I do not doubt that Arrowhead Will Rock again, and I would not exclude 2022. The Retool is part of the process that Veach is working on with two position groups that require strict attention. What is being written in Articles and comments by fans and followers of the Chiefs. by followers, it appears there is growing worry that the Chiefs are not game-ready. My response is: “Of course not. It’s far too soon to expect a complete roster.”
The powers within the Chiefs camp indicate positive things that have already been completed. However, I think the needs already accomplished are missed, which were part of the topic posted on Wednesday.
This morning I went through the list of players added to the roster and began persuing the player’s history going through them again. I came away with three major player reviews, so this article is about those signings. I am not saying these are undoubtedly starter quality additions. They are, though, going to fulfill three significant roster needs.
Three Significant Role Players for 2022
1) Ronald Jones(RB) – I went through film and reviews by several pundits and analysts. I grew far more comfortable the more I looked. If I were to ask myself one question, “Is Jones a feature RB?”. I thought about how to answer that and came up with these two thoughts. In the run game, he will be a tremendous asset. He is going to be very good between the tackles. The Chiefs have the offensive line that will be a big boost. I then examined his ability as a receiver out of the backfield. For this, my observation is that he would be adequate. Let’s say he is sufficient. In blocking for pass protection, he has had struggles. So my ultimate answer is: “The Chiefs could get by with him as a feature back. Sure he has weaknesses. As far as the ground game is concerned, Jones will be a powerful component. I think that Jones and CEH will battle it out for the starting RB Role. My view? Jones gets the early downs and Clyde the obvious passing downs.
His primary contribution will be in his explosiveness — he is a downhill runner with speed and the SAQ to make a quick cut and drive downfield. I appreciate Jones and what he brings to the RB room. My final judgment is if the team is focusing on running the football, he will handle the job. Fortunately, from Andy Reid comes how the Chiefs will use him — Early downs paired with Clyde Edwards-Helaire for the aerial game. The two players ensure the Chiefs have a duo of Running Backs that will be a strong force. Clyde is a good receiver and is adequate in pass protection. Of course, CEH, drafted in round one of 2022, is coming into his 3rd year. He will likely begin being the season’s feature back at the opening game. We’ll see where it goes. Jones deployed on early downs is going to be very good. We don’t know what the room will look like when Veach the off-season work is complete. They may add another free agent or a draft pick. Right now, it’s CEH, Jones, and Gore. Reid observed on Tuesday:
“I like Ronald (Jones). I like the size, speed that he has. He’s a tough runner. He has good vision
….I’ll take that. He needs that opportunity to feel like he’s a major part of this thing. We’ll give
him that. I’ve got Clyde (Edwards-Helaire) in there, too. So it’ll just help take some pressure off
of Clyde, and they’ll work together and be a pretty good combo.”
Jones had several 100-yard games for Tampa Bay. He is a force to contend with who has enough speed to get to the edge and has the ability to take the ball North in a hard, fast move. He seems to have the ability to shift gears and go fast. He breaks tackles. I like him as well.
At this point, we will just have to accept where things stand, along with the playcalling by Reid and OC Eric Bieniemy. The one thing you can conclude is that Ronald Jones is going to bring something to the ground game that is powerful. Talon Graff observed him and did a film study. See a tweet below and go to this link to see an example: https://twitter.com/CoachGraff34/status/1507854534311243776
. I’ll back that up by pointing to an Analysis/film Study done by Daniel Harms of RGR Football which you can watch here. Indeed, the title of their study is: Ronald Jones EXPLODES the Chief’s Backfield! NFL Film Room. Here’s the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWMhWYZy1F4
I really thought they would re-sign Jerick McKinnon. At this point, re-signing of Jerick has not occurred. Nor has Darrel Williams. The draft is a month away. I expect an RB to be taken in the mid-rounds if the room remains light of players.
2) Jermaine Carter (LB) – I previously had a very good impression of Carter. He was a solid, 17-game starter for the Panthers in 2021 and a full 16 in 2020. Carter’s Football IQ is of a very top-drawer player who reads and diagnoses plays quickly. He reads the QB’s eyes and closes on the ball decisively. For Kansas City, who boasts Willie Gay and Nick Bolton, Carter will be the third LB in the base 43, add a piece in an LB strong dime and provide a great compliment to our two young hero Linebackers–Gay and Bolton.
Carter was a great addition to the LB group, which has not re-signed Ben Niemann or Dorian O’Daniel. Carter plays with toughness and possesses the speed to close on the ball. Jermaine is a bit undersized, although he plays beyond his weight class. As the third LB, I think he is a great addition to the effort. Of course, the team cut Anthony Hitchens in February. What I foresee for the group is adding another LB in the draft. I accept that they might sign back Ben Niemann as well.
3) Geron Christian (OT) – his given name is pronounced JARE-en. I have already written with positive comments about Christian. He was the Texan’s starting LOT. I think he was a late bloomer that finally began to emerge as a starter in 2021. For the Chiefs? I see him as the Swing Tackle(SW/T). The thing about him is, he adds experience that can handle both the left and right sides, so I see him as a solid addition along with re-signing Andrew Wylie, who also has versatility and was a former starter for the Chiefs. Last year, Wylie took over when Lucas Niang was injured. Geron brings a similar appeal. I was able to watch a bit of video of him with the Texans. It appeared to me that he used good footwork as a pass blocker in what I saw.
Christian was drafted by the WFT out of Louisville but struggled to play at the NFL level. He was released by Ron Rivera and picked up by the Texans. In 2021, Geron began to improve as a pass protector and became a starter at LOT.
Christian may be a chess piece. He is going to be a crucial component of the offensive line. I think he will fulfill the SW/T role for the Chiefs.
Today, I have covered three Free Agent signings that I view positively. More will follow as I have time to dig deeper.
David Bell – ArrowheadOne