Flanagan:McCluster could be Andy Reid’s secret weapon

[Tribal Warfare]

McCluster could be Andy Reid’s secret weapon

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – If anyone in the Chiefs’ offense should be excited about the arrival of new coach Andy Reid, it would be Dexter McCluster.

The diminutive McCluster (5 feet 8, 170 pounds) was drafted in 2010 as a multi-purpose weapon, which he was that season with the Chiefs with Todd Haley as coach and Charlie Weis as offensive coordinator.

As a rookie, McCluster caught 21 passes for 209 yards, returned 13 punts (including a 94-yarder for a touchdown), returned 26 kickoffs for 527 yards and rushed 18 times for 71 yards (six of those rushes went for first downs).

And with Weis gone in 2011 but his system still in place, McCluster caught 46 passes for 328 yards and ran 114 times for 516 yards, along with his punt and kickoff return duties.

But that versatility screeched to a halt under new coach Romeo Crennel and new offensive coordinator Brain Daboll in 2012. McCluster was virtually eliminated from the return game, rushed only 12 times all season, and was used almost exclusively as a slot receiver.

Reid already has vowed he will use McCluster much like Weis did – in a variety of roles.

"He’s a unique talent because he can do a few different things for you, whether it’s special teams as a returner, or whether it’s offense as a receiver or a running back," Reid said. "You saw what Charlie [Weis] did with him the one year where he kind of mixed him in the different positions offensively and he can handle that. He’s a sharp kid. Obviously he’s a talented kid."

Reid wouldn’t take the bait when asked why anyone would reduce McCluster’s role as much as the Chiefs did last year.

"He was banged up just a bit and he played through it," Reid said, stone-faced. "I think that story’s been told. He was really put in one position as a slot receiver. I think his value – and it’s a tribute to him – is that you can move him into different spots where you can utilize his talents the best.

"I know he’s a tough kid and I know he’s a hard worker. So we’ll try to put him in positions where we can exploit what he does best or what we feel he does best."

Reid, in fact, liked McCluster so much that he wanted to make him an Eagle in 2010.

"You know what, I was interested in drafting him, it just didn’t fall that way," Reid said. "But I did have some interest. I liked him as a football player."

McCluster said he wasn’t aware the Eagles were ready to draft him. The Eagles were one spot behind the Chiefs when Kansas City took McCluster with the 36th overall pick. The Eagles wound up with safety Nate Allen at No. 37.

"I had no idea," McCluster said. "It’s nice to know. But I didn’t visit them or anything."

But McCluster is ready to get acquainted with the Reid offense.

"I have not gone back and watched any film from Coach Reid," McCluster said. "But as a person that watches football, I’ve seen the success his offense has brought. He knows offense."

Reid already has told McCluster changes are coming in how he will be used.

"I know he said he wants to use me in multiple places," McCluster said. "That’s the type of player I am and the type of player I’ve always been.

"Now I’ll have the opportunity to showcase my talents and what I do best."

And if McCluster were suddenly anointed the offensive coordinator, how would he utilize his talents?

"Oh, man, I don’t know," he said, laughing. "My best role is to keep the defense on their toes. Move me around. Keep them guessing."

First things first: McCluster and the Chiefs will have to rid themselves of any recollection of 2012 and the 2-14 record.

"Honestly, me personally, I erased it from my memory the minute the season was over," he said. "Yes, it’s definitely a new beginning. There are a lot of people that look like they’re ready to go.

"I feel like it’s going to be a good change."

It certainly should be for McCluster.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________

Reid has big plans for McCluster
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
Andy Reid wanted to draft Dexter McCluster in 2010, when Reid coached the Philadelphia Eagles and McCluster was coming out of college at Mississippi.

The Chiefs got to McCluster instead, taking him with a pick early in the second round. But it’s no coincidence that one of Reid’s favorite topics since joining the Chiefs in January as their new coach is McCluster and what he can do for the Chiefs on offense as a receiver and a runner and on special teams.

“He’s not the biggest guy in the world, but he’s got a heart of a lion,” Reid said. “He’s got that … tremendous quickness and can catch. He’s pretty good at running the football, so there is a place for him. You line him up everywhere. You can move him around and kind of do some unique things with him.

“I like McCluster. I think he’s a good football player and he has a role on this football team. I’ve got some things in mind for him.”

This wouldn’t be the first time that the Chiefs had big plans for McCluster. But he has only infrequently lived up to them.

His signature play from his three seasons with the Chiefs came in his first regular-season game when he returned a punt for a touchdown to spark a victory over San Diego. Otherwise, McCluster has 119 catches, 657 rushing yards and four touchdowns, but few big plays of the game-changing variety.

Reid and offensive coordinator Doug Pederson may not be able to get anything more from McCluster, though it sounds as if they will try.

“I was interested in drafting him,” Reid said. “It just didn’t fall that way. But I did have some interest. I liked him as a football player. He’s a unique talent because he can do a couple, three different things for you whether it’s special teams as a returner or whether it’s offense as a receiver or a running back.

“His value … is that you can move him into different spots where you can utilize his talents the best. You saw what Charlie (Weis) did with him the one year when he kind of mixed him in the different positions offensively. He can handle it. He’s a sharp kid. Obviously he’s a talented kid.”

For his part, McCluster thought the Eagles might draft him in 2010. He said that at the time he had never met Reid and didn’t visit the Eagles in Philadelphia before the draft but “there were rumors circulating that he had some interest in me.”

Reid will be McCluster’s third head coach and Pederson his fourth offensive coordinator. While the others generally kept McCluster at a certain position for an entire season — he lined up mostly as a receiver in 2010 and 2012 and a running back in 2011 — the Chiefs don’t plan a specific role for McCluster.

That suits him well.

“Keeping the defense on their toes,” McCluster said. “Move me around, make a headache for the defense. He said he wants to use me in multiple places. That’s the type of player I am and that’s the type of player I’ve been. Now I have the opportunity to showcase what I can really do.”

McCluster said he’s as frustrated as anyone that he hasn’t delivered more big plays. He played in all 16 games the past two seasons and was the Chiefs’ second-leading rusher in 2011 and their second-leading pass receiver last season.

But he said a better test of what he was capable of would come this season.

“I would just say opportunity,” McCluster said when asked why he hasn’t been the player the Chiefs, and apparently Reid, envisioned when he was drafted. “Opportunity has been limited. I’m not a guy that’s always complaining how I want the ball and I need the ball. The chips are going to fall into place. I’ve been saying this for a couple of years now: When it’s my time, it’s going to be my time. That’s my mind-set. I’m going to go out there and I’m going to grind. The world will know when Dexter McCluster is out there.”

[In58men]

Originally Posted by Mr_Tomahawk

We done f***ed.

Ya dun goofed

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

Ya dun goofed

i back traced you

im calling the cyber poh-lice

[In58men]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

i back traced you

im calling the cyber poh-lice

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by wazu

I can't remember any other non-QB in Chiefs history that coaches have tried so hard to force to be good. Moving him around, coming up with all-new "packages". All for a guy whose ceiling is around 800 yards in a season.

There have been times when they've forced the ball into his hands. I think Reid has it right that Weis' approach is the right one and it's not because they're trying to create new looks to force the ball into McCluster's hands, it's because the value of McCluster is that you have ability to use the same personnel to line up into different formations. That means you can line up with five receivers, but still have ability to motion into a running play.

When you're on defense, you have no idea where McCluster is going to line up on the field and you probably don't know until the ball is snapped. That's probably why they keep using the word "secret weapon." I think it's misleading because he hasn't proven to be a weapon yet, but I don't think Reid's talking about turning him into a gimmick.

[Direckshun]

I really like him as a slot receiver, I really do. He was always pretty effective running the ball, though.

[In58men]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

i back traced you

im calling the cyber poh-lice

CONSEQUENCES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME!!!!!!!

[Messier]

The rumors were that Reid was gonna take DM with the pick after we took him. It doesn't surprise me he likes him.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

McCluster is the 300 pounder that everyone says has a cute face.

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

Oh jesus

Kill me now

This x 100,000,000

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

McCluster is the 300 pounder that everyone says has a cute face.

teh soft bitch

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

Ya dun goofed

[Mr. Laz]

I didn't want McCluster but i'm not the hater many around here are


McCluster can serve a role and be productive but he will always be limited by his inability to make people miss. Imo he best chance as being an impact guy is as a slot receiver. Use his quickness to get him open and then get him the ball behind the front 7 of the defense.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

I didn't want McCluster but i'm not the hater many around here are


McCluster can serve a role and be productive but he will always be limited by his inability to make people miss. Imo he best chance as being an impact guy is as a slot receiver. Use his quickness to get him open and then get him the ball behind the front 7 of the defense.

This, but in terms of making people miss, he needs coaching. He can absolutely make people miss, but he too often gets cute in how he tries to do it. He needs to be coached to be a smarter runner, which he is not today. He'll never be the kind of runner Jamaal Charles is, but you can see a big difference in how two players attack a defense.

[boogblaster]

he's a decent multi-player .. use him .....

[OrtonsPiercedTaint]

Andy Reid says he wanted to draft him? I guess he's on the trading block then.