Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 13

Thread: Five underrated Chiefs players for the 2009 season

  1. #1

    Default Five underrated Chiefs players for the 2009 season

    Five underrated Chiefs players for the 2009 season

    Submitted by Kent Babb for The Kansas City Star



    This Chiefs team still has some things to work on before training camp and lots of things to polish before anyone would call this a playoff-caliber team. Wide receivers and offensive linemen need to be surprises, and the 3-4 defense has to work.
    The Chiefs also need some players to step up and play better than outsiders might expect. Zach Thomas entered offseason practice as an underrated player, but after he galvanized the defense and established himself as a clear leader, he's not underrated anymore. Tomorrow, we'll write who we think are a few of the Chiefs' overrated players -- yep, there are some whose importance and role have been exaggerated -- but as you might have noticed, we like to be optimistic on Mondays.
    So here we go with the possible sleepers for 2009:

    - RB Jamaal Charles. The speedy second-year running back should see his role increase this year, mostly in terms of catching passes out of the backfield. Assuming Larry Johnson is healthy and productive, first-year Chiefs coach Todd Haley should be able to take advantage of the surplus of solid running backs and fine-tune their roles. Charles isn't an every-down rusher, but he'd be terrific in a two-running back shotgun formation to be a change-up rusher and give Matt Cassel another reliable target. Heaven knows he won't have many of them.

    - WR Mark Bradley. Speaking of wide receivers, Bradley has gone largely unnoticed this offseason. Nobody, likely including Bradley, is complaining about that. While Dwayne Bowe and even Bobby Engram face some degree of pressure, Bradley has quietly been one of the Chiefs' most reliable receivers. He made some spectacular plays last year and helped Tyler Thigpen make his transition from backup to full-time starter. Don't forget that Bradley can throw the ball a little, as well.

    - G Mike Goff. Amid all the chaos surrounding guard Brian Waters (who's a candidate for tomorrow's overrated list), it has been easy to forget Goff, a veteran who still has some good years left. He's one of those players who meticulously cares for his body, more so now that he's 33 years old. Goff is a clear upgrade over last year's right guard, Adrian Jones, and if Goff does have to move to left guard if the Waters ordeal can't be worked out, he's about as reliable a replacement as the Chiefs could have.

    -NT Tank Tyler. It might be just lip service, but Tyler seems to really believe that the 3-4 is the right scheme for himself and the Chiefs. He played some nose tackle in college at N.C. State, making him one of the few Chiefs-drafted Chiefs with experience in that scheme. Tyler is a former third-round pick who has lots of potential. This might be the philosophy shift that unlocks that potential in Tyler's third year.

    -LB Monty Beisel. The Chiefs would like for Beisel to enter the season as a backup, preferably for converted defensive end Tamba Hali. But Beisel easily could be a starter (in fact, we predicted two weeks ago that he will be come opening day) if Hali struggles to make the transition. Beisel is a veteran who played in Chiefs coordinator Clancy Pendergast's defense in Arizona last year. If Beisel does start, that would boost the likely starting linebackers' average age to almost 32 by opening day, and that's not a good thing for the Chiefs. But Beisel would offer experience as the Chiefs make this transition, and that's worth something.

    Others who could be sleepers: TE Tony Curtis, NT Ron Edwards, CB Maurice Leggett, CB Donald Washington, DE Alex Magee, S DaJuan Morgan, RB/KR Dantrell Savage.


    CLICK HERE! FOR MY TWITTER PAGE

  2. #2
    Member Since
    Sep 2005
    Location
    SE Kansas
    Posts
    31,642

    Default

    Time will tell the story.

  3. #3
    Member Since
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Kansas city, MO
    Posts
    2,242

    Default

    I ran across an article last week and didn't think much of it because of his weight, but they predicted that McGee, because of his strenght, would start at NT.

  4. #4
    Member Since
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    1,915

    Default

    The is list is . . . eh. I don't think anyone is underrating Goff. He's expected by everyone (Chiefs fans or other) to be a solid C/RG for us in 2009. Same with Beisel. He's expected to be a solid backup ILB (Babb is crazy if he thinks Beisel will be an OLB) and special teams ace. And is anyone underrating Bradley? His stock is the highest its been since he was drafted.

    Three better picks for underrated are Brandon Carr (16 game starter for the Chiefs in 2008, and no one except Chiefs fans know about him), Sean Ryan (great blocking TE), and Rudy Niswanger (starting C this season against all odds).

    Tank might count as underrated, but he'll have to spend most defensive snaps not getting blown off the line before I'm a believer. Charles definitely counts as underrated is he remains a solid, healthy contributor in 2009.

  5. #5
    Member Since
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    994

    Default

    How are they underrated (except Goff) if they really haven't done a whole hell of a lot to prove otherwise? LOL!

    With the exception of Goff, I think all of them have something to prove, period. If they do very well this year and not a word about them next year, then, they can be called underrated.

    Just my opinion.

    I also think that Cassell is just a bit overrated by Chiefs fans and some outsiders as well. As usual, I want him and others to do well but I need to see what the team does in regards to chemistry and playing tough, hard-nosed football.

  6. #6
    Member Since
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Kansas City Missouri
    Posts
    3,814

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Big Daddy Tek View Post
    Five underrated Chiefs players for the 2009 season
    NT Ron Edwards
    Are you serious? This guy is still on the team? 3 years of nothing from him, why is he still here.
    <a href=http://www.chiefscrowd.com/forums/../../../../image.php?type=sigpic&userid=2553&dateline=1258934108 target=_blank>http://www.chiefscrowd.com/forums/.....ine=1258934108</a>

  7. #7
    Member Since
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    994

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by honda522 View Post
    Are you serious? This guy is still on the team? 3 years of nothing from him, why is he still here.
    Because there are 2 others that are equally as bad?


  8. #8
    Member Since
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    1,915

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by honda522 View Post
    Are you serious? This guy is still on the team? 3 years of nothing from him, why is he still here.
    Edwards is a pretty average DT, but he did OK (not great, but OK) starting in 2006 and 2007. He probably was (God help us) our best DT over that time period.

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jmlamerson View Post
    Edwards is a pretty average DT, but he did OK (not great, but OK) starting in 2006 and 2007. He probably was (God help us) our best DT over that time period.
    Listen guys. Edwards is here for one reason and one reason only. 6'3 and 325 pounds. On running downs he takes up alot of space. He is very strong and lineman dont move him. The guy never gets blown off the line. In all fairness, he doesnt exactly move others off the line either. He is your traditional run stuffer. The current personel believes that he can be an asset in short yardage situations. Think Kevin Williams with no explosiveness.


    CLICK HERE! FOR MY TWITTER PAGE

  10. #10
    Member Since
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Kansas City Missouri
    Posts
    3,814

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Big Daddy Tek View Post
    Listen guys. Edwards is here for one reason and one reason only. 6'3 and 325 pounds. On running downs he takes up alot of space. He is very strong and lineman dont move him. The guy never gets blown off the line. In all fairness, he doesnt exactly move others off the line either. He is your traditional run stuffer. The current personel believes that he can be an asset in short yardage situations. Think Kevin Williams with no explosiveness.
    PSH, EVERYONE got blown off the line last year.
    <a href=http://www.chiefscrowd.com/forums/../../../../image.php?type=sigpic&userid=2553&dateline=1258934108 target=_blank>http://www.chiefscrowd.com/forums/.....ine=1258934108</a>

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. What we should do before the beginning of the 2009 season?
    By jmlamerson in forum KC Chiefs News and Discussion
    Replies: 42
    Last Post: 05-03-2009, 12:30 PM
  2. Chiefs add 4 players
    By texaschief in forum KC Chiefs News and Discussion
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 12-30-2008, 11:43 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •