pioli to be NOW, with the Chiefs. The D at QB is undeserved.
Since that time, there’s been…
- … new blood at slot receiver
- … new blood at split-end
- … new blood at RB
- … new blood at OL (I’d’ve wanted a little more aggression at T, along with interior line.)
- … new blood at the #3 QB slot.
If all the new blood doesn’t play up to expectations (and existing players don’t continue developing), I give the QB more slack. If the QB becomes an obvious weak link, then no question and no hesitation in going after someone higher-profile/higher-priced. But in the meantime, aiming your guns at Cassel seems premature.
Re: hmills
Great point, hmills. Here’s where I disagree. The same offensive line that gives up about 10-15 sacks per game for Brady gave up 47 in front of Cassel. Going back to Brady, he made the AFC Championship game with Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney as his receivers and nearly won! Now, we can’t rest our hopes on finding the next Tom Brady—very difficult to do. But it clearly shows that a good QB can make everyone else on the field a lot better and elite QBs can do it with pretty average talent surrounding him. They make the offensive line better by getting rid of the ball faster and immediately finding the hot routes, they make the receivers better by putting the ball in a very catchable spot, they make their running backs better by being able to take defenders out of the box. And they make the entire offense better by audibling out of a call based on what he sees on the field. There isn’t a more influential position in all of sports as the Quarterback.
So the way I see it, I’d rather get it absolutely right at Quarterback because if you don’t, then you have to be absolutely right on the other 10 players on the field.
I’m still on the fence about Cassel, BUT the absolute proper move for both him and the Chiefs was to give him this year fully, with no distractions. IF he fails to grab the spot, he’s an easy cut, and the QB depth in this draft is immensely stronger than last year, and we will probably be in prime position to draft one of these studs, instead of reaching for a mediocrity like Claussen. IF Matt comes back to his 2008 form at least, we’re set, and we didn’t waste a pick on a QB that wouldn’t play.
Thanks for the post
I’m holding my breath about the O-line. Casey is really old and i’m not convinced Lilga is a R guard. IF lilja and Weigman can stay healthy and IF Lilja can run block like a R guard needs to then I’d say it’s a solid offseason for the offense.
The most important thing you can do in life is help other people.
I agree with your feelings on Cassel
I have read many posts, as well as heard the rantings of people on TV, at work,etc about Bowe, Charles, et al
In my opinion, if Cassel doesn’t have a “break out” season and prove he is a game changer – a difference maker – then we have taken a very large step backwards. Please understand I’m sincerely neutral on my stance of what he is capable of. However, this team still has way too many holes to be content with just a game “manager.” He needs to be the difference.
Not to tangent (well Ok, that’s what I’m about to do), but I still have reservations about our Defense. I do think we’ve made many positive strides, but we got schooled so many times last season. We simply must correct the mistakes and fill the holes here.
In wondrous beauty, once again, shall the golden tables stand mid the grass, which the gods had owned in the days of old.
by Chiefs_Ragnarok on Jun 18, 2010 8:09 AM CDT reply actions
Hopefully one BIG hole was filled on defense
and that would be defensive coordinator. I know our front 7 struggled but DC was bad last season hopefully Romeo can change all that. I agree that I’m more worried about our defense than our offense.
Are we the team to beat in 2010? I sure think so! Go Chiefs.
Yessir no question
I’m not a Pendergast fan at all. I’m also worried about the NT position, simply because we run a 3-4 (I am not dissing Shaun Smith – I hope he is the difference). I feel fairly confident in our Linebackers (more experience across the board) and hope DJ finally breaks out. Our Secondary is looking very promising, but young = mistakes. However, we’re setting the foundation for the future no question.
We will struggle on Defense again this season, but I feel it won’t be as bad as last. On offense, if someone CAN CATCH THE DAMN BALL we should be light and day. That said, Cassel better show up.
In wondrous beauty, once again, shall the golden tables stand mid the grass, which the gods had owned in the days of old.
by Chiefs_Ragnarok on Jun 18, 2010 8:19 AM CDT up reply actions
I waiting to see Smith play before passing judgement
honestly I hope we can better utilize the preseason this year and get our mistakes from the secondary over in those 4 games. We are playing some good teams this year like Atlanta, Green Bay and Philly who will probably air it out the first couple of series so hopefully our secondary can learn fast. Our D-line is the one area that I’m going to pay particular attention to the whole year. We have good depth like Magee and Gilberry but the starters have to put it up another notch this year!
Hopefully our struggles wont be exploited and Romeo can throw a mix out there that will at least keep the offense honest and help us along the way.
Are we the team to beat in 2010? I sure think so! Go Chiefs.
I thought Cottam is suppose to be a decent blocker.
Am I right or am I living the lie?
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by Scaryclouds on Jun 18, 2010 8:10 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
Him and Pope both
In fact I thought Pope’s primary asset was supposedly his blocking skills…he’s certainly not a graceful receiver.
Predictions:
This year will be better
Cottam's recovering from a cracked vertebra
When you crack a bone in your neck, a complete recovery’s never guaranteed. I was at the Browns game last year when Cottam got hurt. Until his injury, he was playing lights out. If Cottam can play, Cottam and Moeaki might do a fairly good impression of Gonzalez/Dunn. Cottam can block. He can also catch in a the big, physical tight end kind of way. IF he gets fully healthy again.
by Watson_H_Rhodes on Jun 18, 2010 9:12 AM CDT up reply actions
B-
Coaching – A+: Hiring Weiss will make a difference.
RBs – A+: Jones, Charles, and McCluster will tear it up
WRs – B-: At least we know our 3 WRs this year – expect less drops
QB – A: Cassel should find rhythm w/ receivers this year
TE – C: Several options here but no league standouts
OL - C-: I realize you can’t fix everything and I think C, RG, and RT may struggle.
Disagree slightly on OL.
They added talent, and I’m actually feeling pretty good about the interior OL. I’m pretty happy with Branden Albert, but still in “Show Me” mode at T. Will Albert pick up where he left off and become the dominant tackle he has all the tools to be? I think he probably will. O’Callaghan at RT will probably be OK, especially with another year of coaches’ emphasis on blocking from the TE, and finally drafting a TE who isn’t JUST a tall pass-catcher.
Nevertheless, even assuming that O’Callaghan and Albert live up to my expectations, nobody behind THEM has been very convincing to me, as yet, so I DO have concerns that they’re paper-thin at T.
That being said, it’s too early to give a grade, there, because there’s always the possibility that Richardson/Brown/Ndukwe/?? will get it together in 2010. They might NOT be paper-thin at T, in other words. At worst, a grade of Incomplete or In-Progress.
Alternative View
I personally believe Croyle is a viable option at quarterback. Granted, he got injured easily in Herm Edwards offense. Big Ben would have been injured easily in Herm’s offense. Brodie also had injuries in college. That’s because he’s a tiny man for an NFL QB (although he’s putting on muscle each and every year). On the good side, he’s a more accurate passer than Cassel and seems to read routes more quickly than Cassel. That doesn’t mean I think he should start instead of Cassel, but if you give me a choice between Croyle and Claussen as a quarterback to develop, I’ll take Croyle every time. I know what Croyle can do in an NFL game and I like it. Any claims about Claussen are pure theory at this point. And if we have a coach with any IQ at all, he won’t have Croyle sit in the pocket and get hammered over and over until he gets hurt. I’ve seen Croyle take hit after hit after hit in college and walk away from almost all of them. He can’t take that kind of pounding in the NFL, but if he has a decent line in front of him and a little experience, he has the potential to develop into a good starting NFL quarterback. His job in the first game last year was at least as good as what Cassel would have done in that same game under those same conditions (brand new playbook, etc.)
I’m also a Brandon Albert fan. I think he’s a good Left Tackle. Waters can be a great guard if he has other good players around him. Lilja has proven he’s a reasonably good starting guard in the NFL. Is our offensive line great? No, but picking up a guard in the draft was significant. I would have liked to see one other guard or tackle drafted, but what player am I willing to give up? At this point, none.
But by far, the most important change from last year’s offense to this year’s offense is the fact we’ve practiced this year’s offense. Last year, the offensive playbook was scrapped 10 days before the season began. That made a huge difference. Players, especially quarterbacks, study the playbook throughout the offseason. Offensive lineman need reps to become familiar with how a particular play develops. Last year, our offense lost the entire offseason. This year, we will get that offseason. Even if we had the exact same personnel as last year, including Larry Johnson, we’d be better this year than we were last year. Thankfully, we don’t have Larry. Instead we have several exciting new players who might be difference makers. And we have months and months of practice we didn’t have before.
Almost as important as the playbook is the addition of an offensive coordinator. Last year, we didn’t have one. We had Haley filling in as one and doing a fairly pathetic job because he was spread too thin. An experienced NFL head coach with most of his assistants in place for several years can be an OC as well as a head coach. A first year head coach doesn’t have a chance, and it showed. Again, this change alone would make us better, even with the same personnel.
So on offense, I’m extremely pleased. I think they did all they could, given their problems elsewhere.
Defensively? Well that’s a different story.
by Watson_H_Rhodes on Jun 18, 2010 9:07 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Welcome to AP!
And you just opened a can, my friend. Personally, I’m still a closet Croyle fan but, like most others, have been too disappointed by the injuries.
The devil you know vs. the one you don't
I agree with your grades above. You expressed many of my thoughts using only a tenth as many words.
As for Croyle, I doubt he’d stay healthy for a whole season, but few quarterbacks do these days. But giving preference to a rookie quarterback who’s never played an NFL game is just as risky as believing Croyle could stay reasonably healthy in an offense that did more than run on first, run on second, throw on third and long. I don’t mind taking that kind of risk in later rounds, but Claussen was too expensive and has no guarantees. If we replace Cassel, I’d like to do it with another later round QB that we develop.
by Watson_H_Rhodes on Jun 18, 2010 9:18 AM CDT up reply actions
Heh. A tenth as many words. That's MY line (only expressed in a tenth as many words).
I agree with your grades above. You expressed many of my thoughts using only a tenth as many words.
Every thesis advisor or co-author worth his salt cut my dependent clauses in half with the red pen.
Glad I'm not the only one who tangents
I’m also more skeptical of our defense than our offense.
I’m also a Croyle fan, mostly because my best friend is a diehard ’Bama fan, so I saw him play a lot in college. I just wish he could stay healthy, because there is no question (imo) the talent IS there.
In wondrous beauty, once again, shall the golden tables stand mid the grass, which the gods had owned in the days of old.
by Chiefs_Ragnarok on Jun 18, 2010 9:21 AM CDT up reply actions
Rags, I'm with you ... I think the offense will do ok, far better than last year (then too, anything would be ...)
… and I also love Croyle’s talent, and have a lot of concerns about the defense, esp the front line
"I shall conquer untruth by truth" - Mahatma Gandhi
"It's always easier to sell 'em some shit than it is to give 'em the truth" - Shel Silverstein, The Perfect High
Whitlock Rocks!
hi, Mo! 5 minutes!!!
nice work as always, Jon ... one thing I'll toss in as a "caveat" here
Weis really likes to do the exact opposite of what the defense is expecting and he’s very good at it.
what happens when the team runs into a DC who makes the offense think he’s playing pass then they come up to block the run, or vice versa … some very good DC’s out there, and some very talented teams … we SHOULD be improved by a fairly good deal, but there are always cracks in the armor to be exploited by other teams
"I shall conquer untruth by truth" - Mahatma Gandhi
"It's always easier to sell 'em some shit than it is to give 'em the truth" - Shel Silverstein, The Perfect High
Whitlock Rocks!
hi, Mo! 5 minutes!!!
It isn't like Weis hasn't coached a pretty successful offense at this level before.
Making fun of the "Mizzou Needs a Fullback" Club since...well, for a while, anyway.
I realize that ... then too, it isn't like Weis is the only guy at this level who knows his Xs and Os
… and frankly, I was less than impressed with his last body of work (ND)
"I shall conquer untruth by truth" - Mahatma Gandhi
"It's always easier to sell 'em some shit than it is to give 'em the truth" - Shel Silverstein, The Perfect High
Whitlock Rocks!
hi, Mo! 5 minutes!!!
I tend to agree
I’m glad Weis is here…don’t get me wrong. But, some seem to think the guy is some kind of all-seeing, all-knowing Offensive God who is just going to out game-plan every team we play with his far superior knowledge.
I don’t think that’s going to be the case. But, I guess I could be wrong.
10 + wins in 2010. Chiefs SHOCK the NFL!!! Mark it down.
he probably wont out-game plan every team
but I believe he will out-game plan some of the teams, and with all these weapons at his disposal now he will have alot more to work with
Are we the team to beat in 2010? I sure think so! Go Chiefs.
Not impressive at Notre Dame, upamtn.
But I don’t think he had an easy time recruiting, there. Notre Dame has a proud history, but hasn’t had as much talent in recent years, and that trend was established before Weis came along.
He may yet be a successful HC, but it looks like being a hotshot OC is the perfect job for him.
Re: Weis
upamtn, but you also assume that all coordinators are good at understanding tendencies and exploiting mismatches. You have to have a coordinator with the savvy to understand it.
What makes Weis’ approach valuable is that he’s going to bring in players versatile enough to take advantages of mismatches. Here’s an example. If you’re a defensive coordinator getting gashed by the run, you’ll probably load up on big guys and stuff them into the box. Once you do that, you leave yourself vulnerable to the pass. Remember the days when Jason Dunn was basically used on obvious run downs as an extra blocker? When the Chiefs chose to pass out of that formation, Dunn was extremely wide open on a lot of plays. And that’s for a lousy receiver like Dunn was. Imagine what Weis can do with a guy who is as much a threat in the running game as he is in the passing game.
When the Chiefs line up on offense with Moeaki, Charles, and McCluster, you don’t tip your hand to the opposing defensive coordinator about what you’re going to do. That, to me, is what makes Weis’ offense very unique. So while other teams were going after slot receivers and pass receiving tight ends, Weis was more interested in players who can play multiple roles very well.
Jon, I understand ... I really DO get your POV here and I wasn't disagreeing with it, really ...
… just pointing out, as Scott B and jrcnc also mentioned: there ARE some DC’s out there who are as good at that “guessing game” … and he isn’t going to “out game-plan” everyone all the time …
will it be better than last year? you betcha! more weapons, a year under everyone’s collective belts (esp OLine and QB) and an OC like Weis … far better than last year, no doubt of that
but Weis won’t win every battle (play) of every war (game) … nor would I expect him to … he’s good, not quite THAT good, and we need a player or two on offense still to be truly where we want/need to be … closer by far, and should be a fun year
"I shall conquer untruth by truth" - Mahatma Gandhi
"It's always easier to sell 'em some shit than it is to give 'em the truth" - Shel Silverstein, The Perfect High
Whitlock Rocks!
hi, Mo! 5 minutes!!!
personally, I think we'll end up with a top 3 rushing offense
off. staff- A-
QB- B-/C+
RB- A
WR- B+
TE- C/C-
OL- B
I think KC did a LOT to upgrade team speed and coverage talent on D, and this'll help the front 7, considerably.
I think your title suggests that KC MAINLY upgraded offense, but your article makes it clear that you’re trying to focus on offense. That’s the only disconnect I really see, here. Otherwise, a fine article. Thx!
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