KC Warpaint 3,234 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 ST. JOSEPH The Chiefs have no shortage of intriguing prospects among 13 wide receivers at training camp, but the same can’t be said for roster spots at that position. “With the way our practices are set up, you need 13 guys just to get through practice,” offensive coordinator Doug Pederson said. “We’ve increased the volume of plays, so more guys are going to have an opportunity to play.” But for how long? Conventional wisdom says that veterans Dwayne Bowe, Donnie Avery, Junior Hemingway and A.J. Jenkins, who has been rock solid so far in camp, including several highlight-reel catches deep downfield, are near certainties to make the final roster. That leaves, at most, two available roster spots (and more than likely only one) for wide receivers depending on what the Chiefs do at quarterback and running back. Returning from a torn ACL, Kyle Williams has been impressive. He also has the most experience (39 games) among the remaining nine receivers in camp, though he’s never played more than 13 games in four NFL seasons. Meanwhile, Frankie Hammond Jr., who spent last season on the Chiefs’ practice squad, has been a revelation early in training camp. His 30-yard post and 30-yard cutback run after the catch Sunday remains the singular training camp highlight so far. There’s also speedy Albert Wilson, who has shown jitterbug ability with the ball and also has value on special teams, but it’s hardly an exhaustive list. Mark Harrison, the biggest and tallest target in camp, has shown a knack for making plays downfield and former Missouri receiver Jerrell Jackson has shined brightly in recent practices. Meanwhile, Fred Williams has shown good hands and Darryl Surgent has made spectacular over-the-shoulder catches more than 40 yards downfield along the boundary in back-to-back practices. Weston Dressler also remains an intriguing prospect, but he’s dropped several passes and struggled to create separation from the slot. The preseason games will go a long way in fleshing out what’s shaping up to be a fantastic battle for Dressler and the rest of the receivers, including rookie Deon Anthony from Troy University. “Everybody plays in the preseason game,” Pederson said. “You may only get one play in a preseason game. You may get one play in practice. But as long as you know what you’re doing, especially as a young player, then your reps will increase the same way as if you kind of struggle mentally, your reps are going to decrease.” Pederson said these early practices are perfect for assessing mental toughness among players, ensuring that the cream rises to the top while others slowly wilt. Eventually, even with such a deep position group, the players tend to weed themselves out. “Some of the young guys, it happens that way,” Pederson said. “Others may make it because of special teams. The ones that can understand and stay up with the information have a better chance of playing or seeing he field.” Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/red-zone/article823804.html#storylink=cpy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West 6,713 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Jenkins has been getting plenty of good press this camp. w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo 92 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Jenkins has been getting plenty of good press this camp. w I'm surprised a man of your experience and intelligence would take the bait. Every coaching staff talks up every player in camp. Then we all are surprised when one of those guys is cut. Not saying Jenkins is one of them, yet, but I'll believe he's made it after the 53 is announced. PS: If anyone is going to tell me about the few token catches he made at the end of last season, save it. The dude has shown nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcchief4lif 910 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Jenkins has been getting plenty of good press this camp. w I think they all have to some extent. Wilson and Hammonds too. I was trolling along the sideline at camp Sunday. I happen to look over when Hammonds caught that pass over the middle and made like 6 people miss. It was a thing of beauty but then, reality hit, it's training camp. There are lots of no names on this squad but sounds like they are all competing pretty hard. Star receivers come from nowhere every year. Maybe one of those could be from this group?? Next Thursday is the first "game". Even though it's preseason. Who's ready?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo 92 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Star receivers come from nowhere every year. Maybe one of those could be from this group?? It would be nice, but don't count on it. Star receivers don't come from nowhere every year. Who was a scrap heap star last year? Or the year before? Define "star". Victor Cruz and Wes Welker types don't come along that often. You may get a Kenbrell Thompkins, but few stars. Then again, Kenbrell Thompkins would probably start in KC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcchief4lif 910 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 It would be nice, but don't count on it. Star receivers don't come from nowhere every year. Who was a scrap heap star last year? Or the year before? Define "star". Victor Cruz and Wes Welker types don't come along that often. You may get a Kenbrell Thompkins, but few stars. Then again, Kenbrell Thompkins would probably start in KC. All I am looking for, is a guy to stretch the field and become a solid 2. To me that will make the day and is the "star" I'm referring to. But you can't totally discount it. Just like I can't say the guy is in this group. We really don't know!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo 92 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 All I am looking for, is a guy to stretch the field and become a solid 2. To me that will make the day and is the "star" I'm referring too. But you can't totally discount it. Just like I can't say the guy is in this group. We really don't know!! Odds are against it. Odds are the Chiefs have one of, if not the worst WR corp in the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcchief4lif 910 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Odds are against it. Odds are the Chiefs have one of, if not the worst WR corp in the NFL. Along with secondary and O-line. Chiefs are screwed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West 6,713 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Thanks for the Expert Opinion Mongo .....Why are you not on an NFL Coaching Staff? Seriously, Jenkins wasn't given a crumb by the media last season. The fact he is being mentioned is certainly not a bad thing for the team. w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mugsy 225 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Odds are against it. Odds are the Chiefs have one of, if not the worst WR corp in the NFL. Why? Because they lost McCluster? They looked pretty good the last 8 games last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo 92 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Why? Because they lost McCluster? They looked pretty good the last 8 games last season. Against bad teams and sub-par defenses. They will be exposed this season. BTW: DMC caught 172 balls in 4 years, including 53 last year. He was far more productive than most give him credit for. Certainly more than AJ Jenkins ever has been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo 92 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Thanks for the Expert Opinion Mongo .....Why are you not on an NFL Coaching Staff? Seriously, Jenkins wasn't given a crumb by the media last season. The fact he is being mentioned is certainly not a bad thing for the team. w I'd make a better GM. I'll offer you the same exercise I offered Mugsy. I'll make it easier. Name the WR corps you wouldn't take over the Chiefs. It's a pretty short list. I don't have to be a coach to see that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mugsy 225 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Against bad teams and sub-par defenses. They will be exposed. Meh, five of those games were against playoff teams. Also, we put up 45 and 56 against Washington and Oakland like we should have. They were the two that didn't make the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West 6,713 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Mongo, I'll stick with my position that the Chief WR's are young & improving and our GM /Coaching Staff know more about football than Internet Message Board "Guru's". You can keep running the team down and then somehow "feel good" if they perform poorly. That's well outside my approach for supporting my favorite team. w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEMO 6,811 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I'm surprised a man of your experience and intelligence would take the bait. Every coaching staff talks up every player in camp. Then we all are surprised when one of those guys is cut. Not saying Jenkins is one of them, yet, but I'll believe he's made it after the 53 is announced. PS: If anyone is going to tell me about the few token catches he made at the end of last season, save it. The dude has shown nothing. You are a bitter man. Call yourself a realist if you want, but you always seem to have a negative expectation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo 92 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Mongo, I'll stick with my position that the Chief WR's are young & improving and our GM /Coaching Staff know more about football than Internet Message Board "Guru's". You can keep running the team down and then somehow "feel good" if they perform poorly. That's well outside my approach for supporting my favorite team. w Sorry if I scratch your thin skin. I take issue with your insult. "Running the team down" and "feeling good about it" has nothing to do with my mindset. I support the team same as you. I just don't skip around in a cheerleader skirt dreaming of lollipops, unicorns and rainbows while I do it. If you want to discuss how Jamaal Charles may be the best RB in football, not AP, let's do it. Or, post that our LB corp is in the top 5, go ahead. Let's talk Eric Berry or Dontari Poe or even Dwayne Bowe. You'll find I have nothing but good things to say. You want to regard the WR corp as young and improving, so be it. I actually might agree with that. But they aren't improved or good enough. Neither is the OL or the secondary. I support this team more than you. Unlike you, I don't turn a blind eye to its issues and assume they must know what they are doing. Maybe they don't. Romeo Crennel didn't. Herm Edwards didn't. Facts I pointed out at the time and was soundly criticized for, much the same as you are right now. I took no more pleasure in being right then, then I will if the WR, OL, and secondary collectively fall on their faces. Why? Because my team will be mediocre at best if that is true. And no one wants this team to succeed more than me, That's why I criticize them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo 92 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 You are a bitter man. Call yourself a realist if you want, but you always seem to have a negative expectation. Not true. I expected the team to improve last year. Not to the extend they did, but I expected improvement. The "reality" is there has been very little to be positive about regarding this team since 1997. They've been horribly inept save for a few of the Vermeil years and 3 token, one and gone playoff appearances. The team is in the bottom ten of the last ten years. Last year was a ball, until the bottom fell out. Still it was a great year. This year's team will not fare as well. Get over it. I won't sit here and pretend the WR are good just so you think I'm a happy guy. I am a happy guy who doesn't like his favorite team's coach, WR, OL and secondary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West 6,713 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Hey, if this is how you are being the "best fan you can be..." Have at it and keep enjoying yourself. w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo 92 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Hey, if this is how you are being the "best fan you can be..." Have at it and keep enjoying yourself. w Well, if they handed out cash and prizes for being Little Miss Sunshine maybe I'd look at things differently. Until then my goal is not to be the "best fan I can be". My goal is to be a fan of the best team. The Kansas City Chiefs are nowhere near that yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West 6,713 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Sounds good....Since 1922 the Packers have the most Championships with 13 (Titles and 4 SB's) So the "best team" in the NFL's history has actualy proven to be the "best" a little over 14% of the time. The Chiefs % is far worse than the Packers.... Now I can understand why you have so much frustration. w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West 6,713 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Teicher reporting today (ESPN): ...that Kyle Williams went down with a Hammie. Hemmingway has lost a week due to his hamstring problems. Mark Harrison continues to have hamstring issues....and may not make the team. Hammond and Wilson are winning roster spots by staying on the field. w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcchief4lif 910 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 the battle of the hammy's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West 6,713 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Cooper as well. This seems like something the training staff needs to review. w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhitter 1,424 Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 wow...where to start. I agree with Mongo in so much as the Chiefs as a franchise have been one of the worst NFL teams over the past 40 years. With the exception of the Marty years....bad coaching hires, bad draft picks, bad contracts, bad strategies all resulting in what we have had to enjoy on the field. No playoff wins since 93. Chiefs have set a record for most straight playoff losses haven't they? Not a single QB we have drafted has won a game for the Chiefs since Blackledge and he will go down as one of the Chiefs' biggest busts. Chiefs have never won back to back division titles...Chargers, Broncos Raiders have done it multiple times. We have talented players but I am under no illusion that the Chiefs are anywhere near Super Bowl quality. They could get there but 40+ years makes it hard to believe for more than a decent season and possible shot at a wildcard. Now that having been said...I am always excited for a new season. Last year was an enjoyable ride and I am looking forward to seeing guys step up this year. Fisher, Kelce, Abdullah, Cooper, Bailey, Davis, Thomas, Ford....a lot to look forward to. Chiefs might contend for a wild card or they might fall back some due to FA losses and a tough schedule. Either way...I will watch every snap of every game and hope that this team is moving in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongo 92 Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 Cooper as well. This seems like something the training staff needs to review. w Doesn't this speak to conditioning and the lack thereof? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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