In his press conference late last night after the loss to the Bucs, Chiefs head coach Todd Haley shared some unexpected insights into why the Chiefs brought in some late free agent additions this off-season. Both wide receiver Keary Colbert and offensive tackle Jared Gaither were brought in at the end of the week, and both signings caught Chiefs fans off-guard.
Certainly, the addition of Gaither made more sense than Colbert, given that the Chiefs were long rumored to pursue some help at the tackle position leading back to the draft -- when Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi was a projected first round choice. Gaither was clearly a buy-low opportunity for Scott Pioli as he remained available on the market, and while his health is a concert, the potential is difficult to ignore.
As for Colbert, it's hard to tell at first what the Chiefs front office saw in him given his lack of playing time in the NFL for the last two full seasons. And perhaps this is why Haley chose to share some of those reasons with the press after the game:
"Gaither, I think, is great competition at either spot," he continued. "I've seen him play both spots. I think he's capable. We have to get them into shape -- football shape -- and then try to get them into position where he can compete. From what I've seen on tape, he's got a chance to compete on either side potentially."
Having both in camp for their first full week will give both coaches and fans their first real look at what either can bring. Colbert's battle is more uphill than Gaither's given both his lack of productivity at the NFL level recently and the amount of receivers already on the roster.