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Smith, Charles and rest of Chiefs have much to prove

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Smith, Charles and rest of Chiefs have much to prove

By TOM PELISSERO

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Cleaning out the notebook from a visit to Kansas City Chiefs camp …

  • I didn’t think QB Alex Smith was particularly sharp in the parts of two practices I saw, but part of that might be the way coaches are challenging him in his second year in the offense. “You’re not going to run out of gigabytes with Alex,” coach Andy Reid told me. “He’s very intelligent. But you want to test him. You want to keep pushing. He’s got a strong mind. You want to make sure that you keep it strong. We fed him a lot of new stuff here, and he’s digested it. He’s been out here working it. Not every throw’s (predetermined) – I want him to feel it, to see what he can get away with, see what you can’t.” Smith is 30 years old. He has played nine NFL seasons. The Chiefs have a pretty good idea what he is. But if they’re going to re-sign him for the long haul, they’ll want to believe the arrow is still pointing up.
  • The Chiefs didn’t invest a lot of resources to upgrade Smith’s receiving options in the offseason, instead betting on a bounce-back season from WR Dwayne Bowe and the continued development of young players. But the fourth-round pick they used on WR/RB/return man De’Anthony Thomas could pay dividends sooner than later. Thomas has flashed his speed throughout camp and took back a punt 80 yards for a TD in the preseason opener against Cincinnati. On offense, he projects as a hybrid player once he learns the subtle nuances of the NFL game (and there are a lot of them).
  • Another potential boost for the passing game: TE Travis Kelce, who turned heads in camp a year ago before getting hurt early in the season. He had a 69-yard TD against the Bengals and a Gronk-like build at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds.
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Rookie Dee Ford was given a long look in the first preseason game. (John Rieger, USA TODAY Sports)

  • The Chiefs’ top pick, OLB Dee Ford, played more snaps (54 on defense and 10 more on special teams) than anyone against the Bengals. It’ll be interesting to see what defensive coordinator Bob Sutton comes up with to get him on the field as a rookie, given the presence of OLBs Justin Houston and Tamba Hali — who both had 11 sacks last season — on the roster. “The first thing you notice is (Ford’s) step off the ball,” GM John Dorsey told me. “Then what happens is once you begin to see his step off the ball, he’s got a unique ability to bend and squeeze and shorten his path to the quarterback. Then when you get around him, you’re like, this is a pretty neat kid. He’s very passionate about the game of football. You can’t have enough of those guys.”
  • Dorsey confirmed he talked contract with Houston’s agent, Joel Segal, early last week – around the same time ProFootballTalk.com reported there’s a “huge” gap in negotiations. “I don’t know where that comes from, because I haven’t talked about anything like that,” Dorsey said. “I have no idea where that’s coming from.” Not exactly a denial. If Houston is seeking Clay Matthews money ($13.2 million average in new money over a five-year extension), the Chiefs may just let him test the market, given their cap situation, the pending Smith deal and the fact they’ve already got their backup plan in Ford.
  • Another pass-rush factor they’re excited about: DT Vance Walker, who has just eight sacks in five NFL seasons with Atlanta and Oakland but is a big body (6-2, 305) the Chiefs feel can push the pocket. Walker was a value signing: three years, $10 million with $3 million guaranteed.
  • On the back end, the Chiefs could end up starting two waiver pickups (CBs Marcus Cooper and Ron Parker, depending what happens with Sean Smith) and a street free agent signing (S Husain Abdullah, alongside former first-round pick Eric Berry). That’s why NFL personnel departments turn over every stone.
  • Dorsey said he considers the Chiefs deeper in their front seven than a year ago, despite the departures of LB Akeem Jordan and DE Tyson Jackson, among others. A big reason for that is young players coming into their own. Keep an eye on DE Allen Bailey, who is heavier than he’s ever been but also quicker. DL coach Tommy Brasher is in his 26th NFL season and continues to do a good job teaching guys not just technique, but how to play with their eyes, too.
  • Last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Eric Fisher, has worked his way back from two offseason surgeries (sports hernia and shoulder) and held up well in his preseason debut at left tackle. “He will continue to get stronger, get bigger,” Dorsey said of Fisher, who flops sides to replace departed Pro Bowl pick Branden Albert. “He’s very natural at the left tackle position. I think he feels really good there. He’s still working his way up.” It’ll need to happen quickly, because that position is too important. The Chiefs also have a competition to sort out at right guard.
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Chiefs coach Andy Reid doesn’t mind Derrick Johnson doling out heavy hits to the team’s stars in practice. (John Rieger, USA TODAY Sports)

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Jamaal Charles, right, says the Cheif’s veteran core is ready to make a run at the Super Bowl. (John Rieger, USA TODAY Sports)

  • One reason Reid said he was OK with the hit was the fact Johnson is one of the Chiefs’ leaders. The previous day, I had asked Charles to list the team’s leaders. “I know a lot of guys look up to me,” Charles said. “I know it’s Alex. I know it’s Tamba, Derrick Johnson, Eric Berry, (Anthony) Fasano, (Anthony) Sherman, Dustin Colquitt — it’s just a whole bunch of guys that have been around the league a long time. I know some of these guys were ready to step up and win the Super Bowl.”
  • To have a chance, the Chiefs will need to survive what looks like a brutal stretch of schedule before their early bye, including at Denver in Week 2, home against New England in Week 4 and at San Francisco in Week 5. They play the rest of the rugged NFC West, too. Reid seems to have sold players on the idea that’s a good thing, though — a chance to show the league last year’s 9-0 start was no fluke. “We’re fired up about it, man,” Reid said. “It’s a great challenge, and that’s why we do this, as coaches and players. Let’s roll.”
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dhitter

dhitter 1,424

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The thing about a tough schedule is if you compete week in and week out and somehow get into the playoffs you are battle tested. Would rather see how the Chiefs compare to the New Englands, Denvers and Seattles of the league than the Jags and Raiders.

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