Chiefs Chiefs’ Ramik Wilson makes bid for starting job with Derrick Johnson’s help

**Tribal Warfare** · 08-22-2017, 11:12 PM

Chiefs’ Ramik Wilson makes bid for starting job with Derrick

BY TEREZ A. PAYLOR
tpaylor@kcstar.com

AUGUST 22, 2017 11:30 AM

You can’t take everything that happens in the preseason as a sure thing. Offenses and defenses are vanilla, and there’s plenty of experimentation.

But what you can do — especially when it comes to inside linebackers — is watch them closely and study how quickly they diagnose and attack simple running plays. If you see a young player hesitate, chances are he has more work to do in recognizing plays.

One player who used to fit this description is Chiefs inside linebacker Ramik Wilson, a third-year pro who went from being hesitant to aggressive last year. Wilson was cut by the Chiefs last September, a year after he was drafted in the fourth round, but bounced back to the 53-man roster after a rash of injuries and reestablished himself as one of the team’s better inside linebackers.

Wilson, 25, has built on that improvement with a strong training camp and preseason, flowing to the football quickly and decisively in both of the Chiefs’ preseason games, and even earning some praise from coach Andy Reid.

“Ramik Wilson, I think, has stepped it up a notch even from last year,” Reid said. “He had good experience last year and I like what we’ve seen. You asked about the diagnosing of plays, and being able to do that as a linebacker becomes very important, along with having good instincts. He’s shown that he has both of those.”

Wilson realized the importance of those traits during his stint on the practice squad last season, which humbled him after his release. He credits star inside linebacker Derrick Johnson for helping him learn how to watch tape.

“(The difference) is just knowing what type of plays I’ll get — (it’s) play recognition,” Wilson said. “I’ve been doing my film study with D.J., who has been helping me out a lot.”

As the strong-side “mike” linebacker, aggression is necessary. Wilson is charged with diagnosing quickly, taking on blocks and filling gaps to bounce the ball outside and also free up Johnson, the weak-side inside linebacker, who has a lot more freedom to run and hit.

“I can play more downhill,” Wilson said.

Wilson has received no shortage of motivation to keep improving. For one, the Chiefs’ porous run defense down the stretch a year ago crested with Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell’s 30-carry, 170-yard performance in the Chiefs’ 18-16 home loss to the Steelers in the AFC playoffs, a defeat that remains with Wilson, who was the primary inside linebacker in the game.

“We’ve watched film on it, talked about where we could improve,” Wilson said. “Our communication is better — there were times where we weren’t all on the same page in the defensive front, but it’s much better now.”

There is no shortage of players competing with Wilson for the starting job. While Johnson is a lock to make the roster, Wilson is competing with four other inside linebackers who have earned meaningful NFL snaps in Terrance Smith, Josh Mauga, Justin March-Lillard and Kevin Pierre-Louis. There’s also a fifth-round rookie (Ukeme Eligwe) in the mix who the coaches have raved about.

“That’s what you want, you want to keep upgrading at each position — that’s only gonna make everybody better,” Wilson said, when explaining why the offseason additions of Mauga, Pierre-Louis and Eligwe did not effect him.

All of the inside linebackers, of course, cannot make the team, though it’s telling that defensive coordinator Bob Sutton seemed to hint Tuesday that the decision for the job next to job is between Wilson and Mauga, a starter in 2014.

“(Ramik) is in the hunt — I think that’s been a great competition between him and Josh, and we’re fortunate to have two guys who have played and started,” Sutton said. “I know both of them have worked hard and are certainly worthy of the position. The next two weeks is going to determine what happens there.”

Wilson has earned the start in the Chiefs’ first two preseason games, and it will be interesting to see if that remains the case Friday at Seattle.

But at the end of the day, Wilson knows that the competition will come down to a few simple categories. Who knows the playbook best? Who knows how to set the fronts and make the calls? Who’s accountable and reliable? Who’s gonna make plays and do their job?

He feels good about his standing on all those matters, but after being released only a year ago, he also knows better than to dare get comfortable.

“Best guy’s gonna win,” Wilson said. “That’s reality — they’re gonna want somebody better than you, so you’ve got to raise your level — that’s how it is.”

raybec 4 · 08-23-2017, 02:52 AM

He has looked better but I am skeptical after the way the entire defensive front laid down against Pitt.

Danguardace · 08-23-2017, 03:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raybec 4

He has looked better but I am skeptical after the way the entire defensive front laid down against Pitt.

No DJ, No Bailey, Poe was finished. No Howard.

I take little from that Pitt game other than not expecting that battered front to stop the best back in the league.

Hog's Gone Fishin · 08-23-2017, 04:47 AM

Ramik looks like he got stronger this off season but he seems slow

milkman · 08-23-2017, 05:11 AM

Before he was cut and added to the practice squad, Wilson played with finesse, and there is no place on the field for a Mike that plays with finesse.

He is playing a far more physical brand of football now, sticking his nose in and forcing things.

He looks like a completely different player.

Danguardace · 08-23-2017, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

Before he was cut and added to the practice squad, Wilson played with finesse, and there is no place on the field for a Mike that plays with finesse.

He is playing a far more physical brand of football now, sticking his nose in and forcing things.

He looks like a completely different player.

Just goes to show as much as we like instant success players need time to develop and let the coaches do their job.

That said many players dont get the time.

**mdchiefsfan** · 08-23-2017, 05:31 AM

Im pulling for Ramik to win the job. When the higher ceiling player beats out the reliable vet, things tend to bode well.

milkman · 08-23-2017, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danguardace

Just goes to show as much as we like instant success players need time to develop and let the coaches do their job.

That said many players dont get the time.

I think the release was the wake up call.

**mdchiefsfan** · 08-23-2017, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

I think the release was the wake up call.

Agreed. MLB in a 4:3 is a much different position than a Mike in a 3:4. Playing the former in college, most likely, is the reason for the finesse you previously mentioned.

staylor26 · 08-23-2017, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

Before he was cut and added to the practice squad, Wilson played with finesse, and there is no place on the field for a Mike that plays with finesse.

He is playing a far more physical brand of football now, sticking his nose in and forcing things.

He looks like a completely different player.

This.

RunKC · 08-23-2017, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

I think the release was the wake up call.

I agree and I think the exact same thing happened with Nacho. That's why competition is so important for a roster.

We've got a lot of guys with pressure to perform this year and I think it's bringing out the best in them.

**SuperChief** · 08-23-2017, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

Before he was cut and added to the practice squad, Wilson played with finesse, and there is no place on the field for a Mike that plays with finesse.

He is playing a far more physical brand of football now, sticking his nose in and forcing things.

He looks like a completely different player.

This x3

Halfcan · 08-23-2017, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

Ramik looks like he got stronger this off season but he seems slow

He is not as slow as Mauga. I was hoping we would start the season with an upgrade next to DJ- instead, we have the same 2 slow ass practice squad guys in line to go up against NE opening day.

penbrook · 08-23-2017, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halfcan

He is not as slow as Mauga. I was hoping we would start the season with an upgrade next to DJ- instead, we have the same 2 slow ass practice squad guys in line to go up against NE opening day.

Um DJ and Ramik are not practice squad guys. If you're talking about Smith he's a practice squad guy but probably won't even make the team. They will keep DJ, Ramik, Louis, Mauga, Eligwe

milkman · 08-23-2017, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halfcan

He is not as slow as Mauga. I was hoping we would start the season with an upgrade next to DJ- instead, we have the same 2 slow ass practice squad guys in line to go up against NE opening day.

Who cares if Ramik was a PS player?

He is playing damn good football now.

That is all the **** that matters.

08-22-2017, 11:12 PM
Tribal Warfare The Boom Boom Room Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $522813	Chiefs’ Ramik Wilson makes bid for starting job with Derrick Johnson’s help Chiefs’ Ramik Wilson makes bid for starting job with Derrick BY TEREZ A. PAYLOR tpaylor@kcstar.com AUGUST 22, 2017 11:30 AM You can’t take everything that happens in the preseason as a sure thing. Offenses and defenses are vanilla, and there’s plenty of experimentation. But what you can do — especially when it comes to inside linebackers — is watch them closely and study how quickly they diagnose and attack simple running plays. If you see a young player hesitate, chances are he has more work to do in recognizing plays. One player who used to fit this description is Chiefs inside linebacker Ramik Wilson, a third-year pro who went from being hesitant to aggressive last year. Wilson was cut by the Chiefs last September, a year after he was drafted in the fourth round, but bounced back to the 53-man roster after a rash of injuries and reestablished himself as one of the team’s better inside linebackers. Wilson, 25, has built on that improvement with a strong training camp and preseason, flowing to the football quickly and decisively in both of the Chiefs’ preseason games, and even earning some praise from coach Andy Reid. “Ramik Wilson, I think, has stepped it up a notch even from last year,” Reid said. “He had good experience last year and I like what we’ve seen. You asked about the diagnosing of plays, and being able to do that as a linebacker becomes very important, along with having good instincts. He’s shown that he has both of those.” Wilson realized the importance of those traits during his stint on the practice squad last season, which humbled him after his release. He credits star inside linebacker Derrick Johnson for helping him learn how to watch tape. “(The difference) is just knowing what type of plays I’ll get — (it’s) play recognition,” Wilson said. “I’ve been doing my film study with D.J., who has been helping me out a lot.” As the strong-side “mike” linebacker, aggression is necessary. Wilson is charged with diagnosing quickly, taking on blocks and filling gaps to bounce the ball outside and also free up Johnson, the weak-side inside linebacker, who has a lot more freedom to run and hit. “I can play more downhill,” Wilson said. Wilson has received no shortage of motivation to keep improving. For one, the Chiefs’ porous run defense down the stretch a year ago crested with Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell’s 30-carry, 170-yard performance in the Chiefs’ 18-16 home loss to the Steelers in the AFC playoffs, a defeat that remains with Wilson, who was the primary inside linebacker in the game. “We’ve watched film on it, talked about where we could improve,” Wilson said. “Our communication is better — there were times where we weren’t all on the same page in the defensive front, but it’s much better now.” There is no shortage of players competing with Wilson for the starting job. While Johnson is a lock to make the roster, Wilson is competing with four other inside linebackers who have earned meaningful NFL snaps in Terrance Smith, Josh Mauga, Justin March-Lillard and Kevin Pierre-Louis. There’s also a fifth-round rookie (Ukeme Eligwe) in the mix who the coaches have raved about. “That’s what you want, you want to keep upgrading at each position — that’s only gonna make everybody better,” Wilson said, when explaining why the offseason additions of Mauga, Pierre-Louis and Eligwe did not effect him. All of the inside linebackers, of course, cannot make the team, though it’s telling that defensive coordinator Bob Sutton seemed to hint Tuesday that the decision for the job next to job is between Wilson and Mauga, a starter in 2014. “(Ramik) is in the hunt — I think that’s been a great competition between him and Josh, and we’re fortunate to have two guys who have played and started,” Sutton said. “I know both of them have worked hard and are certainly worthy of the position. The next two weeks is going to determine what happens there.” Wilson has earned the start in the Chiefs’ first two preseason games, and it will be interesting to see if that remains the case Friday at Seattle. But at the end of the day, Wilson knows that the competition will come down to a few simple categories. Who knows the playbook best? Who knows how to set the fronts and make the calls? Who’s accountable and reliable? Who’s gonna make plays and do their job? He feels good about his standing on all those matters, but after being released only a year ago, he also knows better than to dare get comfortable. “Best guy’s gonna win,” Wilson said. “That’s reality — they’re gonna want somebody better than you, so you’ve got to raise your level — that’s how it is.”
Posts: 42,172

08-23-2017, 02:52 AM	#2
raybec 4 MVP Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: East Jabip Casino cash: $4983807	He has looked better but I am skeptical after the way the entire defensive front laid down against Pitt.
Posts: 10,930

08-23-2017, 04:47 AM	#4
Hog's Gone Fishin Fish are scared of me Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $1330477	Ramik looks like he got stronger this off season but he seems slow
Posts: 40,442

08-23-2017, 05:11 AM	#5
milkman Dumbass! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Leading the Marty bashing Casino cash: $10029395	Before he was cut and added to the practice squad, Wilson played with finesse, and there is no place on the field for a Mike that plays with finesse. He is playing a far more physical brand of football now, sticking his nose in and forcing things. He looks like a completely different player. __________________
Posts: 70,769

08-23-2017, 05:31 AM	#7
mdchiefsfan Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Casino cash: $3243904	Im pulling for Ramik to win the job. When the higher ceiling player beats out the reliable vet, things tend to bode well. __________________ 2017 Adopt-A-Chief:TYREEK HILL
Posts: 10,760