The Chiefs continue to show what they are about
By Ben Almquist
Rookie C, Mitch Morse, is already showing good returns on the 2nd rd pick the Chiefs used on him. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Center: The last spot I was watching against he Seahawks ended up being the one that made me feel the most confident. Mitch Morse has exceeded my expectations and looks like he is set to be a starter in the NFL. He hasn’t had an easy road. The Cardinals and Seahawks feature two of the better defensive lines in the league. So when he not only stepped up this week, but showed improvement from the week before, that went a long way in my book. Morse looked like he felt much more comfortable this week, which should be expected to some degree. He held up well in his blocking, despite the travesty that was going on next to him with Laurent Duvernay-Tardiff. The rookie center from Mizzou may not have all the little things down yet, as there was some confusion showing, but he has certainly demonstrated that he has all the fundamental requirements to be the middle man on the offensive line.
Backing up Morse is third year man Eric Kush. Many, including myself, thought Kush would get the starting job this year while Morse spent time developing. That appears to no longer be the case. Kush didn’t look bad at all in his own performance, though that was against the backups. It would appear that he is set to continue being the Chiefs depth option at center, which is not an unappealing option. However, I would like to see if he could possibly help out at right guard as well. Otherwise, he becomes more of a burden than an asset. A roster spot can’t be going to a guy who solely backs up just one spot on the offensive line.
As with last week, I was pleased overall with what I saw. This Chiefs roster is really coming together well, and I have a lot of confidence in the team heading into the season. There are still some questions though, and I’ll have another five spots that I’m looking at during next week’s game against the Titans:
Right Guard remains a very big concern for the Chiefs in 2015: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Right Guard: I’m still fine with what Fulton showed in the opener. He looked improved over last year and I think that’s who the Chiefs need to play. Duvernay-Tardiff was simply over-matched against a first team NFL defense. He was whipped just about every way someone could be. Hell, the man even tackled our running back. Some folks think Jeff Allen is the answer…but he hasn’t played right guard since pulling some spot duty in college. That’s not a lot to put faith in. And we know what Fanaika is.
Backup Tight End: This question remains unanswered. Hopefully Demetrius Harris can get back on the field and show us something, but I am really starting to get worried here. O’Shaughnessy isn’t ready for extensive use, Gordon is an average blocking tight end, and Taylor was exposed. We need answers…fast.
Right Tackle: I looked at this in preseason opener because of negative connotations. I am now curious to see how the Chiefs handle Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson at this spot. I like Allen a lot more at right tackle than I do at right guard. And Stephenson appears to have come back from last year with a bit more fire. This will be an interesting battle.
Linebacker corps: The Chiefs are about to cut somebody who is actually really good. Who is it? Not sure. But with Ramik Wilson, Justin March, Dezman Moses, and Josh Martin all showing up really well so far, there is a huge question as to how many we can keep. Houston, Hali, Ford, DJ, and Mauga are all pretty much locks for the roster (Mauga for financial reasons). That’s nine guys right there. Doesn’t even factor in Frank Zombo, DJ Alexander, and James Michael-Johnson, all who have some claim or another as to why they could be in there.
Backup Quarterback: Ok Aaron Murray…show us something. ANYTHING!!!