FanHouse Wide Receiver

I have been one of Herm Edwards' biggest supporters. This has been no secret. Here's the main reason why: I don't approve of Herm's offensive gameplanning. I also agree that he is too stubborn at time. I also believe that he inherited a limping team and he took them far deeper than expected. Folks, I know we want to compare the Chiefs' offense to the explosive aerial offense that Vermeil and Saunders featured. We have to face facts that this ship has sailed. Joe Posnanski wrote an article in the Kansas City Star that speaks to this same issue. If you haven't read it, I implore you to read it now. I sat in my chair nodding my head at every single point Posnanski made in this article.

The reason I have been so defensive of Herm Edwards is that he was forced to run an offense last year that he was not comfortable with. The media and the fans are largely to blame for that. There were so many people that insisted that Herm not change the offense. Herm Edwards has never been comfortable with a vertical passing game. He wants to feature a ball-control offense, and you can't accomplish that if you're gaining 20 yards on first down or your quarterback gets sacked on first down forcing a 2nd down and 20. Before we accuse Herm Edwards of being a doofus on offense, let's give him a chance to get his own players and his own offensive scheme first, shall we? I don't support Herm's offensive gameplan, but I'm willing to wait one more season to see what he can do when he's given license to run his own offense with his own scheme with his own coaches and players.

More importantly, Vermeil and Saunders' offense revolved around the offensive line. News flash: those dominant years are over. Willie Roaf: gone. Will Shields: rapid decline. Casey Wiegmann: declining. Whoever is at right tackle: ineffective. The Chiefs can't go vertical because their offensive line isn't good enough to protect that long. Even Dick Vermeil couldn't have gotten much effectiveness out of this unit.

The Chiefs lost a quarterback for a few games, but it appears that they've added a wide receiver. Len Pasquarelli has reported that the Chiefs have signed WR Rod Gardner to a 3-year contract, pending a physical.

Rod Gardner adds some much needed depth to a Kansas City Chiefs' receiving corps that features two untested receivers as anchors--Jeff Webb and Chris Hannon. More than likely, this move signals the end to Chris Hannon's short stint in Kansas City. In related news, a tree fell in the middle of the woods and nobody heard it fall.

This move makes complete sense: if you can't get to a Branch, hire a Gardner. At worst, Gardner is easily the best option the Chiefs have to serve as the fifth WR on their depth chart. At best, he may finally play like the first round pick he was supposed to be the first six years of his career. Either way, it's a low risk move.

The move also signals a potential shift in philosophy. When big Willie Roaf was squashing pass rushers on pass plays, the Kansas City offense was afforded the luxury of waiting for receivers to get open. The Chiefs responded by signing smaller, quicker receivers who typically needed more time to get open. Rod Gardner is more of a possession receiver--a very big target who gets open quickly. It's interesting that they chose Gardner over other players they tried out last week, including small, rangy receiver Darius Watts. It almost makes you wonder if there is secretly concern about the Chiefs' ability to pass protect like they once could. It could also perhaps signal a change in philosophy that leans more towards Herm Edwards' preferred small-ball approach. It also could be a red zone solution, seeing that Tony Gonzalez is the only remotely viable red zone passing target the Chiefs have.

The Scoop
The Kansas City Chiefs' Air Coryell offense is one of the most difficult offenses in the NFL to learn. However, Gardner has experience in Joe Gibbs' Coryell offense, so he should be able to adapt relatively quickly. Both of the Chiefs' receivers underperformed against the Bengals, so there could be major depth chart implications to this move. Eddie Kennison will likely be given the nod as the Chiefs' #1 receiver. However, I believe the Chiefs will hold Kennison to a very short leash and I can't help but wonder if the move could signal a reduced role for Kennison, if he doesn't show immediate production.

Furthermore, I always thought the Chiefs were at their best when they had a 1-2 punch in Kennison and Johnnie Morton. Much as Morton underperformed, he provided a reliable possession target while Kennison provided the speed. I never felt that kind of a comfort zone with two speed receivers like Parker and Kennison lined up as the x and y receivers. While I like Parker's upside, I'd also like to see how he would perform in the slot where he can get a free release. I also wonder if this move might be a show of concern for Eddie Kennison's future. I have some concerns about whether Kennison can continue to produce in an offense that offers far less time to get open. I don't know if Gardner is the answer to allay those concerns, but he's a far more viable option right now than Dante Hall, Jeff Webb, or Chris Hannon to step in if Kennison doesn't produce.

Either way, Parker and Kennison are both quick receivers who could benefit a lot from looser coverages that slot receivers get. Gardner should do well in the Chiefs' offense. It's a stretch to believe he will be a 1,000 yard receiver, but he could very well have the upside to be a contributor and maybe a productive receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs' offense.

With every passing day, and with every ounce of tension rising out of New England, slowly the rumblings get louder that the Chiefs should do all they can to acquire Deion Branch.

After all, the Chiefs are even thinner at wide receiver than previous years, when their wide receivers supposedly would prevent them from having a decent offense. Eddie Kennison is getting older, Samie Parker has yet to prove he can be consistent, and Dante Hall needs to focus on special teams.

I agree that Branch would ultimately be a nice fit. He is not a selfish receiver who would almost dictate that touches be taken away from Tony Gonzalez or Larry Johnson. His all-around skills make him a great option on first or third down. Still, I'm here to tell you, be patient.

If the Chiefs were to make a play for Branch, the ideal time would have been at the beginning of training camp. Despite Al Saunders' departure, the Chiefs' offense remains a complicated one. With all the motions and trick plays, not to mention disguised downfield blocking, the wide receiver position may be as complicated to learn as or more complicated than quarterback.

All that requires repetition. You can study the Chiefs' playbook 24/7 for weeks, but it is extremely difficult to master the timing of all the plays and get accustomed to all the shifts until you experience it on the field. While Branch would immediately boost the talent of the Chiefs' wide receivers, his acquisition now could also boost the false-start count during the season.

Furthermore, giving Branch the practice reps he would need now would probably mean fewer reps for Parker. At the beginning of the season, that could be costly, and the Chiefs need to play tough in their difficult first half of the schedule if they want to have any momentum going into the second half.

Of course, I say all this knowing full well that the cost for Branch would have been quite high a few months ago. After all, Tom Brady was pushing for management to re-sign Branch, and New England gave no indication that they were looking to trade him.

Now, different factors come into play. There are a lot of things the Chiefs will need to consider. If they conclude that they want or need Branch, they have to outbid other teams; however, with an older team, giving up premium talent or draft picks may not be in their best interests. They have to meet Branch's salary demands. They also have to determine that Branch would fit in almost immediately and not stunt the development of Parker. Those are a lot of factors to consider. So be patient, and hope that the Chiefs are carefully monitoring the situation.