So, he should feel right at home at number two - he's been there his entire career.
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Chiefs’ Thigpen is a quarterback on the move
BY ADAM TEICHER | THE KANSAS CITY STAR
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The Chiefs’ Tyler Thigpen is not tall for a quarterback — just 6-1 — but he got a better look at receivers in Monday’s workout in River Falls, Wis., by moving out of the pocket.
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RIVER FALLS, Wis. | The newest wrinkle in the Chiefs’ offensive playbook was thrown in by new coordinator Chan Gailey as a way to combat p***-blocking deficiencies.
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Gailey frequently moves the quarterback out of the pocket and asks him to make a play on the move.
It also plays to the strengths of starter Brodie Croyle, who isn’t particularly fast but can throw well on the run. It’s even more suited to backup Tyler Thigpen, who is quicker than Croyle and, at only 6 feet 1, more than happy to get out of the forest.
“That’s what you want to be able to do, get out of the pocket,” Thigpen said. “That way, you can see the field a little better instead of sitting back there behind those big, old, tall offensive linemen. I’m not the tallest guy out there.”
While Thigpen hasn’t been a star at training camp, the Chiefs appear comfortable with his progress. They want him to improve his decision-making and accuracy and would like him to force fewer throws.
In the meantime, Thigpen has vaulted over Damon Huard and is the No. 2 quarterback. With a strong showing in the preseason, Thigpen could play himself into consideration as Croyle’s successor if he falters this season or suffers a long-term injury.
The Chiefs haven’t determined how much each of their quarterbacks will play in Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Bears in Chicago, but Thigpen will probably get plenty of snaps.
He is one of the young players they are most eager to see against an outside opponent.
“We really need to get Brodie and Tyler a bundle of snaps and get Damon some just so he can stay in the mix,” quarterbacks coach Dick Curl said. “Tyler is making nice progress, but we really want to see him in a game. There’s really no other way to get a measure on a quarterback. Practice is practice. The game is full speed.
“He’s got all of the tools. You can see that. He’s a poised guy. I think he gets it. He doesn’t get flustered.”
Thigpen came to the NFL not out of a college football factory but tiny Coastal Carolina, a Division I-AA program. He compiled big p***ing statistics, but his ability to move attracted the attention of NFL scouts.
“He was a really strong runner in college,” said Chuck Cook, the Chiefs’ director of college scouting. “That was one of his ***ets. He was kind of a late bloomer. Our scouts liked him. We could see how cerebral he was. He moved Coastal Carolina along. We knew then he was a real strong guy we could develop.
“That’s all you can hope for.”
There was some talk that because of his lack of height and considerable athletic skills that he would become a receiver in the NFL. The Vikings drafted him last year in the seventh round, and the Chiefs acquired him off waivers immediately before the start of the season.
“There were a lot of rumors going around about that,” Thigpen said. “I’m not exactly sure where those were coming from. I think it was more that people were thinking that if it didn’t work out at quarterback for me, they could out me at slot receiver.
“During the time I was with the Vikings, somebody had mentioned something to me about playing receiver, but I never did. I was a quarterback the whole time I was up there.”
Quarterback is what Thigpen wants to play, and fortunately for him, he landed with the Chiefs. They have no other plans for him.
“When we looked at quarterbacks, our whole mind-set was to get a guy that … has the ability to get outside of the pocket and make plays on the run,” coach Herm Edwards said. “When the train is late, you’ve got to have a quarterback that can make a play.
“They can throw it anywhere on the field. They can throw it to the wide side of the field, the short side of the field. They’re not running quarterbacks, but they have the ability to throw on the run, and that’s what you want.
“He’s got a powerful arm, and sometimes that gets you in trouble because he’s going to make some throws that are ill-advised.”
That’s something all young quarterbacks have to learn. The learning begins in earnest for Thigpen on Thursday night.
“Coach Curl told me that I was going to get a lot of playing time,” Thigpen said. “Last year when I playing for Minnesota, it might have been two or three series a game and usually not even that. I can’t wait for that Chicago game, to get the chance to go out there and see what I can do with it.”
<H2 cl***=shirttail>To reach Adam Teicher, Chiefs reporter for The Star, call
Huard is our ***istant QB's coach in pads.
That and he was competing with HuTard. I would like to see the Chiefs trade him and get something out of him. Maybe we can get something decent for a team looking for a washed up never was to lead their 21st ranked team. If not maybe we can get a free beer for the first 100 fans in the stadium for him. If all else fails think we could get a water boy? Just a thought.