Offensive Line Progress Report

Aug 13, 2008, 5:43:51 AM by Bob Gretz - FAQ

RIVER FALLS, WI – They are starting to pull the moving boxes out from under tables and out of the closets here at UW-River Falls. The Chiefs are getting ready to move back to Kansas City on Friday, leaving behind another Camp Herm.

The No. 1 position group under the microscope three weeks ago when the Chiefs came north was the offensive line. Only one of the first 10 players on the depth chart had actually started a game at their current position. As far as most observers and fans were concerned, it was Brian Waters and a bunch of question marks.

It’s still early in the process, but some answers to those questions have started to form here in the northwoods.

“They are doing OK, they are making progress, which is what we wanted to see,” said Herm Edwards of his starting offensive line. “The right guard (Adrian Jones) has made progress. The center (Rudy Niswanger) had gotten better. Brian (Waters) has had his best camp. It hurts that we lost our left tackle (Branden Albert), but Herbie (Taylor) has jumped in there and he’s doing OK.”

Edwards especially liked what he saw last week in Chicago against the Bears. That will certainly be the most formidable defensive front the Chiefs will see in the pre-season and he was pleased with how the first group handled things.

“Now we had some penalties and that’s something we’ve got to clear up,” said Edwards. “But that’s a pretty good defense. It’s pre-season and all, but there are talented guys on that defense and overall we did a good job.”

Skipping Waters who has returned to his Pro Bowl form of pre-2007, here’s a look at the other four linemen and how their camps have gone:

LT HERB TAYLOR – Taylor has gotten better almost every practice since stepping in for the injured Albert. Like any inexperienced left tackle, there are times when he gets overwhelmed by a more experienced rusher. But Taylor has shown the ability to bounce back. He may get beat on a pass rush, but he’ll come back on the next play and provide pretty good protection. If he continues to get better, the Chiefs will have to find a place for him to play on a more regular basis.

RT DAMION MCINTOSH – The spot for Taylor may end up being right tackle. The factor with McIntosh that concerns the Chiefs coaches is his availability. Nagging knee issues can take him off the field at any time, which has an obvious effect on continuity. Like a lot of right tackles, speed rushers give McIntosh problems. If he can get his hands on the pass rusher he will win the battle. He can still block fairly well for the run, although he doesn’t move as well as he once did because of the knees. Right now, the Chiefs hope they can keep him on the field. Draft choice Barry Richardson has impressed the Chiefs with his natural abilities, but he’s a work In progress when it comes to technique. He’s probably a year away from being able to contribute.

RB ADRIAN JONES – Coming to camp, Jones was probably the biggest question mark on that questionable offensive line. But the former KU Jayhawk has turned in a solid-camp performance. He’s actually pretty good at pass protection and while some of the things the Chan Gailey offense asks of the guards are not his strengths, he’s shown good movement in pulling and trapping in the running game. “He’s done a good job,” said Edwards. “He’s really shown he can pass protect and he just needs more time there, more snaps to get better. I’m pleased with what I’ve seen from him.”

C RUDY NISWANGER – At 6-5, Niswanger will likely be one of the tallest starting snappers in the league for the ‘08 season. So far that’s not been a problem for him. Against Chicago, he did a very good job of helping to his left and right. The test for Niswanger will be when he has someone on his nose that he must block one-on-one. Because of his size, it’s tough sometimes for Niswanger to win the leverage battle with a squatty defensive tackle. “Just like Jones, just like Herbie, Rudy needs to play,” said Edwards. “The more he plays, the better he’ll get.”

Read more about the Chiefs and the growth of their offensive line at bobgretz.com

The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.

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A former beat reporter who covered the Pittsburgh Steelers during their glory years, Gretz covered the Chiefs for the Kansas City Star for nine years. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Board of Selectors. He has been the senior columnist for the Chiefs web site since its inception.