Okay, I am going out on a limb right now! A lot has happened in this off-season. The Draft has so much promise that the anxiety of awaiting the 2nd week of camp and players in helmets and pads taking action on the field with full contact has got to be eating fans alive right now.
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Call the Fuzz
The Chiefs will suffer 2021 with Break-In’s and Break-Out’s
I’m not sure how this will all unfold but I propose the following Players having a “Break-Out” season and those who are going to “Break-In with a flare for playmaking when they get the chance. this category as well. From where I sit, these prognostications, if they come to fruition, will have direct affect on the play for Andy Reid, Eric Bieniemy, Steve Spagnuolo and Dave Toub and will reap the benefit arriving at the #takeitback Super Bowl to be played in 2022.
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Break-Out Players
Players Fulfilling Their Promise
I’m laying this out, and it’s true, I am an eternal optimist. This is how I see things unfolding for 2021. By the way, this is the point in time that you can refer to me as the eternal optimist.
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Break-Out Player #1 – RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
2020’s season did not see Clyde put up supra numbers as we all had hoped he would do. Still, considering the woes along the offensive line suffered by the Chiefs with all of the injuries that occurred, CEH was not a disappointment. Rather he epitomizes an out-break delayed. He faced a limited prep-time and no preseason games. Even so, the stat-line is very positive.
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I know his first game seemed as if it Veach blessed Andy Reid with exactly the right player at one of those magical opportune moments. In his first game he exceeded expectations with 138 yards rushing and a TD. After that, it was hit or miss.
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Not long ago, I suggested that Clyde would get 1200+ yards on the ground and 450-500 yards in the aerial attack in 2021. Even that now seem too conservative in a 17 game schedule. Edwards-Helaire is now versed in the Chiefs offense and playbook. Already there are significant indications from Reid and Co. and inform us of a heightened presence as a target for QB Patrick Mahomes.
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Break-Out Player #2 – CB L’Jarius Sneed
Most would have never suspected that Sneed was a Break-In Player in 2020, until he did. Indeed, some thought 2020 was handily a Break-Out season for the Rookie. Maybe it was but I dearly want to see what he can do across a full season. Despite the injury he sustained trying to come down with an INT versus the Ravens, he still ended up tied for 6th INTs after missing several games – AND – made the NFL All Rookie Team.
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Break-Out Player #3 – WR Mecole Hardman
We’ve waited with bated breath to see this happen and 2021 will prove my point. We know that Mecole presents a problem to any secondary with his speed which nearly mirrors that of Tyreek Hill. We have yet to see him apply himself to the rest of the game. Considering this is a make-it or not point in his career, I will have to go with his own word and say to expect to see a more complete game by the player. I think 2021 will find him receiving significantly more targets than were allotted in 2020 with Sammy Watkins playing in front of him. He also has the right encouragement from the Coaching staff and the on-field learning experience from our Fleet of Foot #1 WR who beats a head to head contest by 4 100ths of a second. He also states that fans are mistaken and he can run routes for all the Chiefs route tree. Laddie makes a huge point in this regard because Hardman has only 4 years experience as a receiver since his first 2 seasons at the NCAA level were as a CB. I expect a lot out of Mecole in 2021.
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Break-Out Player #4 – LB Willie Gay, Jr.
This was my unabashed top consideration as a player for 2021. I believe that Matt House and Steve Spagnuolo will aid Gay as his learning curve expands. Also aiding Willie in his development is that 2021 will be a year where he is trusted as a starter. Game to game, Gay will add to his skill set. Keep in mind that by the end of 2020, he had turned a significant corner only to be injured the following week on the 3rd play of the game, thus ending his season. Playing next to MIKE LB Anthony Hitchens on every down will significantly benefit Gay who will be the Chief’s WILL LB. Being on the field will prepare Gay quickly. His speed and reads will improve in direct relation to the game experience. Gay has the talent to defend against the pass as well and that lateral pursuit ability and pass defense will aid Hitchens at the same time.
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I was pleased as punch when Gay was drafted. The difficulty for him coming into the NFL was the lost games in his last 2 years of NCAA play. Add to that the similar difficulty of a Covid-19 affected season with no OTA’s and Mini-camp along with no preseason games to garner time against NFL competition, Gay was exposed in 2020 due to lack of playing time in preparation for the 2020 Season. Let me remind you of his start in week 16. In that game, he had 9 tackles and played well against the the Falcons. His week 4 was played against the Patriots was also good football. Watching the LB play all season was often painful with both Wilson and Niemann being used in front of Gay. Unfortunately for Willie, in practice before the firsts post-season game, he suffered an MCL injury which ended his season. Gay ended up with 39 tackles, a FF, 3 PDs. One of the confusion factors for me was that Gay played extremely well in Week 4 of the season and then was again used sparingly, essential in snaps for the base 43 or versus teams that used a heavy run oriented offense.Gay only played in about 25% of the snaps. I firmly believe that Gay should have been on the field for a predominate role over the other two men and that the coaching staff erred in not using him more.
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Breakout Player #5 – DE Taco Charlton
It’s tough to think of a 5th year player as a breakout candidate, but that is the case for Charlton. His 2020 was cut short due to an injury in week 9. Charlton was drafted in the first round of 2016 by the Cowboys, but never lived up to that draft status. In 2020, Charlton was showing that he could be a force with 2 sacks, a FF, 14 Tackles until his injury. He was not a starter, but made the most of his opportunities in less than 100 snaps. To be sure, I had an optimistic view of Taco’s potential after he joined the team in 2020. As noted, his numbers really were showing solid play despite limited snaps in 7 games.
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I am still optimistic. Veach went out and acquired a first round player at little cost. It’s time and it is my view that he will be a force on the front 4 for Spag’s defense.
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Break-In Players
They Won’t Break the Bank
Break-In Player #1 – LB Nick Bolton
For the second season in row, after 4 years of crying about the lack of attention for the LB role, the Chiefs drafted Nick Bolton to be the next MIKE LB. I was pleased as punch. In 2016 I was calling to get another LB in house to prepare for the future without DJ. It didn’t happen. Then in 2017 and 2018 DJ suffered injuries to the Achilles tendon. Watching him come back in 2018 was watching a player who did not have what he had for so long as a Chief. DJ was gone after 2018. Hence the need at LB was more magnified. Drafting Nick Bolton is a significant pointer to the future. He will break in when the Chiefs use the base 43. He won’t displace Anthony Hitchens as the Mike LB in 2021. It does portend for the future though, if the Chiefs move on from Hitch who is under contract through 2022. and will be 30 this year. Bolton was the top LB in the SEC for 2 years running, he has a nose for the ball and not only is a hard-hitting tackler, he also drops into coverage with aplomb.
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During the OTA’s this Spring, the Chief’s coaching staff gave their best “Cheshire Cat Grin” when discussing Bolton, along with Gay. Spagnuolo said in a presser:
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“Both those guys, we’re really excited to have and
really looking forward to what they can do.”
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In the future, Gay and Bolton will compliment each other, and that will likely occur in 2022. Right now, Bolton adds to the crew and gives Spags great flexibility which the Chiefs have not had in recent memory.
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Break-in Player #2 – OC Creed Humphrey
There are plenty of superlatives that have been launched in the direction of Humphreys even before the Chiefs get to camp. He was the best Center coming out in the draft in 2021 and the Chiefs were fortunate enough to be able to obtain him in round 2 along with Nick Bolton. All indications from coaches and observers is that the Chiefs obtained an NFL-ready Center. The question then revolves around the competition for a starting role as the Chiefs signed Free Agent Austin Blythe prior to the draft. The front 5 of the Chiefs is going to be 10 deep. It is my view that Humphrey will end up as the 2021 starter at Center. Creed was the Big-12 Offensive Lineman of the year in 2020. For his last 2 seasons at OU, Humphrey started every game, he was an academic All-American to boot. His Freshman Year he was an Academic All-Big 12 First Team honoree … played in all 14 games at center and started 12 (including each of final 11 contests) … and was also member of an offensive line unit that won Joe Moore Award. Everything for Creed pointed to the NFL.
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MY only reservation about Humphrey had to do with the fact that he is a lefty. This didn’t prevent Veach from drafting Humphrey and it turns out he can snap the ball with his right hand anyway. We are informed that this isn’t a concern for Patrick Mahomes at the same time. There is no question in my mind that Humphrey should have been a round one draft pick. Former NFL Coach Jim Mora had this to say about Humphrey after his Pro-Day:
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“I think he really elevated his draft status, his draft stock…I think some of the questions (about Humphrey) were the traits, the quickness, the change of direction, the things like that, the burst. And he answered all of those questions.”
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Mora believed Creed was a Round One talent, and so do I.
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Matt Connor of AA wrote about Creed’s maturity and NFL readiness a short time ago, quoting Creed as saying that it didn’t bother him to wait a bit to get drafted:
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“It didn’t bother me too much, to be honest, because I knew I’d end up where I was supposed to end up anyways. For me, it’s not really where I got drafted but what I do after I get drafted, so it was really just about putting that work in now and really trying to secure a spot in my first year.”
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Whatever happens in Training camp and preseason, Creed has all things laid out and talks the NFL talk. I think he already has the talent that should translate to being a starter in his rookie season.
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Break-in Player #3 – WR Cornell Powell
This player found a special place in my heart. What I see is a talented receiver for whom the light bulb clicked on in his senior year at Clemson. I watched and watched again, footage of what Powell can do on the field. I remain impressed. His numbers from 2020’s season prove my point, but it must be something that comes to the Chiefs and a learning process must take place. Obviously, the Chiefs WR group is very deep.
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Cornell must master the playbook and for KC, that is a tough proposition because the expectation is that WR’s must learn all positions and routes. Still? Powell brings something to the table that I think cuts the mustard in 2021. He will have limited snaps but he doesn’t have dropsies. If he proves that to Mahomes, he will get more targets in the second half of the season. They will be limited looks but don’t be surprised if he breaks off a TD or two down the stretch.
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Break-In Honorable Mentions
OG Trey Smith and OT Lucas Niang
There’s so much competition that is going to happen at the ROG position, that it is difficult to add OG Trey Smith to the above list. Put it another way? I don’t think that he will end up in a starting role at the beginning of the season. Why? Because I really don’t think the Chiefs roll with 3 rookies starting on the offensive line. At the same time, I have a belief in Smith from watching his tape. He will have a higher ceiling that LDT did. At the same time, I think Smith is going to give a tussle to the competition and could overtake the talent since the competition appears to be, for example, LDT, Andrew Wylie, Nick Allegretti, and Kyle Long (when he returns from IR).
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At the same time I have been impressed with the workout session tapes for Lucas Niang, who I think will be slotted at ROT but will begin as the #2 LOT behind Brown and probably assigned to do the Swing Tackle Role.
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So, call the law: these Chiefs are breaking out and breaking in right and left.
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David Bell – ArrowheadOne
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