| One of the biggest disappointments to me in the
recent draft was the fact that the Chiefs once again were unable to draft an elite running
back. And puh-lease, don’t talk to me about running back-by-committee. To my way of
thinking, committees are where good ideas go to die or get nitpicked to death. Give me one
dynamic individual who can make things happen.
Everyone always talks about the fact that the Chiefs ranked No. 4 in rushing last
season in the NFL, arguing that this proves a great offensive line with mediocre running
backs can get the job done at the highest level.
While I agree that the Chiefs have a great offensive line, I would argue that it is
being held back dramatically by the so-so backs the Chiefs give the ball to.
First of all, the No. 4 ranking is misleading. That is for rushing yards per game,
which in this case reflects more the team’s commitment to running the ball often as
opposed to running the ball dominantly. If you look at average gain per rush, a more
accurate gauge of effectiveness, the Chiefs ranked a mediocre No. 15 in the league.
Don’t blame the offensive line, which I think is terrific. Blame it on a corps of
running backs that was and still is a cure for sleepless nights. The team’s top ball
carriers last season were Donnell Bennett, Bam Morris, Tony Richardson and Rashaan Shehee.
Yawn.
Just as when you have a great quarterback it only makes sense to give him quality
receivers, when you have a first-rate offensive line you should have a prime-time running
back carrying the load.
The Chiefs are hoping that Mike Cloud can step up, but he was only a second-round pick
last year. I know, I know, there are plenty of running backs that were taken after Round
One who have gone on to stardom. But there comes a time when you have to make a serious
investment in a position. That time was this year’s draft. In Round One.
Defenders of the Chiefs can argue that the first round ran out of elite running backs
two picks before Kansas City made its first pick, but I don’t think this gets the
team off the hook. I think they should have traded up a bit to ensure that they could take
RB Shaun Alexander. The Seahawks took Alexander with the 19th pick, Detroit
picked next, followed by Kansas City. Even if the Seahawks had passed on Alexander, there
was a school of thought that the Lions might have been interested in a running back in
Round One.
Kansas City needed to be proactive and trade up to assure that they’d finally get
a star running back who could take full advantage of the Chiefs’ stellar offensive
line.
I actually have no problems with WR Sylvester Morris, the player the Chiefs took in the
first round. He should be a quality player. But in the Chiefs’ scheme of things, I
don’t see him becoming a dominant player. Running behind the Chiefs’ offensive
line, Alexander could have posted dynamic numbers.
It’s not too late for the Chiefs. There is always the possibility they could swing
a trade for Bengals RB Corey Dillon, though it seems somewhat questionable whether
Cincinnati will pull the trigger on a deal involving their disgruntled running back. If
Dillon were to get sent to Kansas City, he would be scary good. The guy has delivered in
Cincinnati and could become a superstar behind a quality offensive line.
A star running back can significantly upgrade the Chiefs as a team. Why they would want
to pin their hopes on a Cloud instead of a star escapes me. |
