Chiefs Update 12/4
From the Truman Sports Complex
Three starters did not practice or did very limited work on Thursday as the Chiefs went through an indoor practice session and it was considered a good day. That’s the type of season it has been.
LB Donnie Edwards (knee), WR Mark Bradley (calf) and RG Adrian Jones (ankle) were not factors in Thurday’s practice. Edwards and Bradley did not practice at all. Jones did some of the individual work, but nothing in the team portions of practice.
The only other player that Herm Edwards mentioned in his post-practice injury update was CB Pat Surtain who did not work because of his quad injury.
“That’s it, that’s good,” said Edwards. “That’s very good.”
Edwards talked more about the decision to move Derrick Johnson to middle linebacker. One factor in the move was the desire to keep Johnson focused; sometimes the fourth-year linebacker’s attention wanders and it ends up hurting him and the defense.
Working in the middle will have Johnson calling defenses in the huddle and force him to stay in the game each and every play.
“It puts more burden on him; he has to be more focused because you’ve got to get the team lined up,” said Edwards. “You’ve got to make the checks. You can’t call on somebody else to do it. That might help him too.”
We will see, I hope DJ understands that he isn’t meeting the teams expectations and turns it around.
You didn’t mention Smith so I’ll assume he went full practice, that’s good news.
Man I hope this helps solve one of the two critical positions on defense. And at the same time start maximizing this guy talent. He’s really been a let down so far since coming out of Texas. Hopefully he’ll turn his career around with this move.
I’m humored a little by the fact that the team is taking a player who can’t concentrate and giving him MORE responsibility.
I understand their train of thought, but I feel like it could just make things worse. What makes Herm think that DJ won’t just take his concentration problems into the MLB position and cause more damage? Now, instead of blowing his own assignment, he’ll be failing to align the defense properly.
I really like DJ, and I would love to see both the D as a whole and DJ as an individual player succeed. I hope this results in some sort of positive.
I’m actually worried that the Chiefs will SETTLE with Johnson at MLB, and not go after a Maualuga or Laurinitis in the draft this year.
While I think DE needs to be top priority, I feel that can be addressed in the Free Agent market… let’s build our defense around these young guys, and a young brick wall of a linebacker.
Anyone else worried about this?
At this point DE definately has to be the top priority.
He has “attention Problems” – I literally did laugh out loud after reading that. Get the chump some Ritalin…
He couldn’t be any worse than Pat Thomas could he? They need to find a way to get some production out of him. I question the way they’ve utilized him so far as I felt he was perhaps their best pass rusher going into this year. Despite injuries and a lack of sack opportunities, he still leads the team with 1.5!
I’ll be watching him closely on Sunday to see if this move works for him. If they’re lucky, maybe DJ will make the type of dramatic improvement with this move that Thigpen made when they changed their offense to the spread. You gotta have hope.
It seems like a misuse of his skill set to me, but then again, he hasn’t become the pro-bowler he should be on the outside, so why not. We have nothing to lose this season.
It is suspicious that Herm and Co. keep using this “concentration” (ADD?) excuse for all their underachieving high-profile athletes (Dorsey, Bowe, DJ). That and injuries are their canned excuse for everything these days.
If I have time, I will try to digg up our previous conversations on this subject to see what the regular posters on here thought about that move when it was suggested earlier.
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a good laugh:
http://www.bobgretz.com/chiefs-football/conversation-with-gunther.html
Q: “Any chance long term that Derrick Johnson becomes a middle linebacker?”
Gun: “No. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. That’s not his game; he’s an outside linebacker.”
I’d be more excited about Brandon Spikes (Florida) as a linebacker prospect than either Lauranitis or Maualaga. I don’t think he gets mentioned much on the forum here…maybe because he is a junior, but a lot of draft boards have him coming out early.
IMO Lauranitis is a good damage control linebacker, but spends more time reacting than attacking.
here are some earlier comments about the MLB move on 11/21/08. I’ll try to digg and find some even earlier.
http://www.bobgretz.com/chiefs-football/friday-morning-cup-o%E2%80%99chiefs-8.html#comments
John sounds like Gunther. lol.
Well once again find only quotes part of what someone says Here is the full quote on DJ…..
“I think Derrick (Johnson) needs to get stronger. He needs to do some weight room work because he wears down. He practices so darn hard that he becomes a little lethargic the next day. I’ve talked to him about it.
Any chance long term that Derrick Johnson becomes a middle linebacker?
No. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. That’s not his game; he’s an outside linebacker. Although what isn’t ridiculous if the fans notice and don’t know the intricacies of our scheme, he will line up in the middle at times. All of our linebackers are interchangeable parts. To call him a middle linebacker is wrong, but is he going to play in there? Yes, he’s going to play in there. We’ll let everybody else figure out what to call him.
That’s the key to this whole thing. Offensive teams count numbers, and they try to identify who the mike linebacker is. If you look at those three guys, they all look alike. There have been times in practice where I’ve called out “ËśNice play D.J.’ only to look closer and see it was Pat Thomas who made the play.”
I hope it works out (I have serious doubts) it would be one less concern during the off season.
IMO Pollard would have a better chance at the Mike LB.
The above quote is Gun’s not mine.
This is my quote that find is referring to.
November 21, 2008 – JohnNdallas says:
DJ is an OUTSIDE LB, this would be a move (dumb) that would be outta pure desperation, w/little or no chance of success long term.
ummm am I missing something or is that the same thing I said above??
Dbl up or dbl down on your meds find!
I said on 10/12/08:
http://www.bobgretz.com/chiefs-football/sunday-morning-cup-o%E2%80%99chiefs-4.html#comments
“Our best option might actually be to have DJ play MLB. He should be great as long as our DTs do their job and keep blockers off of him.”
AND
“just because Herm might have stated DJ is not a MLB doesnt make it so. DJ has the size, speed, and the natural instincts to be succesful at it. He essentially played ILB at Texas anyway.”
Herm said that?
Wow!
When?
Where?
and in what context?
Find you can,t be trusted to quote any one fully or accurately, so SHOW ME!!
Chiefs #1 draft pick needs to be an OT!
John,
I was calling for this move months ago. You, like gunther, were busy twittling your thumbs.
Yeah? So?