The offseason is well and truly rolling.
With rookie minicamps underway, the draft in the rear view mirror and free agency but a distant memory, the steam train that is the NFL is hurtling towards preseason and the long awaited start of the 2016 season. While seeing the Kansas City Chiefs back on the field in a remotely competitive nature is still three months away, it is still something to be excited about.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the offseason is seeing all the new players adapt to their home. Whether this be established players like Mitchell Scwhartz, who have been brought to Arrowhead through free agency, or it be a member of the rookie draft class, it is always intriguing to see the successes and failures that many new players experience with a new team.
Last season, seeing Jeremy Maclin in a Chiefs jersey throughout training camp, developing a relationship with Alex Smith, was an enticing and exciting story line.
This year, the position battles that are being focused upon the most are at cornerback, both guard spots and the second receiver. While these positions all have an element of uncertainty to them, and it will be enjoyable to watch the three rookies try to usurp Phillip Gaines at corner in particular, this is not the position that I am most looking forward to. While it is the most uncertain aspect of the roster, there is a position that seems to have been overlooked.
Last year, inside linebacker was a genuine concern. While Derrick Johnson had been a stalwart of this defense for years, he was well the wrong side of 30, coming off a year long Achilles injury, Josh Mauga had played poorly the year previous, and next on the depth chart were fourth and fifth round rookies Ramik Wilson and D.J. Alexander. The four were joined at camp by undrafted rookie Justin March, a no name among many fans around the league.
Well, this Summer, it could be March that reigns supreme.
DJ is clearly the entrenched starter. He had an outstanding season last year, looking back to his ball sniffing, tough tackling, run stuffing best. Mauga was the usual starter alongside Johnson, and while he was significantly improved from the year previous, he still missed too many tackles, struggled to release off blocks and was the physical presence needed alongside DJ. As of now, Mauga is the expected starter come September, and I fully expect that to play out over the next few months.
Andy Reid, John Dorsey and Bob Sutton are clearly fans of Mauga, handing him a new contract last offseason. He has now started at inside linebacker for the past two seasons, and without playing sensationally at any point, has not done too much wrong to suggest that a replacement is needed. Nonetheless, Ramik Wilson, and in particular, Justin March, flashed the potential to be top top players in the preseason last summer, and if they progress throughout the following few months, it would be wrong to stent their growth by sitting them behind Mauga.
Both Wilson and Mauga have a DJ-esque nose the ball. Wilson is the rangier athlete, standing at 6-foot-2 and 237 pounds, and has the ability to take on blockers more so than the perhaps slightly undersized March. He is more of a thumper, a downhill tackler in the run game who makes his money by living in the backfield of the opposition.
March, on the other hand, is much more of a modern day linebacker who relies on his speed to make plays. He is a true sideline to sideline linebacker, has coverage abilities and plays much bigger than his size in the run game. Players Deone Bucannon are proving that size is not the be all and end all at the linebacker position, and with elite speed, instincts and technique, success can be found in other ways. March is built in a similar fashion, but most importantly, he simply has a knack for making plays.
Both Wilson and March have the highest ceiling of any of the young linebackers on this roster. While Mauga is a solid player, he is nothing more than that. Wilson and March are both raw, inexperienced and young, but damn are they talented.
They could well be the future of the Chiefs’ inside linebackers. I am hoping to see the two of them challenge, and ultimately beat out, Mauga over the next few months.