Chiefs: Heal, Rest, and Get Ready
by David Bell | January 2, 2018
The third time was the charm in winning the AFC West Division Crown. In doing so, the Kansas City Chiefs secured the Bye and home field advantage in the playoffs. That is good stuff right there, thank you very much! We have some wait and see situations so I will list them first and then maybe do some pre-draft forecasting. The 2018 season is over. The Chiefs have the 2019 mini-season about to get under way — January 12th. First it’s, Chiefs: Heal, Rest, and Get Ready.
The Wait and See List
- Eric Berry sat out the week 17 contest with the Raiders. As it turned out, he was not needed. I do think we need him for all post-season games. Heal the heel Eric Berry!
- LDT is practicing. If he wasn’t going to get snaps in games they would have left him out on the I/R. They brought him back. It probably remains a question as to whether he can take full pressure on the leg but practice should tell the staff a lot — and the Doc, I am sure will keep them apprised at the same time.
- Sammy Watkins is a big question. He now has 2 weeks to recuperate and get active. The Chiefs need him badly opposite Ty Hill’s #1.
Who Will Start Opposite Berry in Postseason?
No matter how I look at this I am convinced that Dirty Dan Sorensen should not be a starter. Eric Murray and Ron Parker should only get a peek a the field of play from the bench. The player that Bob Sutton intentionally left on the bench played pretty well weeks ago but didn’t see the field again until the Raiders game. He is a more fluid defender and would, in my view, be the right starting FS next to Eric Berry. Dan Sorensen, back in his hybrid spot snap role does well when doing that, his pick-six notwithstanding. Which Player is that? Jordan Lucas.
A Peek at Charvarius Ward
Ward now has 3 games under his belt with OJT and hefty coaching from the sideline. His play looked greatly improved over his first time on the field as a starter. It appeared to me that by the time he got to the Raiders game he had weathered the storm. Sure. Ward has a lot to prove and improve on but, he has speed, he reads and reacts well, and that is what the Chiefs were looking for when Veach traded Parker Ehinger to get him to the Kingdom. I do think obtaining Ward in the trade is a big plus.
Players I Question Returning…
Allen Bailey — Bailey is going to cost about $9M at a minimum. He will turn 30 years old in the 2019 season. Don’t misunderstand my view about him as not liking him or that he isn’t doing what is needed. Bailey forced a turnover with a strip of Carr during the game and recovered that fumble. A big play. On the other hand, he is “aging” and getting more costly. If the Chiefs can bring in another Chris Jones via the draft they should do so.
Cornerbacks — Unlike most who are thinking our Cornerbacks are horrible, my opinion does not go that direction. Sure, I think Orlando Scandrick’s time has ended once the post season is over in 2019. When I look at the failures, we are not getting Tremon Smith on the field as a defender much at all. He does have Kick return duty & will get a shot as a defender in 2019’s season. Both Kendall Fuller and Steven Nelson are ranked in the top 25 cornerbacks in the NFL which is goodness. Charvarius Ward will have come into his own in this current playoff run and should return as the #3 Cornerback along with Nelson and Fuller. What I think should happen here is that Ward and Nelson man the outside, Fuller the slot where he excels. Then draft a couple of Corners to add to the mix.
What I am looking for here is players with speed and length. Enough of the 5’11” -6’0″ guys.. Let’s get someone who brings a greater ability to cover taller WR’s and can still do press-man coverage. I really would like to get 2 Corners and a safety. If I did get one corner of length and I was going after a press cover type corner, I would target at the end of round one or even consider that as a real sophomore, he is likely to be available in round 2 also. He isn’t the length player that I mention above but is a top press-man cover player. Drawback? he is slight fr his 6’0″ frame at 175. But I suspect that by draft time he is going to be about a true 180 or better. That corner is Byron Murphy. But he is young(sophomore).
More later as we await feedback on LD-T, Berry and Watkins. As always, Go Chiefs!!!
David Bell – ArrowheadOne
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