**UPDATE SAT. 5 PM** Final cuts have been made. Head here.

Of course, the 53 players on the team after 5 PM central time tonight won't be the exact roster for opening day. After the NFL roster deadline hits this evening, expect the Kansas City Chiefs to pick up one or two players off of the waiver wire.

I've run through the roster and made my decisions on who I think will be cut. Interestingly enough, while researching this and reading others cut lists, most of them are in agreement about 95% of the time.

The only differences I've seen in people's cut lists are the tail ends of the linebacker and line rotations. A little LeRue Rumph here. A little Anthony Alabi there. Maybe throw in some Sippio. (Update: Sippio apparently has been cut)

There isn't anything groundbreaking in this post because it's pretty easy to pick about 90% of this roster with about that same certainty.

QB: Brodie Croyle, Tyler Thigpen and Damon Huard

No surprises here. The Chiefs will carry three quarterbacks on the final roster no matter what and these are almost assuredly the three they will keep.

Cut: None

RB: Larry Johnson, Kolby Smith, Jamaal Charles, Jackie Battle and Dantrell Savage

Dantrell Savage hopefully makes this team as a kick returner but I've included him in the running backs section. LJ, Kolby and Jamaal Charles are all 100% safe. Battle may not make it because of roster numbers but he's probably safe too.

Cut: None

WR: Dwayne Bowe, Devard Darling, Will Franklin, Maurice Price and Jeff Webb

Despite not catching a pass this preseason, Devard Darling is still accomplished enough to get the nod over Arthur, Joachim, McMahan and Sippio. If you make an argument against Darling, you have to make an argument for one of those guys making the team and I don't think you can. Maybe you can make an argument for Bobby Sippio but I think you're splitting hairs at that point.(Update: Sippio has apparently been cut)

Cut: Jabari Arthur, Sergio Joachim, Kevin McMahan and Bobby Sippio

FB:Mike Cox and Chris Manderino

Word on the street is that the Chiefs like Manderino's special teams play, which is great for him because Mike Cox has the starting fullback spot nailed.

Cut: None

TE: Tony Gonzalez, Brad Cottam and J.P. Foschi

TG and Cottam are locks to make the roster and we'll give Foschi and his GA Tech roots the nod over the injured Mike Merritt and Michael "What happened to people being excited about me?" Allan. Allan may spend his final year on the practice squad before permanently falling off into obscurity. My future money says this is another D3 experiment that will not succeed.

Cut: Michael Allan and Mike Merritt

O-Line: Branden Albert, Brian Waters, Rudy Niswanger, Adrian Jones, Damion McIntosh, Herb Taylor, Barry Richardson and Wade Smith

I think those first eight offensive linemen I listed are definitely going to make the team. Beyond that, I think we could see another player dropped at a different position in favor of another offensive linemen. That linemen may not even be on the team right now and there is no way the Chiefs are satisfied with the depth they have on the offensive line.

Cut: Travis Leffew, Tre Stallings, Will Svitek, Anthony Alabi, Edwin Harrison and Rob Smith

D-Line: Turk McBride, Tank Tyler, Glenn Dorsey, Tamba Hali, Alfonso Boone, Ron Edwards. T.J. Jackson and Brian Johnston

After Ron Edwards, you're entering a pretty blurry area on the defensive line. TJ Jackson and Brian Johnston both had their names called more than a few times last Thursday against the Rams and that may be enough to distinguish themselves from the other defensive linemen.

Cut: Johnny Dingle, Jason Parker and Derek Lokey

LB: Derrick Johnson, Pat Thomas, Donnie Edwards, Demorrio Williams, Weston Dacus and Nap Harris (Int'l player Aden Durde will be on the practice squad but not count for a spot)

Nap Harris seems to be on everyone else's cut list and he certainly is a possible roster casualty. One of the cuts listed below could out value Harris on special teams, making the decision to keep him even more difficult. Donnie Edwards of course makes the final cut but how durable will he be in his 13th season? He's already tweaked a hamstring.

Cut: EJ Kuale, Steve Octavien and LeRue Rumph

CB: Patrick Surtain, Brandon Flowers, Brandon Carr, Dimitri Patterson, Tyron Brackenridge and Maurice Leggett

The first four CB spots are taken with Brackenridge, Barksdale and Leggett battling for the final one or even two spots. Can't say I've seen much of any of those three this preseason, making my analysis a bit strained. Brackenridge will probably get the nod because the Chiefs liked him enough last year as an UDFA to play him a bit and neither Barksdale nor Leggett has distinguished themselves.

Cut: Rashard Barksdale

S: Jarrad Page, Bernard Pollard, Jon McGraw and DaJuan Morgan

The safety position isn't difficult to figure out. Page and Pollard will start with McGraw and Morgan rotating in and out. The Chiefs don't need five safeties on the team.

Cut: Khayyam Burns

Special Teams: Nick Novak, Dustin Colquitt and J.P. Darche

Again, no surprises here. The Sams v. Savage competition is pretty much even but I'll throw my support behind the younger, less Drummond-like Dantrell Savage. My gut says Sams makes the team though but I can't bring myself to post that.

Cut: BJ Sams and Connor Barth (he's still on the roster so we'll include him for good measure)

We've already had a few threads about the roster cuts so use this spot to make any last minute predictions. I'll update you on the cuts as soon as I hear about them.

With all of the attention on so many of our rookies, we on Arrowhead Pride, as well as most fans and the major media, have primarily been focused on the offensive line, the defensive line, wide receivers and the secondary. The linebacking unit is the only unit on this team for which Herm hasn't Drafted. Shall we call it the Bill Belichek strategy? Or shall we call it a low part of the totem pole on a team full of needs?

Whichever way you take it, Gretz has a fantastic insider interview with Gunther Cunningham about the state of the thus-far struggling, shallow linebacking corps. This is an absolute must-read if you're concerned about the middle of the defense.

Two of the bigger revelations in the interview:

(1.) Demorrio Williams (who is playing the strong side with DJ on the weak, depth chart fans!) has been given better chances to rush the passer.  He's even been lined up at DE in the two-minute defense, and apparently has devastated McIntosh in the process. Gretz has done nothing but rave.

(2.) Newly re-converted LB Oliver Hoyte has just made the 53-man roster. Of course, Gunther did not say as much, but Gunther has gushed about Hoyte's performance on special teams, which is the harbinger of who makes the roster if you're on the bubble. Scribble it onto your depth charts right now: Hoyte makes the team. Probably as a reserve special-teamer, but who knows? Apparently he's a camp favorite.

It's really hard to determine who's going to be on the final 53-man roster at this position when the smoke clears. Every single year during the Herm era, the Chiefs have taken a couple UDFAs at this position due to their special teams performance -- I expect this year's version to be the same.

So let's sort out the LB depth chart together, after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Since I love lists of ten, let's do that, shall we?

Provide me feedback, let me know if you agree or disagree.

1. First string offense has a lot of promise. Hard to tell if Herb Taylor or the right side was up to the job because Gailey's playcalls didn't trust them at all. Lots of misdirection, lots of bootlegs. Croyle and Thigpen have proven to be effective when mobile. When Huard comes in, the offense reverts to 2007. That's not coincidence, and it leads me to believe that pass protection will still be a problem.

2. All RBs look solid, almost all WRs looked solid, too. Only significant WR I was not impressed with was Darling, who was invisible. But the depth of WRs who made plays yesterday was mindboggling. Sure, Sippio(!!!) won the game, but he had another tough catch-and-run earlier in the game. Franklin looked like the best non-Bowe WR. Webb got waaaaay open a couple times. Maurice Price looks like he's in incredible shape after recovering from a broken collarbone. Even Jabari Arthur and Kevin McMahon looked great.

3. I think Lovie and Herm had a gentleman's agreement to not blitz each other's QB. I don't think I saw a single blitz.

4. LJ is going to LOVE the zone blocking system. The guy gets to crunch linebackers and secondaries way more often, now. LJ finally gets to earn yards the way he likes: initial explosion, crunch some folks at the second level, and take off. Loved that touchdown run.

5. DJ looked good, but all other linebackers failed to play the right gap or play tough. Only DJ made a truly powerful play, and he made several. Pat Thomas just about embarrassed himself at the Mike. I think the Chiefs will be stewing over putting Donnie in the middle of the field and putting DeMorrio and DJ on either side. This team will struggle with depth at LB all year.

6. Our secondary was schooled several times over, but not without promise. Maurice Leggett was beat on two obvious plays (one of them being a TD), but only because he made minor, correctable mistakes. His coverage was otherwise pretty strong. Morgan got beat a couple times as well, but his speed is undeniable. Page needs to wrap up better, still. Flowers and Carr both look like rookies, and I continue to have high hopes.

7. Our DL is in trouble, even if Dorsey returns. We might be okay in the middle when he returns (a rotation of Edwards, Tank, Dorsey, and sometimes Boone could be a LOT of fun, although our scrub DTs -- particularly Lokey and T.J. Jackson -- were slaughtered), but we're going to be hurting on the outside all year. Boone is not fast enough to get around the corner at DE, Hali was shut down on sacks but he didn't play too bad, and no other DE made noise other than Turk and Jason Parker on a couple of chases.

8. Barth was money on his kick, so that's good. But neither kicker could get the ball to the endzone on kickoffs.

9. No major kick returns. Sams didn't even return one. Charles was iffy. Savage was actually the best returner of the night.

10. I think our offense will get into the lower 20s or upper teens, and I think our defense is going to be in the mid to lower 20s. I think our defense has lots of talent, especially in the secondary, but we're going to get killed from having no depth at LB, and no talent other than Hali at DE.

A few notes from Mr. Gretz on the AM practice, which was a full pad practice.

• WR Timon Marshall was cut, putting the roster at 79 players. Marshall was only signed last week so he must have simply not cut it at all.


• "Missing from the practice work were DE Turk McBride (stomach ailment), G Brian Waters (unknown), TE Tony Gonzalez (rest) and WR-KR Kevin Robinson (knee). During the practice, LB Derrick Johnson was suffering from cramps and did not participate over the last hour or so."


• The young offense is inconsistent and does not know the playbook yet. This is what camp is for though, learning plays and getting into a rhythm.


• Damon Huard threw a pick that was apparently just a terrible pass.


• Gretz gives DaJuan Morgan props for his play and his pick of Huard.

The UW-RF update is here. I'm still experimenting with the best way to cover this so if you have preferences, let me know. I may end up doing one, later post combining both practices. That way the UW-RF site will have pictures uploaded as well.

I'm not feeling the organized, list version of our morning update so I'm just going to throw some stuff out there. It's basically Friday anyway.

Unfulfilled college dreams. An 8th round draft pick. Sounds like J.J. Birden knows how lucky he is.

A product of the inner city of Portland, Birden came to Lakeridge because he was in the very last group of students who were bussed in order to achieve racial balance in schools.

While doing his part to promote integration, Birden did even more to help the Pacer football team. He was good as a junior and great as a senior, making the all-state football team.

But where Birden really shined was in track as a sprinter and jumper.

Birden had to wait until his sophomore year to even try out for the Oregon Ducks. I had a most unimpressive college career in football."

"I started as a junior, but I broke my arm against Nebraska. As a senior I twisted my arm against UCLA. I had one touchdown my whole career."

Now, Birden sells "special" chocolate. The chocolate has pain relieving powers, which Birden was sick of using over the counter meds for.

The Kansas City Chiefs will beat up on the Minnesota Vikings during their annual practice a week after training camp starts.

The Chiefs will depart for River Falls on Thursday, July 24 with the first day of practice scheduled for Friday, July 25. Kansas City will hold a joint practice session with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, July 31 at UW-River Falls. Family Fun Night is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 2. The Chiefs will open their 2008 preseason schedule with a contest at Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 7. The club is currently scheduled to break camp and return to Kansas City on Friday, Aug. 15.

I have to say that Nap Harris' softball event in Chicago sounds like it was a lot of fun.

Harris was so successful in recruiting his teammates for the game that one might have thought the game was being played in Kansas City.

Chiefs star running back Larry Johnson, linebacker Derrick Johnson, running back Kolby Smith and defensive back Patrick Surtain all played.

Bears running back Garrett Wolfe and wide receiver Mark Bradley, along with former Bear and current broadcaster Jerry Azumah, were on hand to give the crowd some local stars to cheer on.

That's it for now. We'll have a community projection up later in the day but if you're anything like me, your mind is already drifted towards the weekend's activities. Let us know if you have any good 4th of July/fireworks stories.

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.

Kcchiefs.com posted a fairly underwhelming interview with Derrick Johnson yesterday. I don't claim to be an expert in how to extract information from professional athletes, but as we saw on Hard Knocks last year, athletes are coached to be cordial and avoidant. So I would do everything I can to knock them off their guard, to get them to reveal actual nuggets of information rather than that candy-coated crap they're always feeding us.

It's an unofficial job of mine to read this crap, and it doesn't get any easier when the questions line up like this:

Q: How’s it going for you now that your in your third week of OTAs and you start mini- camp on Friday?

Q. What is like to not only have Gunther as your defensive coordinator, but also your linebackers coach?

Q: Sometimes you start out real strong then things trail off. Is this the year for you?

Q: That word consistency seems to be that word because Brodie (Croyle) used it as well about his play and that everybody has to consistent?

THAT LAST ITEM ISN'T EVEN A QUESTION. But it's got a question mark nonetheless.

It's been several years now since we've drafted Derrick Johnson, and there's not a lot I can tell you about his tenure that you don't already know. His play has alternated between brilliant and ordinary. The sky is blue.

But the continual talk about Derrick Johnson during his time as a Chief has been that he's "developing." This was an adjective I'd hoped we'd stop using after his second year, but coming into his fourth year, we're still hearing it. And oddly enough, it's appropriate. The guy is still developing, because even after 2007, easily his best to date, there is still a lot of things this guy can do.

Ever since his rookie year ended, I've been the guy saying "DJ's going to explode!!!1 this year" every single offseason, only to be proven wrong.

Well this year, he truly is going to explode. And I'm not just saying that to say it. I'm saying it because I truly believe, and will argue thusly, that Derrick Johnson will be a Pro Bowl linebacker in 2008. Quote it, buy it, print it. I'll offer three gigantic reasons why.

The first reason is that there is a lot of buzz out right now that DJ is finally making the move from strongside to weakside linebacker. This a move that is significant not only in the statistics he's going to accumulate, but in his ability to impact games. The strongside linebacker is typically responsible for more pass coverage and less freedom to roam than the weakside is -- largely to account for the tight end. The strongside linebacker typically rushes the backfield where the most blockers are, and has to attack the QB in his line of vision.

DJ has been nearly elite in pass coverage, and locked down on tight ends all year -- few tight ends had big games on the Chiefs. But DJ's specialty is getting behind the line of scrimmage and getting to the QB. The weakside allows DJ to do it without entering the QB's line of vision, and it doesn't weigh him down with coverage assignments nearly as much as the strongside would. This allows DJ to create more havoc.

The second reason DJ will make the Pro Bowl is more negative for the Chiefs as a team: he is surrounded with the weakest linebacker talent that he's seen in his years as a Chief (as hard as we strive on AP for continuity, this is a point where Chris and I disagree). Donnie Edwards is another year older at a position that doesn't age particularly well, and Donnie may be playing at middle linebacker anyway to cover for Napoleon Harris, who's performance has been so underwhelming, offenses are apparently gameplanning to attack him. DeMorrio Williams is a question mark more than anything, and from there it's a cluster of UDFAs and castoffs, all of them promising but none of them proven.

It's an adage that's seen across all levels of football: surround a linebacker with better and better players, and his numbers and the sheer amount of plays he can make will decrease. If you surround a linebacker with elite talent, there's less Superman plays he has to make to keep his team competitive. What you're seeing in 2008 is a weak lineup that backs up a defensive line that's riddled with questions itself, and DJ will be provided every opportunity to statistically erupt.

The third and last reason that DJ will be a Pro Bowler in 2008 is that he's already played like one last year. I believe that DJ was a Top 5 strongside linebacker last year. But every OLB that made the AFC Pro Bowl squad came from a 3-4 defense, which provides their OLBs to rush the QB with abandon and put up huge numbers.

So with all of the above reasons, a little friendly exposure from the media, and some luck, I fearlessly predict that DJ will become the first Chiefs linebacker to make the Pro Bowl since our own patron saint, Derrick Thomas.

Who's with me?

Poll

Derrick Johnson. Discuss.

• You're right! This is the year! Honolulu or bust!
• I don't think he'll make the Pro Bowl, but he'll play fantastic and help this team win.
• Same ol' same ol'. He'll play great some plays and disappear others.
• DJ will start to decline. All hail DeMorrio Williams.
• The Chiefs will trade DJ for three high draft picks next offseason.

  176 votes | Results

Within an hour of the conclusion of the 2008 NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs had signed Nebraska linebacker Steve Octavien.

"They’re giving me $10,000 right off the bat," Octavien said of his signing bonus. "It was the best opportunity I would have had."

Octavien didn't even watch the NFL draft this year. He knew that a player with the injury history he had would be a tough sell as a draft pick.

"Anytime there are questions about injuries," Octavien said, "you fall off everybody’s board real quick."

In 2004, in his only year at Wiliam Rainey Harper College, Octavien only played in four games due to a shoulder injury. Then, in the opening quarter of the '05 season, now Nebraska Cornhusker Octavien broke his leg and didn't play another down the rest of the season.

Octavien played in in every game in 2007, leading the team in tackles, tackles for loss and quarterback pressures. It was his first injury-free season since high school. He started eight games in '07, three at weak-side linebacker and three at strong-side linebacker.

Throughout his Nebraska career, it appears as if Steve Octavien had his fair share of energized comments and quotable statements. On September 22, 2007, the Cornhuskers came out of Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE, with a one point win over lowly Ball-State. The crowd booed the play of the Nebraska defense, prompting Steve Octavien to say this about the fans - " They’re not on the field. We’re the ones putting in the hard work. If they don’t like it, they don’t have to come out and watch the games."

A few days later, Octavien made an emotional, mature and honest apology, stirring Corn Nation to pen this:

Perhaps Tuesday the Huskers found their defensive leader in the form of Steve Octavien. Some leaders are not born, but make themselves in time of crisis. Two common items to overcoming a crisis are communication and unity. Finding himself in the middle of one, Octavien has seized the opportunity and used both items to bring things back together. Husker fans should recognize that and respond this weekend with the support that he deserves. If it all comes together there's still time to have a good Husker football season. I hope it does, because there are few things better than watching a leader be born.

A leader, eh? The Chiefs could use one of those. Now, it's not going to be Steve Octavien because undrafted free agents don't exactly have much clout in the locker room, even if he is a natural leader. But this team is young and wary. Hopefully an interesting story line will develop this off season about a leader on defense (or offense). We really have no "leaders" to speak of. Donnie Edwards was expected to fill that role I suppose but as far as I can tell he hasn't. Tony Gonzalez is a frustrated leader when he speaks, which makes his influence much less. Larry Johnson isn't that type of guy. Beyond that, there's really no one who speaks and everyone listens. A player who can change the attitude of the team with one quote. A natural leader. We simply do not have one now. The time is quickly approaching for one.

Okay, back to Steve Octavien. Check out this draft profile of Octavien, which is worth a watch if you're truly interested in the guy.

As far as personal priorities, Steve Octavien is already thinking about sharing his wealth. Just not in the MC Hammer, Shawn Kemp traditions.

If his dream of playing in the NFL doesn't pan out, Octavien has talked with Husker team chaplain Matt Penland and his Lincoln, Neb., church about a project in South Africa. His own vision is to someday open an orphanage and homeless shelter in Haiti, where his parents were born. "I know they have major problems," Octavien said. "They're the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. My roots are from there, so it's a place I want to help out. "That's something I can't do without money from football. I've just got to use the tools God gave me."

As far as Octavien's chances of making the Kansas City Chiefs' opening day roster, I'll put it this way. He is one of eleven linebackers currently on the roster. Donnie Edwards, Derrick Johnson, Nap Harris and DeMorrio Williams are the clear cut top four players at the position, with a mix of 2007 special teamers and UDFAs from last month's draft filling out the roster. Octavien's hope in making this team is entirely based on being a special teams stand out.

Lucky for him, linebacker is a position that seems to translate well to special teams play.

• Kansas City Star -- "'I've told people this is the best draft we've had since 1963,' Steadman said."


• Dave at Blogging the Boys is "almost convinced that T.O. is a changed person for good."


• Another fine installment of Football University at Mile High Report.


• Lots of good stuff from Bob Gretz in his latest column -- "Derrick Johnson is on the cusp of becoming one of the NFL’s most complete linebackers."


• Anyone else forget that Samie Parker signed with Denver?


• I'm not much of a gambler but I know enough to say that these odds aren't good for the Chiefs.


• More love for Dwayne Bowe -- "There was room for only one second-year player on this list, and Bowe gets the nod over the Lions’ Calvin Johnson. While Johnson battled back problems and struggled to get going in a pass-oriented, mistake-prone Detroit offense, Bowe started 15 games and starred in Kansas City’s run-oriented, conservative offense."

I'm a bit busy as I tie down the final loose ends at work this week so I'm going to throw out a topic that I read about on a Chiefs' message board - Which former Kansas City Chief can you absolutely not stand? Who do you hate?

The kicker who shall not be named will not be named in this post so choose someone different.

Like many of the posters in that forum said, I'm going to say Elvis Grbac. He spoke at a school event I was at and you could see his smugness as soon as he stepped into the auditorium. Plus, he was a terrible player. That could have something to do with it.

Man, I hate Elvis Grbac!

For a good portion of this fan's life, the Kansas City Chiefs were known first as a defensive team. My football memories of the 1990s are filled with Derrick Thomas' hands clasped above his hand in a safety signal, Neil Smith home run swings and Dale Carter running back interceptions.

Even though this isn't defense related, I'm going to throw in Steve Bono's record breaking run. You know, just because.

The winds shifted to the offensive side of the ball in the early part of the 21st century. In fact, the Chiefs did an about face. During the 1990s, the Chiefs defensive averaged about a top ten finish in points allowed and yards allowed. Since 2000, those defensive ranks have fallen into the lower third of the NFL.

Currently, the Kansas City Chiefs don't have much of an offensive or defensive identity.

The defense is solid but not great. Not yet anyway.

The offense has a few bright spots but also a lot of unknowns.

So, my question to you is, what are the strongest positions on the Kansas City Chiefs? And, will those strengths become pillars? Or will they crumble within a few years?

I'll resort to the blogger's best friend - lists - to get this conversation started. Here are my top three positions of strength on the Kansas City Chiefs:

1. Running back - The addition of Jamaal Charles suddenly catapults the Chiefs' personnel of the running game into the team's biggest strength. Larry Johnson is the #1 bruising back a Herm Edwards' team needs and Kolby Smith and Jamaal Charles are excellent compliments to LJ's style.

2. Linebackers - I don't really like putting linebacker as a major position of strength for the Chiefs but with so many unknowns on the team, this corp slides in. Derrick Johnson is slowly coming into his own since being drafted in 2005; Donnie Edwards is still an excellent player but won't be for much longer; and DeMorrio Williams and Nap Harris at least have experience, which is more than you can say for a lot of Chiefs positions.

The linebacker position appears to be stable, which is enough to make it on this list. I need to see much more from Derrick Johnson and just a glimmer of hope from Williams to be comfortable with this crew. Harris was unimpressive last year and left much to be desired.

3. Punter - You knew this was coming, right? Go through the roster and tell me what other positions for the Chiefs are stronger than punter. Dustin Colquitt falls into here sort of by default, but also because he's been one of the top performers at his position.

This was a pretty interesting exercise to go though if you do it objectively. We have a tenuous, at best, hold on our strengths.