May 12, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Dayne Crist (5) throws a pass during the rookie mini camp at the University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs have made some serious strides in their off season roster. Brining in the “new regime” of general manager John Dorsey and head coach Andy Reid, some shake ups were expected, but I don’t think they’ve been as crazy as many thought. Of course, three-fourths of the quarterback room are new faces and there are a couple of new receivers, but for the most part, it seems Reid and Dorsey have agreed that there is talent on this roster, it just hasn’t been utilized, or more importantly, maximized.
But…this isn’t Pop-Warner football and these players aren’t a part of a program where everybody makes the team and gets a trophy. These men are professional athletes who are all competing for a spot on the final 53-man roster that will be released later this summer. As we are now 56 days away from the Chiefs first preseason game, I thought I would look at where I believe the Chiefs players are on the depth chart.
Keep in mind, I am basing several of these evaluations off what I’ve read, video I’ve see and things I’ve heard reports on. But, I’m sure if you Addicts disagree with any spots, you’ll be sure to let me know down below.
I’ll tackle the offense this week and then next week, we’ll take a look at the defense.
Without further ado, here is my “Mid-Offseason Break Kansas City Chiefs Depth Chart.”
A couple of notes:
All rookies are denoted in italics.
All drafted rookies are in bold italics.
Those highlighted in red are my projected cuts.
The quarterback battle is really set already, with the exception of the “coveted” third string spot. I really think Tyler Bray will make the team and Ricky “The American Dream” Stanzi will be on the outside looking in when the final roster cuts are made. As has been said over and over on this site and others, Stanzi has been on the team through two coaches and was never able to see the field even when Cassel, Quinn and Tyler “Employee of the Month” Palko were struggling. I don’t see him surviving on a roster with a coaching staff who didn’t draft him.
We all know JC is the man in Kansas City. Dare I say, he’s probably the most talented football on this roster and the definitely the key to the Chiefs’ offense. However, there really hasn’t been an “heir apparent” behind him as of yet. I think all Chiefs fans are hoping that Knile Davis is that guy, considering the relatively high draft pick (96th overall) used on him. Only time will tell. Behind him, I like Jordan Roberts. He’s a big, strong bruising type of runner who could potentially get some push. He’s a bit of a long shot to make the roster, but I think he’s got the skills to pull it off if he has a good camp.
On the fullback front, I see Reid and crew keeping two blocking runners. I think Anthony Sherman is a lock to start the position, barring any unforeseen circumstances, given the trade by which he was acquired and sending cornerback Javier Arenas to the Phoenix Cardinals. Behind him, even though Braden Wilson was a sixth round pick (204th overall), I think they keep him as well and let him develop behind Sherman. Reid really liked him and said:
“He’s six-foot-three inches tall, so we’re talking about a big kid here. I thought he was the best blocking fullback in the draft, in particular for being so tall. Normally you see guys who are fireplug-type guys, but that’s not what you’re looking at here; he’s a big, tall kid that just has a knack for blocking. He’s also a good catcher of the football; and he’s somebody, with that size, that you can move around a little. You can move him up onto a tight end position or a slot position and ask him to block, he’s capable of doing that.”
That doesn’t speak to me about a player that the coaching staff is willing to throw away. We’ll see.
Finally, the Chiefs’ wide receiving corps is exceptionally deep heading into the break and then traning camp. Currently, the Chiefs hold 13 players who are competing for six to seven roster spots. I think everyone agrees that Bowe, Baldwin and Avery are locks on this roster. Going one spot deeper, Reid has already voiced his appreciation for Dexter McCluster so I think he’s got a pretty good shot to be in Chiefs red this year as well. The bottom three spots on the chart are tough. Terrance Copper is the perennial pro, who has excelled (as much as any Chief has “excelled” in recent years) on special teams and shown flashes in the receiving game behind some sub-par (I’m being nice) QB play. Second year man, Devon Wylie was a bit of a disappointment last year. The injuries he sustained during preseason stayed with him throughout the regular season and never really let him take off. Junior Hemmingway made the list strictly because of the praise he received from Alex Smith during McCluster’s absence.
Moving down the line of scrimmage, we have the tight ends. This is a position that will be very intriguing to watch this season. I say that for a couple of reasons. First, the Chiefs really started the pass catching, touchdown scoring, tight end movement long before guys like Gronkowski, Graham and Hernandez ever hit the scene. The Chiefs have been trying to find their “Tony G” since he left in a trade to Atlanta. I’m sure we’re all hoping he’s finally arrived in the form of third round draft pick (63rd overall) Travis Kelce. I think he gets the start only because of his pass catching ability. The other reasons I think the TE race will be interesting this season is because Smith is a big fan of the tight end. San Francisco 49er, Vernon Davis was Alex’s absolute favorite target. I think some of that may translate to the way he plays in KC.
I think we should look for former Miami Dolphin Anthony Fasano to be right there in the mix with long shot, rookie Demetrius Harris to be the third stringer. I really think Tony Moeaki either gets cut or plays behind all three of these guys. He is on the outside, looking in with his history of injuries and non-production last season. One good rookie year isn’t going to be enough to save his job when the coaches start asking for playbooks (or iPads as the case may be).
The offensive line is a bit of an enigma every season, because there needs to be enough depth to cover the inevitable injury, and you want guys in reserve who can move around from position to position. This year, the Chiefs O-line is more interesting than normal because, “on paper” it has the potential to be the best front five in football.
We all know the “bookend tackles” will be Branden Albert on the left and the No. 1 overall draft pick, Eric Fisher on the right. The true question is who will be playing between these two men. My money is on Jon Asmoah starting at right guard and Geoff Schwartz moving to the left guard spot. I think Rodney Hudson will resume his role as starting center but will have to fight for the job with sixth round pick (170th overall) Eric Kush. In the reserve role, I think Donald Stephenson and Jeff Allen will resume their roles as well, however Stephenson gets the nod between the two because he can move into either the tackle or guard roles a bit easier (and better) than Allen.
There you have it, Addicts. These are my predictions for the Chiefs’ offensive depth chart. Think I’m crazy? You’re probably not alone. Chime in below in the comments section! Thanks for reading and GO CHIEFS!!!