Jamaal Charles (Linemen?)

[Jimmya]

PORT ARTHUR, Texas -- Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles was enjoying the first day of his annual football camp last month when an old friend ambled by to say hello. After some laughter and reminiscing, the gentleman asked Charles a pointed question: "Are they going to get anybody up there in Kansas City to block for you?" It was an inquiry Charles wisely didn't want to answer, given the stunned expression on his face.

But it also was a valid point worth making about this upcoming season, when Charles once again will be asked to do plenty of heavy lifting for his employer.

Few teams in the NFL relied more on one player in 2013. He ran for 1,287 yards, added a team-high 70 receptions for another 693 yards, and scored 19 total touchdowns. When Kansas City opened the season 9-0, it was largely because of a dominant defense and an offense that rested heavily on the shoulders of a running back once deemed too small to thrive in this league.

Jamaal Charles totaled 1,980 yards from scrimmage last season, nearly 37 percent of the Chiefs' output.
Now it's probable that Charles will have to do even more to give the Chiefs a chance at returning to the playoffs. If one thing can be said about the Chiefs' offense this offseason, it is that it took a noticeable step backward on paper. Coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey didn't land a suitable wide receiver to ease the pressure on top target Dwayne Bowe. The offensive line lost three veterans -- including Pro Bowl left tackle Branden Albert -- while the tight end position is relying heavily on the emergence of second-year man Travis Kelce, who spent his rookie season sidelined with a torn ACL. At a time when observers constantly lament the declining value of running backs, the Chiefs are likely to prove how vital a great one can be.

Charles has long been one of the most underrated stars in football, a player who would be far more celebrated if he toiled in a larger media market. He has rushed for at least 1,100 yards in four of the past five seasons -- he suffered a torn ACL in 2011 that forced him to miss most of that season. Charles also quickly became Reid's favorite weapon, and that confidence could prove to be a blessing and a curse.

It's not that the Chiefs shouldn't use Charles in the best way possible. It's that they need to use him as wisely as possible, which means adding more talent around him. It's been impressive to watch a 5-foot-11, 199-pound back dominate the way Charles has the past few years. But it also seems that the Chiefs need him to perform superhuman feats to make a limited offense dangerous.

While quarterback Alex Smith played well last year in his first season in Kansas City, he will be relying on a receiving corps that had only one player catch more than 57 passes in 2013. The offensive line is an even bigger concern. The team is replacing two starters, there is no proven answer at right guard yet, and new left tackle Eric Fisher -- last year's No. 1 overall draft pick -- still faces a steep learning curve after struggling at right tackle. This easily will be the weakest offensive line Charles has started a season behind.

The 27-year-old Charles may not be concerned about his supporting cast -- he still has the electric speed that has helped him average 5.6 yards per carry for his career -- but Reid and Dorsey act as if they're sitting on the second coming of Earl Campbell. Charles is slight enough that one wonders how long he can endure the pounding that comes with having mediocre talent around him (especially in a league where smaller backs such as Ray Rice, Chris Johnson and Maurice Jones-Drew have quickly declined). After all, Charles accounted for nearly 37 percent of Kansas City's total yards last season. That's more than Adrian Peterson produced in Minnesota (26 percent) and LeSean McCoy generated for Philadelphia's fast-paced system (32 percent).

Now think about what the Vikings and Eagles have done to help Peterson and McCoy. The Vikings have struggled with their quarterbacks, but they've put strong offensive lines in front of Peterson -- who is about 20 pounds heavier than Charles -- throughout his career. McCoy was a star when Reid coached in Philadelphia, and he's become even bigger with the arrival of coach Chip Kelly. The more the Eagles spread the field and maintain a blistering pace, the more sizable running lanes seem to open for McCoy to dance through every week.

Charles, on the other hand, will have to earn his yards the old-fashioned way, by doing the kind of banging and grinding that wasn't supposed to be his strong suit when he entered the league as a third-round pick in the 2008 draft. Back then, Charles was deemed a change-of-pace back, a weapon who would counter the thunder of former Pro Bowler Larry Johnson. Now he's exactly the kind of threat that Reid loves to inflict on opponents: versatile, explosive and capable of hitting a home run from anywhere on the field.

Those same skills may partly explain why the Chiefs feel so comfortable with what their offense can accomplish this fall. They can point to their 26.9 points-per-game scoring average from last season as proof of their effectiveness, and Reid still remains one of the best offensive minds in football. That said, the Chiefs also inflated that scoring average by posting 162 points in four games against subpar defenses (Washington, Oakland and San Diego twice). This season, Kansas City will have a more difficult time scoring with a schedule that includes Seattle, San Francisco, Arizona, Pittsburgh and New England.

All those teams know the same thing everyone else does about the Chiefs: The best way to stop them is by controlling Charles. That's been a difficult task for most opponents, because Charles ranks among the best in the game. However, there's also a point when a team must question if it's asking too much of a great player. Given how the Chiefs look as they begin training camp this week, that's a question that already is being answered in Kansas City.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Rausch

I can understand having to let players walk.

I can't understand doing nothing in free agency or the draft to improve a clear area of need.

It's like they're just pretending it's not a problem...

They used two draft picks on the o-line.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

Bold the important parts please

How about read the ****ing article or just plum **** off with your stupid shit. Lazy much.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by MahiMike

We have more talent at WR than folks think. Avery and thomas can stretch the field. Andy will make them all look good.

No we don't.

The Chiefs WR corps is absolute dogshit and they let their most reliable receiver walk and hope his numbers are replaced by either Weston Dressler, De'anthony Thomas or Albert Wilson.

Dwayne Bowe is the most overrated and overpaid WR in the NFL.

Donnie Avery runs one route and has hands of stone.

Hemingway and Jenkins are question marks.

They are putting a lot on Smith and Charles shoulders this year, as well as hoping that the tight end group of Fasano, McGrath and Kelce all stay healthy.

However, as I posted elsewhere, I think that the offensive line is going to be just fine.

Fisher was playing well the last quarter of the season and Stephenson was solid. Both have a substantially better skill set than Albert ever will and should progress quickly into a very solid bookend tackle pairing, especially now that both should feel more comfortable with their long term positioning (LT/RT) with the team.

Allen is a hard worker, smart and has a very good skill set, especially for left guard. I see him turning the corner this season.

Hudson graded out well last season in what was essentially his rookie year of starting at a new position after playing LG and LT in college. Center isn't as easy as one would think. He should start really paying dividends this season.

The big question mark is RG, but having a "new" guy on the strong side in-between Hudson and Stephenson is the best place possible. Whoever wins the summer battle between Linkenbach, Kush, Johnson, or Fulton should be okay.

I think it's going to be a better line than what Smith and Charles played behind last year.

As well, the article doesn't address the growth of Knile Davis in the system. He got progressively more touches as the season went along last year and Charles began to be spread out more and more in a receiving position versus being asked to run in-between the tackles.

In addition, Charles has a Marcus Allen level ability to avoid full on hits/tackles. He doesn't take an Earl Campbell approach to taking on blockers as it was inferred in the article.

So, in summary:

OL and QB with a year in the system and playing together = better for Charles
Healthy TE group = better for Charles
More touches for Knile Davis = better for Charles
Not addressing the WR group at all = same as last year for Charles

Should be a better scenario all-around for Charles and the entire offense, though Dorsey should be roundly criticized for not addressing the WR situation at all in the off-season, particularly when the 2014 NFL Draft was widely considered to be the best WR draft since 1996. (There were an absolute shit ton of big, fast receivers with good hands throughout the entire draft and we didn't take a single one.) He did take an OG in Zach Fulton and has numerous potentials in Rok "the steriod yoke" Watkins, Rishaw Johnson and a beefed up Eric Kush along with former Colts Jeff Linkenbach, who is a clone of Geoff Schwartz.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by TEX

I would not have paid Albert (since KC drafted Fish last year) or Asamoah, ( can find a backup) but I would have paid Schwartz - he earned it.

Schwartz was resigned. For a lot cheaper as well. He also got a new name change. He will be now known as Jeff Linkenbach.

They are exactly the same player. Journeyman level OG's/backup OT's who will look better in this system than they did in their previous systems (Vikings for Schwartz, Colts for Linkenbach.)

People need to remember that Schwartz is now on his fourth team in four years. The guy has been bounced for rookies numerous times and has really did nothing to distinguish himself other than being markedly better than 2013 RG starter Jon Asamoah, who was, in fact, vastly overpaid as a free agent.

Schwartz was a guy. Just like everybody else unless they wanted to spend a high draft pick and get a guy like Gabe Jackson or Xavier S'ua-Filo in this past draft. They obviously didn't, and felt that between Kush, Fulton, Watkins, Johnson and Linkenbach that they had suitable talent that will emerge. (Also Canadian Duvernay-Tardiff is a potential OG option if he progresses enough in training camp.)

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by TEX

I would not have paid Albert (since KC drafted Fish last year) or Asamoah, ( can find a backup) but I would have paid Schwartz - he earned it.

Reid is no dumbass. He'll use Charles wisely and spell him with Davis and Thomas.

Our OL is actually going to be better this year and in the foreseeable future with Fisher and our two draft picks this year. Stephenson is solid at RT.

Charles will have another big year.

I do agree that I'd like to have seen Schwartz stay here though.

[ThaVirus]

Linkenbach and Schwartz are the same player? Isn't Schwartz like a 6'6" 340 mauler? When that guy settled in at RG, it was a night and day difference. Of course, you could also make the argument that we played weaker defensive fronts from that point forward..

But shit. I want to say Jamaal averaged something shitty like 4.2 YPC in September and October and something like 6.2 in November and December.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Frosty

They used two draft picks on the o-line.

On a reach who played terrible last year and couldn't stay healthy.

And a 6th round pick.

That's not much help...

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Rausch

On a reach who played terrible last year and couldn't stay healthy.

And a 6th round pick.

That's not much help...

We used two 6th round picks this year.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by SNR

We used two 6th round picks this year.

Well, in that case...

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Well, in that case...

Just saying. We're getting rookies in there. Rookie offensive linemen are a crapshoot most of the time in how they'll perform in that first year. Your 5th round guard has seemingly just as good of a chance at playing well as your 2nd round guard. Especially when you look at the Chiefs' recent history with drafting offensive linemen.

We could have used our 1st or 3rd round pick on linemen, but it's not like Alex would be any safer back there than he is now.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by SNR

We used two 6th round picks this year.

And signed two veterans in FA. They might all end up being a giant pile of suck but I think Dorsey/Reid do feel they addressed the line.

[TEX]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

Schwartz was resigned. For a lot cheaper as well. He also got a new name change. He will be now known as Jeff Linkenbach.

They are exactly the same player. Journeyman level OG's/backup OT's who will look better in this system than they did in their previous systems (Vikings for Schwartz, Colts for Linkenbach.)

People need to remember that Schwartz is now on his fourth team in four years. The guy has been bounced for rookies numerous times and has really did nothing to distinguish himself other than being markedly better than 2013 RG starter Jon Asamoah, who was, in fact, vastly overpaid as a free agent.

Schwartz was a guy. Just like everybody else unless they wanted to spend a high draft pick and get a guy like Gabe Jackson or Xavier S'ua-Filo in this past draft. They obviously didn't, and felt that between Kush, Fulton, Watkins, Johnson and Linkenbach that they had suitable talent that will emerge. (Also Canadian Duvernay-Tardiff is a potential OG option if he progresses enough in training camp.)

You're completely wrong about Schwartz and Linkenbach being the same. You need to dig deeper and do your homework on Schwartz and trust your own eyes and how YOU saw him play in KC. Fact is, he was known for outplaying the starters on other teams when he got the chance and when healthy. Linkenbach has no such reputation and his versatility at playing multiple positions is not a strength. He is the definition of JAG. Schwartz had a reputation for being more than just JAG, he was one who when counted on, played well . BIG difference.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by SNR

We could have used our 1st or 3rd round pick on linemen, but it's not like Alex would be any safer back there than he is now.

I'd disagree with that.

Not that I wanted us to spend a 1st @ G...

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Rausch

I'd disagree with that.

Not that I wanted us to spend a 1st @ G...

Let's just go with the 3rd round then.

In what way would drafting an offensive lineman in the 3rd make Alex any safer? The guy is STILL a rookie. He's more than likely going to be prone to ****ing up several times throughout the course of the season.

The rookie OL who hit the ground running are the exception, not the norm, and quite often they are found in the 4th round and later.

[lcarus]

Remember when LJ tried talking up Jordan Black? Shit those were the days....