Jan 4, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dexter McCluster (22) runs with the ball against the Indianapolis Colts during the 2013 AFC wild card playoff football game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Many people need their coffee to get up and going in the morning. Here at Arrowhead Addict, we understand that for a Chiefs fan, coffee is simply not enough.
Here’s all that’s happening around Chiefs Kingdom today.
Welcome to The Morning Fix.
NFL Scouting is perhaps one of the most exhausting, never-ending jobs in the league. These guys are part travelling salesman, part talent evaluator and part reporter as they comb through hours of film and travel even more to find potential fits for their respective team. In the wake of Chiefs Scout Willie Davis winning the AFC Scout of the Year, Chiefs reporter Rachel Santschi has a post up detailing “The Job that Never Stops.”
"The Chiefs have a determined scouting department. They find the athletes in their years before the limelight, before the record-breaking stats, before the Hall of Fame. They put in the hours all year long and are sure to be very thorough.“We see these players on film, but it’s hard to tell how fast they really are, or how explosive they are, this time really helps define what they can do athletically and mentally,” Willie Davis, Chiefs Scout, noted. “The combine is another step in the process for these guys to show us what they can do and what they can bring to the team.”"
As scouts look for new faces to bring in, free agency takes them away. Adam Teicher at ESPN is continuing his Free-agent report series with a look at impending free agent safety, Kendrick Lewis.
"Argument for letting Lewis go: The Chiefs allowed one long pass play after another last season, and though Lewis wasn’t solely to blame, he had a big hand in that. His range simply doesn’t appear to be what it was earlier in his career. That was evident on the long Andrew Luck-to-T.Y. Hilton touchdown pass that beat the Chiefs in the playoffs last season. It’s impossible to believe the Chiefs wouldn’t be better off with Commings or a rookie at free safety. They would be getting a younger and probably more productive player at a lesser cost."
And as the free agency period begins next month, and the Chiefs haven’t re-signed any of their own free-agents-to-be, Ed Valentine at Big Blue View talks about how Dexter McCluster could be a fit for the New York Giants.
"McCluster averaged 11.8 yards per punt return, ninth in the league, with two touchdowns. He has experience returning kickoffs, though he has not done that job since 2011, and as a running back. McCluster carried the ball only eight times in 2013, but carried it 114 times in 2011.You think McAdoo wouldn’t love to have the kind of versatility McCluster brings as he structures a revamped offense for the Giants. How about special teams coach Tom Quinn? Wouldn’t a dynamic punt return man make Quinn look like a better coach? Remember what David Wilson did for the kickoff return group in 2012. As a punt returner Rueben Randle excels at the fair catch, where he was third in the league with 24. As an actual returner, though, Randle was near the bottom of the league, averaging just 8.2 yards per return."
That’s it for today, Addicts. Free agency is only two weeks away and we’re all still waiting for an official salary cap number from the league. Keep it here and we’ll let you know as soon as we do!
Enjoy your Thursday and GO CHIEFS!