Kansas City Chiefs: Building the worst team from the last decade
By Grant Tuttle
Defensive Ends
The defensive end position has varied through the years. It went from a position of strength to one of weakness and back. It is important to remember just how dominant Tamba Hali was at this spot for many years before the transition to the 3-4 defense. However the Chiefs had several players that got pushed around far too easily at DE. There were guys that made virtually no impact in the passing game or rushing game and they landed on this list.
The Worst: Turk McBride
I remember this draft. It was one of utter disappointment. When McBride started, it became clear that he had trouble getting leverage against anyone. Unfortunately, he was pushed all over the field by blockers. McBride was not with the Chiefs for a long time as he was not re-signed after his rookie contract expired. However, not being specifically a McBride fan, I did not realize that he went on to play with the Detroit Lions and the New Orleans Saints, spending two years with each team. However, McBride finished his Chiefs career with 36 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble.
The Worst: Tyson Jackson
When Jackson came in to Kansas City, it became apparent that he had little to no pass rushing skills. His biggest asset was his ability to stand firm and try to tackle runners around blockers. He maybe isn’t the worst, but it was an incredible disappointment to see him perform at a level where he should have been selected (third overall in 2009), instead of where he was.
After a five year campaign with Kansas City, Jackson recorded 139 tackles, 9 sacks, and 0 forced fumbles. Tyson Jackson went on to play with the Atlanta Falcons. Again, Jackson is only listed because of his production in regard to where he was drafted. That being said, he preformed at a higher level than “Tank” Tyler.
Honorable mention: DeMarcus “Tank” Tyler
Defensive Tackle
This has not been a position in which the Chiefs have been great. Unfortunately we have seen a number of players come in and under-perform. While Kansas City has had some great defensive tackles in their history, the last decade with the exception of Dontari Poe has been a bit underwhelming.
The Worst: Glenn Dorsey
Glenn Dorsey brought a lot of hype to Kansas City and this is why I have trust issues. When the Chiefs drafted Dorsey, I was so excited that they had a defensive player that would be an All-Pro. Unfortunately, he never lived up to the hype.
Even after five years with the team, fans still wanted to believe that he could turn the corner and be dominant a dominant force on the defensive line. I remember a fan telling me that they should re-sign Dorsey after the five years because, “He (had) so much upside.” That was after five years! Fans were just starved for a dominant player that they were promised but never received.
Dorsey finished his five year career with the Chiefs with 159 tackles, 4 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. He was projected to be one of the great defensive players of our time and ended up averaging 32 tackles a season when he was in Kansas City.
The Worst: Alfonso Boone
Boone got considerable playing time with the Chiefs after a seven year tenure with the Chicago Bears. Unfortunately, he did not play well with the time that he had. Despite being a big guy in the middle of the Chiefs defense, Boone was unable to make many tackles or get much pressure on the quarterback. Boone’s two years with Kansas City led to 34 tackles, 2 sacks, and 0 forced fumbles.
Honorable Mention: Ron Edwards, Amon Gordon, Kelly Gregg