Post by MizzouTiger on Dec 30, 2007 12:15:38 GMT -5
www.kansascity.com/sports/story/423498.html
Chiefs roster probably will look different next season
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs might be loath to use the term, but this rebuilding process they’ve undertaken has only just begun.
They will finish a most forlorn season with today’s game against the Jets in East Rutherford, N.J., and then continue the process wholesale.
By the time they start the 2008 season, the Chiefs might have just a handful of players remaining from the thingy Vermeil era: Larry Johnson, Jared Allen, Tony Gonzalez, Brian Waters, Derrick Johnson, Dustin Colquitt and perhaps a few less-significant others.
Then it truly will be Herm Edwards’ team.
“Your philosophy when you come in as a new coach is going to always be different than the (previous) guy,” Edwards said. “That’s part of the deal. Everyone knows that. That’s no secret. It doesn’t mean the players there before can’t fit your philosophy.
“But what you understand is you have a certain way you want to play and you have to develop that in your players. The first thing you do is start drafting players like that. The other guys buy into your philosophy or they don’t. Most of the players here have tried to do what we’ve asked them to do. That’s all you can ask.
“We’re going into our third draft now, and we’re going to draft some more players that fit what we want to do offensively and defensively. That’s how you do it.”
A new coach can occasionally survive with players left over from the old establishment. Edwards wasn’t afforded that luxury.
When he arrived at the start of last season, the Chiefs were one of the oldest teams in the league. He’s also trying to win with defense and ball control, an opposite approach from the one taken by Vermeil, who believed in trying to outscore opponents.
So as many as 10 veterans, most acquired when Vermeil was the coach, are probably playing their last game for the Chiefs today. The list includes offensive players such as lineman Casey Wiegmann and John Welbourn, tight end Jason Dunn, fullback Kris Wilson, and wide receivers Eddie Kennison and Samie Parker; and defensive players such as cornerbacks Patrick Surtain and Ty Law, linebacker Kendrell Bell, and safety Greg Wesley.
Meanwhile, most of the young players who might have a significant part in the Chiefs’ future have received a look this season. Brodie Croyle took over at quarterback, Kolby Smith inherited the featured-back role, Dwayne Bowe is starting at wide receiver, Turk McBride and Tank Tyler are playing on the defensive line, and Jarrad Page and Bernard Pollard are the starting safeties.
Many others are playing lesser roles. As the losses piled up, more became active on game days.
“There are a bunch of young guys who have played all of a sudden for us,” Edwards said. “We’re trying to gather information; that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to gather information as we try to win games.
“The majority of them are starters, and that’s good. That’s a good nucleus of guys. Most of these kids have been drafted here. We drafted them for a reason. We drafted them because we thought they had the ability to come in and play. And that’s what you have to do. You have to give young players the opportunity to play if you’re headed that way.
“That’s where we’re headed. Let’s not sugarcoat it. We’re headed that way. That’s the way we need to go, and we’re finding out, and it’s painful when you go through a year like this. When you lose games, you sometimes say there are no bright spots. Well, there are some bright spots, but collectively we haven’t been good enough to win games. That’s the disappointing part.”
As their losses piled up and their playoff hopes eroded, the season took on a last-day-of-college feel. This team will be broken up, and all of the players know it.
“A lot of guys are going to get shipped out,” said defensive end Tamba Hali, who at 24 and in his third NFL season might be one of the elder statesmen when next season begins.
“I hope when they put this team back together, they find guys who like to win and are bothered by losing. Winning has to mean something to these guys. That’s something I question in this locker room is how much it really means to a lot of these guys.
“I agree with Herm in that the younger you are, the hungrier you are.”
The Chiefs will look for cornerbacks to replace Law and Surtain, but otherwise the emphasis will be on fixing a decrepit offense. They have largely rebuilt their defense since Edwards’ arrival, but Croyle, Bowe and tackle Damion McIntosh were their only major offensive acquisitions.
“The last two years we’ve had an emphasis on drafting defensive players because our offense was pretty much intact,” Edwards said. “When I came here, our whole situation was we had to draft some defensive players and get some depth on our defense.”
Chiefs roster probably will look different next season
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
The Chiefs might be loath to use the term, but this rebuilding process they’ve undertaken has only just begun.
They will finish a most forlorn season with today’s game against the Jets in East Rutherford, N.J., and then continue the process wholesale.
By the time they start the 2008 season, the Chiefs might have just a handful of players remaining from the thingy Vermeil era: Larry Johnson, Jared Allen, Tony Gonzalez, Brian Waters, Derrick Johnson, Dustin Colquitt and perhaps a few less-significant others.
Then it truly will be Herm Edwards’ team.
“Your philosophy when you come in as a new coach is going to always be different than the (previous) guy,” Edwards said. “That’s part of the deal. Everyone knows that. That’s no secret. It doesn’t mean the players there before can’t fit your philosophy.
“But what you understand is you have a certain way you want to play and you have to develop that in your players. The first thing you do is start drafting players like that. The other guys buy into your philosophy or they don’t. Most of the players here have tried to do what we’ve asked them to do. That’s all you can ask.
“We’re going into our third draft now, and we’re going to draft some more players that fit what we want to do offensively and defensively. That’s how you do it.”
A new coach can occasionally survive with players left over from the old establishment. Edwards wasn’t afforded that luxury.
When he arrived at the start of last season, the Chiefs were one of the oldest teams in the league. He’s also trying to win with defense and ball control, an opposite approach from the one taken by Vermeil, who believed in trying to outscore opponents.
So as many as 10 veterans, most acquired when Vermeil was the coach, are probably playing their last game for the Chiefs today. The list includes offensive players such as lineman Casey Wiegmann and John Welbourn, tight end Jason Dunn, fullback Kris Wilson, and wide receivers Eddie Kennison and Samie Parker; and defensive players such as cornerbacks Patrick Surtain and Ty Law, linebacker Kendrell Bell, and safety Greg Wesley.
Meanwhile, most of the young players who might have a significant part in the Chiefs’ future have received a look this season. Brodie Croyle took over at quarterback, Kolby Smith inherited the featured-back role, Dwayne Bowe is starting at wide receiver, Turk McBride and Tank Tyler are playing on the defensive line, and Jarrad Page and Bernard Pollard are the starting safeties.
Many others are playing lesser roles. As the losses piled up, more became active on game days.
“There are a bunch of young guys who have played all of a sudden for us,” Edwards said. “We’re trying to gather information; that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to gather information as we try to win games.
“The majority of them are starters, and that’s good. That’s a good nucleus of guys. Most of these kids have been drafted here. We drafted them for a reason. We drafted them because we thought they had the ability to come in and play. And that’s what you have to do. You have to give young players the opportunity to play if you’re headed that way.
“That’s where we’re headed. Let’s not sugarcoat it. We’re headed that way. That’s the way we need to go, and we’re finding out, and it’s painful when you go through a year like this. When you lose games, you sometimes say there are no bright spots. Well, there are some bright spots, but collectively we haven’t been good enough to win games. That’s the disappointing part.”
As their losses piled up and their playoff hopes eroded, the season took on a last-day-of-college feel. This team will be broken up, and all of the players know it.
“A lot of guys are going to get shipped out,” said defensive end Tamba Hali, who at 24 and in his third NFL season might be one of the elder statesmen when next season begins.
“I hope when they put this team back together, they find guys who like to win and are bothered by losing. Winning has to mean something to these guys. That’s something I question in this locker room is how much it really means to a lot of these guys.
“I agree with Herm in that the younger you are, the hungrier you are.”
The Chiefs will look for cornerbacks to replace Law and Surtain, but otherwise the emphasis will be on fixing a decrepit offense. They have largely rebuilt their defense since Edwards’ arrival, but Croyle, Bowe and tackle Damion McIntosh were their only major offensive acquisitions.
“The last two years we’ve had an emphasis on drafting defensive players because our offense was pretty much intact,” Edwards said. “When I came here, our whole situation was we had to draft some defensive players and get some depth on our defense.”