SB Nation - Barry Richardson

What do the Chiefs do with Haley, Assistant Coaches, and the Offensive Line in 2010?

Jon Yoon — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:12:35 -0000

More photos » by Reed Hoffmann - AP

Last week, I spoke about some of the moves the Chiefs need to make this offseason on offense, but the Quarterback and Receiver issue pretty much hijacked the entire discussion. I want to use this part of the column to round out that discussion by focusing on the Chiefs' offensive line. I also want to talk about the coaching staff and special teams.

What's really interesting about the scope of this discussion is that two months ago, the fans were stressed about the state of the offensive line but pretty psyched about the progress of the coaching staff. Today, it seems like the fans have flipped opinions.

Special Teams: Let me just get this part out of the way. Ryan Succop and Dustin Colquitt are clearly safe. Steve Hoffman has also quietly built an outstanding coverage unit around them and that coverage will only get better as the roster becomes deeper with talent (remember, when there is a lot more uncertainty on a roster, it becomes tougher to keep dedicated special teams specialists like Gary Stills on your roster). I sense that as the roster gets better, you'll see more Terrence Coppers on this team and that will make an already outstanding special teams unit even better. At the Kick Returner position, given that the Chiefs have a need for both a speed threat at wide receiver and a returner, don't be surprised to see the Chiefs try to kill two birds with one stone by bringing in a guy who can do both.

Offensive Tackle: I know there's been a lot of uproar about how the Chiefs must get the best offensive lineman on the board with the top pick, no questions asked. I couldn't disagree more. With a top 5 pick, the only position that carries any positional value is Left Tackle and while I am not a draft expert, I'm not really that wow'ed by the top Left Tackles on the board and I'm pleased enough with Branden Albert's progress over the last few weeks. If Branden Albert is indeed the answer at Left Tackle, then you absolutely, positively do NOT move him to any other position. Especially with your top 5 pick. On the right side, I don't see Ryan O'Callaghan ever progressing to the point where he would be considered a franchise Right Tackle. However, given the Chiefs' high urgency needs at multiple positions, I would have to think that finding O'Callaghan's replacement is pretty low on the priority list. That's a position that the Chiefs could probably fill through the later rounds of the draft. I am all in favor of bringing in a whole truckload of competitive options; I just don't think the Chiefs need to reach to get any specific one. The Chiefs should try to do better than O'Callaghan, but if he is the Chiefs' option in 2010, that's not a decision that will come back to haunt them.

Stays: Branden Albert (#1 LT), Ryan O'Callaghan (#2 RT), Barry Richardson (#2 LT)
Pick up: New starting RT either through free agency or around rounds 3-7/undrafted

Center: I don't know who will play Center for the Chiefs in 2010, but it had better not be Rudy Niswanger. Wade Smith might be an option, but I doubt it. There really isn't an option on the team that makes you do cartwheels. If I was to prioritize offensive line positions, I would have to say that bringing in a top-flight Center is easily at the top of the list. However, Rudy Niswanger will have a secure roster spot because he's fine as a backup and you have to like his flexibility to play both Guard and Center

Stays: Rudy Niswanger (#2 Center)
Pick-up: A higher draft pick (2nd-3rd round) or highly touted free agent

Guard: Guard is a position that I see as a pressing need, but not a pressing priority. Brian Waters isn't the Left Guard we thought he was when he was playing next to Willie Roaf, but he's still a good option. At Right Guard, Wade Smith really isn't a terrible option and there are some players on the roster who might make for interesting competition. I still think Rudi Niswanger could make a decent Guard, and you have two young players on the practice squad---Colin Brown and Darryl Harris---who might be able to compete in the offseason for the starting job. The Chiefs need to start thinking about bringing in a better player than Smith and an eventual replacement for Waters, but for now, the position is such a low level of priority that the Chiefs shouldn't consider an upgrade unless there is a Best Player Available (BPA) option in the 3^rd through 7^th round of the draft or a clear upgrade who slips into free agency.

Stays: Brian Waters (#1 LG), Wade Smith (#1 RG)
Potential In-house Replacements: Colin Brown, Darryl Harris
Pick-up: Either drafted potential #1 RG or free agent #1 RG, Potential replacement for Brian Waters at LG in 2-3 years via draft

Head Coach:

There's been a lot of talk about Todd Haley being a target for firing. I really hope that's not the case and given his contract, I don't think that will happen. Coaches need time to establish their program. It always reflects badly on an organization when they play musical chairs with their coaches. Oakland and Washington are two NFL markets that can never seem to establish continuity because they're continually changing systems and philosophies. Haley has made a lot of mistakes for sure, but most rookie head coaches do and I still think he would make considerably less mistakes if he wasn't wearing so many hats. The Chiefs need to hire an Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach and that's non-negotiable.

However, the clock has started to tick for Haley. The mistakes he's making now are unforgiveable in 2010. He has to become a better game manager. In his defense, a lot of his game management mistakes are situational. Haley has been over-aggressive on fourth down situations, but who's to say he'll be just as aggressive when this team is a little better? When you have an offense that struggles to put points on the board, sometimes you take a few more risks to score touchdowns. When you have a defense that can implode at any given second of a game, sometimes you have to be more aggressive about going for 7 to create some cushion for the defense.

I'm also becoming increasingly concerned about the team's lack of discipline. Haley was hyped up to be a disciplinarian and yet his team plays without any shred of discipline. Maybe the team has started to give up, but it's also quite possible that they don't buy what Haley is selling. Sometimes when you overthink, you become more prone to mistakes.

Assistant Coaches:

I've said from the beginning that the stupidest move the Chiefs made this offseason was to enter the season without an Offensive Coordinator or a Quarterbacks Coach and they are paying a price for it. How many times have we watched another team's sideline and saw a Quarterback make a mistake, then immediately consult with one of the Assistant Coaches. Cassel hasn't had that luxury. He's had to figure that all out on his own. He's a young QB who's had to coach himself, not only on mechanics, but on how to think through the game. It might also help Cassel to have a fall-back guy. When Haley tears Cassel apart for making a mistake, sometimes it helps to have another coach on the staff to turn to for help. I imagine Cassel doesn't have the same access to good coaching off the field either. The Chiefs bought a $60M product and didn't even equip themselves with a training manual. Unbelievable.

On other levels, rather than go into painstaking detail about each and every coach, let's just talk about the ones whose job security might be called into question. The two names that most often come up in discussions are Tim Krumrie and Bill Muir. In my opinion, Krumrie is a scapegoat of convenience. It started several years ago when he got negative publicity for running what many consider to be a useless combine drill. That escalated into hatred when he coached one of the worst defensive lines in football. In the fans' defense, Krumrie probably should have been canned along with Herm Edwards. But I was okay with keeping him on board because Scott Pioli, a completely neutral set of eyes with no tie to Herm Edwards or Carl Peterson, thought Krumrie was good enough to keep on his staff.

The question is, has the Defensive Line improved under Krumrie? My answer is "yes." Don't get me wrong. The Defensive Line still stinks, but you have to be careful about understanding why that's the case. We shouldn't judge Krumrie based on his ability to coach up players who don't have talent to play their respective position in the first place (Ron Edwards) or rookies who might not see improvement until 2010 (Tyson Jackson). Krumrie has taught his linemen to operate in an entirely different defense, and he has improved several of the players within it. Dorsey went from a non-factor last season to a fairly consistent disruptive force at a position that I still don't believe best fits his skill sets. Tamba Hali has improved by leaps and bounds in his role as a 3-4 OLB. Even Wallace Gilberry and Alex Magee have looked pretty good from time to time. In other words, when he has talent and the time to develop them, he hasn't done a poor job and maybe the 3-4 Defense is his sweet spot. If Dorsey and Hali continue to play at a high level, if Jackson plays better in his second season as Dorsey did, and if the Chiefs bring in a legit Nose Tackle (which they have to), the Defensive Line will be a strength for the Chiefs.

As for Muir, that's also a tough call to make. I never really liked him because I was never a fan of the offensive lines that he coached in the past. But like Krumrie, he's actually made a lot of progress with virtually nothing to work with. The Chiefs have horrible players on the offensive line. No amount of coaching is going to fix that. I do think Muir has done a surprisingly admirable job making a bad unit look increasingly better over the past several weeks.

At Wide Receivers coach, I'd expect a change here too. The Chiefs demoted Dedric Ward earlier in the season and plugged in Richie Anderson. I would be surprised if the Chiefs looked at Anderson as anything more than a stopgap, unless they plan to keep him as an Assistant coach somewhere else.

Finally, Clancy Pendergast. I don't like his defense. Behind all the shifts and moving people around, the defense still seems pretty vanilla. To this day, I still wonder if he was hired because he was the guy Pioli wanted or because he was the only one left late in the season. I sense it's the latter. I actually think Pendergast would make a terrific assistant coach, but more likely than not, he's not going to accept a demotion.

Stays: All Assistant Coaches except Pendergast
Goes: Clancy Pendergast, Dedric Ward
Pick up: Offensive and Defensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach, Wide Receivers Coach

I know it sounds like I'm not pushing for change. Between keeping continuity on the coaching staff

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 12/14

NJ Chiefs Fan — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:27:24 -0000

via KansasCity.com

Well, that sucked. The wheels seem to be falling off, and with that observation, today's Arrowheadlines get kicked off with a little piece from Mr. Jason Whitlock.

That’s the only explanation for Chiefs coach Todd Haley opening his postgame news conference with a disingenuous thank you to the 30,000-plus Chiefs fans who filled 80,000-seat Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.

"Before I get started," Haley said in the aftermath of Kansas City’s 10th loss, a 16-10 snoozer to the Buffalo Bills, "publicly I want to thank the fans. I thought the fans were tremendous for us today."

Yes, this is the "process" to avoiding a blackout next Sunday.

In the minutes after Kansas City’s $63 million QB launched his fourth interception of the day, misfired on two more open deep balls and was caught by CBS television cameras telling someone — maybe booing Chiefs fans or Haley barking in his headset — to shut the (expletive) up, Haley campaigned for ticket sales.

"I just publicly want to thank the fans for making a lot of noise for us today," Haley said.

The boos were quite loud. And the silence was deafening at times. I can’t really blame the fans.

Chiefs should thank anyone who sat through this game from KC Star

KC Star Photo Gallery: Bills 16, Chiefs 10 | Sunday, Dec. 13

Cassel’s four interceptions led only to three points for the Bills. The Chiefs three takeaways on defense led to zero points for Kansas City. They were minus-one on turnovers and minus-three points off those giveaways. That was enough to make them minus-one in the victory column.

"We went into the game with a clear cut key that if we could win the turnover battle, we would have a very good chance to win the game," said Haley. "We were unable to capitalize on the turnovers we were able to create and then in the end our turnovers put us in a position where we couldn’t win."

Wasted was another good performance from RB Jamaal Charles...

Bills Make Fewer Mistakes and Beat Chiefs 16-10 from Bob Gretz

When this wretched season is mercifully finished, the Chiefs won’t need to watch video of every snap to relive their offensive futility.

They can merely review the final 8 minutes of Sunday’s 16-10 loss to Buffalo at Arrowhead Stadium. Even in that short time span, the Chiefs committed almost every offensive sin imaginable: two big dropped passes, two interceptions, two holding penalties and three receivers failing to get out of bounds when the Chiefs were desperate to save time.

Every one was a factor in the defeat.

Chiefs can't overcome offensive mistakes in 16-10 loss to Bills from KC Star

Walking out of the stadium a week ago, I ran into Roger, a big Chiefs fan I know who had watched the debacle against Denver. He had drowned his sorrows in a suite after the game and was stumbling his way out of the building.

"Hey Gretz," he yelled over his shoulder, as his long suffering wife Anne was dragging him to the parking lot. "There’s nothing as bad as losing to the Donkeys. It can’t get any worse than this."

Oh yes it can Roger. It did. It’s one thing losing to a Denver team that’s in the hunt for a wildcard spot in the playoffs. It’s another to go down to the Buffalo Bills, a 4-8 team with an interim head coach and a starting quarterback who might have a degree from Harvard but should not be starting for an NFL team.

Column: Yes It Can Get Worse And Did from Bob Gretz

Chiefs head coach Todd Haley had three critical fourth-down decisions to make Sunday.

Only one of them worked out in the 16-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium.

•Decision 1: The Chiefs faced fourth and 1 after recovering a fumble at the Buffalo 9 in the first quarter of a scoreless game. They decided to go for it and inserted backup offensive tackle Barry Richardson and linebacker Mike Vrabel as eligible receivers. Vrabel has 11 career touchdown catches from that formation.

Crucia l decisions on fourth downs don't pan out for Chiefs from KC Star

If the two key guys in the 2009 Chiefs offense were on escalators, they would pass each other going up, and going down.

Jamaal Charles is on the up escalator, as he continues to show that he has the ability to be a top-flight offensive threat in the NFL.

Matt Cassel is on the down escalator, as he continues to struggle to establish himself and the Chiefs passing game as a productive and consistent offensive force.

Both were on display Sunday as the Chiefs fell to the Bills 16-10. Charles and his legs kept the Chiefs in the game in the second half, when Cassel and his passes were taking them out of the action.

It’s not a good combination for producing victories, which probably explains the three straight losses the Chiefs have suffered.

Offense: One Guy Up, Another One Down from Bob Gretz

Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles almost made the offensive and defensive plays of the game Sunday against Buffalo.

It wasn’t enough that Charles scored the Chiefs’ only touchdown of a 16-10 loss with a 76-yard touchdown dash in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, after a pass went in and out of the grasp of wide receiver Chris Chambers and into the hands of Bills linebacker Paul Posluszny, Charles came from behind and tore the ball from Posluszny’s grasp.

As Charles was ripping the ball out, Posluszny was on top of Chiefs guard Wade Smith, but not on the Arrowhead Stadium turf. The officials, however, ruled Posluszny was down by contact, awarding the ball to Buffalo at the Kansas City 35.

Charles has big day on offense and almost makes big play on defense from KC Star

The numbers jump off the statistical page from Sunday’s game between the Chiefs and Bills:

BUFFALO PASS RECEIVING: Terrell Owens, 2 catches for 15 yards; Lee Evans, 1 catch for 11 yards.

The best tandem of wide receivers that the Chiefs have seen this year were held to three catches for 26 yards. Put the clamps on a pair of receivers like that and a defense expects that they’ll be on the winning side in any game.

It didn’t happen as the Bills beat the Chiefs 16-10.

"I’ll have to wait to see the tape," said CB Brandon Flowers. "Coach (Haley) always talks about hidden yardage, so I’ll be anxious to see where we maybe gave up some hidden yardage. But we really didn’t let those two guys hurt us."

Defense: Good Enough To Win from Bob Gretz

After yielding 245 rushing yards to Denver in last week’s game, the Chiefs were looking for improvement in Sunday’s meeting with the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium.

They got it, but just barely. The Bills rushed for an even 200 yards in their 16-10 victory.

The Bills needed every one of those rushing yards, considering they passed for only 73. But the Chiefs once again weren’t strong enough to shut off both facets of an opposing offense.

Chiefs' defense gets run over once again from KC Star

Beauty is clearly in the eye of the beholding winning coach, because this game was uglier than the clothes pro golfers wore in the 1970s.

There was nothing stylish, nor relevant, about the game, which led Fox studio analyst Terry Bradshaw to preface his description of the game's few highlights with "If anybody cares."

Buffalo Bills defeat Kansas City Chiefs from The Democrat and Chronicle

Back in town last Sunday for the ceremonial retirement of Derrick Thomas' No. 58 jersey, Marty Schottenheimer roamed the Chiefs warm-up area. It must have seemed eerily familiar. I don't know what he thought, but I can guess what was on his mind: "What the hell happened to my program"?

That's a loaded question. Short answer: A lot, and very little of it good.

What is going on at Arrowhead these days in no way, shape or form resembles the start of the Schottenheimer-Carl Peterson turnaround; the comeback from back-to-back four-win seasons in 1987 and '88. If you recall, the Chiefs went 8-7-1 in 1989 and looked like a team on the rise with the infusion of new blood (Derrick Thomas) and the improvement of existing players (Neil Smith, John Alt, Albert Lewis, etc.).

Can you imagine the Chiefs losing the last two (or any two) AFC Westgames by a combined score of 87-27 when Marty was coach? Not on your life.

Honeymoon Over for Chiefs Todd Haley & Scott Pioli: Bring In Charlie Weis from The Post Chronicle

Chicago's Jay Cutler and Kansas City's Matt Cassel were the highest-profile quarterbacks traded in the offseason, and the Bears and Chiefs are learning to be careful for what they wish.

Cassel threw a career-high four interceptions against his old AFC East rivals the Bills on Sunday. Cutler had two more picks in a loss to Green Bay to push his league-leading total to 22.
All season, Cutler and Cassel have been pressing to compensate for problems elsewhere on offense. Chicago and Kansas City have fully invested in them as franchise quarterbacks; team officials must be patient while rebuilding around them, starting with the offensive lines.

Week 14 Checkdown: Scramble on for bottom seeds in AFC from Sporting News

This last one is because I like to stir the pot.

NFL.com Video Highlight: Bernard Pollard pick-6

Branden Albert, Mike Goff Miss Chiefs Practice

Joel Thorman — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:16:52 -0000

The Kansas City Chiefs took the field today in preparation for the San Diego Chargers on Sunday. As we noted in various posts this morning, there were two new and one familiar face on the field.

New addition to the active roster, Kenny Smith, was on the field wearing No. 90. Practice squad addition Marlon Favorite was practicing in No. 93, Tank Tyler's old number. Kolby Smith also returned to practice (presumably wearing No. 21).

Two players were also missing from practice according to Josh Looney and Bob Gretz. Branden Albert, who did not travel with the team to Washington last week because of an ankle injury, and Mike Goff, who was not on the field at all today, did not participate in practice.

Albert's injury is worrisome and has caused a bit of a chain reaction. To prepare for his absence last week, the Chiefs activated Barry Richardson (which opened a practice squad spot for Favorite) and activated Ikechuku Ndukwe for the Redskins game.

In a sign that Albert's improving, he was not in a walking boot today and was seen running and jogging (via Bob Gretz).

Goff's absence is unknown at this point. He has had no reported injuries since missing a handful of plays against the Dallas Cowboys a week and a half ago.

Jarrad Page, who missed last week's game, practiced today.

The Chiefs will release an injury report later this afternoon with a few more details on the absence of these players and Gretz might have some more information when his practice report is updated shortly.

LB Justin Rogers Not on Chiefs Roster

Joel Thorman — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:55:20 -0000

I noticed something amidst today's news that the Chiefs signed Kenny Smith to the active roster: That open spot had already been filled according to a report yesterday from Aaron Wilson of National Football Post.

Wilson reported yesterday evening that the Chiefs had signed Rogers back to the 53 man roster, which would have been the spot previously held by Tank Tyler, who was traded to the Carolina Panthers. He did not cite any sources in his report. Here is our story on the signing. Here is Wilson's story.

(Update 11:05 AM: stagdsp pointed out that yesterday's report of a Rogers signing appears on NFL.com.)

I have confirmed with the team that Rogers is not currently on the 53 man roster. I can not confirm that Rogers never signed.

So what gives?

Update: NFL.com indeed confirms that Rogers was on the roster briefly. Wilson at NFP was correct.

Well, it's possible that Wilson was correct and the Chiefs did sign Rogers last night only to release him and sign Smith instead. However, considering Smith was on the street, I don't see how that's likely (that's just my hunch). Or it's possible that Wilson got bad information and the Chiefs never signed him. We're not sure which one it is.

Rogers was signed last Wednesday then released on Saturday when it became apparent Barry Richardson would be added to the active roster in Branden Albert's absence.

Whatever it is, Justin Rogers is not currently a member of the Chiefs.

Chiefs Re-Sign LB Justin Rogers

Joel Thorman — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:09:50 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Sanchez - AP

4 months ago: Oakland Raiders tight end Brandon Myers (83) gets tackled by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Justin Rogers (50) and Dallas Cowboys safety Mike Hamlin (36), right, in the fourth quarter during their preseason NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Marcio Sanchez)

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The Kansas City Chiefs have re-signed linebacker Justin Rogers according to Aaron Wilson at the National Football Post.

The Chiefs signed Rogers last Wednesday when Jackie Battle went to IR. He was then released on Saturday to make room on the active roster for Barry Richardson. The Chiefs were down a tackle once Branden Albert was ruled out.

With the Tank Tyler trade, there was one open spot on the active roster and the practice squad.

Rogers was a 2007 draft pick of the Patriots. He also played for the Cowboys.

This means that the Chiefs have at least one more addition this week with a spot remaining on the practice squad.

Horse Tracks 10/18/09 - A Lazy Sunday in Broncos Land

Douglas A. Lee — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:41:39 -0000

DB - Week 6 - Sat: McDaniels - Broncos TV

DB - Motivated for Monday Night - Gray Caldwell
"It is going to be a 60-minute game, and it’s on Monday night," Kyle Orton said. "I don’t think we will have any issue being emotionally ready to play this game."

DPP - Despite bench time, wins please Stokley - Mike Klis
"I'm all about trying to win games," Stokley said. "It doesn't really matter what happens to me. It's a long season. If I play one play or 20 plays, the most important thing is keep winning games."

DPP - Broncos' Ayers slowly, steadily learning NFL game - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Vonnie Holliday faces Tomlinson once more, this time as a Bronco - Anthony Cotton

DPP - Briefs: Lighthearted start of practice is competitive - Lindsay Jones

DPP - McDaniels, Caldwell on brink of history - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Klis: A.J.'s blast rips Chargers

CSG - Broncos are healthy heading into Monday night showdown - Frank Schwab
Anyone remember the calls for Chris Simms after the first PRESEASON game?

AFC West News

SDUT - Once upon a gridiron . . . - Don Norcross

SDUT - First-down weakness on both sides of ball a concern - Kevin Acee

KCS - Losing weight has helped Chiefs’ Dorsey become more effective - Kent Babb

KCS - Chiefs add tackle Barry Richardson to roster

SFC - Raiders' big days not good ones - Ray Ratto

SFC - Being a punch line isn't much fun - David White

OT - How much longer can Cable dodge ax? - Tim Kawakami

NFL News

NFL - FBI investigated threats against Edwards after alleged incident

NFL - Titans will be without both starting cornerbacks against Patriots

NFL - Browns downgrade Dawson, Heiden

NFL Opinion

NYT - More Roughing Penalties in N.F.L. - Protection or Overkill? - Judy Battista

NYT - Malcolm Gladwell on Concussions, and the Gagliardi Solution

NY - Football, dogfighting, and brain damage - Malcolm Gladwell

PFW - AFC Whispers
"We hear it's going to be difficult for Broncos WR Brandon Stokley, who hasn't caught a pass since Week Two, to get into the receiver rotation with Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal and Jabar Gaffney ahead of him. He'll play in four-receiver sets but doesn't contribute on special teams, and we're told there's a chance Stokley would be deactivated if a special-teamer were to miss time with an injury."

PFW - NFC Whispers

NFP - Weekend Notes: Game planning the Giants - Matt Bowen

NFP - Sunday at the Post - Mike Lombardi

FOX - Countdown: Running game could be key for Giants - John Czarnecki

Poll

What do YOU plan on doing today?

I'll just watch whatever game looks good

153 votes

I've got my eyes set on a specific game

52 votes

Wait, there's football on when the Broncos don't play?

145 votes

350 votes | Poll has closed

Chiefs Tackle Barry Richardson Promoted to Active Roster

Chris Thorman — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:06:15 -0000

Barry Richardson #67, Colin Brown #61 and Damion McIntosh #77 of the Kansas City Chiefs stand in the tunnerl as they wait to take the field against the Seattle Seahawks during their preseason game at Arrowhead Stadium on August 29, 2009 in Kansas City, Missouri. (August 28, 2009 - Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images North America)

View full size photo »

With the Kansas City Chiefs losing LT Branden Albert this week against the Redskins to an ankle injury, the team has promoted their 2008 6th round pick T Barry Richardson. Josh Looney gave the official heads up and nycchief let us know here in the FanShots.

Richardson played in six games last season, starting none.

The Chiefs also released LB Justin Rogers from the 53-man active roster to make room for Richardson. Rogers was signed just a few days ago after the Chiefs moved RB Jackie Battle to injured reserve.

Here's the team's starting offensive line for tomorrow's game:

LT Wade Smith
LG Brian Waters
C Rudy Niswanger
RG Mike Goff
RT Ryan O'Callaghan

The reserves are G Andy Alleman, T Ikechuku Ndukwe and T Barry Richardson. Both Alleman and Ndukwe have had minor injury issues this season, with Alleman appearing on this week's injury report as probable with a shoulder injury.

Yesterday, Joel speculated that Richardson could be promoted. The only remaining offensive linemen on the team are on the practice squad - G Daryl Harris and T Chris Patrick.

Chiefs Could Activate Barry Richardson

Joel Thorman — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:35:42 -0000

Last Sunday the Kansas City Chiefs were down to five offensive linemen after LT Branden Albert and RG Mike Goff went down with injuries.

With Albert's status uncertain for Sunday, the Chiefs could promote tackle Barry Richardson from the practice squad head coach Todd Haley said today.

"I would say there’s a chance of that, too," Haley said when asked about Richardson possibly being promoted. "We just have to evaluate today’s tape and see where we’re at and try to make the right decision."

Richardson played right tackle during the preseason but was placed on the practice squad last month.

Like we told you earlier, Albert could be active even if he's not starting. My best guess is that Richardson's best chance of being promoted is if Albert can't go.

The Chiefs have a couple of other linemen on the practice squad but Richardson has the most experience and could backup either tackle position.

Things could be worse. The Redskins left tackle Chris Samuels could miss the entire season according to recent reports.

Chiefs Practice Update 10/16: Branden Albert Doesn't Practice

Chris Thorman — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:56:25 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

2 months ago: Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin (19) races Kansas City Chiefs safety Jarrad Page (44) to the goal line during overtime of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. Austin scored the game winning touchdown on the play. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

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This pretty much solidifies what we've all been speculating. Via Josh Looney:

The Chiefs are currently going through final preparations for the Redskins this Sunday at FedEx Field. For the third consecutive practice, LT Branden Albert (ankle) was off to the side on stationary bikes. Utility OL Wade Smith continued to get first-team reps at left tackle, while Barry Richardson (of the practice squad backed him up). The Chiefs other tackle, Ikechuku Ndukwe, was running with the second team at right tackle during the early portion of practice.

Some good news, however, was the return of Jarrad Page to the practice field. Page has been nursing a sore shoulder.

We'll update this with more info as it come in. Albert will not play on Sunday against the Redskins.

Last Minute Chiefs Offensive Preview: It Might be a Bumpy Ride

Jon Yoon — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:04:30 -0000

by Orlin Wagner - AP

View full size photo »

Yesterday, I commented on the Chiefs' defense. They're on the right track and I think they'll be surprisingly decent. Great? Probably not. Decent? Maybe. Be forewarned that I don't have the same glowing reviews about the offense.

The Good:

Todd Haley. Can we end there? Haley will make this offense better. He's a bright young mind, he knows how to make a system fit his players' talents, and he knows how to get the most out of his players. That's one of the reasons I believe Pioli made the right decision when he fired Chan Gailey, although many would argue that it should have been done sooner. Gailey will get hired again and will do well wherever he lands, but he wasn't really a great fit for Haley's offense.

I also like the decision to go after Matt Cassel, even if that meant sacrificing a 2nd round pick and a long-term contract. I've heard many critics complain that Cassel is just as unproven as a Matt Stafford or a Mark Sanchez, and that's simply not true. I'm not going to pretend that his first season of success with an ultra-talented team is a predictor of future success. The place where Cassel is proven where Stafford and Sanchez are not is in the mental aspect of the game. That's not just talking about smart quarterbacks making good decisions. That's talking about a quarterback playing with his head screwed on straight.

We know Cassel can handle the pressure of playing in the NFL (let alone in a tough football market like New England). We know that he is committed to the game and has a "Brady-like" work ethic. We know that he has the confidence to shake off a bad performance. Those sound like fluffy comments, but think about how many ultra-talented quarterbacks have failed because they couldn't do some of those things. How many young quarterbacks have failed because they couldn't handle the boo-birds and critical media stories, and instead started pressing on every play? How many young quarterbacks have failed because they were just plain unlikeable? How many young quarterbacks have failed because they put a social life above a football life, a restaurant over an offseason workout program, an XBox over a film room? When you think about your quarterback, to use a popular movie reference, is he a guy who puts the bare minimum amount of flair on his jersey? These are questions you don't have to ask about Cassel. Not to say that either Sanchez or Stafford are bad kids. These are questions that are asked of any young quarterback.

The Bad:

Here's news that Chiefs fans already know, will deny to the death, but probably understand beneath the surface: the 2009 Chiefs offense is not going to be very good. The offensive line is patchwork, Dwayne Bowe is the only receiver worth throwing to, and who knows what to expect out of the running game.

I mentioned yesterday that Pioli treated the offense like a second-class citizen in comparison to the defense and I stand by that statement. I agree with his decision to build the defense first. That's what he's good at and I would rather have a dominant defense than a dominant offense, but here's something to consider. If a Defensive Lineman blows his assignment, the offense can break through for a big play. It sucks, but you live, learn, and move on. If an Offensive Lineman blows his assignment, Cassel could end up on a stretcher. The Chiefs did a great job of bringing in and securing Matt Cassel. You would think they would place a higher priority on keeping him safe.

And yet, the Chiefs used the first three draft picks on defense and showed pretty much no urgency in free agency to at least bring in some bodies to compete for a starting position. I credit Pioli for showing some urgency late in the preseason, though. The good news is that the offensive line was at least upgraded to serviceable due to some last minute moves (trading for Ndukwe/Alleman) and some good fortune (snagging O'Callaghan off the waiver wire). Maybe the Chiefs also bring in John Runyan, which could vastly improve the line. So in Pioli's defense, he got it right eventually, but it should have been a bigger priority sooner and we can't pretend that the right side of the line is anything better than adequate at its very best. I trust and hope that Pioli's learned that lesson, so it's not something to dwell on.

I also don't understand Pioli's logic for keeping a lot of insurance at quarterback, but not keeping any insurance for the guys that protect the quarterback. The Chiefs don't have a true backup left tackle on the roster. Their solution is to switch over Ndukwe in case Albert falls to injury. Really? So the guy protecting Cassel's backside could potentially be a guy who is playing out of position? Sure, they have Barry Richardson on the practice squad, but they risked him not clearing the waiver wire and, much more importantly, if Albert gets injured during any games, the Chiefs can't activate him until after the game. Why not keep a roster spot open for Herb Taylor or Barry Richardson in case of an in-game emergency? It doesn't make much sense to me.

I also worry that Haley is becoming too possessive of the offense. I like Haley taking over offensive coordinator responsibilities, but why don't the Chiefs have a Quarterbacks Coach? The Chiefs have four young quarterbacks with limited NFL experience who could benefit from a good QBs Coach who can devote all of his time into making them better. I want a QBs coach who can spot a flaw in the quarterback the instance it happens. I want a QBs coach who can train the QBs to develop good habits, both fundamentally and mentally. And if you're going to keep Tyler Thigpen on the roster, which I like, you need a QBs coach who can commit to teaching him better mechanics, better footwork, and a better grasp of a pro-style offense.

When is Haley going to have time to do any of that? And for every moment he spends coaching quarterbacks, is that a moment that he should have instead spent on gameplanning or handling some other head coach responsibility? I think Haley underestimated how much work goes into being a head coach, not just on the football field, but off of it too. I'm surprised he didn't follow Whisenhunt's lead and hire a young offensive coordinator who would help prepare the gameplans, but not call any actual plays. Remember, that's how Haley got his job in Arizona. I'm doubly surprised that the Chiefs to this day do not have a Quarterbacks Coach.

I'm not terribly upset with the state of the Chiefs' offense now that they're making some moves to upgrade the offensive line. I do hope that they'll respond by adding some additional pieces to the offensive coaching staff. On the bright side, the Chiefs have a good, young quarterback with a good head on his shoulders, and given Haley's offensive mind, the offense will be a force in due time. I can handle the fact that the Chiefs' offense might limp through the 2009 season; I just hope that none of it comes at the expense of developing a guy Pioli seems to think is the quarterback of the future.

Poll

Do you approve of the Chiefs' offseason moves on OFFENSE so far?

Yes. In Pioli we trust.

198 votes

So-so. I think Pioli did okay.

282 votes

Disappointed, but it's not the end of the world.

153 votes

Hated it. Really? This is the guy who found Tom Brady?

26 votes

659 votes | Poll has closed