ANSWER BOB/ACT ONE

From River Falls, Wisconsin

I asked for it.  I told you to send in your questions and you did.  Wow.  This is going to take more than one edition to answer them all.  And now that Glenn Dorsey and Branden Albert are injured, I’m sure there are even more questions.

But read along and maybe my answer for somebody else will be enough to answer your questions as well.

From DIRECKSHUN:

Hey Bob. Thanks for the site.

1. I see that John Paul Foschi is listed at kcchiefs.com as the 3rd TE, in front of Michael Allan. How likely is it that the Chiefs keep four TEs?

2. Is anybody looking remotely above-average returning kicks?

3. Can you give us the names of a few newcomers who have really impressed you more than you were expecting?

• The Chiefs will keep only two or three tight ends. No way they’ll keep four. The number depends on how they handle the fullback/halfback position. Generally it’s five backs/three tight ends. But the Chiefs have a bunch of good halfbacks they might want to keep.
• It’s hard to tell on the return game at this point because they don’t do anything live. B.J. Sams looks like he’s recovered from his knee problem. Rookie Kevin Robinson hasn’t gotten on the field yet as he recovers from minor knee surgery in June. We’ll start seeing something Thursday night.
• Impressive “surprise” newcomers include DT T.J. Jackson, LB LeRue Rumph and CB Maurice Leggett.

TXCHIEFAN says:

Bob, an informative, professional and interesting site.  One of my daily MUST READ sites. Thank you.

1. Is there a remote possibility of Favre being a Chief?

2. What is your assessment of the O-Line and D-Line quality at this point of the season in comparison to last year, and how would you assess their improvement on a percentage basis vs. last year’s performance.

• 1. Favre to Chiefs? No way, no how, they were never interested. That’s the type of acquisitions this team is trying to get away from.
• 2. The 0ffensive line is better now, with more upside, but it’s still not good enough. I would say right now they are as good as last year’s offensive line, without playing a game. Albert injury doesn’t help. Defensive line has been unimpressive, but then Tamba Hali has missed time and now Dorsey is out. Tank Tyler and Turk McBride must make big contributions this year.

RYAN says:

Bob, Are the Chiefs happy with Bernard Pollard? Is DaJuan Morgan a potential FS or SS? Thanks!

• The Chiefs are happy with Pollard and Morgan can play either position.  They are going to find ways to get Morgan on the field.  How about a first-down nickel defense, with three safeties and either Pollard or Morgan playing in the box?  All sorts of possibilities exist because Morgan is a such a playmaker.

 TIM says:

Bob, A couple of questions:

1. How are the other members of the OL doing (Svitek, Herb Taylor, B. Richardson etc.). Are they showing any improvement in the new offensive scheme?

2. How’s Michael Allen (TE) doing? He looked really good catching the ball last preseason. What’s a year in the weight room done for him?

3. Is Jackie Battle REALLY looking better than Kolby Smith? I find that hard to believe.

Thanks for the great job in giving thirsty fans some much appreciated “water”.

• 1. Svitek is struggling, Taylor looks OK and Richardson is going to be a player, but it probably won’t happen this year. He needs some schooling and some work in the weight room.
• 2. Michael Allen is a factor in the third tight end position behind Gonzalez and Cottam. So far, he’s just not jumped out and caught a lot of people’s attention and he’s had a few dropped passes.
• 3. Right now, Jackie Battle is looking better than Kolby Smith. The question is this: can he keep it up? Battle runs hard and fast. He’s got talent.

B AS says:

Bob, I have a broad set of questions. After looking at the first depth chart, I attempted to work through the process of breaking down to a 53-man roster. Looking at the talent of the team, it seems like the cuts will be pretty rough. I know we can’t rely on the depth chart to know WHO will be cut, but a couple of things really jumped out at me.

1) Chiefs are really deep at RB, and have special teamers in that area. If they decide to keep 4 backs, where does the extra roster spot come from? Do we go thin at WR? Not carry a FB? Only go with two TEs? Perhaps keep nine linemen?

2) Last year the Chiefs had 6 CB’s on the roster. Do you think they do the same, given that they really like some of the young talent, or will they push some players to the practice squad?

Thanks bob!

• 1. Backs/Tight Ends/Wide Receivers generally account for 13 spots on the roster, 3 quarterbacks and nine OLs makes for 25 on that side of the ball. Sometimes they might take a 26^th, but that would then short change the defense (normally 9-7-9 on the line-linebacker-secondary). If t hey went thin anywhere on offense it would probably be wide receiver. However, that will depend on who handles the returns.
• 2. Young talent on the corner will show itself once the games start playing. There are eight on the roster now. I can’t see them keeping more than five corners, because Paige/Pollard/McGraw/Morgan are going to make the team.

SUNNY D says:

Great job with stuff from inside the team meetings, analyzing stats and what they mean and - right now - being the eyes and ears for those of us interested in camp activities.

The D Line: It seems like Hali, Dorsey and Boone will see the most time on the d-line this year. “Starting” doesn’t seem to be that big of a deal because 7-8 guys will likely share the load.

1. Is it your impression that passing situations will lead to a Turk-Boone-Dorsey-Hali line?

2. I expect good things from Tank this year. Do you?

3. Does Brian Johnston have what it takes to be a 10-sack DE in three years? Who will be playing left DE the second half of the year?

4. Will Dorsey come across as “average” this year before becoming an elite DT in the future?

• 1. Right now Hali-Dorsey-Boone-McBride are the nickel front. With Dorsey now out, that should bring Tank Tyler into the group.
• 2. Tank needs to do good things this year. He needs to be accountable, he needs to be ready to play and he needs to be available. So far, he seems to be doing those things.
• 3. Hard to tell on Johnston. He has a good base of knowledge about rushing the passer and how to use his body; he’s very advanced for a small college guy. But he needs time and that needs to be on the practice field, not the injury report.
• 4. Given the hype surrounding Dorsey, it would be hard for him to live up to what everyone expects as a rookie. But I don’t think there’s any reason he can’t become a dominant inside player in the league. If the Chiefs were wrong, then the other 31 teams were also wrong. But it may not show itself overnight.

 TENAND6 says:

1. What are Dantrell Savage’s chances of making the team?

2. Could you rank the top 8 Chiefs offensive linemen- in order of talent/production- as you see it as of today?

3. Care to make a prediction on the starting offensive line…after week 8?

4. Will the Chiefs have a fullback on the roster on opening day?

5. Will Tank Tyler be a force on the DL this year? Do you think he and Dorsey could be our starting D tackles on opening day?

6. First two draft picks next year? My guess: OL and MLB.

• 1. Dantrell Savage has almost no chance of cracking the 53-man roster. But he’s got a chance to stick with the practice squad.
• 2. On the O-Line order: Waters/Albert/Niswanger/Jones/McIntosh/Taylor/Smith/Richardson.
• 3. Starting O-Line as of game No. 8: Waters/Albert/Niswanger/Smith/Richardson
• 4. Still too early to tell. Chan Gailey wants one but it may have to be sacrificed.
• 5. I think Tank Tyler will make a contribution at defensive tackle that is obvious.
• 6. As for next year’s top picks, O-Line for sure but other priorities we’ll be revealed during the season.

CRUNCHTIME says:

Bob:
1.) What do you think the chances are of the Chiefs making the playoffs this season.
2.) Is Brodie Croyle going to be the franchise quarterback we have been looking for decades.
3.) What are your Sunday plans going to be now that you won’t be on the sidelines; I really liked your commentary from there.

• 1. Chances for playoffs this year are not good; that’s an obvious in this situation. Magic can strike, but being realistic, it’s hard to see the Chiefs pulling together enough victories to make the tournament.
• 2. Whether Brodie Croyle is the franchise quarterback Chiefs fans have waited decades for I don’t know, we need to see him play more. He has the tools.
• 3. I will be in the press box watching the game and preparing stories for kcchiefs.com and bobgretz.com. I will be busier than I ever was on radio. Thanks for asking.

 VLTC says:

How committed is Clark Hunt to this final Peterson/Herm push? Is Herm safe no matter what happens this year?

• From what he has said publicly and in private conversations, Clark Hunt is very committed and standing behind what’s going on right now.  He understands that there are going to be bumpy rounds for awhile.  Patience is required, and we don’t know Clark Hunt’s level of patience yet.

DANNY says: 

How good is Branden Albert? Who currently in the NFL is he comparable to and how/when will we be able to see if he is a success or bust at LT? Everyone is saying we’ll probably only win 4 games. Is that a realistic expectation, or should we expect more? I know we’re young, but are we really that bad?

• Branden Albert has the physical skills and it seems mental make up to be a very good to great player in the NFL.
• It’s hard right now to make a comparison involving Albert because he hasn’t played a game yet. Get back to me on that one.
• Four victories is a realistic expectation. I think six victories also is realistic, and you should expect that as well.
• Chiefs are young; that doesn’t mean they lack talent. How soon they turn that talent into victories is what everybody wants to see..

RYAN L says:

Does Brodie Croyle look bigger this season? I remember the coaches saying they were looking at him to gain 20 or so pounds after last season for durability concerns. Thanks and keep up the great work!

• You have very good eyes!  Yes Brody is bigger.  He put on some weight in his upper body and probably eight to 10 pounds in all.  He’s also kept his speed and mobility.  There is definitely a physical difference from when he first joined the team.  It’s something he will always have to work on.

BRANDON says:

Hey Bob, this site is a God send.  I just moved away from Chiefs Country to Virginia and this is keeping me informed of all the things I’ve been pondering. My only question is in regards to WR position. You got Dwayne Bowe and the “other guys.” Why not pickup a proven wideout that’s not considered old like Eric Parker or Chris Henry? I know it’d be rolling a dice on Henry but if the cards fell right we’d have two possible Pro Bowl receivers.

• A team takes a chance on an older player like a Parker or Henry when they are searching for the final pieces of the puzzle.  The Chiefs are doing a massive rebuilding job and they need to stay the course and not bring in so-called “name” players at this time.  Once the foundation is laid, they will be in a position to take another look at those types of players.

DONOVAN says:

Good afternoon! Thanks for the chance to ask questions! Sorry to see that you won’t be the sideline reporter this year. I’ve got ooogles of questions and wish I could sit on the sidelines and see what you see! Anyway, how much time typically goes by before declaring someone a “bust”?  What I am really asking is, how much time should Brodie be given to blossom? In your opinion, if Brodie struggles but the Chiefs still squeeze out an 8-8 or 7-9 record would Croyle still start in ‘09? If not, would the reigns be passed to Thigpen or would they search through the draft? One last thing, ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!!

Take it easy and thanks for the site!

• I wrote at length on the Chiefs website about how long it takes a quarterback to establish himself in the NFL.  Here’s the link if you want to read the piece, but let me summarize and answer your questions.  We will not know in the 2008 season whether Croyle is the real deal or not.  If  the Chiefs go 8-8 or 7-9, Croyle will most definitely be the starter in ‘09.  If the Chiefs go 4-12, Croyle should be the starter in ‘09.  When you commit to developing a young quarterback, you have to commit for the long haul, otherwise you are wasting everybody’s time. My analysis of quarterbacks says they first start showing their true colors after 25 starts, but generally it’s somewhere around 50 starts before you can make an accurate assessment.
• And yes, I AM READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL.

TCHARLTON says:

Bob, my questions are as follows:

1. To follow what VLTC said, if Herm has a horrible year coaching, (and I know that a bad record doesn’t always equate into bad coaching), is it possible that Mr. Hunt might look around and see, oh I don’t know, a Bill Cowher or Brian Billick sitting idle in the bleachers?

2. Why does everyone in the world think we are going to be so awful? Peter Schrager writing for Fox Sports, picked the Chiefs as one of his 3 teams to shoot for 0-16.

As I fan I have no problem facing the reality that we may not be great this year. As a DIE HARD fan I refuse to believe that we will be horrible. Your thoughts?

• I think if the Chiefs are in the market for a head coach and Bill Cowher was available at that time, they would certainly consider him for the position. Brian Billick, I’m not so sure.
• A lot of pundits think the Chiefs will be very bad this year because they have a roster filled with players they don’t know. That tells you something about their credentials to know what they are talking about in the first place. I wouldn’t put much stock in this Schrager guy and his opinions. I don’t think he has any background in football or the knowledge to accurately assess any situation involving the Chiefs. Now he may turn out to be correct, but it won’t be anything but a guess. It’s not like he has any great knowledge or background.
• I don’t think the Chiefs will be horrible, as long as they don’t get killed by injuries. I think they have a chance to be mediocre, and after what we saw last year, that would be a huge improvement. Rack up a bunch of injuries, like they are dealing with now with injuries to Dorsey and Albert and that changes the picture.
• Oh, and if you read the Fox site check out John Czarnecki and Jay Glazer, they are generally very knowledge about the game and the league.

Check back tomorrow for more Answer Bob.