/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/30916619/610411__1_.0.jpg)
Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Tim Grunhard went on 810 WHB's The Border Patrol this week and sounded the alarms. Asked about the Chiefs re-tooled offensive line, Grunhard said: "Big trouble, big trouble."
Uh-oh.
Grunhard played center for the Chiefs from 1990-2000 and later coached at KU, so he has some experience at this. Fortunately for the Chiefs, there's still plenty of time to improve the line, including the draft. But the answer to the Chiefs guard questions is not in the first round of the draft, according to Grunhard.
"I think you can find somebody," Grunhard said. "I don't know the logistics of who's there. I haven't looked at the top 10 guards coming out. I know the kid from Notre Dame (Zack Martin) is pretty good but I think he's going to drafted in the first 15 or 16 picks. There are some guys that played tackle that might move into the guard position. I think you can find a guy who played tackle in college and move him inside."
The first round of the draft should be a receiver, Grunhard said. "Chiefs are going to get a playmaker in the first round."
Grunhard and the guys on the Border Patrol went through the Chiefs offensive line. I pulled out some quotes on the players he talked about.
LT Eric Fisher
"You know [Chiefs offensive line coach] Andy Heck and I played together at Notre Dame. We went out to dinner and Andy really likes the kid. A lot of ups and downs, but very athletic. He's got great length. He thinks the game moved a little too quick for him last year."
"I'm not sold ... He has to get a lot more physical and mentally he has to get stronger. He's got the athleticism. The kid has great feet. He has John Alt feet."
RT Donald Stephenson
"I think Stephenson's going to be OK ... I think that's a good move."
C Rodney Hudson
"I like Hudson ... I think keep him at center. The kid is starting to feel comfortable there. That's a position where even though there isn't a lot of one on one blocking -- although with the 3-4 defense teams are starting to run, there's more of that -- but there's not a lot of one-on-one. He's a pretty smart kid. He's got a good relationship with all the quarterbacks. Why mess with that? Go find yourself a guard. You can find a guard in the draft and then he can come up and play."
G Jeff Allen
"I think you need to find an upgrade. I'm just not sold on the kid. I'm just not ... I'm not sure about his punch, I'm not sure about his finish. I think the kid gets a good position, a fairly smart player, but you don't see that explosion from him coming off the ball. You don't see that second level ability."
Former Chiefs G Geoff Schwartz
"The intangibles Schwartz brought ... The kid had a great personality, he was fun to be around, he was great in the locker room, he was great in the meeting room. He was a fun guy. You need those guys that have a little bit of levity. You need the guys who can break the tension. It's a long football season, 17 weeks you play, there are going to be a lot of ups and downs and you need someone who can bring a little bit of levity and a little bit of fun to the meeting room and the offensive line. You have to have that and if you don't have that it wears on you."
Listen to the interview at 810WHB.com.
H/T GregHallKC.com