Kansas City OL (1 Viewer)

[Hugonel]

In the past few years it's been pretty easy to predict the top 8 picks of a redraft. This question is making it hard to do this year.

Will Shields retired. New (projected starter) LT Damion McIntosh Carted has sustained a knee sprain. The line wasn't great last year.

Guys have suggested drafting LJ anywhere from #2 to #8. Even if he discontinues the holdout, can he duplicate even last year's numbers with the changes to the OL?

I don't know much about the new talent or the existing (last year's) backups. Presumably the backups aren't much or they'd have been starting on a OL that was not performing as well as in the past.

Projected starters are: LT McIntosh, LG Brian Waters, C Casey Wiegmann, RG John Welbourn and RT Chris Terry.

Backups are: Rudy Niswanger, Tre Stallings, Kevin Sampson and Chris Bober.

Does anyone here have in-depth knowledge of the OL and would you please share it?

I don't see how we can predict great things for LJ with Shields gone.

 

[AnonymousBob]

According to KC homers, the line has actually improved overall-despite the loss of Shields. I can't figure out if they're correct or if it's a case of blind homerism.

 

[kc_syndicate]

Absolutely no way the KC O-Line is better. Forget the loss of Shields for a moment, Weigman is a pulling center not a smash mouth type guy who can grind all day, ZERO depth ( I would rather have my dog Leon block before I let Bober on the field- Leon is a fox terrier,) and don't forget Turley was re-signed as a back-up. Now, believe it or not I am a Chiefs homer but lets be real here this might be an 8-8 team if things go well.

 

[FavreCo]

It's obviously worse.

 

[weasel3515]

Absolutely no way the KC O-Line is better. Forget the loss of Shields for a moment, Weigman is a pulling center not a smash mouth type guy who can grind all day, ZERO depth ( I would rather have my dog Leon block before I let Bober on the field- Leon is a fox terrier,) and don't forget Turley was re-signed as a back-up. Now, believe it or not I am a Chiefs homer but lets be real here this might be an 8-8 team if things go well.

Chief's fan here too and I think 8-8 is the ceiling. More likely 6-10 or worse. The team is totally rebuilding, although it's hard to see any light at the end of the tunnel right now. LJ is going to kill some owners this year with that o-line (and that's saying he doesn't hold out!).

 

[fruity pebbles]

Looks about the same to me if McIntosh isn't seriously hurt.

 

[Maven]

The line is worse. With the loss of Shields and Black, plus McIntosh's latest injury, how can they be better this year? Depends on the quality of players they use to replace. The Chiefs are in for a horrible year.

 

[fruity pebbles]

The line is worse. With the loss of Shields and Black, plus McIntosh's latest injury, how can they be better this year? Depends on the quality of players they use to replace. The Chiefs are in for a horrible year.

Black was addition by subtraction.

 

[Maven]

The line is worse. With the loss of Shields and Black, plus McIntosh's latest injury, how can they be better this year? Depends on the quality of players they use to replace. The Chiefs are in for a horrible year.

Black was addition by subtraction.

Thats irrelevant isn't it?

 

[Cawdor]

Providing they stay healthy the interior line will still be pretty good. In games that they can stay close the Chiefs will run, run, then pass. The problem is when it is a passing situation. The tackles are not fast enough or big enough to stop anybody and the Qb will have to get rid of it soon. I don't see as many scoring opportunities with teams stacking the line and no downfield threats to keep them honest. Preseason might give some clues.

 

[Jason Wood]

There's no way the KC line is better this year than last...

Losing Shields hurts, plain and simple

And there's always a period of cohesion that needs to occur, so merely by having so many changes you can be sure the line won't be great at least to start the season

 

[shadow2k]

Not sure it really matters.

I mean, the two Tackle spots were a complete joke last year. Turley got slapped around like a little girl at LT, and Black...well I have no clue how he conned anyone into paying him to come to their team. At RT, we had a Guard! Seriously, come on. The idea of putting our FB/TE Wilson at RT was seriously considered.

And what about the interior last year? Waters missed most of camp in a walking boot, and as soon as he came back, Shields was out with an ankle injury. The line got zero work in together before the start of the season, and it looked to me like Shields wasn't even fully healthy last year. That, or he got old quick, because he got beat quite a bit last year.

Look, with McIntosh, the line is clearly better than last year. He's a solid vet, and won't be bowled over on every play. Waters is the returning pro-bowl G. Wiegmann is the returning C, and while not a pro-bowler, has always done a great job. Welbourn moves into Shields vacated G spot. Welbourn played T for us last year, but is clearly more comfortable at G, and it has showed so far in camp. And at RT? Well, I dunno. Chris Terry probably, maybe...can't be any worse than having a G play there.

If McIntosh is out for an extended period, things get ugly. Yet, LJ still got his last year, even with the nine in the box many teams threw at the Chiefs. So really...does it matter? He didn't have any holes to run through last year...why would he need them this year?

 

[Hugonel]

Not sure it really matters.I mean, the two Tackle spots were a complete joke last year. Turley got slapped around like a little girl at LT, and Black...well I have no clue how he conned anyone into paying him to come to their team. At RT, we had a Guard! Seriously, come on. The idea of putting our FB/TE Wilson at RT was seriously considered.And what about the interior last year? Waters missed most of camp in a walking boot, and as soon as he came back, Shields was out with an ankle injury. The line got zero work in together before the start of the season, and it looked to me like Shields wasn't even fully healthy last year. That, or he got old quick, because he got beat quite a bit last year.Look, with McIntosh, the line is clearly better than last year. He's a solid vet, and won't be bowled over on every play. Waters is the returning pro-bowl G. Wiegmann is the returning C, and while not a pro-bowler, has always done a great job. Welbourn moves into Shields vacated G spot. Welbourn played T for us last year, but is clearly more comfortable at G, and it has showed so far in camp. And at RT? Well, I dunno. Chris Terry probably, maybe...can't be any worse than having a G play there.If McIntosh is out for an extended period, things get ugly. Yet, LJ still got his last year, even with the nine in the box many teams threw at the Chiefs. So really...does it matter? He didn't have any holes to run through last year...why would he need them this year?

Outstanding analysis.

 

[fruity pebbles]

The line is worse. With the loss of Shields and Black, plus McIntosh's latest injury, how can they be better this year? Depends on the quality of players they use to replace. The Chiefs are in for a horrible year.

Black was addition by subtraction.

Thats irrelevant isn't it?

no, he sucked. Losing him doesn't hurt at all.

 

[Sopranos]

Considering LJ is a beast i dont think it will matter IF he gets on the field. He is a better RB than most think and he runs well without holes.. I still have LJ slotted 2nd for RB's. I dont care about the line..i care about the talent. And as a pure runner LJ is the best.

 

[Ilov80s]

As an LJ owner last year, I can say honestly say it is hard to conceive of their o-line being any worse. It was Detroit Lions bad in 06. Every inch LJ gained was on him. He was facing contact at the LOS nearly every play.

 

[BoltBacker]

The line is worse. With the loss of Shields and Black, plus McIntosh's latest injury, how can they be better this year? Depends on the quality of players they use to replace. The Chiefs are in for a horrible year.

Black was addition by subtraction.

Then they should definitely go out and release all their WR's..... that might just be enough to win the division. If they release all their QB's who knows, maybe that could push them to superbowl contender. Is that the way addition by subtraction works?