That’s why the Chiefs intend to go easy on Johnson when offseason practice begins today. The Chiefs have 15 practice sessions planned over the next four weeks, including their June 6-8 minicamp.
"We’ll bring him along slowly," coach Herm Edwards said. "We’re not going to beat him up. We’re not going to rush him a whole lot. We want to see where he’s at.
"He’s been running straight and he’s been doing all of that for a long time, but as far as cutting and football things like that, we want to limit him some."
The Kansas City Chiefs may not have planned to put a full load on Larry Johnson during these off-season activities (OTAs), even if he had not injured his foot last year. Herm Edwards has to be getting weary of working his team's running backs as much as he has.
Here's a prediction of mine - You'll hear less and less of Kolby Smith's name this training camp. Jamaal Charles will step into that #2/3rd down role for the Chiefs, pushing Kolby Smith into relative obscurity over the next couple of years.
While you can make the argument that Smith was the Chiefs' best runner last year (He was the most effective runner, certainly not better than LJ as he faced lesser defense), I think we're still over-enamored with that first drive against the Oakland Raiders last November. Smith gained sixty yards on seven rushes, punctuating a bruising of the Raiders' defense with a ten-yard touchdown run. Smith ended the game with 150-yards rushing on thirty-one attempts. Impressive but the Raiders did end 2007 with the 31st ranked rush defense and Smith never approached that number of attempts or even 100-yards rushing the rest of the season (He actually had a couple of 80+ yards games, which is close).
Kolby appears to be a good scat back runner but I'm betting you Charles blows him away. Jamaal Charles' speed, coming right on the heels of a LJ power running game, could be a back-breaker for opposing defenses. The Charles-LJ duo will be much, much more powerful than Smith-LJ.
H/T to Direckshun in the FanShots section
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Admittedly
My poll options have needed work in the last few weeks. I think you get the gist of it though.
Chris Thorman - May 19, 2008
The PARADE doubts LJ's commitment to Sparkle Motion
Potentially a world class running back? Yes. A world class running back already? No. I’m just saying even with last season’s playoff breakdown I wish our starting running back was called LT and not LJ. I sincerely hope LJ proves me wrong, but this LJ against the world thing is getting kinda old. This may not be a contract year for him but it could be a “legacy” defining type year.
As for your bold prediction that our 3rd round rookie RB will eclipse our 5th round 2nd year RB for playing time, I concur. I don’t know if I’d say Kolby’s destine for obscurity though. I’m pretty sure Herm likes having a full holster at RB (hence, your scat back idea [although I think the concept of a scat back is garbage, they should call them puny halfback back-ups that’ll never cut it] and I wouldn’t categorize Kolby like that). Having another fast “cutting” back will be useful in a 2 TE set for screens and misdirection plays (eg: the Chan-Gailey-Reinvented-Slash-Offense theory).
I’m just terrified that this means more crappy 3 yd. flat passes and the continuing lack of a serviceable fullback in the future. What the Chiefs’ offense, Brodie, our burgeoning offensive line, and LJ need is a “Mike Alstott” to pass block, lead block, and generally pummel the nouveau soft speed defense I read about, right here, on the AP.
So Sayeth the PARADE.
Official Arrowhead Pride Parade - May 19, 2008
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