Chiefs Fix: Rookie Camp Ramblings
(Updated 2:23 PM EST)
Here’s a MyFox KC video clip of today’s Brad Ekwerekwu and Dwayne Bowe interviews. D-Bo’s first day as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs was a tad bit frustrating, but it sounds like he had some business things to attend to and, let’s be honest, he didn’t exactly have Len Dawson out there throwing the ball to him. This quote from The KC Star’s Adam Teicher tells us all we need to know about Bowe (and also that Kolby Smith was absent because he was at his college graduation)…
"He displayed an outstanding ability to adjust to poorly thrown passes and made a couple of catches that perhaps only he among Chiefs receivers could have made."
Bowe will be fine, so I want to talk about his unheralded fellow rookie receiver Eck. Eck’s poise during his interview impressed me and from the little that I’ve heard he’s turning some heads. Herm Edwards himself was an undrafted rookie who made the league, so he won’t dismiss the former Tiger wideout.
Here’s what I wrote about Eck over on RealFootball365.com earlier in the week:
"“Brad Ekwerekwu, WR, Missouri:Ekwerekwu, or “Eck” as Mizzou fans call him to avoid butchering his difficult-to-pronounce last name, is a tantalizing prospect. Sometimes he looks like he will be an All-Pro, other times he’s a complete no-show. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he definitely has the size to be an impact wide receiver and a dominant red zone performer. That being said, even though Ekwerekwu has great hands and size — and he knows how to effectively use both attributes, especially his big frame –he didn’t find the endzone often as a Tiger. Additionally, he only ran a 4.54 40 and doesn’t have the speed to consistently create separation from NFL defensive backs.Ekwerekwu is a bit of an enigma, as he can’t seem to maximize his vast potential, at least for extended periods of time anyway. At worst, Ekwerekwu will stick with the Chiefs and contribute on special teams. Keep in mind that he played well on special teams in college, and he even has place-holding experience.”"
There is so little out there about Eck that I wanted to keep researching the kid to give everybody the best possible analysis. Now, I’ve seen Eck play some, but yesterday I put a call in to someone who watched him play every single game of his career — ArrowheadAddict.com contributor (eventually) The Sports Doc, also known as my old man.
Doc praised him and blamed another Brad for Eck’s somewhat pedestrian stats at Mizzou — Brad Smith. Now, while that’s just like a Tiger to point the finger and make excuses, I can’t disagree here. I’ve personally watched Smith overthrow, underthrow and throw off-target passes to Eck on many occasions. Not to mention the times Smith flat out didn’t see the wide-open 6-foot-4 target because he was too busy impersonating Michael Vick. I won’t blame all of Eck’s career on Brad, but last year he arguably played his best football at Mizzou with a sophomore quarterback which he had almost no rapport with throwing him the ball.
And now I’m reading conflicting reports about Eck’s Pro Day 40 time. Check out this excerpt from Maximum Draft that claims he ran an even faster 40 than previously reported:
"“Brad Ekwerekwu, WR/Missouri: Ekwerekwu (6-3 5/8, 209) ran his 40s in 4.48 and 4.47 seconds, the short shuttle in 4.02 and the three-cone drill in 6.78. He had a 37½-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-6 broad jump and 17 bench presses. This was a guy that many thought wouldn’t break 4.60, but with his size and this kind of workout, he now has an excellent shot of getting drafted.”"
I can’t believe that he went undrafted after testing like that. Eck totally fits the profile of an average college receiver who ends up playing better in the pros. All things considered, the Chiefs may have found themselves a steal. Expect Eck to continue to receive considerable buzz and a long, hard look from the Chiefs during the preseason.
Thankfully, Warpaint Illustrated actually has a “Rookie Camp Report” that talks about something else other than D-Bo showing up late and being a little nervous. According to the site, TE Michael Allan played pretty well once he settled in and Tank Tyler dominated every O-lineman he faced. I’m getting pretty psyched about Gunther’s new Tank at this point.
Something else I found, and this is completely unrelated to the rookie camp, was a new Chiefs Blitz article on why the Chiefs should trade for disgruntled Steelers G Alan Faneca. I don’t disagree that we should have interest in Faneca, at the right price that is, but not at the expense of Larry Johnson.
What is up with the general consensus among both Chiefs fans and media types that Pro Bowl running backs grow on trees? And why is everyone so adamantly against this standout employee getting a raise so that his salary matches his production? If this was Larry Johnson the plumber and he was the second best plumber in the country getting paid like a run-of-the-mill drain man, we’d expect him to lobby for a raise. This is no different. Sure, I’d like to see the kind of money that L.J. will, but I’m not going to be a hater — he’s earned every penny.