Boom?

DJ from Arrowheadpride gave his five reasons why the Chiefs’ offensive line will be better in 2008. His first point is probably the most compelling. He basically implies that the offensive line couldn’t possibly be worse than it was in 2007. That’s a pretty good point. Watching Welbourn and Terry on the right side of the offensive line was like watching paint dry while repeatedly getting kicked in the privates. Casey Wiegmann has never been a horrible center, but he appears to have aged a bit and looked outmatched much of the time as he operated in more of a power blocking scheme. The Chiefs almost certainly win at right tackle because Damion McIntosh can’t possibly be worse than Chris Terry was. McIntosh has always been a decent run blocker, but he’s often been too slow to keep up with speed rushers. He should fare better at right tackle where he will have to handle slower, power rushers. It will be an adjustment, but he can do it.

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In January, he might feel differently.

The Chiefs had a solid draft, and the expectations are generally consistent with this team's status as a work in progress. But a certain number of losses could be enough to prompt owner Clark Hunt to clean house.

If Edwards goes, he'd likely end up a collegiate head coach. He has never been an NFL defensive coordinator, and after eight years as a head coach, he probably wouldn't be interested in becoming a position coach again.

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Jeffrey Flanagan of the Kansas City Star and the NFL Network both recently reported that the Chiefs were one of several teams looking to add wide receiver Koren Robinson to their roster.  Robinson is most widely known for his run-ins with the law and his history of alcohol abuse - not exactly the legacy he wanted to leave when he was a first-round draft pick (9th overall) by Seattle in 2001.

Is he a good fit for the Kansas City good guys?  Is he someone the team should take a chance on, assuming the money, contract length and character issues are addressed?  Is it worth the risk?

No. No. And hell no.

I don’t care if we pay Robinson the league minimum and load his contracts with incentives.  I don’t care if he could bring some veteran leadership to a club that sorely lacks it, specifically in the wide receiver department.  We simply don’t need the headache that is Koren Robinson.

Look, I know that guys can change.  That doesn’t necessarily mean they do change.  If you’re a jerk (Terrell Owens), you’ll always be a jerk.  You may hold your tongue longer, or keep your comments out of the media more often, but you will still be a jerk. 

Rarely does someone seem to overcome their issues and their off-the-field problems entirely.  There may be periods of time when the person seems to have their act together, like when Robinson was selected to the 2006 Pro Bowl - but the troubling issues still linger.

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Under the Gun

There’s a lot to like about Gunther Cunningham. There’s something very endearing about his personality. He’ll swear in front of your kids. He’ll curse and spit at players three times his size. He lives, breathes, and craps football 24/7. Personalities are nice, but sooner or later he’ll have to be held accountable for the defense he puts on the field. Gunther Cunningham’s defense has not been impressive in his second stint and he’s running out of excuses. Every year, he’s had a new excuse. Year 1, his defense underachieved because he didn’t have his players. The year after that, he failed because Vermeil handcuffed him with his offensive approach and lousy defensive assistants. They’ve moved Gunther inside the booth and outside the booth. Surrounded him with his players, and soon surrounded him with better players. They’ve surrounded him with a defensive head coach and terrific assistants. In 2006, they gave him a run-heavy offense that afforded him well-rested players and a favorable defensive environment. Granted, in 2007, he was limited by the fact that his defense was on the field all the time and undoubtedly grew tired, but that should not excuse the fact that Cunningham has yet to produce a defense that he should be producing.

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While primarily a guard in the college, Kansas City saw enough mobility and strength in Albert to project him as the team’s future left tackle. He now is charged with the task of anchoring a rebuilding offensive line as a rookie.

The 23-year-old recently took a few minutes to talk to PFW about barbeque food, transitioning to tackle, the Chiefs’ offensive scheme and Julius Peppers.

Albert: I’ve tasted a couple of places: LC’s Bar-B-Q and Gates Bar-B-Q. Those places have great food.

PFW: How are you enjoying your time in Kansas City so far?

Albert: I am enjoying it real well. I just got a new house, so I’m excited about that. I’m also excited about the new season and being a part of this new era that’s going on in Kansas City.

PFW: Being a guard in college and now moving to left tackle in Kansas City, how is the transition going?

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Connor Barth hasn't made an NFL roster, but he has survived the first cut.

Barth, a former Hoggard and University of North Carolina kicker, is on the training camp roster for the Kansas City Chiefs, who recently let go of one kicker.

Barth and Nick Novak made the cut; Billy Cundiff was cut loose.

"My goal was to take it stage by stage," Barth said by phone Friday. "I'm hoping to get to the next stage and be the last guy standing."

That next stage begins in about a month, at training camp in River Falls, Wis. Barth will remain in Kansas City for about a week, lifting weights and conditioning with other rookies. He'll take a few days in Wilmington, maybe take some golf lessons, then continue training in Chapel Hill, where he has easy access to NFL-style uprights and smooth grass or artificial turf.

Barth had a comfort level as the kicker for the Tar Heels; His job as the starter was never in question in four seasons. Now, each kick, even in practice, means something.

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This team will be a work in progress all season. Yes, the season starts in May and will likely end in December for the Chiefs.

Thanks to a potentially strong draft class, Kansas City will be a team to watch in the coming years. But it may be too much to expect the Chiefs to be a contender or to even finish .500 in 2008. This season, no doubt, will be all about a youth moment in Kansas City and it began in the minicamp season.

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When you're a Pro Bowl tight end, it's difficult to change your routine. Difficult, and maybe crazy. If you're in the midst of a Hall of Fame career, why change anything? As Tony Gonzalez discovered, sometimes change comes to you.