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We'll be going through and checking out a few of the key questions for the Kansas City Chiefs as they enter the 2012 offseason. Up first is the status of the ACL group -- Jamaal Charles, Tony Moeaki and Eric Berry. All three of those guys were down for the year by Week 2 with torn ACLs and they'll all be returning to the Chiefs next season.
The health of those guys and their ability to return at or near 100 percent is the most important question entering next season. Yes, even more important than the quarterback and the two big free agents (Dwayne Bowe and Brandon Carr).
You can also throw Brandon Siler's name into this group as he tore his Achilles in training camp. He's been brought back on a one-year extension.
Charles is clearly the No. 1 playmaker on the Chiefs offense. He's the type of guy that'll instantly make you a contender for the division title. His strengths are predicated on his speed so his recovery from the torn ACL is the biggest question mark out of all these guys.
Moeaki had a solid rookie season and the Chiefs were prepared to expand his role into a Dallas Clark-type of player. He, of course, tore his ACL in the final preseason game. He has an injury history so his ability to recover -- and stay healthy next season -- is huge.
And then there's Berry, who tore his ACL in Week 1. Like Moeaki, he was going to be used in multiple ways. Outside of maybe Tamba Hali, this was the injury the Chiefs could least afford to have. So him coming back will take an already good defense and (hopefully) bring it to the next level.
0 recs | 78 comments
I think an injury to DJ this year would have been more devastating than one to Hali
parkerkcfan - February 7, 2012
I can see that argument
Joel Thorman - February 7, 2012
me too
luckily, both guys have been pretty durable (knock on wood)
stagdsp - February 7, 2012
it's hard to believe they went through a whole season without these guys
and still were a FG away from the division title.
Getting them back will be HUGE… like having 3 first round picks this year.
Losing these 3 exposed some big team needs (S depth, a #2 TE, RB depth)
and I hope all 3 are addressed in the Draft or FA…
if they are… getting the starters AND improved depth back for 2012… this will be a REALLY good year for Chiefs football
stagdsp - February 7, 2012
Moeaki
I like him when he’s on the field, which is troublesome. I think we need to find one maybe even two more TEs in FA or draft. We cant rely on the depth we had this last year
tomachop - February 7, 2012
absolutely
stagdsp - February 7, 2012
I think the ACL group will be just fine next year
Since they all tore at the beginning of the season that should give them plenty of time to recover. I know everyone recovers from an injury differently, but Welker tore his ACL and was back in 8 months and he still performs at a very high level.
KingChief - February 7, 2012
agreed
I don’t see why all 4 of these guys won’t be back playing at a high level.
maybe with a knee brace, just to be safe.
stagdsp - February 7, 2012
" Welker tore his ACL and was back in 8 months and he still performs at a very high level."
Other than dropping Super Bowl winning catches…
ArrowDread - February 7, 2012
Damn knee affecting his grip.
bossmanham - February 7, 2012
Cost the Pats another ring
without the noodle knee, perhaps he can jump better? get himself in better position? Not incur the wrath of Brady’s man-faced wife?
ArrowDread - February 7, 2012
Hey, she can't @#$%&*! insult his teammates and catch at the same time.
bossmanham - February 7, 2012
But she can look like a dude and be a bitch at the same time
ArrowDread - February 7, 2012
HA !
She does does have a man face !
chiefsman! - February 7, 2012 via mobile
Man-faced wife?! Was ist das?! Ich nicht aussehen wie ein mann!!
“Leave Thomas Alone”!!
severn58 - February 7, 2012
Ich brauche nur ein Schnurrbart
Dann sehe ich so wie einer Mann sehen!
SCKSChief - February 7, 2012
Ein Fu Manchu wäre besser als ein Schnurrbart
Also, nice Lloyd haircut ya got there Herr Brady.
severn58 - February 7, 2012
Tell her I'm rich
and I have a rapist wit.
SCKSChief - February 7, 2012
They most beautiful woman on the planet has a man face?
Get real scrubs
Brad-KC - February 7, 2012
To each their own
Some guys like the man face
ArrowDread - February 7, 2012
some guys are just complete morons
to each their own.
Brad-KC - February 7, 2012
Easy
Opinions are like assholes: everyone has one, and they all stink
RememberDelaney37 - February 7, 2012 via mobile
Except that one, right?
haha
bossmanham - February 7, 2012
Trannys need love too
ArrowDread - February 7, 2012
Yikes check that pic up there
Total man face
TheScootness - February 7, 2012
"most beautiful woman on the planet?"
HA! She looks like Steffi Graf with smaller boobs.
neiowakcfan - February 7, 2012
hahaha
kc_okerix - February 7, 2012
Why you dissin' Stefi Graf like that?!
ArrowDread - February 7, 2012
Well, she's no Billy Jean King.
ARROWHEADSHANE - February 7, 2012
Yes it was a catchable ball
but he had to pirouette like a ballerina to try to catch it. So you can blame Brady on that just as much as Welker
KingChief - February 7, 2012
Brady seemed rattled most of the game
But that pass did hit him in both hands. Bowe would have been crucified for a drop like that
ArrowDread - February 7, 2012
Bowe makes that catch
it’s the easy ones he has trouble with sometimes
KingChief - February 7, 2012
Argument to be made for Bowe as best WR in the league
just off of the degree of difficulty of his catches. Any WR can catch when the QB hits the numbers. But with a QB that consistanty throws at his ankles, behind him, over his head, to be able to put up the numbers he does is unreal. Get him a real QB who can hit him in stride, and dude would be 25+TD a year WR
ArrowDread - February 7, 2012
Bowe's produced more than any other WR with a bad QB in the league
MNchiefsfan - February 7, 2012
He came back in 8 months but wasn't himself for a lot longer then that.
ACLs are typically 18 months for athletes to recover 100% physically and mentally.
GenericBrand - February 7, 2012
I thought Welker looked very good all season?
MNchiefsfan - February 7, 2012
Can't wait to see JC running downfield again during the regular season
a beautiful thing
OmahaNick - February 7, 2012
Charles is working on it
jcharles25 Jamaal Charles
Good morning world…. Is time to get my ass up and go get better..
redngold1 - February 7, 2012
Having these guys back
Plus a year expirence and a full offseason with Baldwin and Houston, and Hopefully filling some depth , it should be a good year .
chiefsman! - February 7, 2012 via mobile
Have to include Hudson
Who shall be an upgrade to Weigs
BAMFSpecialOps - February 7, 2012
Ah yes I forgot
We should have a pretty darn good line next year !
chiefsman! - February 7, 2012 via mobile
Heard Priest saying the biggest obstacle to overcome in recovery is mental
Are we sure these guys can shake the ghosts?
ArrowDread - February 7, 2012
Can't be absolutely sure of anything with injuries.
Can play the odds, and hope for the best. Odds are in favor of them recovering well from an ACL tear, but each guy and how he mentally responds can be different.
TRSChief - February 7, 2012
i think berry
has the best chance to shake the mental part. the guy seems like he has the attitude that nothing can hold him down. he will overcome.
chiefsfan83 - February 7, 2012
Yeah that guy just oozes confidence.
Plus he’s just a sharp kid.
So excited to see him back on the field for 2012.
TRSChief - February 7, 2012
One thing that works for JC
Is what a freaki injury it was. It’s not like he took a bone-crushing shot that put him out. Hopefully that’s easier to get over.
With Berry… well, he’ll probably watch out for guys going for the legs more carefully. Hopefully he doesn’t let that slow him down.
MNchiefsfan - February 7, 2012
I'll be SO F'ING UPSET
if the ACL crew don’t come back 100%. That will be extremely sad.
Brad-KC - February 7, 2012
do most people recover 100% functionality and performance from ACL tears?
Is it more likely that all three of these guys are going to be closer to 80% of the previous explosiveness/speed and will now be more injury prone going forward (and looking at shorter careers?)
Not being debbie downer, I really don’t know the answers to these questions and just curious if any of the arrowhead ortho experts can illuminate
rdub - February 7, 2012
In recent history, yes they do
Rod Woodson came back, but he moved to Safety
Jerry Rice came back and destroyed the TD record
Frank Gore tore up both knees and he is a top 10 back
Welker is near the top of the league in catches every year
KingChief - February 7, 2012
But did all return with the same speed, acceleration, cut ability, etc.
Jerry Rice was a renowned route runner, not a Mike Wallace speed type. I don’t know the answer to this, but there is certainly the possibility that one or two of them may lose a step.
polodude017 - February 7, 2012
Alot of people actually come back better then they were from knee rehab.
Knee rehab is a grueling process and for alot of athletes who go through it they actually can come back in even better shape then they were in the first place.
GenericBrand - February 7, 2012
Being a great route runner necessarily requires the ability to cut more quickly than the "other guy"
Especially when you lack breakaway speed like Welker and Rice do.
MNchiefsfan - February 7, 2012
Doesn't this make you a bit sick?
Being a receiver used to be about precision, knowing timing, and doing your job. Now QBs just heave the ball as far as they can and the receiver just runs and does his best to catch it.
MarineChiefsFan - February 7, 2012
Typically players who have torn their ACLs say it takes about 2 years...
To get back to their original playing ability. They might be 100% healthy, but most say it’s a more mentalmaspect than physical. Telling yourself that your knee will be able to make this cut or that cut is what most say takes time to come back from.
jsChiefs23 - February 7, 2012
Mental aspect*
jsChiefs23 - February 7, 2012
They should be good by the time the season starts
When I tore my ACL (granted i’m not a professional athlete, but still play sports/ work out a lot), after 6 months I could do everything the same as pre-injury but it just feels strange for a while. The surgery messes with the nerves below the knee and that feeling slowly comes back. But these guys are working with the best PT’s in the business.
jakobes15 - February 7, 2012
Poor Brandon Siler.
Always forgotten.
independent739 - February 7, 2012
Ha
BAMFSpecialOps - February 7, 2012
I don't even want to hear the term "ACL tear" this season
Unless it’s #7.
SCKSChief - February 7, 2012
Classy.
Tarkus - February 7, 2012
That's still a d-bag thing to say.
bossmanham - February 7, 2012
Yeah well
It’s the only way he doesn’t play in KC.
Dick move, I know. Just done with it.
SCKSChief - February 7, 2012
I was going to do a Fanpost on this but ill just say it here instead...
Berry will come back even stronger. The kid has come from a hard-working family and knows what it means to “work hard” and be the best you can be. He will be 120% back on the field…
Jamaal Charles. This guy has been successful his entire life. Relying on pure athleticism to be successful. It’s difficult to judge where he will come out on this because he must have his mind right to do it. Does he have the ability to do that? We will just have to see with him… i really hope for the best.
Moeaki. Forget it… there is a reason he has been hurt more than few times in his career. This shows me that he doesnt have it in him to really push himself when it’s just him sitting there on a sunny afternoon. He does not have self-motivation in my opinion. I seriously hate to say it but start looking for a new tight end…maybe even two.
Siler. Not to leave the poor guy out but not much to gauge from him. Looking at his past career and what little i have read on him, he has scratched and clawed a little bit in his life and has a great work-ethic. He will be just fine.
ahuts - February 7, 2012
Thank goodness we have ourselves a prophet here.
bossmanham - February 7, 2012
1. Berry, Charles, Moeaki and Siler
2. ?
3. Prophet
Tarkus - February 7, 2012
You are welcome sir.
Was actually working on this but Joel beat me to it.. poo
ahuts - February 7, 2012
So that's how he got to the NFL? A total lack of motivation?
Probably gets injured just to get out of workouts. Yeah, must be a total slacker to keep coming back from injuries.
electriclight - February 7, 2012
And you KNOW all this how?
Judging a person’s rehab based on how you THINK they go about their lives seems a little arrogant. Could you be right? I guess so, but I highly doubt these guys wouldn’t be as motivated as they could possibly be. They are professional athletes and there is a reason they are in the NFL.
jsChiefs23 - February 7, 2012
I will be surprised if they all dont come back strong
I think the three of them will each other
groundedchevy - February 7, 2012 via mobile
ACL is one of the flukiest injuries an athlete can get.
This Moeaki “injury history” is one of the most overrated topics on this site.
GenericBrand - February 7, 2012
agreed
that assumption that he’s not motivated is off base, IMHO
Moeaki’s work ethic has never been a question
stagdsp - February 7, 2012
Experience w/ Torn ACL
I’ve torn my ACL and I can say from experience that the only thing that could hold these guys back is what’s in their heads. Sometimes when coming back from an ACL, your body pysically CAN do all the same things you used to, but it’s hard for your mind to tell it to out of fear of reinjury. But these guys are NFL stars with NFL doctors and trainers. If they can’t get back 100%, then nobody can.
kuME10 - February 7, 2012
Good Info On RB's After ACL
http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2011/12/3/2607630/jamaal-charles-what-to-expect-after-an-acl-injury
You can thank me later.
Chiefsfan85 - February 7, 2012
I don't know what kind of impact Siler was going to make,
but I think the achilles injury will be harder to come back from than the ACLs. Speaking from experience with both. ACL is something you rehab and overcome the mental part and confidence. The achilles is one I partially tore last January and have just now gotten back to where I don’t feel it any more. There is no rehab for it. Just stagnation.
ARROWHEADSHANE - February 7, 2012
Hunt & Steelers
kinda funny Clark hired Pioli because he wanted the chiefs to be like the Steelers.We have Patriot way & guy who he hired & fired went to the Steelers.
sodablaster - February 7, 2012
It really will be like getting two draft classes
with all of these returning players!
fishhooks - February 7, 2012 via mobile
Draft offense
Pioli needs to trade up to draft Griffin because cheap skate clark Hunt will never spend the money to sign a free agent like Peyton Manning. However the Cheifs can still make the playoffs if they draft OT Martin from Standford in the 1st round & then an OG & TE or TE & OG with the 2nd & 3rd round picks. Hunt must open up his fat wallet & sign a quality free agent running back & ILB for depth.
Chief Fan from DFW - February 7, 2012
This isn't a problem with Hunt.
All along Pioli and Hunt both have said money is no issue. It is Pioli who targets the players. I think Hunt just wants to win. Pioli is the one who makes the calls on FA and resigning players.
TXChiefan - February 7, 2012
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