OTA #1 Update 5/18
From Truman Sports Complex
There were 83 players on the field for the Chiefs first OTA session Monday morning.
“We are trying to integrate some football as rookies and veterans are together for the first time,” said Todd Haley. “I thought we got off to a decent start. We had 83 players on the field which I think is excellent given that the OTA’s are voluntary. We had nice weather, so we were all able to be outside.”
The only players on the roster missing from the workout were LG Brian Waters, OLB Mike Vrabel and fourth-round draft choice Donald Washington. Waters and Vrabel have not been at the team’s facilities at all this off-season, while Washington is not allowed to attend under NFL rules because Ohio State’s spring term does not end until the second week of June.
“This is all voluntary so let’s try to focus on the 83 guys that are here and working hard,” said Haley. “We would like everybody here. Those that were not here were not a surprise to us, so I feel comfortable with where we are at with those guys.”
Veteran Wade Smith stepped into Waters spot at LG with the first-team offense, while Tamba Hali and Monty Beisel worked at the OLB spots with the first defense.
“The big guys started to look like a little bit of a group right now,” Haley said after watching his offensive and defensive line work. “Whether they can get it done is another story, but today was a good start. It looked guys had an idea of what was going on.”
QB Matt Cassel enjoyed getting his first extended on field work with the rest of the Chiefs offense.
“Everybody is working hard and it’s fun to be out here and do what we do for a living,” Cassel said. “We’ve had a lot of hard work up to this point, but mainly it’s been in the weight room. Now, it’s fun to get on the field and work on some timing. Everything is not sharp right now, but that’s what we are working on.”
The players had two shifts before they got onto the practice field. There was a 75-minute strength and conditioning session and then a 75-minute session in the classroom with position coaches. Everything is fast and moves at a very quick tempo, something the players have noticed.
“He’s coming out and getting after us with some great enthusiasm, ” Cassel said of Haley’s approach to the off-season. “He’s coming out with an attitude and he’s teaching everyone involved that we have to go out there with an attitude, that we expect to win and play hard for 60 minutes.”
There were a handful of players who did not take part as they rehab from injury: QB Brodie Croyle, CB Maurice Leggett, TE Tony Davis, LB Turk McBride, DT Tank Tyler, DE Glenn Dorsey, OLB Brian Johnston and RB Kolby Smith.
Observations from the workout:
- The No. 1 offense lined up this way: Dwayne Bowe and Mark Bradley were at WR, Brad Cottam at TE, Mike Cox and Larry Johnson in the backfield with Cassel and the offensive front from left to right of Branden Albert, Smith, Rudy Niswanger, Mike Goff and Damion McIntosh.
- The No. 1 defense lined up this way: Tyson Jackson, Ron Edwards and Alex Magee along the defensive line, although Dorsey worked with the No. 1 unit at RDE when they did their pre-practice walkthrough segment. At strong OLB spot was Monty Beisel with Hali work at the weak OLB. Inside it was Derrick Johnson and Zach Thomas. LCB was Brandon Carr, RCB was Brandon Flowers with Jarrad Page and Bernard Pollard at safety.
- The No. 2 offensive line went like this from left to right: Herb Taylor, Edwin Harrison, Eric Ghiaciuc, Tavares Washington and Barry Richardson.
- The No. 2 defense lined up this way: Alfonso Boone, Derek Lokey and Bobby Greenwood, with OLB Darrell Robertson and Andy Studebaker with inside backers Demorrio Williams and Corey Mays. On the corners were Travis Daniels and Ricardo Colclough, with Jon McGraw and DaJuan Morgan at safety.
- Working at OLB were Hali, McBride, Studebaker, Beisel, Robertson, Johnston and Walters.
- Working at ILB were Johnson, Thomas, Mays, Williams, Wes Dacus, Jovan Belcher and Corey Smith.
- When the squads came together for the seven-on-seven passing drills, Bowe dropped the first two passes thrown his way,
- The No. 1 pick draft choice had a nice pass defense as he knocked a pass out of the sky with his hand at the line of scrimmage.
Bye Bye Brian. You can take your immature, coddled, self somewhere will you won’t be told the truth. I hope we get value for him, at least a 4th.
Bye bye Vrabel, and good riddance. ANYTHING we get for him will be fine, since he’s about done. NE was going to release him, but they found a sucker to take him.
“Veteran Wade Smith…” not exactly a good sign.
“Rudy Niswanger…” not exactly excited about this either…
Thanks for the info Bob.
The defense looks like the “pizza against the wall” approach. See if anything sticks. The O line may survive but pass catchers are very light on the team. Well there is still lots of time before the first regular game, maybe there are still players who can come in and help. As for Waters and Vrabel, it is to bad if they effectively end their careers this way.
Monte Beisel better not be starting for this team. If he’s any more than a special teamer and short yardage/goal line player, our LB’s will be as bad this year as they were last year.
How well Rin knows…whence Brian Waters absence speaks nee he declines, people listen - give ‘em hell #54!
Mike Vrabel? Perhaps he has seen the enemy…and it ‘came fromst’ and too afore him New England.
Or, either case, these 2 would be Chiefs prefer ra’her to waitest ’til ’tis in fact ‘mandatory’, and not the obliga-deux-tory hailee & piolee.
“TE Tony Davis”
- much as I loved him in ‘The Great Houdini’, ne’er knew Rin that Curtis could escape his own cognomen.
_________________________________
* Flowers & Carr have flip-flopped at CB? Yo left, yo left, yo left-right-left!
* Butta-fangers Bowe gettin’ his drops out the way early, we pray.
* How do you hide a ‘Tank’ when you’ve two-full units of defensive lineman ahead of him? In the doghouse, perhaps?
Injuries…bah, humbug! A likely excuse.
Bowe dropped some passes??? :no: I can’t believe it!!!
“When the squads came together for the seven-on-seven passing drills, Bowe dropped the first two passes thrown his way,”
Nice!
Bowe is in mid-season form.
So where was RT Colin Brown, 3rd team?
It will be impossible to judge the OL against our crappy and half injured DL.
I’m not worried about Vrabel and Waters… yet. Like most veterans of their status, they’ll avoid anything they feel they can get away with. I am a little disappointed that Vrabel hasn’t come to gel with his new team. On that note, good job Goff and Thomas!
Probably not the case Blake, but…
He was 3rd team behind Barry Richardson…twas why no one could see him; actually, what appeared as a red bowler and love handles the 6′6-ish 319 lb-ish Barry was the crown & sides the 6′7-ish 335 lb-ish Colin.
I hate OTA humor, but even Rin has to get ready for the 17 week season nee engagement his ahead starring on bob’s blog.
“A successful coach needs a patient wife, loyal dog and great quarterback, and not necessarily in that order.”
- Bud Grant -
Actually I think that order is correct.
Well, D Bowe is catching passes from a new QB…so maybe that’s it.
Yeah, I’m trying to remain positive.
Too bad they outlawed stickum.
“The No. 1 pick draft choice had a nice pass defense as he knocked a pass out of the sky with his hand at the line of scrimmage.”
Wow. A Chiefs player knocking down a pass? That’s something we haven’t seen much in recent years.
…said Haley. “We would like everybody here. Those that were not here were not a surprise to us, so I feel comfortable with where we are at with those guys.”
I wonder what he knows that we don’t?
Oline, without Waters, which is becoming increasingly more evident, will be average on their best of days.
Trouble aplenty unless someone surprises but I can’t see anyone providing same. This will be a Cassel/Bulger (Rams) display, looking good one game and being constantly buried by an opposing rush tsunami wave on most others.
Get the $$$ while you can, Cassel because this upcoming season without a stable Oline will quickly morph into 2007/2008 re-visited and I don’t care WHO the hell the head coach or GM happens to be.
What makes some of you so sure Smith is a step back?
Nothing! would be the answer.
Rip ‘em a new one says:
“Oline, without Waters, which is becoming increasingly more evident, will be average on their best of days.”
“Average” is still a big upgrade over “sucking the big one”…which is what we had last year.
I understand your point, though.
I’m still willing to bet that with the better conditioning and better coaching…that a few of our guys might be better than what they showed last year.
starting to wonder if vrabel will just retire…
Waters needs to be moved, at this point, Im ok with Wade Smith, he actually was one of the better OL last year stepping in…
Bowe dropping passes is a worry, its like shaq and free throws, starting to think itll never be fixed.
Boy the whiners are out in full force. You guys need to get a life. I pity your wives. Always crying. Are you guys Kansas farmers by any chance
“stepping in…”
…whatever direction was out of the way of the oncoming d-linemen akin to a matador ‘Ole!
‘ “Average” is still a big upgrade over “sucking the big one”…which is what we had last year.’
Scott-man - I tend to think the last year result will be the end result if Waters vanishes - since we still have D-Mac opposite Mr. Brandon “Don’t call me FAT!!!” Albert.
“Are you guys Kansas farmers by any chance”
Are you a Raider by chance (or just a Donkey)?
I was thinking the same leo. The pessimists are out in full force after the first report on the first OTA. Teams are never smooth after 4 months off. Football is a game of timing.
I personally think Brian Waters will kiss and make up, then return to the Pro Bowl. Vrabel…dude was a throw-in with the the Cassel trade. No loss if he never plays for the Chiefs.
What is Demario Williams doing playing ILB? The guy is light and fast. If he gets on the field, one would think it would be at OLB.
Bob, looks like you were on the money about Ron Edwards at NT. He and Tank should be a solid rotation.
I’m not worried about our defense…it cant be worse then last yr.
Unfortunately, I dont see too much improvement in our Oline this yr….and that is pivotal to the chiefs ability to be competitive.
Waters is starting to worry me, Vrabel acquisition had me a tad excited but my heart didn’t fall too far when I read he hasn’t been showing up. I’m really worried if Pioli and Haley are what they’re cracked up to be
Part of the agreement with Vrabel may have been that he wasn’t expected to attend anything labeled “voluntary”. While I think he should be here setting an example and bridging the transition gap for the younger guys, he’s a proven pro and I have no doubt that he’ll be in shape and ready to go once mandatory stuff starts. Or we trade the guy for a mid to late round pick if he actually is a malcontent.
Looks like Brian Waters days in KC are numbered. It’ll be interesting to see how this one plays out.
I’m hoping that Haley figures out what’s up with Bowe’s hands, identifies the problem, and then proceeds to FIX IT!
Lokey over Tank? What did our flabby, military vehicle do to find himself on the 3rd team already? Same for Colin Brown.
It’s still early, no reason to panic over anything just yet. I’ll be looking forward to your excellent updates Bob! Still the best Chiefs site on the net in my book!
FYI,
Tank was on the “injured” list, which is why Lokey was 2nd string.
I am not being negative, I just think we will be lucky to get to 6-10 this year. Two rookie DE’s two old linebackers that will likely be injured at some point. An O-Line that is STILL one of the worst in the league.
I think the O-Line is underestimated in its importance. Last year we averaged 78 rushing yards a game, and were sacked all the time. We lost TWO quarterbacks. And Brodie was injured twice. He didn’t even make it out of the first half after he came back. Herm really annoyed me with that one because I predicted he would get injured his first game back and I was right. He was clobbered as the defense pushed a couple tackles out of the way and raced into the backfield. We are still a team in development. With a HORRID O-Line, few recievers, and runners that aren’t given 5 inches, we will still suck this year. It was great getting Mike Goff, however we are still in the minus from last year if Waters does not come back. 6-10 may happen if our guys have a better attitude and are in better shape but we still have SO many holes. I see why teams stay bad for so long. Once you blow up the roster and then change leadership it just becomes a mess. We need some of our draft picks to really develop. Look at next year, if Vrabel and Thomas leave its the same group as 08. Tough times in KC.
waters needs to be a man not a baby so what you had your feelings hurt, your boss is a jerk just like everybodys elses. the guy needs to quit crying.
vrabel he was a real team player when his team was wining super bowels and in the playoffs every year now is his first real challenge as a player and he doesnt want anything to do with it.
Hey bob can you tell us how well glenn dorsey is doing at the defensive end spot. I know its not what hes used to but the guy is such a great talent it would be a shame for him not to fit somewhere in our system on the d line.
thank you
head cheif
head cheif, Dorsey is nursing some minor injury from what I heard. I couldn’t agree with you more about Waters. If my boss said one rude thing to me and then I copped a huge attitude I would end up jobless. Totally being a baby. I guess when you have made millions though I guess you can kind of afford to be a baby. I hope they release him, and LJ too if he still wants to go. They said “we only want people here who want to be Chiefs”, not “we only want people who want to be Chiefs,except for those who are talented.”
LJ is all in. He’s not a problem.
Waters is a big problem, but they better not release him for no return. He has some value. If he refuses to report to the manatory’s, and they can’t get at least a 4th, fine and suspend his big baby butt. Same with Vrabel, although his value is dubious, and they probably can’t even get a 7th for him.
It’s the first OTA. No need to freak out. The O-Line will be better with the addition of Goff, and with Albert and Niwswanger having a year starting under their belts. McIntosh got better as the year went on last year, which was a new position for him. He will either continue to improve, or be replaced by Richardson or Brown and, right now, no one knows what either of them can do. Wade Smith ain’t that bad, and Taylor might be tried at guard if Smith falters and Waters doesn’t come back. Maybe Ghiaciuc starts at center, and Niwswanger moves to guard. Plus, you never know what one of the wildcard young guys might do: Harrison, Washington, etc. I think if Haley and Pioli think they need to, they’ll trade for an O-Linemen or sign some more. Apparently, right now they don’t think they need to; so let them see what they’ve got. It’s a long way even to training camp.
I think Beisel is starting at LB right now because he has more experience; that will change. I like the potential of Mcbride and Johnston at LB. I think Greenwood and Studebaker could be good surprises. Both D. Williams and C. Smith are on the smaller, quicker side for linebackers. In a 3-4? I don’t know enough about the 3-4 to say.
Vrable and Waters should be there; no question. They not; so move on, and move forward. It’s a new day, and nowhere to go but up for the Chiefs.
Does anyone know? Did Waters report for voluntary workouts the last few years and the same for Vrable. Could be these guys are not about to change their routine of late just because there has been a change. Maybe that is what Walters told Haley and Haley didn’t respond so well.
To be positive at this point is simply to hope that the Chiefs are competitive and improve at all phases of the game thru out the season. Don’t worry about what their record is going to be. It will be fun to see our new team and how our new coach handles himself and the team on the sidelines. Then you guys can tear him up too.
I asked some NE fans about Vrabel at OTAs. They told me he always showed up.
I never heard of Waters not showing up for OTA’s previously.
If you really cared about winning…wouldn’t you show up? If all you care about is your pay check…wouldn’t you sit out as much as you could?
There ya go.
I think it’s still too early in the off-season to start jumping to conclusions that the Chiefs haven’t improved at all as a football team. Not to mention that just because some players didn’t show up doesn’t all of a sudden mean they don’t want to be here. There are dozens of reasons why a player wouldn’t be at the OTAs, but I do admit it is a safe bet to assume that the reasons they aren’t at practice are the very same reasons mentioned in above posts. I still think it is way too early to jump to those negative conclusions at this point.
I know we’ve all heard that famous quote “you are what your record says you are”, but I don’t buy that. Maybe I’m stubborn. Maybe I’m ignorant. However, I watched/listened to every Chiefs game last year, and with the exception of a few games, they were competetive in every single game to the point where they had a chance to win. What if all we needed was a few different coaches and players to turn our record around?
I think we have a lot of good, talented players on this team, and all they need is a little push. But that’s just me I guess. Maybe I’m just too optimistic because I’m a huge fan. Bottom line: some of you guys need to chill out about one OTA in May when nobody has played a game yet. Everyone’s regular season record is still at 0-0.
One of the big reasons we were competitive in many of those games was because of the play of Gonzalez. He is gone….so how will the Chiefs be affected? We need other people to step up now.
True story, Harold. Unfortunately, now we just have to wait and see if anyone does decide to step up. Hopefully, gameplans and a playbook will be developed around our WRs and RBs instead of RBs and THE TE.
Competitive in every game Hemi? Maybe we are not watching the same Kansas city chiefs. Granted we were competitive for about half of them but, remember the Carolina thrashing, down 34-3. How is that competitive? Or the Broncos game a week before or after that? Do a little thinking back before you make a post. We were NOT competitive in every game.
Hemi7382 said: “I watched/listened to every Chiefs game last year, and with the exception of a few games, they were competetive in every single game to the point where they had a chance to win.”
Key words: ‘exception of a few games.’
Kevin B said to Hemi7382: “Competitive in every
game Hemi? Do a little thinking back before you make a post. We were NOT competitive in every game.”
Key words: ‘do a little thinking.’
To borrow from ‘Cool Hand Luke’ (1967): “What we have here is a failure to communicate.”
Rin says, “like ships passing in the night…”