Bob Sutton has been around football long enough to realize that every year brings turnover
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It didn't stop him from marveling at how different the Kansas City Chiefs look this year.
The Chiefs' defensive coordinator focused only on his side of the ball, and counted nearly two dozen new names among guys who could be fighting for a
legitimate job.
That includes five of their six selections in the draft and Kendall Fuller, the cornerback they got in the trade of Alex Smith to Washington.
"We have a lot of new dudes," Sutton said. "They're all different. They're from young rookies to guys that came here as free agents. It really is a good
group of guys. And it really is early in the process, but they seemed to have
meshed really good."
It's not just new faces under helmets, either.
The Chiefs shook up coach Andy Reid's staff after their debacle of a playoff loss to Tennessee and following the departure of offensive coordinator Matt Nagy
to Chicago.
Eric Bieniemy was promoted to that job from running backs coach with Mike Kafka taking over the quarterback coaching, while on defense, the Chiefs
replaced linebackers coach Gary Gibbs with Mark DeLeone and Mike Smith.
All those changes came on the heels of a couple of offseasons with very little turnover, both on the roster and among the coaching staff.
And that makes their three-day mandatory minicamp that began Tuesday one of the most important for Reid and Co. since he took over prior to the 2013
season.
"Whoever is in the building, you teach. That's how I look at it," Chiefs secondary coach Al Harris said. "At the end of the day
Justin Jones Jersey , their performance falls on me. I take that approach."
Well, there's already been plenty of coaching after several weeks of voluntary workouts, and there is plenty more getting packed into the next couple
of days at the Chiefs' practice facility.
The goal is to set up the team for a productive training camp beginning in late July in St. Joseph, Missouri, where all those jobs that are up for grabs
will get settled.
On defense, the Chiefs are trying to decide how best to fill the outside linebacker job now that Tamba Hali has been released. Justin Houston has one
spot locked down, even though he's been injury prone, while Dee Ford is expected
to handle the other side despite a rough start to his career.
Then there's Breeland Speaks, their top draft pick out of Ole Miss. He also fits in the mix.
On the inside, the Chiefs are seeking a replacement for longtime middle linebacker Derrick Johnson, who was released and then signed with AFC West rival
Oakland. Reggie Ragland showed promise after arriving in a trade last season and
Anthony Hitchen was signed as a free agent to stand next to him.
Justin Hamilton was signed to fill the middle of the defensive line
William Gholston Jersey , while the defensive backfield is a complete work in progress. Star safety Eric Berry is coming back from a season-ending injury,
while top cornerback Marcus Peters was traded away as the Chiefs sought to
establish a better locker room atmosphere and veterans Darrelle Revis and
Terrance Mitchell are gone on the other side.
Fuller joins free-agent signing David Amerson and holdover Steven Nelson in competing for those jobs.
"They are all very attentive, working hard at it," Sutton said. "This is hard on anybody, but it is really hard on defensive players in this time frame. You
can't do a lot of things you want to do, but the guys have really embraced it
and gotten as much out of it as we possibly can."
On offense, the biggest question is how well Patrick Mahomes II will fare now that he's not only the starting quarterback but possibly the face of the
franchise. Mahomes spent last season learning the ropes under Smith, but he's
the clear-cut starter for a team that has playoff aspirations.
So far, he's lived up to the expectations.
"He's put in a ton of hours. He's going behind the scenes, working with guys individually. I'm really proud of where he's at right now," Kafka said.
The question is will he be where the Chiefs need him when the season rolls around?
Will the rest of the new faces be ready
Phillip Dorsett Jersey , too?
"Everything that we do now, we're not going to take into the first game. It's something that you can pull out and learn from, all the different schemes,
fundamentals," Reid said. "We're getting better every day and that's the idea.
We have a lot of new faces and we welcome new faces, and they're
learning."
As they wait for Joe Thomas’ decision, the Cleveland Browns added some offensive line depth.
The team reached agreement on Tuesday with former Pittsburgh tackle Chris Hubbard on a five-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told
The Associated Press. Hubbard, who spent the past four seasons with the
Steelers, will sign with the Browns once the free agency signing period begins
Wednesday, according to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because
teams are not permitted to finalize deals during the NFL’s ”legal tampering”
period.
Terms of the deal were not immediately known.
In Cleveland
Brian Poole Jersey , the 26-year-old Hubbard will be reunited with former Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley, who was hired by the Browns during
the offseason.
Hubbard made 14 starts the past two seasons. The 6-foot-4, 295-pounder is primarily a right tackle, but he gives Cleveland flexibility up front and more
options in case Thomas retires. A 10-time Pro Bowler, Thomas, who suffered a
season-ending torn triceps in 2017, has not yet announced if he’ll be back next
season or end his Hall of Fame career.
Hubbard was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent from Alabama-Birmingham in 2013. He started four games in 2016 and 10 in 2017.
Shon Coleman, a third-round draft pick in 2016, started all 16 for Cleveland last season. If Thomas retires, it’s possible the Browns could switch Coleman to
the left side or perhaps sign another free agent.
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